A promising looking line-up saw Saha get the nod this week to start up front. No Yak in the squad so either he is injured or off to pastures new. The faithful had turned up in numbers and were determined to give the Potters fans a shout for their money.
It was indeed a Blue roar of ?Penalty? that resounded after less than a minute when Saha was felled in the box but our Ref Mr Marriner waved play on, I could only assume it was because, in keeping with most EPL refs, that sort of foul is ok in the box but worth a free-kick and a yellow card in any other area of the field.
The Blues continued to press, Saha turned sharply and fed Coleman but his cross was too near the keeper. Cahill had a good run at their defence and fed in Pienaar but yet again the South African produced a powder-puff shot.
We had a scare when a regulation Stoke long ball seemed to bounce between our centre backs and in a flash Fuller was one-on-one with our keeper but he dillied and dallied and made a mess of a gilt-edged chance.
The Blues were now making all the running but yet again floundered in the box when good build-up play had promised more. Wouldn?t you just know it when, mid-way through the half, another long ball was headed out to Etherington and the combined efforts of Coleman and Neville failed to stop him getting a cross in which caught Jags out of p,osition and Jones powered home; silence and disbelief from the faithful told its own story.
From the kick-off we had a chance to equalize and, yes, you guessed it we failed to take it. Then Baines made a great run into the box, crossed and found Cahill unmarked but he headed back across goal when usually he has those for breakfast.
Next Saha burst clear, the Stoke keeper raced out of his area and felled him, only a yellow and a free kick said the ref. If it had been in the area you get the impression it would have been waived play on. Arteta shaped to take the free kick, I turned to my mate and said "100/1 he hits the wall" ? he did. The half ended with Pienaar interchanging well with Saha but Pienaar?s shot took a deflection that left the keeper stranded but the ball went agonisingly over the bar.
Half-time and the chat was that it just didn?t look like it was to be our day. We had mostly dominated against no more than a gritty well organised Stoke team, yet it was they who were in the lead.
Again, the Blues started the half the better but the best we could offer up to the hour mark was a volley from Pienaar that, although hit with some power, was completely miscued and arced away from goal spectacularly, I almost choked as I tried to groan and laugh at the same time. Stoke continued to threaten with the long ball up to Jones but we dealt with the second ball well.
On the hour mark the manager made two substitutions which left me a little baffled; he took off Neville and Arteta, moved Coleman to right back and sent on Osman and Big Vic. Vic went right mid and had no pace where Coleman had plenty... and Osman came on and with arms waving gave a rallying call and immediately launched himself into a wild tackle as if he meant business then became anonymous for the rest of the game.
Soon after, Beckford replaced Saha; whilst these changes were being taken on board, a Stoke free kick was lumped into the box where a bit of a melee took place and the ball ended up in the back of our net, it transpired that it was put there by Jags ? he his improving on the ?og? front.
We almost got one back in our next attack when Cahill was brought down and the resulting Baines free kick left the keeper rooted but agonisingly curled just beyond the post. We seemed to lose heart after this and the game sort of petered out as far as we were concerned and Stoke finished the stronger and with a little more composure could have added to their tally.
Final whistle and the faithful trudged away quietly muttering and wondering if we will ever start to finish off good approach play. I noted that the only time the Stoke keeper had to dive and make a worthwhile save was in the 89th minute ? and therein lies the crux of our problem.
My MotM today was Distin ? I thought they should have given the captain's armband to him when Arteta went off. Baines was our other player who stood out.
Overall, another game of ?can?t score ? wont score? that does not go down too well with the fans and to think we will be further weakened on the goal threat front with Cahill being away for a month or so. The manager has a big job on to sort this out and the players also need to step up and show that bit more devil and togetherness before lack of confidence starts to spread throughout the team.
Many blame either the board, the manager and players or all three yet I have to admit I have not a clue as to what our real problem is this season as we have shown we can play good joined-up stuff, we have shown we can finish moves off, and we have shown we can be resolute in defence but never on a consistent basis, leaving us the fans to never know which Everton will turn up because we can sure as hell do the opposite of the above.
I remain optimistic on the basis that football is such an indeterminate game that fortunes can change either way in a trice... plus we do have players of sufficient quality who can play to a much higher standard than has been shown to date.
On looking at this season's EPL, consistency is not the byword for any team so the Spurs game should be a game where players and fans come together, with the players giving the fans something to roar about and the fans giving the players that night-match atmosphere that has the ?old lady? rocking. Well I hope so anyway. See you there.
A Happy New Year to one and all. UP THE BLUES
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OK, we were still poor... but if decisions like that had gone against Man Utd, there would be uproar and a full inquest on MotD, whereas our bad decisions were skirted over.Incidentally, Liverpool got battered and scored a completely offside goal in injury time. In their case, their fans ran off cheering into the night with a bad decision going for them (pact with the devil etc...); we are not usually that lucky.
We never had a worthwhile attack in the 2nd half, a shit goalkeeper never had a save to make, where have we heard all this before?
Stoke had two other clear chances that Fuller missed, could have been a humiliation in the end.
It was either Cruyff or Gullitt who said "Just because you have more possession of the ball, doesn't mean you are in control of the game" ? Never was a truer word spoken about a team like Everton.
"I almost choked as I tried to groan and laugh at the same time."I am seriously getting worried now.
I found it amazing that 3 people who have played in the World Cup, Lineker, Shearer and Lawrenson, couldn't figure out that Cole was offside when the ball was crossed, although neither did the ref or his assistant.
If you watch the better sides, you will see forwards who run off the ball and make space... midfielders who FIND them with decent passes and who sometimes score themselves.
If Cahill does not score, it's the likes of Baines and Coleman who chip in. Where else are the goals to come from????
The trouble we have, is a manger who is set in his ways and knows only one way to play? keep it tight nick a goal and defend like hell.
There is no doubt that most teams now play more open football and Moyes just cannot fathom how to do this.That is why we play the way we do, the team go out wearing a strait jacket ? and Moyes, I am afraid, is no Harry Houdini.
Also people will come on here and blast Moyes and others will stick up for him ? all a bit Groundhog Day...
The bottom line is unless (1) we all stay away for a home game, or (2) we all stand to a man and shout long and hard "Moyes Out, Kenwright Out," nothing will be done... and I can't see either happening so it's carry on regardless.
Moyes says before the West Ham game that he has no centre half and plays Hibbert out of position yet on the bench is anther young centre half Duffy, another lad who must think Moyes doesn't trust me, the list is endless Rodwell sits and watches unfit out of form players in his position, the lad must get despondent, and yet the Myth that Moyes gives youngsters a chance goes on.
Moyes would rather play someone out of position than trust a youngster in that role. Coleman only gets a game now because at right wing he is doing well but Moyes doesn't start him at right back because he doesn't trust him, the lad knows this so once again a young player loses confidence in his rightful role. As long as Moyes is in charge we will win nothing. if you haven't clicked on to that after eight and a half years then you also have a problem.
You could count on one hand how many start to finish great games we`ve had where we've completely dominated and took teams to the cleaners, it's always been just do enough. The most depressing part for me is knowing, even before the game starts, that even if we win it's going to be a struggle and it's gonna be a hanging on, backs to the wall job.
The thing is, I'll still be there Wednesday night, hoping and preying for an all out, expansive, attacking display but fear that if we do, it's sadly likely to come from the opposition.
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* Everton deducted 8 pts; †Forest deducted 4 pts for PSR breachView full table
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