COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY
From my seat: Arsenal (A)
Comments (19) : Slowly but surely you could see the Gunners upping their game, Fabregas shot just over. Van Persie got on the wrong side of Lescott and brought a great reaction save from Howard, and then the same player fired over. Just before the break Lescott had a header cleared from the line by a well placed Clichy after a Baines cross.
After a good opening from the Blues it was the hosts on top by the half-time whistle. 1-0 up what would the newly signed manager's second half tactics be? "Hang on" was our best guess but if it was that ploy then it only lasted a couple of minutes.
Wenger had sent on Walcott and without him doing much had immediately unsettled our rearguard; couple that with our old failing of not being able to clear a corner properely allowing Arsenal to feed Nasri who despatched a low drive into the bottom corner.
It was now attack against defence and the lads were defending manfully ? none more so than Hibbo, Jags and young Jack. Then amid all the attacking and defending we had a flare up. Clichy went for Hibbo, Hibbo didn't give an inch, so the ref booked both of them.
It was then back to attack and defence and you just knew they would find a way through although it took up to the 70 min mark for diver Adebayor to set up Fabregas for a fine shot that Howard somehow parried but Van Persie was first to react and head past Howard and the despairing Baines on the line.
The game was over but the lads did keep trying and it was cruel to concede a third in stoppage time from the pacy Walcott.
Overall I thought today we saw what we will continue to see at least until January and that is a good bunch of individuals but not a team. With no-one to lead and orchestrate from midfield we look a little rudderless. In my view, we lack that player that 'Makes a difference'.
Much has been made of the manager and his contract and I suppose you love him or hate him... however, what has caught my eye over this saga is the odd behaviour of the club. They give the manager a big money five-year contract as he is regarded by many to be up there with the best, yet at the same time ? by the club's own admission ? they don't have the money to give a top manager the tools (players) he needs to progress the onfield ambition of both club and fans. So that leaves us in a most odd situation of having a highly paid manager of onfield affairs without the wherewithal to do anything to justify his salary!! I just hope they know something we don't.
Still, United next and I will be taking my seat for ninety minutes of who knows what at 'Fortress Goodison'.
See you there... UP THE BLUES
Reader Comments
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We spent fifteen million on a donkey that is a yard behind the pace of the game. Pienaar was the only decent player.
All Moyes is doing is shuffling the pack in an attempt to stumble on a system that may take us to mid-table safety.
I think we?ll be ok, but wether that means we?ll finish up the table or just above relegation is anybody?s guess, all the part of the joy of being an Evertonian. I?ve had a few beers you can change the word joy to one of your own, perhaps it?s all part of Moyes?s plan for the next 5 seasons to lower our expectations!!! Anyway roll on Utd, we are slowly beginning to emerge, we are a team in progress, it?s going to take time sadly it?s the one thing we don?t have!!!
Seriously though, keep up the good work.
Amateurish in every way and sadly very second best to what is happening in the Premier League right now. I don?t look forward in any way to the rest of the season.
Also, any views emerging on our new assistant to DM???
COYB
Signs that Jack Rodwell could grow into that important role but its asking way too much of him this season and we risk destroying the confidence of a great prospect.
Have to say that it is beginning to look like Moyes has wasted 15 million quid on Fellaini. The defence are copping a lot of flak but I think it comes down to not having Carsley around - his contribution to the cause over the last 6 years is only now being fully appreciated.
Survive to January and move on from there.
The difference was there for all to see...on the bench, their’s, not ours, we had nobody decent to come on, if we did my choice would have been, before Fellaini ran out of steam, ARTETA.
IF... Lescotts header had gone in
IF... Toure hadn’t got injured, how long would it have taken Wenger to changes things around. Even he is not immune to daft selections, a full back as a Midfielder. So in effect the classic game of 2 halves, with us looking good Vs 9 men and 2 passengers.
Once the real footballing manager got a real 11 Arsenal players out there, it was only a matter of when, not...
IF
I would like to say that I was impreesed with Fellaini and (hold your breath) Hibbert. I'm just very disappointed with our second half display and our lack of bollocks when playing the top 4.....its becoming so inevitable. 4-5-1 is too predictable. We need more bollocks and try and put them on the back foot a bit. There are some good signs but I think we will be a mid-table finish this season. I hope we make the FA cup our own this year ? that would be a massive positive.
After they scored they were always going to go on and win the match... I thought it was great to not have Neville on the field ? and I think the starting line up was spot on ... I think hibbert did well, and seems to be getting more stick than usual for a decent performance..
As for Fellaini, he did some decent stuff in the first half but as the game went on he seemed to make more mistakes with his casual and relaxed style of play. This boy is not an attacking midfielder.... and I'm not sure he?s a defensive midfielder either ? in fact I'm not sure what he is.
Rodwell looks like he?ll be a decent prospect. Better signs... but still a long way off.
My personal opinion is that he is a long and overpriced streak of Moroccan-Flemish piss.
However, I am willing to be open-minded on the subject.
To be honest, people raved about him in the matches against Liverpool, but didn?t think he was the best player in either of those matches ? in fact Dalmat and Defour were way ahead in my book.
You?ll get the usual ?he?s only 20 - give him time? ? but I would contend that for £15M we should be able to see glimpses of what we paid for... I?m struggling to see it.... and reserving judgement is a matter of infinte hope sometimes.
The Liege boardroom must have bloody big windows... because they certainly seen us coming.
Anyone familiar with the Harry & Paul series might even be cruel enough to suppose that DM picked Fellaini up whilst shopping for bargains in the ’Modern Wank’ shop.
Although it may be a little premature to suggest that Louis Saha was sat there gathering dust until Moyesey stumbled into the ’Old Shit’ section.
While I’m a huge fan of Moyes, I think he could have managed the media a lot better pre season to inspire some confidence in a squad that did after all, finish fifth. We heard about the club’s inability to sign players with enough time to settle in. Focusing on the negatives. Instead, the players were not ready, and as soon as we lost to Blackburn, the doubts about our ability to replicate our form was back.
And now, talking about Randy Lerner is not doing his current squad any favours. He should be trying to inspire a squad that has improved on last years. We can only hope that some easy games will give the team some confidence to go out there and get a respectable finish this year.
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1 Posted 19/10/2008 at 17:32:46
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Interesting point about the team, this morning I slated Arteta for being rubbish in big games. What do you think?? Arteta himself thinks he is a central midfield player, is playing our on the right the problem for him in big games??
Would bringing him infield along side the ever improving Fellaini, and pushing either Victor, Osman (or dear I say) Andy VDM on the right and go 4-4-2 an option??