COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY

From my seat: Sunderland (a)

By Ken Buckley : 03/05/2009 :

Comments (9) :

A visit to the windy city and the home of the Black Cats saw the Blues give them kittens. A week's rest had seemed to have worked wonders after the tired City display and from the off it was the slicker play of the Blues that set the tone for the whole game.

With all the bottom teams losing, it was a great chance for Sunderland to bomb forward and get the points that may have ensured safety and with this in mind many a Blue wondered if it would become a roughhouse game that with our injury record we could do without.

Whether it was fear or just that we were too good for them, Sunderland seemed a tired outfit... reflected by aimless punts and misplaced passes. Their fans started in good voice and invited themselves to sing a song for us but the music we wanted to hear was coming from the players as they played on the carpet stuff in joined-up fashion that is until the final third was reached.

Sunderland tried the high-ball route to both Cisse and Jones in an effort to unsettle us but that ploy was easily snuffed out by Yobo and Lescott and I counted only one worthwhile effort on our goal which was pulled just wide with Howard scrambling.

At the other end everything seemed to be going through the excellent Pienaar but breaking down at the vital moment. Cahill had a shot and a looping header that caused no trouble but, on the quarter-hour mark, Pienaar got one right and found Jo who from the edge of the six-yard box did the right thing by shooting across the keeper but dragged it beyond the far post, this was to be our best chance of the half.

At the half-time whistle the home crowd was now quiet and ripples of discontent were starting. There was no doubt the Blues had shaded the half and were the better team but with no reward to show for it.

The second half started in fine fashion for the Blues as just a couple of minutes in Jo got on the ball, turned his man and found Pienaar judiciously, in on goal. He advanced, he was bundled and could have gone down but instead he just about kept his feet and slotted home, cue wild scenes from those Blues assembled and a celebration of cartwheel followed by back-flip from Pienaar, I bet the manager will have a word with him about that one considering the injuries we get from dodgy landings. Then the faithful reminded the Sunderland fans that we only sing when we are winning...

The saying that you are always most vulnerable right after scoring almost came true when a corner was headed powerfully goalwards but luckily straight at Howard.

From that point, there was only one team in it and the Sunderland fans were helping us more than their own team by turning on them, some of their vitriol shamed them as loyal fans.

Pienaar was covering every blade of grass and was our most creative force; we were getting the ball down and playing at every opportunity and a second goal was on the cards ? that it took until the 70-minute mark was surprising but when it came it was a joy to watch for joined-up footy followers.

Baines from the edge of our box picked out Jo who in turn found Neville who gave it to Jacobsen who returned it to Neville who promptly gave it back to Jacobsen who then found Pienaar who had run the width of the pitch to receive; he beat his man, looked up and picked out Fellaini six yards out who swept home imperiously. A treat to watch.

Substitution time came and Sunderland sent on Healy for the nondescript Cisse, Rodwell replaced Jacobsen with Neville moving to right back, Castillo for Gosling, Cahill moving to right mid-field... I think these changes were to make sure there was to be no last hurrah for the home team as we had not been strong on our right which I think the manager knew as our tactic all match seemed to be to use the left flank on most occasions. For the last few minutes, Saha replaced Jo for a short run-out, probably with the final in mind.

The Blues were seeing it out nicely and most of the Sunderland fans were leaving but not nicely. Four minutes of injury time were played out to ?ole?s? from the travelling faithful to put the seal on one of our most emphatic victories.

Man of the Match was undoubtedly Pienaar. Where previously he had been rather weak in tackles and annoyingly giving the ball away to tricks and flicks, these last two games he has taken on the role of playmaker, goal provider, goalscorer and stronger with it. If he can keep that going for just four more games then a very good season may well become an excellent one.

Overall I thought we played some great stuff without ever over extending ourselves; Baines had a mixed game in that his link up play down the left was superb but his crossing was abysmal, I hope that today he got that out of his system. Fellaini was his usual Jekyll and Hyde self that leaves both fans and opponents wondering just what he will do next, he must be a nightmare to play against.

Howard seems to have improved greatly when dealing with crosses using forceful punches to clear our lines, is Chris Woods earning his corn? One thing from today though was as much as we moan and groan about both Osman and Hibbert from time to time they were sorely missed. Gosling, over ninety minutes, shows no more than promise and Jacobsen just doesn?t look anywhere near as solid as Hibbert.

I thought Vaughan might be given a run but the manager decided not today. Two home games to come and considering the opposition a feast of football should be on the agenda. But please no more serious injuries!

See you there ? UP THE BLUES

Reader Comments

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Dave Wilson
1 Posted 04/05/2009 at 08:43:22

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I think you must have been in my seat Ken, that's exactly how I saw it, Pienaar?s best game in an Everton shirt.

I?m afraid you're right about young Gosling too, the lad has to start getting his head up if he wants to continue his career at this level.

I wish you?d mentioned Big Yobo though, I thought he was great, Kenwin Jones may be a very poor man's Drogba, but he?ll do as a warm-up.

David Ellis
2 Posted 04/05/2009 at 09:55:34

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Agree with everything said ? except that I thought Gosling had a good game. I am not sure that right midfield is his best position, but he did cause quite a few problems on the right-hand side. Jacobsen rarely seemed to be prepared to risk running overlaps for him (but hard to tell watching on TV) and this would have limited Gosling?s attacking options.

Defensively Gosling was good today, and better than Osman in that department. Tracked back particularly well. Silly booking for trying too hard to get the ball back having lost it.

I think he will be a useful central midfielder or right back. Good defensively, comfortable on the ball and capable of breaking forward into the box.

John Meredith
3 Posted 04/05/2009 at 10:05:06

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Steven Pienaar was ?through the roof? yesterday. Reminds me of Peter Beardo, at his very best when he?s playing like that. Pienaar has been superb for the last few months

Told you not to worry, the ?Yobo-Lescott? partnership will be epic. Sunderland could have played for a week and not created a chance.

Lars Jacobsen looks a Steady-Eddie at right back, could he have earned a cup final birth? ? as Hibbo has been getting the run-around from pace recently.

I watched Manyoo at Sunderland the other week, and I?ll tell you even with our injuries we are ?Top 4? quality right now. If we had not have started the season in November, that?s where we would be easily.

Jo?s best away game yet, he actually delt with defensive bullying well and showed great skill. Ok he?s won me over now... right, Moyesy, sign him up.

I also watched ?The Goose? in pre-season at PNE and thought he?d never make a Prem player, never mind an Everton one, his progress has been incredible since then. I really think he?s going to make it with us now, well done ?The Goose? laaa, more importantly the great coaching staff at the club ? Moyesy.

Roll on the Cup final, a good summer for once, and smashing our way into the top 4 next for many years to come...

Tony Bell
4 Posted 04/05/2009 at 10:03:37

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Very good write up Ken and Dave, you are correct to mention Yobo?s excellent marshalling of Jones. Lescott was struggling in the air against him, but when Yobo switched he dominated him physically.

I was extremely dissapointed with Gosling. For all the negative press Osman gets on here i thought today would have been a game where he would have shone and we may have had 2 wings which caused them issues. If Gosling can?t get into a game against that very poor Sunderland side, then it doesn?t look good for him.

Overall a very assured performance and Howard has now got his record equalling 15th clean sheet. Let?s hope he can build on that, especially in the final.

Ray Robinson
5 Posted 04/05/2009 at 10:59:31

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Just when I thought I could again agree 100% with your review Ken, you stated that Osman and Hibbert were sorely missed! Gosling did not play as well as I?ve seen him play but in no way was his contribution any less than Osman?s recent performances. And as for Hibbert, well what exactly did Jacobsen do wrong? Solid, unspectacular and hardly noticed ? unlike Hibbert who has been given the run-around recently.

Pienaar?s best game yet ? finally some end product, Yobo outstanding, Jo looking more promising than I?ve seen him so far... but special mention also to Phil Neville: Another excellent performance.

Paul Gregory
6 Posted 04/05/2009 at 12:55:50

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I was up at Sunderland yesterday and that was by far Pienaar's best performance in a blue shirt. Non-stop running from start to finish and Phil Bardsley was terrified of him. Total class. I might up-set a few people here but Fellaini is still not cutting it for me but he did take his goal well. Overall a cracking perfomance.

Gerry Western
7 Posted 04/05/2009 at 13:01:55

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Agree in parts, I think we’re all agreed Pienaar was truly outstanding yesterday. Yobo had a good game also but I thought Jo had a terrific game too. He didn’t get on the score sheet but he made a telling contribution. Have to say I’m puzzled by the references to Osman and Hibbert.

I thought we were a good deal more composed defensively, particularly on the right. Gosling did a great job of defending down that flank but also made a vital contribution with his challenges in other areas of the park. In recent games we’ve been torn apart down the right side and that has put us on the back foot. He didn’t pose a threat on the right with his crosses but did a great job of covering his full back which sadly Osman fails to do. For that reason alone I thought he was a significant improvement on Osman.

We dominated the midfield and controlled the game, playing some wonderful joined up football. Some argue we need Osman’s presence in order to play a passing game and yet we played some great football yesterday. On that basis I struggle to understand what exactly Osman brings to the party or for that matter what apparently we were missing yesterday given his omission.

Keith Glazzard
8 Posted 04/05/2009 at 13:39:33

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Something about Steven Pienaar?s MOM performance yesterday put me in mind of a very good Italian or Latin American midfielder. His leg strength seems to be increasing to give him more options in holding off and stepping away from opponents, meaning that his close control skills can be put to more use. His goal was a very obvious example of this.

You would expect this kind of ?sprinter? strength to be gained at the expense of stamina, but that doesn?t seem to be happening. I don?t know how he?s doing it, but long may he continue this wonderful progress.

Marc Williams
9 Posted 04/05/2009 at 17:49:59

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I think Gosling is better coming on as a sub at this stage of his development, to inject a bit of pace & energy late on in a game rather than starting. That said Osman has looked knackered for ages so I think yesterday?s team selection worked well, given where we?re at and how comfortable we were anyway.

Without doubt Pienaar?s best game so far & if he can just develop more strength when being challenged could become an excellent player. My one concern yesterday was his goal celebration which can?t be good for his ankles etc and I really couldn?t cope with losing another key player before the final.

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