The Mail Bag
First GP win in Three Months
Comments (63)
Well, a great result in the end, and two good goals... but utterly shocking to go THREE MONTHS at Goodison Park without a win in the League.
Just excellent to see Vaughan score with what may have been his first touch. 2 mins v Birmingham; 4 mins v Sunderland; 8 mins v Burnley... what a progression! And just a superb goal from Pienaar. Fantastic build-up from Yak, the feeder!
But no-one should forget the increasing frustration of yet another game we dominated and created many, many chances and half-chances, only to fail to convert through poor shooting.
I'll probably watch it again tonight but I can hardly recall a single hoofball either... any connection?
Michael Kenrick, Posted 28/12/2009 at 14:17:02
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Posted 28/12/2009 at 15:57:14 I’ll hazard a quess and say that the first substitute after 60 mins will be Neville for Osman, pushing Fellaini up front. Then with 8 mins to go he’ll put Vaughan on for Billy.
Mike - are you doing the lottery this week? OK - so it was Cahill not Osman, but the 2 subs were right and so were the times!
That is scary. Any idea if we are going to win the cup this year?
Does seem that there is a corner which has been turned...... 5 games unbeaten against teams who were/are in the top half when we played them and playing football which deserves 3 points. Just hope the luck which has deserted us in the 1st half of the season is balanced out in the 2nd half.
Happy Christmas everyone, and let us make it a happy 2010.
Was that 7 yellow cards (two became a red)?
Also, see what making substitutions make with reasonable time can do? Not the best but at least Vaughan got over 10 minutes to make an impact, none of this 2 minutes nonsense.
Bad gamblers call this ’the law of averages’, but it’s lousy thinking.
Our luck might revert to the mean, but I take it that this is not what you mean.
Thank you for your comments.
I can read Moyes like a book. He will never change anything early if he doesn’t get an injury and will wait until the 60th minute-ish for a tactical substitution and then he’ll always ensure that he has a solid central defensive midfielder even if we need goals. He’ll then push up Cahill or Fellaini as his best attacking option with the normal striker . He wont put a youngster on (still include the likes of Vaughan and Anichebe in that category) until after 80 mins, if his original move hasn’t worked...
As regards cups, we will progress to the final 8 in both Europa and FA Cup and we will also finish 7th in the league and just might qualify for Europe again if one of the teams above us win the FA Cup.
Winning Lottery Nos to follow...
Thought Neville coming on gave Felliani a bit more licence to go forward (see first goal), so didn’t think it was as defensive as you did.
Michael,
We’ve had false dawns on the hoofball front before, but the last few games are testament to what happens when the central two can pass the ball. Long may it continue.
Ossie worked his bollocks off and done well today, still a bit frustrating round the box though. This time last year, I would have been distraught at seeing Cahill limp off... don't get me wrong, I think he leads the line well, but he's not as potent as he was before.
Billy is looking good, although still wastes too many passes. Altogether a great game to watch, bloody exciting stuff. Think we might have turned a corner, if only we didn't have the Arsenal next game... still, you never know!!
Fair play to you lad, I don't always agree with you but your support and enthusiasm is top notch.
When we went 1-0 up, about 10 minutes to go, the players decided to show these cheating bastards how football should be played. The Ref did a decent job today, but was unlikely to send them all off. Ossie showboating around the corner flag! And Yak saying sod em, and setting up Steven to lash home. At last, simple superiority.
........ that’s the only reason I can think of for him missing at least a game a month - a heavy period. Either that or he is a complete tart.
Ok he was proved right but if we hadn’t scored we would have been in deep trouble, an so would Moyes. But all-in-all a good three points though I do think he lacks bottle and dithers far too much, I would say 8/10 times probably a different outcome.
Well done, James Vaughan.
My only worry is that we’ll now put Fellaini up behind the striker so resorting to punting it down the pitch. I hope we keep Fellaini at CM and put Osman at ACM (or play two strikers).
Some nice touches from Bily but mostly the game passes him by. By the way, I think DM said that Fellani’s was the best midfield performance he’d seen this season not that he’s the best midfielder.
Hope for more of the same from the Yak (plus a few goals).
Howard
Neville
Jags
Distin
Baines
Fellaini
Arteta
Pienaar
Rodwell
Saha
Yakubu
Subs:
Nash
Bilyaletdinov
Yobo
Cahill
Neill
Heitinga
And the Yak — who is off to Africa for 4 weeks — was available today.
And yes Nigel — fully agree. He is coming back to something like the player we know he can be. Barring injury, he should come back from the tournament ready to fight for his place along with Saha and Donovan, and will be part of our climb back into the top level of the PL.
Other Nigel: I’d have Jonny over Distin.
I know there’s some tough games coming up but we are getting some form back.
Other than that, good game, neat passing play, but just lacked the right final ball. Heitinga’s coming into his own, is a fantastic player, and happy he clapped to every stand into the ground by himself too after the game. Fellaini has impressed me the most, this defensive mid role suits him, like he had at Liege. Finally started to come good!
Carlisle then Arsenal, should be good hopefully.
Getting there... slowly but surely...
However, I predict that Nevilles inclusion will not help us one bit...
Fellaini, Bily and Pienaar all need good players around them. Neville should be bench material.
But hey... a win's more than welcome
Certainly frustrating too often when it seemed to me that players in acres of space passed (too quickly) to players who had a suicide tackler close at hand. The plan was to play them off the park. It nearly worked early on. As it became a scrap, we just about held on. Thank heavens Neill and Heitinga can scrap, and they are both much better than that. Johnny I think will at least get close to ’legend’ status.
I agree about Neville. He is more intelligent than the super-championship players he came on against today (possible future EFC manager?), but neither the MF nor RB we really need. But his introduction (and I couldn’t be too unhappy to see Tim go off) let Fella go up to play with Pienaar and Baines. And how did we score? A bit of guile down the left.
So down the right? And our Tony. He has obviously been ordered to run into attacking positions, and sometimes does it quite well. David Moyes as we know moves slower than evolution, but he has seen Coleman defend and attack and Hibbo is now expected to do the same. I suspect that change of the revolutionary kind could come soon. And knackered as he is from a long Russian season, Bily will benefit from the change.
So — too many passes. How about that for a criticism of a Moyes team?
That could really affect his progress, if Neville must play it should be at right back only.
I’m really looking forward to seeing Felli and Arteta in the centre.
The logic still doesn’t make sense to me, Fellaini pushed up but, other than his one very good left-footed shot on goal, he didn’t look to me have become a striker or attacking midfielder. Whereas Vaughan comes on, Yakubu misses the ball and am pretty sure but will look at the replay tonight is actually offside when Vaughan lashes it into the net off the defender’s attempted handball block with his first touch.
Moyes's after-match comments also praised Bily, which I found consfusing as I thought he was pretty anonymous again today. Finally, thank Christ SA didn't qualify for the Afcon as he had another great game today and thoroughly deserved his goal at the end.
Let’s just see if BBC have any time to comment.
I thought Moyes left the subs late; luckily they paid off. Did anyone hear or know anything about the rumours going round Goodison about Saha joining the Shite? Hope that's all it was, a rumour.
And anyone who has ever said that 11 vs 10 in a football match is a clearcut advantage has obviously never played nor watched the game of football.
And so to bed - better things to come in 2010.
Happy New Year to one and all.
Yakubu was getting some stick for not moving about enough, but he’s slowly getting back to his best and showed some great touches.
Neill and Heitinga looked a pretty good central defensive pairing, and Baines and Hibbert did well apart from some of their crossing.
Despite the stick Cahill is getting at the moment, he worked hard for the team — it’s just not happening for him.
Pienaar was excellent as usual although he has had better games recently, and Osman again looked better in a central role.
Disappointed in Bilyaletdinov though. He looks either knackered or disinterested... eg, half-asleep when Howard threw the ball to him from a restart. Should have scored when clean through. Looks lost on the right.
With a bit more belief in the final third we wouldn’t be waiting until the last 10 minutes to score. Great result.
I said in another thread that Cahill is probably not that suitable if we want to play passing football as he doesn’t have the attributes needed. I think it showed today again that we got better after he got injured with Fellaini moving into a more advanced role, and another striker coming on.
Apart from the goal, when Vaughan came on, he started running at the defence down the right hand side, something which I don’t see Cahill doing.
We probably need to keep him for the games where graft and determination are needed, rather than guile and craft.
ps: I love how our two central defenders at the moment are so comfortable on the ball that they can continually bring the ball out of defence and start attacks. Brilliant!
How can Moyes play 2 up front when he doesnt have 1 fully fit striker at the club that is not a reserve player? I thought we did look closer to scoring when Vaughn came on, he made a big impact and not just because he scored.
It may not be logical to you that Moyes brought on a holding midfielder instead of a striker, it wasnt to me either, an if it didnt come off it might have been considered an insane decision, but it did come off which is what makes Moyes a genious. He did the unexpected what nobody else would have thought of. Just like when Liverpool fans thought Rafa was a genious for bringing Haman on in the champions League final which changed the game.
Ok i’m exagerating but it frustraites me that no matter what Moyes does some people can never give credit where credit is due. We dominated most of the game got the result kept a clean sheet and the substitutions worked out. Job well done in my book.
When the chips are down, you are at home and needing points you don’t fuck about you go for them. Keith, I’ve played against 10 men and coached sides against 10 men and the trick, which isn’t rocket science, is to force them to chase the ball and spread them as wide as possible. Nugent wasn’t subbed for a few mins yet we didn’t try to spread them until Vaughan came on hence 2 goals in 8 minutes.
Also do you think Fellaini, who isn't a striker or an attacking midfielder, contrived to give a good impression of either when he helped make our first goal?
Great to see Fellaini becoming a rock in midfield and to see Yak become whatever his extra bulk and his desire to be a playmaker is turning him into. At least today.
Cracking game to watch. Brilliant performance from the team. Hopeful that this is a pattern. Now we need to WIN against a great team. COYB.
If he is only good for between 2 and 8 minutes, then why? If he is still injured then is Moyes doing a "Yobo" on him, remember Yobo limping at the start of a game the other week? He is either fit to play or he isn’t.
Dermot, I had a chat with the bloke that sits behind me in the Park End yesterday about Yakubu becoming a winger again yesterday... and it’s supposition but maybe he knows he isn’t up to his former pace yet and has decided in his own mind he can help out more as a holding player. He can’t do it right up front as he isn’t going to win headers against tall centre halves and his favoured side is the left to cut in onto his stronger right foot. He certainly seemed more effective bouncing defenders off him that way, especially for the second goal.
Hibbert = 6; got forward a lot more, distribution still poor.
Baines = 7; great to see him tearing down the wing, some nice interplay with Pienaar, free kicks wasteful.
Neill = 6; still turns like the Titanic, good to see him bringing the ball out of defense.
Heitinga = 7.5, great tackle in the box, brings the ball out, no hoofball.
Bily = 6; nice feet, more of a threat than against Sunderland, brings some balance to the team, looks like he needs some performance enhancing (legal) drugs.
Pienaar = 8.5; Lovely to watch, a class act and a little battler.
Osman = 6; better in the middle, good feet but really needs to beef up.
Fellaini = 9; so that's why he cost €15mill!
Cahill = 6; love the fella but not producing atm
Yakubu = 7; missed two goals he could have scored, still not found his shooting boots, but nice lay offs and strong as an ox.
Subs:
Neville = 7; not for his play but for his direction on the pitch.
Vaughan = 7 for his goal
Yes, there’s still a long way to go and a lot to be done - but take a break guys and give the team (and the manager), some credit?
We’re still along way from perfection, but can any team claim to have achieved it in this weird and wonderful season so far?
January will be tough and it’s reasonable to anticipate a setback or two. Yet there are tangible signs that the team is at last starting to live up to its potential.
It’s still December 2009. The season doesn’t end until Summer 2010.
If we’re still struggling by that time, then you’ll have a point. Until then, give some credit where credit’s due and stop delighting in finding fault with a decent performance and a much-needed home win.
Neill was a bit iffy to begin with.
Johnny actually seems to have got some pace now
Baines & Hibbert were ok.
Bily was nowhere to be seen most of the game.
Osman did well.
Yak did will.
Cahill needs a rest — end of.
My point being I saw this as a must win game and would've liked us to go all out for the win, when Cahill limped off, not bring on another defender. However, I do agree, performances are better but points are more cherished in the situation we are in.
But all-in-all, well done as we had both, and I suppose it wouldn’t be Everton if it was straightforward.
But looking at it now with hindsight it did in fact work, We didn’t resort to humping it up, Felli got the first assist and also I heard Moyes say after the game that Vaughan has come straight back onto the team with no match practice with reserves or anything so he wants to ease him back in which is probably fair enough.
And also when defending a corner, we have everybody back, and when it's cleared, it just comes back.
I would have thought this was basic play, and should be sorted on the training ground?
On another note, the communication in our team impressed me yesterday. Lucas Neill and Heitinga are more vocal — Neill especially was busy after the sending off and ran all over the pitch, talking to Neville, then Pienaar and Ossie, he seemed to be signalling for width.
Both the centre backs have the ability to bring the ball out of defence too, which helps raise our tempo. Completely disagree with anyone who thinks Neville’s return will not have a positive impact.
And why wouldnt our manager come out and praise Bily? Things weren't coming off for him in the game and the lad obviously is lacking a bit of belief, if Moyes believes he needs an arm round the shoulder not a kick up the arse, I’ll second that.
Saha wasn’t even on the bench. He obviously won’t play unless he fells 100%. His attitude stinks and he shows no courage. Time was that Everton wouldn’t have tolerated that sort of attitude, top scorer or no top scorer — and we were a better club for it.
At this moment, Yobo (if fit) should stay on the bench. Cahill needs a rest and should also be starting games from the bench.
Burnley were starting to penetrate and therefore throwing on Vaughan would have been suicidal at that stage, the lad's hardly played and is a "no holds barred" tackler, he would have probably injured himself again had he played any longer.
Moyes is dammed if he does, damned if he doesn’t; if we lose because of a substitution, it is most certainly because of it; if we win because of a substitution it is in spite of it. The usual story with many posters who dislike the man.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but it's the way that you put yours across that sucks. It comes across as if you have a real bad attitude and negative outlook about everything... It's been noticed in other posts you’ve made previously, I’m sure others would agree.
Why can’t you praise the team for a deserved 3 points and performance, be happy we have kept a clean sheet, be encouraged by the return of our captain and one of brightest young stars we have available getting back on the score sheet again after two injury-blighted years.
Facts are facts, the subs changed the game and we won, no matter however which way you want to spin or argue it, that is what happened, even if you were at the game or not (I was)
DM has been brilliant recently -not just some very telling substitutions in yesterday’s game.
Despite the worst set of concurrent injuries i have seen in football for any team and certainly for EFC during my time visiting Goodison - first in 65 - he has been building a very decent squad which is now based on passing, movement and yes, yes, yes tactical flexibility. This flexibility is found in formations for different games and in phases throughout a match.
He has selected a bunch of players that can play in a few different ways and coached them to play various roles not just in each match but in response to situations and tactical ploys and phases in a game.
Anyone who does not recognise this has not played the game at a decent level themselves. Come to think of it, even if someone has not played at a decent level it has been going on for a number of seasons so you should have cottoned on to what he has been doing.
From all the reports on his detailed preparation for each and every game he understands the oppositions strengths and weaknesses better than any other manager we have had in our history.
I like the other posters on here find your comments and your extrapolations from basic facts extraordinary.
Let’s get behind the team and think a little bit deeper and try to be as sophisticated as DM!
COYBB’s!!
And your best one, he is building a squad based on passing and movement. If he is building a squad based on your theory, in all his long, long, long tenure with us, how is it that we only get the odd few games of decent football every season, while the rest of it would be more suited to a rugby match?
For one thing I am glad you are not our chairman!
Bily, Yak, Arteta, Leon, Fellaini, Johnny H, Baines, Saha, Gosling, Jo and our magic south african Mr P are all skillful passing players.
Or are they as you would have us believe egg-shaped ball hoofers... ?
We are passing it really well right now — so where has that come from?
We are winning the possession stats in every game and a signpost for me was Arsenal, I think about 18 months ago when Yobo screwed up and also against the red shite loosing a few weeks ago but we played the better football.
Not sure where your silly rugby analogy fits with what we are seeing right now with the side starting to emulate the Schoool of Science tag we loved about our club in decades gone by.
I feel your "bullshit" comment is rather rude and not of the Everton class we have come to regard of our much loved club.
"Saha is really a woman shock!
........ that’s the only reason I can think of for him missing at least a game a month — a heavy period. Either that or he is a complete tart."
Apart from insuting half of the population — the half that wiped your arse when you couldn’t think for yourself — I wonder if you have ever been involved in organised sport. A player? Coach? Transport manager? Kit man?
Doubt it. Keep your ignorance to yourself would be my advice.
Reading the comments, I don't think people are out to bash Moyes but realise despite his qualities there are serious flaws. However, I agree with some of what you said, we do have decent passing players, so why the hell don't we play like that more often?
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1 Posted 28/12/2009 at 17:24:52
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Yak looked knackered by the end, but great play for the 2nd goal - really showed his strength.
Stats were interesting - 16 shots on target, 8 off target, against their 9 & 3. Their finishing was as wayward as ours at times, fortunately. A couple of times Howard turned shots around that were actually going wide.
We’ve got a shocking schedule coming up in the next couple of months, and so needed that confidence boost.
Thought the referee had a decent game, tried to let play flow. But wish Pienaar would lay off with that t-shirt routine. Silly booking, and could end up costing us later in the season.