Match Summary
Lots of changes in the line-up as David Moyes uses last week's loss to shake things up a bit. Hibbert is rested and McFadden is out with a thigh strain; Pistone, Stubbs and Gravesen are back from injury. As expected, Scott Parker did not play for Charlton because he had been 'unsettled' by a recent bid for his services from Chelsea.
Gravesen had an early pop at goal but it was straight at Kiely. Rooney was then bright down the right, getting the ball in well. Good pressure lead to an early Everton corner from another Gravesen shot. Rooney drove in another terrific ball from the right that forced a second corner, but again little came of it. This was followed by another Everton corner.
Charlton responded after a poor ball back from Gravesen that exposed Pistone but Rooney had tracked well to cover; it was more Everton pressure that followed, and the fifth corner inside 15 mins.
The best chance finally when Jeffers and Ferguson exchanged neat balls to set up the Big Yin's great goalbound shot that was deflected off a defender just past the post — but no corner this time for Everton from a momentarily blinded Mike Riley.
But the impetus started to fade after that and the inevitable Charlton goal ensued just before half-time: Graham Stuart the scorer, as Everton failed to clear, the former Evertonian pounced to bang it home from close range.
It was a stuttering start to the second half, with numerous stoppages. Good work by Rooney won a corner, but that quickly led to a worrying Charlton break. Moyes waited until the hour-mark when he switched out Jeffers for Radzinski; would it make a difference?
Radzinski was immediately in the thick of it from an excellent Ferguson nod-down, but he couldn't get his foot around it. Much better pressure followed, Kilbane getting to the bye-line for Ferguson to nod in — cleared off the line! Another corner, Stubbs over the bar!
Ferguson then won a free-kick that Perry protested, and Riley moved the kick forward 10 yds, on to the 18-yd line, but Kilbane's drive was criminally wide. More fluid movement ensued when Gravesen and Rooney combined but Dunc headed the cross over when Radz was better positioned behind him.
Unsworth was booked for a challenge but Di Canio only floated the free kick in and it was easily cleared. More pressure after good work by the Everton team led to yet another corner; some good use of the ball resulted in another series of Naysmith and Gravesen corners, all somewhat ineffective.
Everton looked more and more exposed as they pushed forward for the equalizer and reacted in frustration to move after move that led to nothing, with time ticking away mercilessly...
A Rooney free-kick from 30 yards was struck well, but Keily held it at the second attempt as Everton tried everything but succeeded with nothing. Radzinski then ran well at Perry but the final ball was very poor.
Kishishev was booked for a deliberate hand-ball, allowing Campbell to come on for Carsley. Dunc was then booked for what Riley thought must have been an elbow on Hreidarsson.
Everton continued to press right to the end, but the finishing touch simply wasn't there and the Blues crashed to their second miserable defeat on the trot — both games being ones that Everton really should have won. Four minutes of added time were not enough, with Radzinski getting himself booked for protesting, allowing Stuart's substitution to waste a few more precious minutes.
Signs are that the tentative confidence brought on by a relatively good run for Everton (at least compared to earlier season form) is again evaporating. Despite numerous corners, Keily really had nothing worthwhile to save, and Everton were guilty of playing the aerial ball in to Ferguson on far, far too many occasions.
Everton 1-0 Charlton
2003-04 Match Reports Index
Match Preview
Well they went and did it. An excellent point against Arsenal followed by a disappointing loss to Fulham. A win would have put us nicely in the top half, the defeat, meaning we have only taken 4 points from our last four games, leaves us still glancing ever so slightly nervously over our shoulders. However, what should be taken from the game is the fact that for the majority of the match we were better than the team currently sitting in 6th place.
On Saturday we continue this deadly run by playing host to 4th place Charlton. Ironically, after playing Fulham as they went through their Saha saga, we now play Charlton as they go through a Parker pickle.
Scott Parker has been a revelation for them for the last 18 months and his reaction to the bid from Chelsea, which has led to him being excluded from the squad travelling up to Goodison, will be a severe blow to Alan Curbishley's men and a boost to ourselves.
We should, though, be very careful as a team does not get to 4th in the Premiership this late in the season based on one player — they do have a degree of quality throughout the team with Euell, Di Canio and Carlton Cole all top-class players. Add to that a solid, if unspectacular, backline including an under-rated Chris Perry and cracking keeper in Jaaskelinen: you have a difficult side to beat — just ask Liverpool and Chelsea.
Lose to these guys and I think Europe will slip too far away as they, Fulham and Liverpool will be quickly disappearing over the horizon.
Which 11 will then stop the rot?
At the back Yobo has gone on his holidays but it will be interesting which two of Stubbs, Weir and Unsworth get the nod as it likes like Stubbs is fit again. Unsworth has played very well but he is definitely the weaker player of the 3. Pistone's return to fitness will put pressure on Naysmith and Hibbert. Personally I am going off Naysmith who's tendency to go to ground cost us again at Loftus Road — Malbranque "did" him for both goals and we can't really afford that.
Midfield is likely to be same again as Gravesen is still struggling but upfront will be giving Moyes' his biggest headache as Jeffers is starting to show some form but the goals aren't coming, whereas Radz has been reasonably consistent. Ferguson is showing his best form for years - possibly the best since he returned and the boy Rooney can never be totally ignored. Campbell surely can't start again?
The biggest thing in our favour is Parker and the effect his "disillusionment" is likely to have on the rest of the team. We are having a cracking run at Goodison and with Liverpool and United next up in the Premiership 3 points really are vital but again are achievable. If we take our chances better than we did against Fulham we could romp to victory - I genuinely see us battering someone soon, lets hope its Charlton (and then Liverpool)
3-0
BlueForEver
Lee Doyle
Matchday Stats
This will be the 47th meeting between Everton and Charlton Athletic in all competitions, and the 24th at Goodison Park. This will also be the tenth meeting between the sides in the Premier League.
Everton's full record against Charlton Athletic is:
P
W
D
L
F
A
Premier League
9
5
1
3
15
11
'Old' Division One
30
7
12
43
49
'Old' Division Two
2
0
14
FA Cup
8
4
League Cup
Full Members Cup
TOTALS:
46
21
10
83
67
Our record at Goodison Park is fairly comprehensive:
6
26
19
23
48
27
The last match between the two sides was the League Cup third round tie this season, when Tobias Linderoth scored his first Everton goal to register a 1-0 victory. The last meeting in the Premiership was a 1-0 victory in November 2002 with a Tomasz Radzinski getting the winner.
Everton's biggest victory at Goodison was 7-1 in Division Two on 4 October 1930, which was also the first ever meeting between the sides. Our biggest defeat at home was a 4-1 reversal on 17 December 1938, whilst Everton were on their way to the title!
The most common margin of victory at Goodison is shared between 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, 3-0 and 4-1, having happened twice. The most common draw is shared between 1-1 and 2-2 with Charlton's most common victory being 1-0.
Everton's record for 17 January is:
16
18
25
This will be the first meeting between the two sides, and Everton's first Premiership match on this date.
Milestone's that can be reached in this game:
Steve Flanagan Match Report Well, I'll start by saying what I imagine a lot of people will say about that match, we were tepid, certainly didn't deserve to win but we didn't deserve to lose it either. /It was funny in a way to watch the game and see Charlton as this season's Everton in terms of their methods of play and current position - having said that though they did look a good team on the ball when given time and space they rarely threatened and scored with their only real chance of the game (how many times did we say of Everton last year at times?!). Our tactics, well I can only assume that the players started pressing the panic button in the second half as a post half time cavalry charge failed to come to fruition the ball was then hit long to Dunc more and more and more as the half went on and though we did have a lot of possession it was almost always in front on the defence and never in behind and getting them turned and panicked at all. Passes were misplaced, people didn't close down or track back as they should have done and we seemed bereft of movement and/or late runs into the area for any crosses that came over. Felt sorry for Jeffers when he came off myself - he didn't look quite there to me today and is clearly lacking in confidence as a Jeffers who was more on his game would've taken a shot on on one or two occasions when the half chance was there, and he didn't gamble on mistakes or mistakes you would expect. Radzinski came on to a very large ovation which probably didn't help Franny feel any better - but Radz can't stay on the bench anymore it's that simple, we need him starting upfront for every game left in the season when fit, you only need look at the tail end of last season to see what a difference his absence makes to the team. Ferguson had another good game though I thought, though he seemed to tire a bit towards the end (for those who like to keep a record of these things he was second off the pitch today) he competed well, and in one moment for the ages went full tilt from the centre to chase down and keep in a lost cause wayward pass on the left wing and fire in a cross on the half volley - just hope he can stay fit and continue this sort of effort and commitment on the pitch and it's something we do badly need right now even if his presence does lead to too many long balls at the moment. Campbell did come on for a few minutes but didn't do much of note though I did think it was nice that the programme did a feature over several pages to mark his 500th career game complete with pics of him scoring the winner in the Anfield derby a few years back and headlining the feature with a photo of him with his player of the month award for April 1999 - nice reminder to his more vociferous detractors of what he has done and maybe, it's a long shot I know, but just maybe it might make one or two think twice about hurling abuse at him, presuming of course they bought the programme and were actually capable of reading the feature. Elsewhere Naysmith and Pistone looked generally ok in the full back positions, Stubbs wasn't particularly all there mentally either, several times he made bad choices and let the ball bounce which could've resulted in disaster, Unsy had a solid game, though he resorted to the hoof too much for many people's taste with the way the central midfield was playing he can't be blamed for that. Which leads us nicely onto our central pairing today - the Gravesen twins were again present with the "evil" one of the two having far more control today - I still find it shocking that a supposed great midfield player still fails to display the basic ability week in and week out to play a simple one touch pass, each time it's stop the ball, look up look down and hope someone hasn't spotted the now telegraphed pass across the pitch. Apologies to those who are big fans of his but today he didn't do anything near enough whether it was getting tackles in or tracking back or creatively going forward, and the problem I think is that there isn't a clear enough competition for his place for the more creative midfield berth. Mentioning Carsley briefly I can't see how he'll play against Fulham next week after another fairly anonymous performance that like Gravesen included way too many poor and easily intercepted passes, one of which led to the goal though blaming him for the goal, as some did, is a bit harsh. Kilbane gave his usual amount of hard work and effort but didn't quite get the breaks today, Rooney linked well with Pistone when he could but I think it's an obvious understatement to say we'd all much like to see Wayne upfront instead of out on the wing, but at the moment we don't really have any other option but to play him there with both Watson and now McFadden out injured. In a way it's difficult to write thoughts on a match like today's because if you write down the teams clear faults and how you think they would be best solved you are basically repeating the same thing from every other match report you and others have done not just in average/poor games this season but last season too to a degree. Something clearly has to be done with our central midfield and all the restrictions aside it does frankly pain and annoy me as I'm sure it does everyone else that we haven't been able to do anything to try and rectify that situation during the transfer window, due to our well known financial restrictions, especially when this is an area that has stood out for so long as being a weakness of the team to everyone watching. Ah well - in three weeks time, when we've dumped Fulham out of the Cup, beaten the shite at their place and taken a point off United we'll be feeling better! Simon Saeyez Match Report I had my usual trip to the game today. Up early and the 09:27 direct to Liverpool Lime Street, then the Wirral Line to Hamilton Square, before a lift home where a cooked breakfast awaited me (supposed to be dieting), and then in the mood for the match. Felt like an early start as its been a busy week so left early, wanting to catch the Wolves vs Man Utd game, so left before midday. Some drunken RS was on the train which was some funny. A middle aged fella who was flat out asleep, overheard someone talking about Liverpool and immediately sprung to life and started shouting about how 5 games into the season Houllier was happy with 4th place and should be sacked before returning back to eiderdown. He was a sorry state, I just hoped Everton were not to be the same. Got to the pub and some fella had nicked my usual seat, hence me missing the Wolves vs Man Utd game due to a lck of viw and a sea of heads turned up. Well it wasn't long before the troops arrived, and by then he beer had gone down nicely. Before you knew it, it was he short but nice (allbeit cold) walk to the match. Honestly didn't know what to expect from the formation, and Moyes didn't dissapoint. I was hoping to divert back to the 4-4-2, giving McFadden a game on the right, with Li Tie and Linderoth (assuming Gravesen wasn't fit) in the middle, Pistone in for Naysmith on the left, with Unsworth and Weir at the back, and then Dunc and Radz up front. Well I was close!!! Didn't see the need to rush Stubbs back who in periods of the game was doing groin stretches, and I don't know if Hibbert was injured or not but if he wasn't, then I'd rather play Pistone at left back and drop naysmith. While why Radzinski didn't start was simply beyond me, and I don't think this 4-3-3 will ever really work. Yes, it worked against the Gooners, but I think that's the only time it has. Full marks for Moyes for being positive though I guess Everton started well and put the pressure on in the first 20 minutes. Charlton, impressively, didn't panic though, and kept at it well. Ferguson was getting free kick after free kick given against him by the imbecile who calls himself a referee (the same imbecille who gave Van Nistleroy that peno last season) and that was the tone for the game. Everton had a lot of possession but to no avail. The final ball was always lacking and there wasn't much creativity, while Eull and Cole maintained a big threat up front. Both big strong and powerful. Well it was neither of those who prooved to be Everton's downfall, and it was always going to be ironic. Diamonds. Good work by Di Canio. Making a fool of Naysmith and a decent ball in which could have been defended better, and I think Martyn could have done something with. Neverthelss, it fell to Diamonds who had an easy goal after getting up well from midfield (why do our players not do that?). It was a similar goal to that of the 2001-2002 season when Simo and Xavier made a mockery of a long ball. That happened in the 39th minute, and the damage was done. Similar to last week, Charlton grew in strength from that goal, and I was desperate for the final whistle, when in injury time Jason Eull missed an even easier chance which could have buried us, although Ste seems to think offside would have been given. The second half didn't yield any changes, and Everton kept at it I guess, but Robinson really didn't have much to do. An excellent Carlsey header from 16 yards produced a full strength save was about it, as Everton applied the pressure with determined but ultimately uninspiring football. Ferguson came close with an effort hacked off the line when with my blue tinted specs it looked over, but overwise, nothing to shout about, and Charlton defended very well, with some decent counter attacking football away from home and deserved the 3 points. They reminded me of us last season. All this without their best player. Defensively Everton weren't bad. The midfield kept pummeling away, but if anyone's to blame for this result, it's the strikers. Ferguson was statuesque. Very little movement, hence the big boot was usually the option, and Jeffers reading the flicks a good 5 seconds after the ball had been cleared. He didn't look very sharp, and although Radzinski and Campbell never really had time or a chance to get into the game, neither really made the expected impact, particularly Radzinski. The only player that did move was Kilbane, hence he was the only one he ever got the ball. He'd get the ball and look up, but no movement. hence a ball into the box which was easily cleared. The nest 3 games really could prove to be catastrophic. A home defeat to Fulham knocking us out of what is probably the only thing going for us this season, an unbearable derby defeat to RS and a home defeat to Man Utd and we'd be looking at the bottom 3. It's make or break time.
Match Report
Well, I'll start by saying what I imagine a lot of people will say about that match, we were tepid, certainly didn't deserve to win but we didn't deserve to lose it either. /It was funny in a way to watch the game and see Charlton as this season's Everton in terms of their methods of play and current position - having said that though they did look a good team on the ball when given time and space they rarely threatened and scored with their only real chance of the game (how many times did we say of Everton last year at times?!). Our tactics, well I can only assume that the players started pressing the panic button in the second half as a post half time cavalry charge failed to come to fruition the ball was then hit long to Dunc more and more and more as the half went on and though we did have a lot of possession it was almost always in front on the defence and never in behind and getting them turned and panicked at all. Passes were misplaced, people didn't close down or track back as they should have done and we seemed bereft of movement and/or late runs into the area for any crosses that came over.
Felt sorry for Jeffers when he came off myself - he didn't look quite there to me today and is clearly lacking in confidence as a Jeffers who was more on his game would've taken a shot on on one or two occasions when the half chance was there, and he didn't gamble on mistakes or mistakes you would expect. Radzinski came on to a very large ovation which probably didn't help Franny feel any better - but Radz can't stay on the bench anymore it's that simple, we need him starting upfront for every game left in the season when fit, you only need look at the tail end of last season to see what a difference his absence makes to the team. Ferguson had another good game though I thought, though he seemed to tire a bit towards the end (for those who like to keep a record of these things he was second off the pitch today) he competed well, and in one moment for the ages went full tilt from the centre to chase down and keep in a lost cause wayward pass on the left wing and fire in a cross on the half volley - just hope he can stay fit and continue this sort of effort and commitment on the pitch and it's something we do badly need right now even if his presence does lead to too many long balls at the moment. Campbell did come on for a few minutes but didn't do much of note though I did think it was nice that the programme did a feature over several pages to mark his 500th career game complete with pics of him scoring the winner in the Anfield derby a few years back and headlining the feature with a photo of him with his player of the month award for April 1999 - nice reminder to his more vociferous detractors of what he has done and maybe, it's a long shot I know, but just maybe it might make one or two think twice about hurling abuse at him, presuming of course they bought the programme and were actually capable of reading the feature.
Elsewhere Naysmith and Pistone looked generally ok in the full back positions, Stubbs wasn't particularly all there mentally either, several times he made bad choices and let the ball bounce which could've resulted in disaster, Unsy had a solid game, though he resorted to the hoof too much for many people's taste with the way the central midfield was playing he can't be blamed for that. Which leads us nicely onto our central pairing today - the Gravesen twins were again present with the "evil" one of the two having far more control today - I still find it shocking that a supposed great midfield player still fails to display the basic ability week in and week out to play a simple one touch pass, each time it's stop the ball, look up look down and hope someone hasn't spotted the now telegraphed pass across the pitch. Apologies to those who are big fans of his but today he didn't do anything near enough whether it was getting tackles in or tracking back or creatively going forward, and the problem I think is that there isn't a clear enough competition for his place for the more creative midfield berth. Mentioning Carsley briefly I can't see how he'll play against Fulham next week after another fairly anonymous performance that like Gravesen included way too many poor and easily intercepted passes, one of which led to the goal though blaming him for the goal, as some did, is a bit harsh.
Kilbane gave his usual amount of hard work and effort but didn't quite get the breaks today, Rooney linked well with Pistone when he could but I think it's an obvious understatement to say we'd all much like to see Wayne upfront instead of out on the wing, but at the moment we don't really have any other option but to play him there with both Watson and now McFadden out injured. In a way it's difficult to write thoughts on a match like today's because if you write down the teams clear faults and how you think they would be best solved you are basically repeating the same thing from every other match report you and others have done not just in average/poor games this season but last season too to a degree. Something clearly has to be done with our central midfield and all the restrictions aside it does frankly pain and annoy me as I'm sure it does everyone else that we haven't been able to do anything to try and rectify that situation during the transfer window, due to our well known financial restrictions, especially when this is an area that has stood out for so long as being a weakness of the team to everyone watching.
Ah well - in three weeks time, when we've dumped Fulham out of the Cup, beaten the shite at their place and taken a point off United we'll be feeling better!
Simon Saeyez
I had my usual trip to the game today. Up early and the 09:27 direct to Liverpool Lime Street, then the Wirral Line to Hamilton Square, before a lift home where a cooked breakfast awaited me (supposed to be dieting), and then in the mood for the match. Felt like an early start as its been a busy week so left early, wanting to catch the Wolves vs Man Utd game, so left before midday. Some drunken RS was on the train which was some funny. A middle aged fella who was flat out asleep, overheard someone talking about Liverpool and immediately sprung to life and started shouting about how 5 games into the season Houllier was happy with 4th place and should be sacked before returning back to eiderdown. He was a sorry state, I just hoped Everton were not to be the same.
Got to the pub and some fella had nicked my usual seat, hence me missing the Wolves vs Man Utd game due to a lck of viw and a sea of heads turned up. Well it wasn't long before the troops arrived, and by then he beer had gone down nicely. Before you knew it, it was he short but nice (allbeit cold) walk to the match.
Honestly didn't know what to expect from the formation, and Moyes didn't dissapoint. I was hoping to divert back to the 4-4-2, giving McFadden a game on the right, with Li Tie and Linderoth (assuming Gravesen wasn't fit) in the middle, Pistone in for Naysmith on the left, with Unsworth and Weir at the back, and then Dunc and Radz up front. Well I was close!!! Didn't see the need to rush Stubbs back who in periods of the game was doing groin stretches, and I don't know if Hibbert was injured or not but if he wasn't, then I'd rather play Pistone at left back and drop naysmith. While why Radzinski didn't start was simply beyond me, and I don't think this 4-3-3 will ever really work. Yes, it worked against the Gooners, but I think that's the only time it has. Full marks for Moyes for being positive though I guess
Everton started well and put the pressure on in the first 20 minutes. Charlton, impressively, didn't panic though, and kept at it well. Ferguson was getting free kick after free kick given against him by the imbecile who calls himself a referee (the same imbecille who gave Van Nistleroy that peno last season) and that was the tone for the game. Everton had a lot of possession but to no avail. The final ball was always lacking and there wasn't much creativity, while Eull and Cole maintained a big threat up front. Both big strong and powerful.
Well it was neither of those who prooved to be Everton's downfall, and it was always going to be ironic. Diamonds.
Good work by Di Canio. Making a fool of Naysmith and a decent ball in which could have been defended better, and I think Martyn could have done something with. Neverthelss, it fell to Diamonds who had an easy goal after getting up well from midfield (why do our players not do that?). It was a similar goal to that of the 2001-2002 season when Simo and Xavier made a mockery of a long ball.
That happened in the 39th minute, and the damage was done. Similar to last week, Charlton grew in strength from that goal, and I was desperate for the final whistle, when in injury time Jason Eull missed an even easier chance which could have buried us, although Ste seems to think offside would have been given.
The second half didn't yield any changes, and Everton kept at it I guess, but Robinson really didn't have much to do. An excellent Carlsey header from 16 yards produced a full strength save was about it, as Everton applied the pressure with determined but ultimately uninspiring football. Ferguson came close with an effort hacked off the line when with my blue tinted specs it looked over, but overwise, nothing to shout about, and Charlton defended very well, with some decent counter attacking football away from home and deserved the 3 points. They reminded me of us last season. All this without their best player.
Defensively Everton weren't bad. The midfield kept pummeling away, but if anyone's to blame for this result, it's the strikers. Ferguson was statuesque. Very little movement, hence the big boot was usually the option, and Jeffers reading the flicks a good 5 seconds after the ball had been cleared. He didn't look very sharp, and although Radzinski and Campbell never really had time or a chance to get into the game, neither really made the expected impact, particularly Radzinski.
The only player that did move was Kilbane, hence he was the only one he ever got the ball. He'd get the ball and look up, but no movement. hence a ball into the box which was easily cleared.
The nest 3 games really could prove to be catastrophic. A home defeat to Fulham knocking us out of what is probably the only thing going for us this season, an unbearable derby defeat to RS and a home defeat to Man Utd and we'd be looking at the bottom 3. It's make or break time.
Overall: Uninspiring, but Charlton showed they deserved to be where they are. A good professional away performance. It must get better. 6
Paul Traill
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