ToffeeWeb Season Diary
Season 2008-09
 2007-08 |
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November 2008
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News Headlines & Features Hard-fought win is bittersweet for BluesTottenham Hotspur 0 - 1 Everton 30 Nov - The spirited Everton that has characterised the Moyes era made a welcome return this afternoon in a battling display that secured a third-successive victory for the Blues at White Hart Lane. The joy was soured, however, by the news that Yakubu, who hobbled off just seven minutes in, is out of the rest of the season with a ruptured achilles tendon. His replacement, Louis Saha, was later stretchered off with a torn hamstring and could be out until January but by that stage Steven Pienaar's deflected shot off a clever quick free kick had handed Moyes's side the lead. Spurs were energized in the late stages but were thwarted by a brilliant rearguard action, not least when Tim Howard and Phil Jagielka intervened to deny chances for Roman Pavlyuchenko and Fraizer Campbell at close range. Full report Tottenham Hotspur vs Everton Team News 30 Nov - A few weeks ago Evertonians were just thankful they weren't Spurs fans; now, with the Lilywhites resurgent under Harry Redknapp, and the Blues' form in the doldrums, the trip to North London this afternoon looks more than a little daunting. With James Vaughan out and both Victor Anichebe and Louis Saha doubtful, Yakubu is likely to be David Moyes's only fit striker which will at least give him the excuse he needs to revert to 4-5-1. Kick off is 3pm. ToffeeWeb back up and running Move complete; some errors remain 28 Nov - Regular visitors to these pages will have noticed some... ahem... availability problems over the past 10 days. Suffice to say that our previous web hosts' balls-up of migrating us to their new hosting platform was the straw that broke the camel's back so we made the decision to switch to a new company. Moving a site of this size is no picnic and a few issues remain, particularly where our season and player stats are concerned so you may still encounter errors on a number of pages. We're working to address those as soon as possible but our news and opinion pages are open again. Thanks again for your patience. Dire Everton slump to defeat at JJB Wigan Athletic 1 - 0 Everton 24 Nov - Everton once again lacked the guile, spirit and quality required to see off inferior opposition and were condemned to defeat at Wigan when victory, seemingly on the cards after a decent start by the Blues, would have moved them into the top six. As it is, David Moyes's dreadfully uninspired and, frankly, uninspiring outfit appear destined for a season of mediocrity as Steve Bruce's side seized the initiative and would have led at half time were it not for a miracle save by Tim Howard. But the Latics grabbed all three points when Joleon Lescott was again caught well out of position and Henri Camara slid home from close range. Louis Saha was foiled by Chris Kirkland, Yakubu blazed over and Tim Cahill missed the last chance of the game, scooping a gilt-edged chance over the bar. Full report Wigan Athletic vs Everton Match Preview 24 Nov - Everton make the shortest trip in the Premier League, 20 miles down the road to Wigan, for their first Monday night date of the season. Steven Pienaar (knee injury) and Marouane Fellaini (groin strain) are doubts which will likely mean a recall for Jack Rodwell as the Blues look to keep tabs on the leading pack. KO is 8pm. Moyes still expecting more 22 Nov - "I can see the players doing much better and that gives me encouragement for the upcoming games." Moyes also outlined that he is refusing to rest on last season's finishing position, outlining it means very little now and that Everton cannot afford to relax if they want to be referred to as a consistent threat at the top of the table. "Finishing fifth for Everton was a part success, I wouldn't say it was great but we have to want more of it and I want the players to recognise that they want to be back up there again this season." Cahill 's injury concern 20 Nov - Tim Cahill played most of the match for Australia against Bahrain in Manama last night, which the Socceroos won 1-0. Cahill was substituted 3 mins before the end of the game and the condition of his niggling heel bruise will be closely assessed by Everton's medical staff when he arrives back, in preparation for the trip to Wigan on Monday. Destination Kirkby Public Inquiry starts today 18 Nov - The public inquiry into the £400M development known as Destination Kirkby that includes Tesco's retail outlets and a new stadium for Everton starts today, with the club's sale to a new 'investor' likely to depend on the outcome. The club have launched a propaganda offensive to reinforce their total commitment to the plan, with no consideration of alternatives because there simply are none. Blues held by 'Boro Everton 1 - 1 Middlesbrough 16 Nov - Yakubu got back on the scoresheet, helping a Mikel Arteta free kick into the net by way of his shoulder to score the equaliser, but Everton toiled to find a winner and were ultimately frustrated by their own final ball and some resolute 'Boro defending. David Moyes's side fell behind to an early goal by Gary O'Neil when he finished a swift counter-attack by placing his shot in off the post. But the Blues responded well with a number of good attacks. Joleon Lescott's cross bounced off the post, Joseph Yobo, Tim Cahill and Louis Saha all missed with headers before the Yak struck to level the game. It was the visitors who came closer to winning it, though, when Tim Howard pushed Digard's shot onto the post. Everton vs Middlesbrough Match Preview 15 Nov - Everton have their eyes on Groundsharing the Logical Choice Harris dredges up share option 14 Nov - Keith Harris, the man tasked by Bill Kenwright to hawk Everton around to international money-men but who seems to be talking his product down lately rather than up, believes that there would be a number of mutual benefits to the Blues sharing a new stadium with Liverpool. The idea of sharing a stadium is anathema to fans of both persuasions but the recent cataclysmic changes in the financial world have possibly created a new environment for the "economically sensible" solution to both clubs' stadium problems. "Why not?" asks Harris. "Technology today can turn a stadium from blue to red in the flick of a switch." Takeover unlikely No progress at all on finding a buyer 11 Nov - Keith Harris, charged with the task of finding a buyer for Bill Kenwright's shares in Everton Football Club, says,"It has never been more difficult to find buyers. There has been no progress at all (with finding a buyer for Everton). It's no longer a question of price negotiation, it's should we? People are wondering if now is the time to spend. The demographics of Liverpool as an area are not hugely compelling." Update: Harris back-tracked somewhat this morning saying that there is cause for optimism where the purchase of Everton is concerned. Agent: Fee agreed for Meteb Egyptian striker in the frame again 10 Nov - Mohamed Hamid, the agent of Egypt striker Emad Meteb, is claiming that a deal worth £2m has been struck to bring his client to Everton from Al Ahly in January: "I travelled to England a week ago to agree on the final details of the contract with Everton. We agreed on everything. Emad was informed about the course of negotiations, and he is glad about it." Meteb is currently on loan at Ittihad in Saudi Arabia after a summer move to Bristol City collapsed. Update: His club have denied it via the agent they have put in charge of any transaction involving the 25 year-old and a bemused David Moyes says the player's name means nothing to him. Daylight robbery at Upton Park West Ham United 1 - 3 Everton 8 Nov - Everton produced another stunning late show, mugging West Ham of three points thanks to an incredible five-minute spell that yielded three goals, two for Louis Saha. For 82 minutes, the Blues had been indescribably dreadful and were justifiably heading for defeat when Collison drove home Scott Parker's clever back-heel just past the hour mark. With time running out, though, Everton woke up. Lescott powered Saha's cross home to level the scores with eight minutes left and three minutes after that it was, incredibly, 2-1. Anichebe crossed, Saha swung at it from 16 yards and with the help of a deflection found the net off the far post. The Frenchman did it again, two minutes later, sweeping a 25-yard effort around Green to wrap up three points from a performance that didn't deserve one. But we'll take them! Full report West Ham United vs Everton Match Preview 7 Nov - Everton go in search of a third successive win when they travel to off-form West Ham this weekend. Segundo Castillo could get a starting role in place of the suspended Marouane Fellaini after the Ecuadorian international recovered from a groin strain and came through a Reserve game in midweek. Yakubu and Steven Pienaar will have fitness tests on ankle and knee complaints respectively. Kick off is 3pm. No financial details... Hiding behind 'commercial sensitivity' 6 Nov - Everton and Tesco will refuse to reveal the financial details of their £400m bid to build a superstore and stadium at the forthcoming public inquiry into Destination Kirkby. Everton FC and Tesco’s lawyer Patrick Clarkson told planning inspector Wendy Burden that the financial rationale behind the move was a matter of ‘commercial sensitivity’ and therefore would not be released. Yet the club requires full business plans for any alternatives suggested to Destination Kirkby... Last-gasp Louis the hero Everton 1 - 0 Fulham 1 Nov - Everton ground out another slender victory and twice had the woodwork to thank for another clean sheet as Louis Saha, on for recent goal machine Marouane Fellaini in an unwelcome substitution, powered home his first goal for the club off a beautiful Leon Osman cross three minutes from time. The Blues, to be fair, had for the most part, tried to play football rather than hoofball but once again promising moves fell apart with poor passing around the opposition area. Fellaini had rolled a shot off the post in a first half dominated by Everton but Fulham had the better chances in the second before Saha won it. Full report Everton vs Fulham Match Preview 1 Nov - Given Everton's record against Fulham at Goodison Park since the Cottagers returned to the top flight seven years ago, David Moyes couldn't ask for better opposition against whom to claim his side's first home win of the season. Leon Osman and Tim Cahill are doubts for the televised lunchtime kickoff as the Blues go for an eighth-successive home win over the West London club. |
Snippets & Rumours YAK OUT FOR THE SEASON30 Nov - Everton's striking crisis deepened today with the news that Yakubu is out for the rest of the season after rupturing his Achilles tendon during Sunday's 1-0 win over Tottenham. The Nigerian went off early on after falling awkwardly and David Moyes confirmed that, "He's done his Achilles and that's him out for the season. Louis Saha did his hamstring as well so, with James Vaughan facing a knee operation, we are really short up front. It's a massive shame for us." Macclesfield Town in the Cup 30 Nov - Everton will travel to Macclesfield for the 3rd Round of the FA Cup, to be played on the first weekend of the New Year. Kirkby Inquiry Day 8 28 Nov - The eighth day of the Kirkby inquiry saw Tesco and Evertons fourth witness, Graeme Tulley, a regeneration expert, continuing to be cross examined. Moyes on the topic of Money 28 Nov - "In this job you have to show you can work without [ money]. I am happy to continue doing that and hope to push Everton up into the top half. We must continue to build and continue to make progress. Unless something changes and we have a sugar daddy who is going to come in and throw money at it, which I cannot see happening, we just have to continue the way we are." — David Moyes Kirkby Inquiry Day 7 27 Nov - Day seven of the inquiry began with Patrick Clarkson, for Tesco, introducing Graham Tulley, a town planner. He presented his report on the regeneration effects of the Kirkby proposals, revealing Knowsley was the eighth most deprived borough in England and the fourth most deprived outside of London. Kirkby Inquiry Day 6 26 Nov - The sixth day of the Kirkby public inquiry saw Tesco and Everton's third witness, Melvin Davis, remaining on the stand for the duration. An expert on master-planning and design issues, he was cross-examined on his report on the design of the scheme. Kirkby Inquiry Day 5 25 Nov - The second week of the Destination Kirkby Inquiry began with the continuation of Jeremy Williams's cross examination. Mr Williams is the retail planning expert called as a witness by the Applicants for the development to answer questions relating to his report into why the plans for Kirkby should be approved. No money in January 22 Nov - "We're one of the clubs that hasn't got money to spend in January. I don't see us having anything. I'll hopefully be able to improve the team and the squad. But my early thoughts are we won't have money available to spend." — David Moyes. Pienaar misses out 22 Nov - Steven Pienaar will miss Everton's trip to Wigan on Monday after failing to recover from a knee injury that kept him out of the midweek international for South Africa against Cameroon. Lars is back! 22 Nov - Lars Jacobsen, who was Everton's first signing of the summer, has been given the all-clear to resume full-time fitness work after dislocating his shoulder while playing for Denmark four months ago. Kirkby Inquiry Day 4 21 Nov - Jeremy Williams, a retail planning expert, was the second witness called to provide details relating to his report in favour of the proposed Kirkby development. Destination Kirkby — Day 3 20 Nov - The government's inspector, Wendy Burden, was unable to attend the third day of the Public Inquiry due to illness. In her absence the assistant inspectors listened to proceedings, continuing with John Francis, the planning expert, being cross examined. Destination Kirkby — Day 2 19 Nov - Questioning of experts continued, with John Francis being grilled about the details of the project, and making an odd statement about synergy with the planned stadium: "...its not the case that the two are inter-related but together can deliver the maximum range of benefits...". Also, Part 2. Destination Kirkby — Day 1 18 Nov - This report from the Official Everton Website summarizes the opening statements from the various stakeholders. Everton Res 1 - 0 Newcastle Res 19 Nov - Everton Reserves beat Newcastle 1-0 at the Stobart Stadium last night. Lukas Jutkiewicz scored the winning goal but Andy Holden’s side had two goals disallowed in the first half. Hibbert, Baines and Anichebe all played. Pienaar withdrawn 18 Nov - David Moyes says there was no choice involved in his decision to withdraw Steven Pienaar from the South Africa squad for their game against Cameroon. The Bafana Bafana boys sound a bit miffed about the claimed injury, and will not be happy if Pienaar appears against Wigan! Moyes fined 18 Nov - David Moyes has been fined £5,000 by the FA and warned as to his future conduct following comments made on the touchline during Everton's match against Stoke City on 14 September. Such is the punishment for some managers who dare to question a referee's decision. Kinsella is latest Academy graduate 17 Nov - Gerrard Kinsella is the latest in a line of youngsters to sign professional forms with Everton as he eyes a place in the Reserves this season. Cahill facing foot surgery 17 Nov - David Moyes fears that rest may not be enough for a heel injury that his plaguing Tim Cahill and that the he will have to undergo surgery. The Australian played against Middlesbrough with the help of painkilling injections but was limping before being substituted late in the second half. Vaughan for England U-21s 17 Nov - James Vaughan has been called into the England Under-21 squad to face the Czech Republic on Tuesday after Blackburn's Matt Derbyshire pulled out with a groin injury. Another youngster signs 17 Nov - Gerrard Kinsella has become the latest Everton youngster to sign a professional contract with teh club. The locally born, central midfielder penned his deal at Goodison Park before the clash with Middlesbrough on Sunday. Lescott makes England squad 15 Nov - Joleon Lescott will be Everton's sole representative when England take on Germany next week but Phil Jagielka was overlooked by Fabio Capello. A Big NO to eBay! 15 Nov - Ian Ross, 'Head of Communications' at Everton has launched a withering broadside at fans selling limited edition pink shirts on eBay, branding them "greedy, self-serving and callous individuals who will be rightly condemned by every decent, right-thinking supporter of Everton Football Club." Mailbag Thread Moyes has utmost faith in the Yak 15 Nov - David Moyes has warned Tottenham off any approach for Yakubu in January saying that he is committed to making the Nigerian one of the most feared strikers in the Premier League. "I am not aware of interest from another club" he says, " and I'm not worried about it, either. I have no intention of letting him go," FM does the scouting 14 Nov - Everton have signed a ground-breaking deal to use the huge player database of Football Manager to scout for new players. The game's creators, brothers Paul and Oliver Collyer, are avid Evertonians. Hope in Everton's future 13 Nov - Hope Akpan has become the fourth Academy graduate to sign on with Everton in the past month. The 17-year-old, who recently made the step up from the U-18s to the Reserves, joins James McCarten, Nathan Craig and Lewis Codling in signing professional terms as the Blues secure what some say is a potentially impressive crop of youngsters. Howard hopeful over USA honour 13 Nov - Tim Howard is in with a good shout of being named US Player of the Year for the first time this year. He has been shortlisted for the honour after keeping five clean sheets in his last eight international games. Yobo pulls out of Nigeria squad 12 Nov - Joseph Yobo has pulled out of Nigeria's squad to face Columbia in Cali next week with the full blessing of coach Shuaibu Amodu because of a calf injury. Yakubu intends to travel to South America, however, if he recovers from a bruised heel. Yak 50-50 for Sunday 11 Nov - Everton physio Mick Rathbone says that Yakubu has a 50% chance of playing against Middlesbrough on Sunday. The Nigerian has been hampered by a "badly bruised heel" in recent weeks and has needed time to rest it. Blues prepare new deal for Rodwell 11 Nov - Everton are preparing a new contract offer for 17 year-old prospect Jack Rodwell. The midfielder's current deal expires at the end of next season but covetous glances have been cast his way from the likes of Chelsea and David Moyes is keen to keep hold of his rising star. Moyes lyrical about Louis 10 Nov - “It’s early days but he has got great ability and hopefully those goals will give him real confidence. It was his cross for the first goal, the second one he got on the end of a pull-back and then he rifled one in from 20 or 25 yards.” — David Moyes. End-of-year takeover 9 Nov - According to this newspaper story, Everton top a list of five Premier League clubs prime for a takeover by Arab money, marshalled by Amanda Staveley's PCP Capital Partners. Not every match? 5 Nov - “Not every match is going to be about nice passing and easy on the eye football. There are going to be games that we will need to grind results out from and work hard." — Hopefully just not all the games, Ossie! Arteta can play better 4 Nov - “We know that Mikel can play much better,” said Moyes. “He is aware of that as well and we have no doubt he can respond. It’s just a dip by his high standards.” Reserves beaten by Blackburn 3 Nov - An Everton Reserves side featuring the likes of Rodwell, Castillo, Anichebe and Vaughan, who scored with a second-half header, went down to a late goal at Blackburn Rovers that condemned them a 2-1 defeat. Derby date switched for TV 3 Nov - The Anfield derby has been switched to Monday 19 January 2009 for live broadcast on Setanta (8:00pm)... unless Liverpool reach the Carling Cup semi-finals, when it will revert to the previous Saturday. Saha “really enjoying” life at Everton 2 Nov - Louis Saha says that while it took him longer than he had hoped to settle into life at Goodison Park he has no doubt that he "picked the right club to come to... and everything is starting to go well again." Cahill Interview 2 Nov - Tim Cahill talks to the BBC after last week's Bolton game, discussing his off-field work encouraging children to read, his football academies in Australia and Dubai, Milwall, Fellaini, Mum, handcuffs, Scotland(!), shirt-collecting(!!) Stevie G (!!!) and plenty of other aspects of his personal philosophy as a footballer. |
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