COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY
From my seat: Tottenham (H)
Comments (22) : Both teams played some pretty stuff and maybe Spurs just edged that battle first half but as far as goalscoring or anything to get fans agitated went unseen. In fact, the first half can be summed up as follows:-
Bale fired free kick over the bar; Lescott halted Keane's progress as he was about to shoo;t and after good work from Pienaar, Jo had a shot blocked by King.
Nothing to set pulses racing and my mind at times wandered into unrelated thoughts such was the fare on show, thoughts such as:
- 'Will ToffeeWeb suffer from proposed advertising web tax'...
- 'Why is there a Wembley ticket debate every Cup Final, no matter who qualifies, and never with any resolution?'...
- 'With a sudden heavy downpour of rain, should Fellaini be provided with a health and safety hair protection as each time he headed the ball about two gallons of water shot from the hair thus obviously rendering him overweight to be competing at Prem level'...
Second half we did look brighter and by the end had probably edged it all over the field except that final third where it matters.
Ten minutes in and Cahill raised hopes by hitting a 20yd half volley just wide and then the ever undependable comic Gomes dropped a regulation cross and but for the slow thinking of Jo would have paid the price.
The momentum had now swung in our favour and it provided the one moment of 'what if' as Gosling shot into the pitch, the ball bounced and hit a post and was cleared. That was Gosling's last action as both he and Jo made way for Osman and Saha. Osman offered that bit more than Gosling but Saha was even less effective than the lethargic Jo.
Defences remained well on top, neither side had much creation from midfield which reflected worse on Spurs as they did not have our injury woes. Defoe did hit a shot with venom but lacked the trajectory to hit the target. The game ended in stalemate and with little to write home about.
With Villa losing 3-1, I wondered if the message had been relayed to the players considering the managers statement of intent to overhaul them. If it was, no-one took much notice and all remained largely uninterested in busting a gut. Overall I thought it was a game played out as an end of season no-marker but with many thoughts on May 30th.
Between the two young lads Gosling and Rodwell, I thought Gosling looked well off Premier League requirements at the moment but Rodwell grew into the game and became quite an influence, constantly demanding the ball and giving all assembled a glimpse of what he might become given a fair wind.
The only two players I thought who gave the game and the fans the effort and determination to win were Cahill and Pienaar plus a back four who ensured we didn't lose. I can't include Howard even though he broke a record as he had little or nothing to do and didn't break sweat.
With most having Wembley on their minds, I conclude Jo is ineligible and both Saha and Gosling will not start unless further injury intervenes. With the results today, we are assured of 6th and the next two games may well be as uninteresting as this one as I believe the manager would ideally like to have Howard, Hibbert, Yobo, Lescott, Baines, Pienaar, Neville, Rodwell/Castillo, Osman, Cahill and Fellaini ready fro the big day.
2 games to endure... every tumble, twist and barge to torment all watching ? we will all take 6th now (never mind what the manager says publicly) just to get all fit and ready to at last bring home the silverware.
See you next week... UP THE BLUES
Reader Comments
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer
By the way, what about yellow cards? Is anyone in danger of a suspension?
Surprisngly Rodwell?s first start since Newcastle away, he was totally out of it at the beginning and looked lost, but played well by the end.
I?ve changed my mind about Jo yet again, now I don?t want him again. Incredibly ineffective and like having 10 men.
While everyone around him under performed, Fellaini was excellent again, winning every header, good hold up play and skills, this despite the rain ruining his big afro.
What?s happened to the Saha we saw come on against WBA and Boro as sub? When he appears now he just look like he?s going through the motions. He?ll be on his way in the summer and we?ll get another injury-prone sub to replace him.... Owen!
Anyhow, let?s hope for two more injury-free kicks in the sun against West Ham and Fulham before we get serious. COYB! FTRS!
I can’t see us winning the Cup but we’ll have another good day out ,anyway!
I understand the need to protect players for the Cup Final but I also contest that in the 2nd half there was an urgency to try and nick the game. No arguments about the result but I did think the lads did at least try.
Rodwell I am really liking. For an 18-year old kid he has a maturity about him on the pitch which is very rare.
Think the right-side is needed to be looked at - keep the left side as it is. Pienaar had another excellent game. Baines was good, though he appeared to have gone to the Tony Hibbert School of Crossing today.
I think Fellaini showed yet again what a shocking buy he will prove to be also. When he doesn’t net you really do have to ask what else he brings to the table and I am still convinced we didn’t pay £15m for a new , far lesser, Tim Cahill. After all, we have Tim Cahill! I think he will drift out next season, bad buy, not an Everton player.
I couldn?t agree more with your assessment of Gosling and Young Jack. Like Mathew, I too feared the worst when Pienaar went down... If only we had secured 5th place, we might have had the luxury of resting these guys for the big day.
Roger Harper ? I winced when I saw your last comment...
Fellaini also had a pedestrian game in my opinion whilst Cahill is like a fish out of water as a deeper lying midfielder. He also seemed slower than I recall. Real end-of-season stuff overall.
Fellaini, well he showed a few good touches but not enough for me, the pair of them slow the play down whenever they receive the ball. Much prefer Cahill playing off the front man. Can?t understand why Vaughan wasn?t given a run out, at least 10 mins.
Rodwell grew as the game went on, looks a massive prospect!!!!
When you talk about young players and defending them I look at Fellaini and see nothing I can defend, a simple carthorse with limited ability, I look at this lad and I see huge huge potential, world-class potential. For under £10m, finances permitting, I?d definitely take him.
We are building something here and we need a squad. The lad oozes quality, has a great attitude, is you, he wants to stay and he?s waffly versatile. Ticks the boxes for me. Sadly many Evertonians are still suspicious of ?flair? or guile players though, if your not tear-arsing around for 90 minutes doing nothing in particular then you?re not a real Everton player.
Firstly, he could be the player we need for the Final to ruffle Terry and Alex. I just can’t see Fellaini giving it enough aggression to do that.
Secondly, there may be no choice to play him if somebody gets injured along the way and he will have needed some playing time.
My XI for Wembley is Howard, Hibbert, Yobo, Lescott, Baines; Neville; Fellaini, Rodwell, Pienaar; Cahill; Saha/Vaughan
I even fancy Lars for right-back. Hibbo has been getting mudered by pace, and Malouda is no slouch...
The only way he will get match fit is by playing him. He is the only forward that we have who is capable of upsetting John Terry. Two seasons ago he gave Terry an absolutely torrid time in a 1-1 draw at Standford Bridge. Has Moyes forgotten this? He will obviously start the Cup Final with Saha and I think that will be a big mistake.
With respect to Jo, his goals talk for him: 5 in 11 is a very respectable tally ? especially considering he is not fully used to football in England yet and I don't think conclusions should be based on one or two bad games, which also seems to be happening with Fellaini. All-in-all, Fellaini has been very good for us ? especially in view of his age and the time it takes to get used to a different style of football. Jo has also been a very astute aquisition and, if we can get him for a reasonable price (less then half what Man City paid would be a must), then I think that would be good business.
I can see Castillo or Rodwell sitting deep alongside Pip with Peanuts and Ossie out-wide and the Big Fella and Cahill filling the 1-1 positions in a 4411 formation.
All round, the performance was worrying... Cahill does usually not perform in that central role... and if he?s there against Chelsea, I fear the worst. Fellaini had a strange game, one minute he was brilliant the next he had the touch of a rapist.
As for Pienaar... stunning... just shows what can happen when you do the simple stuff well. Maybe he should have a word with Osman.
However there are other aspects to his game that trouble me; top strikers are fearless, Jo isn't. He?s great to have on loan, but the £8-9 million it?ll take to prize him away from City could be put to much better use.
It's a No from me too.
Add Your Comments
In order to post a comment to Column articles, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.
Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and MailBag submissions across the site.
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
1 Posted 09/05/2009 at 23:25:41
Report abuse
As regards the 30th of May, who are we likely to have up front? I think Tim is still our main man but James Vaughan could just be coming back the right time... br />
or could it be Castillo hits a belter from 35 yards?