Season 2009-10 Diary
ToffeeWeb's comprehensive news archive
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If it happened and it was Everton-related, it's right here in the comprehensive Season Diary. Most recent items are in reverse chronological order (more recent first).
Navigate to previous months and seasons using the calendar (right):
News Headlines & FeaturesThe Battle to Keep Donovan US Star wants one more month... 9 Mar - Everton face an uphill battle to persuade the MLS and Los Angeles Galaxy to lengthen Landon Donovan's loan spell, although the player has made it clear he wishes to remain on Merseyside for another month. Under the terms of the 10-week agreement signed in January, Donovan is due to report for training in California on Monday 15 March but David Moyes and the player have made clear their desire for the American international to extend his stay to 15 April. Rampant Blues slaughter Hull Everton 5 - 1 Hull City 7 Mar - Mikel Arteta really came into his own in this game, with Donovan oddly left on the bench. The Best Little Spaniard opened the scoring in the first half. This should have been added to with a penalty that was dispatched woefully by Yakubu and saved easily by Myhill. After that, of course, Hull equalized before Arteta's lovely second goal as Everton's superior class finally shone through. The third goal came in the second half and it looked like Arteta's hattrick off a tricky lob from the byelinebut it went in off Garcia for an own-goal. Landon Donovan came on for a final 20-minute home cameo and rounded it off in perfect fashion with an excellent finish for the fourth goal — a splendid leaving present. With Hull reeling, Donovan set up Jack Rodwell for the coup de grace that made this a real Big Win for the Blues... long, long overdue. Everton vs Hull City Match Preview 6 Mar - Everton hope to get their European challenge back on track when Hull City, winless on the road in 12 months, visit Goodison Park tomorrow. Phil Jagielka, Louis Saha, Leon Osman, James Vaughan and Philippe Senderos could all miss out with minor knocks and strains but Tim Cahill may return from a calf injury. KO is 4pm. Could Donovan yet stay at Goodison? Moyes keen but LA Galaxy stand firm 5 Mar - Hopes that Landon Donovan could remain an Everton player after the initially agreed loan term expires this month were raised today after David Moyes hinted in his pre-match press conference that he hasn't ruled out keeping the USA international forward: "It looks like all parties are keen. There's no guarantee yet, and I won't know that for a little while longer but there is a chance. But if we can make it happen, we would and if Landon wants to stay, which I think he does, we'd be really keen to keep him." Galaxy coach, Bruce Arena, says, however, "We're not interested. Landon will be back here March 15." Positive reviews of Baines debut 4 Mar - Leighton Baines passed arguably his biggest test in England colours by garnering good reviews from the infamously merciless domestic press, though he had to shake off an early case of nerves before playing a crucial role in England's second goal. Most of the national dailies were positive regarding the Everton left-back's debut, with The Telegraph saying he "nailed his national audition", The Express saying he didn't look out of place at all, and The Guardian remarking that his was a "neat and efficient" performance. Michael Foot Dies Famous 1935 Ode to Everton 3 Mar - One of the 20th century's famous politicians, Michael Foot, ill-fated leader of the Labour party during the Thatcher era died today at the age of 96. A Plymouth Argyle fan he developed a soft spot for Everton after he arrived in Liverpool in 1934, for his first job as a shipping clerk. Impressed with Goodison, and the football that came straight from the School of Science, he wrote a poem on the Blues for the Daily Post in 1935, capturing his disappointment at Everton's defeat to Bolton in the FA Cup that year, and underlining the less impressive footballing fare available across the park... Stadium talks 'fruitful'... Cold water poured on Football Quarter idea 2 Mar - At high level talks with Everton CEO Robert Elstone and city council officials at Liverpool University yesterday, the Liverpool CEO made it clear LFC is committed to building a new £400m stadium in Stanley Park, despite its problems raising finance. The football quarter concept, as suggested by Keeping Everton in Our City (Keioc), was dismissed on the grounds that the £700m-plus price tag is unaffordable. But Liverpool Council leader Warren Bradley said the meeting was fruitful in helping draw up plans for a sports strategy for the city. Everton 3 - 1 Hull City [75'] Arteta on song Mar - Mikel Arteta really came into his own in this game, with Donovan oddly left on the Bench. The Best Little Spaniard opened the scoring in the first half. This should have been added to with a penalty that was dispatched woefully by Yakubu and saved easily by Myhill. After that, of course, Hull equalized before Arteta's second lovely second goal As Everton's superior class shone through. The third goal finally came in the second half and it looked like Arteta's hattrick but it went in off Garcia for an own-goal White Hart Lane hangover Tottenham Hotspur 2 - 1 Everton 28 Feb - Despite a stirring second-half performance, Everton could not fully recover from a poor first half that looked like a continuation of the defeat in Lisbon. A strange team selection saw Donovan and Bilyaletdinov dropped to the bench, Saha absent (injured), as Heitinga and Distin replaced the poor Yobo and Senderos in the back. But it didn't really work as a sloppy Everton slumped to two goals in the first half when it could easily have been four. Osman was pulled off for the second half, Jagilelka on in central defence, and Heitinga moved to midfield and Everton did get one back when Yakubu stabbed home a Rodwell header from a corner after the break. They should then have gone on to win, with Pienaar producing a poor shot when one-on-one with Gomes, and Donovan missing the open goal of the season. Clearly, it was not to be. Tottenham Hotspur vs Everton Match Preview 27 Feb - Everton travel to Tottenham for a match with significant ramifications for European qualification hoping to extend their Premier League winning sequence at White Hart Lane and atone for both their meek Carling Cup defeat last autumn and their disastrous performance in Lisbon on Thursday. Johnny Heitinga and Sylvain Distin are available again after missing the match against Sporting but Tim Cahill is still sidelined with a calf injury. KO is 1pm. [No full preview this week due to the site issues we're experiencing] European dreams crushed in Lisbon Sporting CP 3 - 0 Everton (4 - 2 agg) 25 Feb - Lisbon was once again the scene of misery for Everton as Sporting turned this Round of 32 tie on its head with three second-half goals. Joao Moutinho crashed a fortuitously-won free kick off the crossbar in a first half dominated by the Portuguese side as the Blues struggled to get out of first gear. They escaped again on the hour when Tim Howard blocked Moutinho's volley from point-blank range but after Steven Pienaar curled a shot the wrong side of the post, one of only three genuine attempts at goal all match, Miguel Veloso rammed home from the angle to transform the tie. Pedro Mendes doubled the lead when his deflected shot flew past Howard with 14 minutes left and as David Moyes's side pushed forward trying to fashion a goal that would have forced extra time, substitute Matias Fernandez wrapped it up on the counter-attack in injury time to seal Everton's fate. Report Sporting CP vs Everton Match Preview 24 Feb - Everton return to Lisbon on Thursday evening knowing that a clean sheet will see them through to the Round of 16 at the expense of Sporting whom they lead 2-1 from the first leg. Phil Jagielka is included in the squad for the first time since April and Philippe Senderos also travels, with David Moyes hoping the Swiss defender will be fit enough to deputise for the suspended Sylvain Distin so he doesn't have to pitch Jagielka straight into first-team action. Update: Joseph Yobo and Yakubu are expected to have last-minute visa issues resolved in time for the match. KO is 8.05pm with live coverage on FIVE. Jagielka return foiled by the weather Defender could be emergency cover in Lisbon 22 Feb - Phil Jagielka was set to end his recovery from a cruciate knee ligament injury with a return for the Reserves tonight but a frozen pitch at the Halton Stadium means he will have to wait a few days longer for his first competitive match since April last year. David Moyes has hinted, however, that he may be forced to throw Jagielka straight into the team in Lisbon on Thursday with John Heitinga cup-tied, Sylvain Distin suspended and Philippe Senderos struggling to overcome a back injury. Young Guns embarrass Sir Alex Everton 3 - 1 Manchester United 20 Feb - An audacious goal from Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, a well-worked second by Dan Gosling, and a wonderful solo effort by sub Jack Rodwell to cap a great team performance at the end sealed a tremendous victory for Everton over the other Champions Elect — Manchester United. It looked to be business as usual for Everton against a top 4 side when Dimitar Berbatov put them ahead on 16 mins after a bright start, but Bily's response 3 mins later was a superb game-defining moment as he lashed an unstoppable shot past the static Van der Sar. Everton missed some crucial chances to wrap up the game in the first half but broke the stalemate in the second when Gosling came on and scored from a classic Pienaar cutback to send Goodison delirious. The expected United onslaught failed to materialise and Rodwell's coup de grace at the end provided the perfect finish to a great game and a famous victory. Everton vs Manchester United Match Preview 20 Feb - Everton take on Champions Manchester United in the lunchtime kickoff today hoping to claim another scalp after burying their Chelsea hoodoo ten days ago. Tim Cahill joins Marouane Fellaini on the sidelines but John Heitinga is eligible again. KO is 12:45pm. |
Snippets & RumoursRuddy delighted with his stats 11 Mar - John Ruddy is enjoying a stellar season on loan at Motherwell and wasn’t slow to point out that his clean sheet against St Mirren on Tuesday was his 15th of the season. “I do like to keep track of my clean sheets... Ratio-wise, I think I had a better spell at Stockport when it was eight in 13 games. But this is up there and it also means more to me because it’s over a longer period.” Rumour: Vaughan set to join Leicester 10 Mar - James Vaughan will apparently sign for Leicester City this week — presumably on loan-cum-permanent move? — much to the chagrin of Derby County who lost the striker's services earlier this season when a loan spell was cut short by injury. MirrorFootball report that David Moyes wants to cash in on the 21 year-old and will allow him to join the Rams' Midlands and promotion-chasing rivals, Leicester.
Knut-Olav Rindaroey had a trial at Goodison Park a few weeks back but returned home without being signed before the transfer deadline and winger Magne Simonsen and centre-half Vegard Forren are also interesting King.
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