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Well Done
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Everton’s midfield is looking very promising ... very promising. It may well be that we’re going to see another good run from the boys.
Let’s make no mistake about the gravity of what we’ve just done - Prior to this game Chelsea had not conceded in 10 hours of Premier League football at Stamford Bridge — and we stuck three past them, had almost as much possession and about 7 goal attempts.
They dominated the last quarter of the game — and we invited them forward by playing so bloody deep — but our makeshift defence held on for 25 minutes against a determined attack from the team containing the best striker in Europe. (With perhaps the exception of the ladyboy)
However, I also think that with a little bit of balls we might have been a tad more adventurous towards the end and grabbed all three points.
We had some luck about at least two of the goals — but we had to be up there to score them.
Well done Everton; Well done Dave Moyes.
Kevin Sparke, Posted 12/12/2009 at 15:59:29
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And as for that remaining Euro League game, then let's give the youngsters who have been warming our bench week-in and week-out a chance to show what they can do... COYB!
Totally agree (I think).
We’ll all think about it a bit in the coming days, but a great day in its own way. The Roubles boys must hate us.
Heitinga was solid as a rock today.
Regarding Jô, I wouldn’t pay any money for him, his first touch is so unlike what you’d expect from his heritage ("the worst Brazilian since David Blunkett shaved his wife’s pubes," to quote one Ian Macdonald), and he is the epitome of "powder puff", but I also think he’s come in for some undue stick in the last two or three games.
He was actually pretty good in linking up with Saha today, more so than Yakubu even though the Yak is clearly a better all-round player, and he had a decent crack at goal in the first 8 minutes that Cech saved well.
As I say, I’d rather have him than not right now but I do wish Yakubu was fitter and sharper so he could start regularly in Saha’s absence.
On a final note, much has been made by commentators today of how rare it was for Chelsea to have to deal with two strikers on home turf and they didn’t cope very well. Food for thought, Mr Moyes...
2 points from the last 2 games, against teams, who I think most of us thought we would get nothing from, let's hope we can kick on from here.
Today's result should give us the confidence to kick on, and with all the players to return after injury, the Europa League is not beyond us. We must get Louis to sign a new contract ASAP, if we are not to lose him.
To say our midfield is looking promising is pretty naïve. We have scraped two draws in the last week and now people say our midfield looks promising.
The whole reason we are struggling this season is because we have no midfield. Our midfield was overran today. Bily was poor, Rodwell was anonymous as he has been for weeks and Jo on the left wing? No need to say anything. We got a great result today but let’s not get lost in it.
I’m not being negative here but our midfield has been shit for weeks and we get two draws and all of a sudden it looks "promising"? I don’t think so...
A few wins over the Christmas period and a good draw in the Europa (anywhere apart from Istanbul) will do for me!
Let’s hope we can beat Carlisle for a change and all enjoy 2010.
A big well done to John Heitinga who I thought was fantastic at the back. That’s the Everton we all know, we need more consistent performances like that. More of the same please against the Brummies.
I did think the back four were immense today though except for Hibbo’s customary Dracula act (he hates crosses from the left) from which Drogba scored. Their other two were mainly down to Saha being a bit limp on the ball.
However, the luck that deserted us in the Derby appears to have evened itself out a little in the last two games and I think you can say we’re making our own luck now as the customary team spirit appears to have returned.
As I say, great result... but let’s not get carried away.
Promising as in having pace and skill both on the right and the left.
Promising as in neat little interplay between Rodwell and Fellaini in the middle, which has been evident in the last few matches they’ve played together; as well as some measured through balls during the Spurs and Liverpool game which if they’d have had a decent striker on the end of them instead of ’Jo the Blow’ might have led to some decent reward instead of an offside decision.
Promising as in not being completely overrun in the way that was evident at the start of the season...
And Mickey Arteta is waiting in the wings.
But if we all saw the same game we’d have fuck all to talk about...
Bily did look completely off the pace and looked like he ran out of gas with 20 mins to go. I was crying out for Coleman to replace him and possibly switch flanks with Pienaar to stop the bleeding down our left side.
Speaking of Pienaar, I thought he was off his game also which makes the result even more special. I think our self-belief went up 10 notches after this result. Looking forward to the rest of the season!!!
Ciaran McGlone, you called this yesterday. Well done.
I thought we were excellent in the first half. The effort of Jo shouldn’t be overlooked in my opinion. He and Saha were brilliant in the first half chasing down every ball which was a lot more effort than recently shown.
This was evidenced in the second half where we were pressed deep into our half because the Yak wouldn’t chase every ball. Heitinga and Neill were class; however, I think all of their goals could have been avoided. But who cares, a point at Stamford Bridge is a point that I will take and not many other clubs will get.
COYB
In fact, whilst it seems almost churlish to suggest it after our reserves have just drawn at the champions elect, but don’t you come away even from games like that thinking if we’d just done a little more on the front foot it could have been an even better result? He who dares, wins, Rodney. But DM never quite goes for it in that regard. I just wish we’d at least see some strong counter-breaks when opportunity knocks. We just never do that under Moyes.
Anyway, most people had us down for zero points against Spurs & Chelsea. So this may, just may, be the turning point. But as we’re at least 10 points off a European league place, I’m starting to wonder of we shouldn’t just really focus on the Europa 7 FA cups and almost throw caution to the wind in the league and just go for it every game. I’m sure DM will see it like that (...not).
To the Jo bashers, he’s nowhere near as bad as painted, and as others have pointed out looked good early on. His control & interplay for his early attempt was excellent.
Poor Seamus Coleman must be a bit miffed and I wonder how Moyes will sort that out. Bit odd to have no less than 5 choices of RB in the squad and just 1 LB. Needs sorting.
And finally, much as I’ve loved him since he joined the club and he’s class off the pitch, Tim Cahill was not missed in the slightest. In fact, as I think he’s been almost a passenger this season, we played better. Great ambassador of our club, brilliant signing, top guy, but time to move on if he wants to stay playing. His value is diminishing by the week I fear, thus January good time.
Main focus right now is contracts of Saha and Pienaar. Good news required on both fronts.
Heitinga played fantastically. I was screaming for Bily to come off at about the 60 minute mark. He looked utterly exhausted.
Why didn’t Coleman get another run out there today? Hibbert was ok, but clearly at fault for the second goal. Can someone explain the logic behind not playing Seamus? I know it’s a lot for a 21-year old kid to start on the road at Chelsea, but I was really hoping to see him back out there today.
Now, barring any more setbacks, we could have Arteta, Jags, Distin and Nev all back within a month. A couple weeks ago, I thought the season was lost but we have witnessed a revival of form. Hopefully, this isn’t just a good streak that dies out in a couple weeks.
To redeem himself, he needs to plays the full match chasing everything down, interlinking and more importantly actually scoring goals.
I agree with the comments about Bily, he’s contributed little in the last 4 games except for the goal in Athens, but he is a class player and I feel confident that he’ll come good.
As Bily said, playing football here is like playing in a washing machine and foreigners need to be given time to adjust. And did anyone hear the MOTD commentary? It must have been difficult for him cos he had to keep switching the mic off to shout "Cam on Chelseeea!"
Kevin, I started from the top and read down and I’m delighted to see so many positives here. And you were quite right to highlight the role of the midfield.
Of course, we will talk till the cows come home about who should be doing what, but the point is that we have had our midfield restored to us and we look like a team again. And that started at half time in the Hull game.
Is it as simple as Pienaar’s absence? Almost, but not quite, because too many other things have been happening, but he’s a huge factor in this. Apart from anything else, the big Fella has been able to play as he can.
Jo? I just like the guy and he is becoming an inside forward — as has been said — playing with good understanding alongside Saha. I think there’s no doubt that if MCFC don’t write him off as a bad debt he has no future with us, but if he stays, who knows? Those who always want us to play 4-4-2 could become his greatest fans.
Heitinga — my brother reckons that when it all unwinds, he will partner Phil Jagielka at the back, and I agree with him.
But it doesn’t matter who plays at the back — if the opposition are running through a non-existent midfield you stand no chance. And that’s what is changing in our favour. We have a midfield again.
Who next? I suppose we should sell Arteta and Jagielka as well too while we are at it.
Also, its clear as daylight that Bily is class too - just needs time to adjust to the pace of the game in England. As for selling or getting rid of Cahill, what a silly idea. He is still something of a talisman for us, and as said elsewhere hes more than likely to end his career here, so get used to him. Even if he doesn’t start, just having him as an option off the bench is far more menacing than any youngster.
Pienaar, what can I say? I’m biased because i’m a Capetonian but the little man just makes us tick doesn’t he? Even when he’s not playing particularly well, at least he tries things that others do not. His vision is superb and whilst it doesn’t always come off, at least he makes the opposition panic.
Overall i’ve not felt this positive about our prospects at any point since the very start to the season and it feels great. And genuine. Here’s hoping . . . COYB!!!
He is at last in the right position.. Can’t wait to see him in 4 years time.
Oh and if you needed any more proof, he is by far my most valuable player in FIFA2010.
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1 Posted 12/12/2009 at 18:40:46
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