COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY

From my seat: Kharkiv (A)

By Ken Buckley : 05/10/2007 :

Comments (3) :

We are through to the group stages amid many shortcomings, a slice of luck and a spirit that never gave up.

Due to time and money I was unable to partake in the daytrip to Kharkiv so settled for Channel 5.

By halftime I was less than pleased with our efforts and wondered if this was another Euro exit.

By fulltime I was delighted with the result and the prospect of some Euro nights at Goodison.

To get to that position we went through agonies and ecstasies.

The game I thought threw up some familiar problems. In tight tense situations we lack the composure that having a solid and creative midfield brings, in short,being unable to join up defence with attack will in matches against more formidable opposition leave us needing more than togetherness and fighting spirit.

We are through to the group stages which is in itself a fillip to the club but I wonder if our failure to bolster the midfield in the close season will come back to haunt us.

Many say we are unlucky to lose Tim, Tommy and Mikel all at once and I have to agree but these situations throw themselves up in many guises within a hectic season due to form,injury and suspension and the fact we have not strengthened in those areas I believe may leave us short when competing on four fronts,not forgetting that a high Prem finish is our bread and butter.to allow us to further our Euro aspirations season on season.

If you look at tonights game I thought the turning point was the withdrawal of Jags and the Yak along with the tinkering that saw Arteta and Pienaar take the centre mid. roles,although not powerhouses they did have the craft and guile to at least stem Metalists domination of that area and provide some ammo for the front men.Big Vic certainly profited and was able to unsettle their back four especially the big centre back who had looked so solid until the sheer persistance of Big Vic gave us the winner and also supplied the assist that allowed Faddy to score an excellent goal to put us in the driving seat.

For me it was a night of mixed emotions,on the one hand we looked ill prepared and short all over the pitch. On the other hand we never gave up and the manager tinkered all night to get the best out of what he had got and in the end we got through.

Many lessons to be learned by many people but I am looking forward to those Thursday nights at Goodison.

In conclusion I have to say that my M.O.M. was a player who in the past I have described as 'a man able to give a masterclass in giving the ball away' and that is Faddy.

Next up Newcastle and better to go their with a Euro win under our belts than a loss.

UP THE BLUES!

Reader Comments

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Gavin Ramejkis
1 Posted 06/10/2007 at 07:31:13

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Ken another masterclass in observation, I too was stuck with Channel 5 as I was working in the middle of nowhere in Scotland (actually had to drive to a friends house to get Channel 5). I was disgusted and exasperated with the first half, gaps you could have driven a tank through, Jagielka showing he simply isn’t a midfielder and Yobo looking half asleep and at least a yard too late in any tackles, Yakubu simply made to look rubbish as he isn’t a holding striker. Why didn’t or more importantly can’t Everton pass the ball across the back four through midfield as so expertly displayed by the Ukranians? I’m not sure if in the first half Everton completed more than three or four passes before losing the ball. The wrong tactics and players on the pitch looked to have sealed our fate.

Luckily the Ukranians seemed to tire more than Everton did in the second half and a few jiggles of the players including the removal of the woeful Jagielka and Yakubu seemed to have the right effect. I’ve been saying for weeks now about playing your form players and how McFadden’s confidence will grow even more if he gets time on the pitch similarly Anichebe must be thinking just what exactly he has to do to get a start now, I was on the edge opf my seat as he turned that defender inside out expecting a youthful over enthusiastic balloon into row z but got a lovely well taken plant past the diving keeper and right into the back of the net.

Very happy with the result but desperately anxious about how poor we still look in midfield and how greater footballing sides playing against that side would have been way out of sight by half time.

Onwards and upwards for the barcodes, just hope glass ankles pulls up injured after a few minutes

Laurie Hartley
2 Posted 06/10/2007 at 12:02:48

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Gavin - the reason Everton don’t pass the ball across the back four is because you need two full backs who are comfortable on the ball to do that. We only have one - Nuno and he can’t get a game. We need a right back and a mid field general who can come and get the ball and give it to Arteta, and Piennar. Perhaps Tommy Grav will be the short term answer - Fernandez would have made a huge difference but he’s shot his bolt.

Actually Gavin you have hit the nail right on the head about where our shortcomings lie. It’s this whole question of being "comfortable on the ball". Who do we have who falls into this category? Arteta, Piennar, Nuno, Tommy, and then perhaps Stubbsy, Jimmy Mac and yes - the Yak (who needs the ball at his feet).

Stig Meacham
3 Posted 07/10/2007 at 02:29:31

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Aw, Ken! Channel 5? You’re forgiven this time!! ;-)

I’d like to add something here, but can’t. You’ve covered it. Always love your posts., KB I’ll be listening for you tomorrow on internet radio. We snatch a result, and it’s a good week...

Come on you blue travelers, drown out the fatsos! We foreigners will be listening!