COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY
From my seat: Man Utd (H)
Comments (27) : A first half that was in truth dominated by the visitors gave the predictors of such events reasons to be satisfied yet I saw improvement from recent games whilst acknowledging that the force was with the visitors and they seemed a little arrogant with their pass and move and interchange of position and seemingly knowing a goal was enevitable. We gave them the odd scare, like when Saha had a goalbound shot blocked, also more possession and less hoofball gave this observer just a little hope.
However, just before the 20-minute mark, it was noticeable that Utd had upped the ante and were probing more and on the 23rd minute mark a delightful move saw Giggs spot the darting run of Fletcher with no Blue shirt in attendance and his pass gave the Scots captain a chance he couldn't and didn't miss. 1-0 down... I wonder how many thought that was just the precurser to a rout as Utd were in total control and but for three excellent Howard stops within a minute they may have had those fears realised.
Just a few minutes from the break, Rooney sensing birthday presents and 100th goal was thwarted by the scrambling Yobo. The Blues reminded the visitors that we had not thrown the towel in when the Yak caused a mix up between Vidic and the keeper and his well intentioned loop toward goal was off target.
We pressed again and gained a throw that was almost like a corner for the long throw of Nevile but just on his run up the ref decided to blow the half time whistle to the dismay of the gathered faithful.
The half-time chat was "Should the manager change it as Utd had dominated?" I put in my view that we should leave it at least for twenty minutes as I had seen improvement from previous games; even though we had looked out-classed at times, you just had to be mindful of who we were playing and they were just the goal to the good.
I have no idea what the manager said during the break but that second half belonged to the Blues who out-fought, out-muscled and dented reputations as though their lives depended on it ? well, if not their lives then their season.
Flashpoints occured, Neville's hard but fair ball-winning tackle on Ronaldo saw the winker roll about five times yet need no attention, Ferdinand rush to the ref in aggressive mood (England captain showing respect) the outcome a booking for Neville.
An over-the-top tackle on the shin of Saha saw Vidic booked when others have been sent off for such misdemeanours. Rooney booked for studding Arteta's side seemed to upset him enough to kiss his badge and offer an outstreched arm V sign toward the Park end faithful which provoked a witty-ditty and the said Rooney being hauled off by the Scotish 'Sir' before he was sent off.
All this and more was brought about by our lads standing up and being counted and by the end they could easily have won it as, in the space of a minute just after the hour mark, we scored by way of a cross into the box from the excellent Neville, which saw Fellaini rise highest and nod home. Then, immediately after, Yak spooked Ferdinand into a poor backpass, he was onto it in a flash and, but for the ball deflecting off the keeper and on to the post, we would have won it.
On the death, Ronaldo had the chance to test Howard when clean through but ended up putting the ball into the side-netting, probably spooked into a hurried shot while expecting another hard but fair tackle.
The half ended in similar fashion to the first but this time in reverse. Utd earned a corner but just before they could take it the ref blew up, much to the dismay of the travelling fans.
Overall, a game I thoroughly enjoyed, a game that just shows predictions are just that. The second half form showed we have a half-decent first team but a look at the bench indicates we can't countenance injury, suspension or loss of form.
Wednesday in Bolton will show if we can take some of today forward and a positive result could well propel us to January in a decent position, when any positive business can bolster the second half of the season charge.
Today I could not nominate a man of the match but would find no argument with anyone offering Jags, Pienaar or Fellaini. I also thought Osman played an important if non-eyecatching part in the way he chased, harried and closed down in midfield.
I expect the Scottish 'Sir' to find many things to bellyache at but in a quieter moment I am sure he will agree both teams were examined, either could have won and ultimately a fair result was the outcome.
In conclusion, I have to say that in a hard-fought thrilling encounter, the actions of excellent footballers like Ferdinand, Ronaldo and Rooney showing the maturity of an oxygen starved goldfish should be high on their managers to-do list and also the report of the ref to the hierarchy so that grass roots junior football gets a better role model.
See you Wednesday. UP THE BLUES
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COYB!!
I would add our keeper and the much maligned Neville to the list of nominations for MotM; six of us met for a beer after the game and we all had a different MotM. We?d all settle for that every week wouldnt we ?
I thought the ref inadvertently did us a favour yesterday. The crowd seemed fearful and subdued for long periods, but irritation at his obvious pandering to these prima donnas gradually turned to a sense of raging injustice and Goodison became a cauldron. How good was it to see the players respond in such a manner?
It's calm down time, after all, we only got a point. But it's worth remembering that it was the in-form European Champions who were gasping for air and looking as if they would rather be anywhere else throughout the second half yesterday.
More of the same please boys.
Hopefully this performance will give us the confidence now to push on and start winning games on a regular basis. We have a run of 6 or 7 fixtures now against teams that we should be beating. If we take our 2nd half attitude into these games then we will win them no problem.
It was good to see Arteta and Yakubu putting the effort in yesterday, because recently both looked like they weren’t interested.
One final point is that I hope this shuts up all the fans on here who slag Moyes off with vile abuse that he doesn’t deserve.
You can be sure that the 2nd half improvement was down to him yesterday as it is plain to see that he must have bollocked the lads at half time.
Wednesday will be an interesting choice for DM with Cahill available. Will he revert to type and play a 5-man midfield? Or will he stick with the 11 that played after the performance in the second half? Personally, I think he will do the usual and play the same side (subject to injuries). However against a physically robust team is that the right decision? Cahill / Castillo?? Or even Rodwell. For me we must play a 4 man midfield with 2 forwards I just think he?s got the balance wrong and that comes down to his signings ? we don?t have the right central midfielder at the club ? unless he?s been hiding somewhere!!!
[And by the way, I would never support that vile thug called Barton in a blue shirt so I?m not advocating his arrival at Christmas.]
Thought we looked much better yesterday, was so pleased to the big fella living up to his price tag. Also worth a mention the Howard kept us in the game first half with a string of fine saves.
Need to go to Bolton now 2 up top Saha and the Yak who will I have no doubt click sooner rarther than later. 3 wins on the spin, a winger in January, Jacobsen back December ? hope he is a decent crosser of the ball ? and a defensive midfielder hopefully push on to solid top 10 finish.
COYB
Fellaini and Osman played brilliantly in midfield covering each other and generally putting in a lot of work. Most notably Fellaini, not just for scoring a goal, but also for very rarely giving the ball away with a miss placed pass. Arteta?s performance was an improvement from last week, but not as good and Pienaar by comparison, but the 4 in midfield really worked.
Now with the prospect of Cahill returning to the first team after his 3 match ban and given the performances of Fellaini and Osman as a duo, his place in the starting line-up can only be in place of Saha (who after 2 years of irregular football is looking better with every touch) and back to a 4-5-1. It will be interesting to see what we do at Bolton given how well the United game has just gone.
Sadly though as in the recent game against the Barcodes he really gets little support from Osman, who to be fair has tried a little harder to make his presence felt but I’m afraid he’s simply not up to it. If we’d had Cahill yesterday I think we would have gone on to win it.
Saha performed much better but still has some way to go to reproduce his form from some years ago. My biggest worry though is whether or not he will ever form a productive partnership with the Yak. At the moment they are like strangers whereas Cahill has a terrific understanding with the Yak but we really need his physical presence in the the middle of the park as was shown yesterday when we get stuck in we can really do the business.
Perhaps the solution would be to play Cahill just behind the Yak and bring Castillo in alongside Fellaini in our next game which will certainly require yet another huge physical effort however yesterdays result did suggest that not only is confidence returning but also the desire to go out and win again. Lastly a word for the crowd who were terrific yesterday.
Fellaini much improved again, Jags solid as ever (same back four on wednesday please). Howard also had his best game in a while, only minus is that I thougt Arteta was a passenger again...
Saha isn’t past it, I don’t see how anyone can say that to be honest. Anyone who saw him get into full flow yesterday would’ve seen he’s still got that pace and he can run with the ball as pace and he showed a few times.
All the lad needs is a goal, he’s a very good player in my opinion. An all round striker just like Yakubu.
Anyone who thinks Arteta was a passenger really does need to watch the game again, I advise you too. For the first time in a long time we saw Arteta looking for the ball and trying to influence the game. He was superb by any means but he gave a good account of himself. Not as good as Pienaar but he still did well.
It’s a shame, he seems to be an easy target nowadays. He was good in spells yesterday, every midfielder stepped up and had a go. It was pleasing to see.
As I said if you thought he played poorly watch the game again, he wasn’t.
As for the Bolton game, I would like to see the same starting line up but with one proviso. Give Ozzy a rest and see how it works tactically with Cahill in the hole behind Saha and Yak. Also one mistake I think Mr Moyes made yesterday was the substitutions. Far to late and ineffective. 70 mins or 75 tops should have been the time to unleash James Vaughan into the fray and taken off Saha who had run his socks off.
Excellent writing, Ken ? keep it going and for Wednesday
COYB
I don’t think it was Moyes geeing up the side at half-time as some have suggested. More telling was advancing the midfield line and back line higher up the pitch... we backed off in the first half, inviting United on to us. And you should NEVER give them that much space to play in. By playing further up in the pitch after the break we forced their defenders to play facing their own goal... a position defenders do not like, as evidenced by numerous errors and general unrest in the United ranks.
That we arrived at the interval a single goal down was largely thanks to Howard. He has had two excellent games against the Arse and Manure in the last two outings, regardless of how the rest of the defence is playing.
Neville had an outstanding game in both defence and attack. His booking was ludicrous... he clearly and cleanly took the ball. I think he was victim to not only the United players’ reaction, but also that Ronaldo had just been clipped (by Pienaar...?) that the ref might have just blown for. Jags was also very good... Yobo and Lescott are still not achieving the standards they are capable of.
Our midfield was excellent... Arteta was the poorest of the quartet. He was anonymous in the first half, but came to the party in the second period. Pienaar was superb throughout, Osman did a lot of effective work that tends to go unnoticed and Fellaini is improving with every minute on the pitch. He does look one-paced, but his work with the ball is often tidy, neat and effective. I don’t think I’ve read anyone on here yet praising him fully for his goal. I’ve only seen it live and a single replay, but I’m pretty certain as the ball comes in he is actually back-tracking to position himself well for the eventual header. That he achieves the prodigious leap he does from that position AND still manages to make such a forceful and well-directed connection with the ball... well... it shouts "class" to me.
Yak and Saha had their moments and hopefully there is more to come from both. All in all, a hugely encouraging performance and one to build on. It wouldn’t surprise me if Saha is sacrificed to accommodate Cahill at Bolton.
Onward and upward...
Personally I thought Baines has played really well when he?s started and I think its a shame for the lad not to get a regular run in the side.
Out of all of our players I wouldn?t be surprised if he left soon. I?m not sure we can afford to have a £5m+ player sat on the bench on a regular basis.
I?d like to see Fellaini and Cahill paired in midfield, with Castillo covering, or maybe even just as a central pairing..... but I seriously doubt Moyes will stick with 4-4-2.
As regards Arteta, I felt that he had a decent game. His poor points came from a couple of misplaced passes but I noticed he was constantly demanding the ball & making himself available and staying on the periphery of things.
Fellaini put himself about, Pienaar showed how much we miss him & Neville was damned near faultless. Only negatives were the lack of goal attempts but you don’t get many against the Mancs. I’m still happier when Cahill is sniffing around for the half-chances though & I think we’ll see him return against Bolton. Regardless of the arguments about whether Cahill can play in a 4-man midfield or whether we switch to 4-5-1, the facts speak for themselves & we win more games with him than without him.
One thing I would say about Saha, I think he will develop into a good signing but I think he?s still lacking a bit of sharpness and fitness. Therefore if Moyes is going to play 4-4-2 he should play Saha for 45-60 minutes max until he?s show he can last the 90. Yesterday the game seemed to be crying out for Vaughan after about 60 mins, the tempo of the game was really quick and his energy probably would have unsettled the Man Utd defenders more than Saha.
Final mention goes to Fellaini, I think even in the short time he has been with us he has improved rapidly. Against Man Utd he looked good in the air, was willing to get stuck into the tackle and showed some intelligent play both on and off the ball. The biggest dilemma is choosing who to play alongside him, I?m not convinved Fellaini and Osman would be the best pairing in a 4-4-2 central midfield. Maybe put Castillo alongside him for the next game, or even Rodwell?
Feeling a lot more optimistic now. 6 points this coming week are now a real possibility. COYB!!!!!!
Even the postings here - all positive. This IS the turning point. It?s great to see us play with passion and take command.
COYB
The players were awesome in the 2nd half on Saturday. Pip, Pienarr, Screech, Howard were all my stand out players. I still think Arteta is nowhere near his best yet, more to come from him is no bad thing though.
I left Goodison on Saturday with a huge smile on my face and great pride bursting out of me, purely because it felt wonderful to an Evertonian. We are different and we are one hell of a crowd when we get going. Here’s to many more my Blue brothers and sisters.
I would go with Howard as man of the match. If it wasn’t for him we would have been coming out to the second half 3-0 down.
I agree with Wayne Smyth’s comments about Baines, but would be interested to know who he would drop to the bench out of Saturday’s XI to accommodate him? Lescott is off form, but is he more likely to sit around on the bench biding his time than Baines? It might give him the kick up the backside that he has needed this season!?
The next 3 or 4 games are massive if we are to maintain the good work of the last few seasons. We have to beat Bolton on Wednesday!
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1 Posted 25/10/2008 at 22:38:49
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Feel a tad more positive this evening COYB!!!!