From my seat: Bolton (A)

Cheers Ken. It?d nice to see Moyes give Castillo a run after showing promise so far. After all he was supposed to be an adequate replacement for the crucial ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2008/10/carsley_the_championships_most.html#040141 ) ?Carsley role.
By the way, if the home banker on Saturday does not go to form, we know who to blame now don?t we.... Ken! ;-)

Thanks for the review, Ken. Thanks for braving the terrible weather and game quality to enable some of us get this review. I couldn't watch the game as it wasn't televised in India (seems like a blessing in disguise after reading your review!), so I followed the live scores on the net.

Was disappointed when I thought it was a goalless draw. Was shocked when the Yak was taken off instead of Saha. Was wondering about the disallowed goal and the undeserved caution for Fellaini. The 1st clean sheet of the season pleased me immensely although it was Bolton attacking and not Arsenal/Chelsea.

Hope we can see Vaughan/Vic alongside the Yak on Saturday with Ossie making way for Cahill and Castillo filling in for Fellaini. But I figure Moyes may go for a less appealing line-up like always.
ps: Any idea if the RS deserved their late penalty?

Apparently Castillo wasn’t even on the bench! What’s the story there?

Ken Kudos to you for watching this game live! You know the sentence: I want to hurt myself. And for 90 mins I looked around for some knife or something to end my suffering! :D It was absolutely terrible.

Arteta was woeful. He is brilliant in one game and then has 5-10 games off. We need replacement for him ASAP. He is not good enough in my eyes. He never was. Ruining every free-kick & corner. Moyesy please drop him, for the love of god, drop him!

Yet in the middle of the night I was very happy with the outcome:

1. Vital 3 points!
2. Clean sheet - whoa clean sheet!
3. I won 16/1 bet on Marouane to score first (& only) goal!

Now talk about luck! :D It was great end to terrible, tedious, boring & shapeless game of football.

About RS penalty. It was a pen no question asked. Like Tony Adams said: "one moment of madness cost us". Sounds familiar? Pienaar against Manure last season, ring any bells? ;)

OK now Cottagers coming to GP. I have bad feelings about this game. Statistics are on our side, but often Fulham scoring first goal and we all know what happen when Everton concede 1st goal this season. Heads going down and we concede even more ? draw against MU is here exception from the rule! Unfortunately :(

Anyway, COYB! Cheer for AJ is certainly in order before the game, but lets hope that in the end EFC will be on the right side of the scoreline! :)



Howard - Neville-Yobo-Jagielka-Baines - Ossie-Cahill-Castillo- Pienaar - Saha (or JV) -Yak its my squad for Fulham game.

Santosh: According to Portsmouth’s Manager himself, it was a "moment of madness" by Baba Diop to handle a harmless corner inside the penalty box.

And it wasn’t so late... in the 76th minute according to the BBC report.

Three points from an away game - clean sheet. Nothing more and nothing less.

Bring on Fulham, it’ll be a more exciting match for sure! Oh and a tenner on AJ getting a penalty kick.

The radio said the Saha goal was disallowed for a handball by the Yak but as MOTD didn't show it I have not seen it yet. Again, they didn't show the Fellaini yellow card but his celebrations were him standing a yard in front of the hoardings, but fans grabbed him in and he got yellowed. I think that is 5 in a row so he is suspended on Saturday. You can't even appeal a yellow I don't think.

Everton won because they went back to basics. All the fancy-dan stuff they?ve been trying to play early doors brought nothing but failure. Now Davey has got them playing the game they all understand and what has brought us so much success. He was absolutely 100% right post match to say what pleased him most was keeping a clean sheet. We?re on the march again!

I thought that the team did all right albeit against a fairly poor but committed Bolton side.

At times we played really good football ? knocking it about ON THE DECK, even Neville was looking to play through the midfield alot more than usual ? much better and good performance from our dynamic skipper.

Arteta made space and gave width down the left in the first half,and crafted some good stuff on the right in the second. He fought and tussled to win the ball, just his final ball into the forwards could be more deadly. Without him, we would struggle to create an opportunity.

Fellaini had a really good game, he showed great control and awareness with his passing. He also was working box to box, popping up in both penalty areas at the right time, winning headers and also getting into the mix with a bit of fire in his belly. Very promising and deserved to be the match winner.

Jags was excellent absorbed most of the balls being thrown up and he needed to be reliable to cover Lescott, who was awful, what's going on with him? And the indecisive Yobo, who at the moment is the best ball watcher in the league.

Howard didn't have much to do, positionally in right place when required, possibly could help maintain possesion and deploy the fullbacks better instead of his desire to punt aimlessly upfield.

Osman worked hard and provided support in the middle. Peanuts wasn't really at the races, a few passes going badly astray and didnt do anything much other than put the ball on Fellaini?s bonce for the goal. Peanuts performance might have led to the opportunity of trying Cahill in 4-4-2, with Osman or one of the others in the holding role. Osman was providing the cover quite well and was behind the ball most of the game but was making himself available.

Saha scampered around in the right places and provided a few good lay offs and touches. I haven't a clue why his goal was disallowed. Should have done better with a golden opportunity just before he was subbed.

The Yak, often looked lazy and wasn't involved enough. Didn't look too happy when dragged off. Cahill came on and didn't make any impression up front, however Big Vic should have been on, maybe from the start, he gave us a lift and buzz soon as he entered the fray. Quick, strong, hungry and not afraid which is what we need.

Another win on Saturday is required to keep building confidence and we will definitely start to see a lot more from this team.

Fact of the matter is, it was a dreadful summer, it has been an awful start to the campaign and I hate listening to doom mongers (but they were mainly justified) but all in all come 2:30 on Saturday we could be sitting 7th in the league and depending on other results we may not move much further down come 5:00 on Saturday.

Fellaini is settiling in and no-one has complained about him for a couple of weeks (3 goals in 4 games), injuries are clearing up in the squad, and we managed to get a win after the inspiring 2nd half against MU.

The single most important thing about last night's game was indeed the 3 points, the feeling that in terms of results (if nothing else) the MU game has become the catalyst to kickstart the season.

Our first home win of the season will hopefully come on Saturday, and give the players a further lift in confidence.

Thanks for the info about the penalty, Ajay and Michael. Hope we can beat Fulham at home tis weekend and continue our progress. I also want to give AJ a good reception and show that the boos are reserved only for twits who incite the crowd... COYB

I watched the game on Football First and I did not envy those who were there in person. However, from what I saw the game looked to have plenty of interest (obviously with the rose-coloured spectacles of the highlights editing). It was certainly better than and different from what the radio commentary suggested.

The most significant thing from my point was the fact that there were plenty of good(ish) crosses into danger areas which I would have expected good strikers to either have got on the end of or at least put defenders under pressure. Our front two do not look sharp or they are content to double up on positions rather than splitting the defense. I am sure (in my fantasy world) that Bobby Latchford would have had a few efforts and/or goals from some of the near post crosses left criminally alone by Saha and Yakubu.

On another note, I keep seeing suggestions that Osman would be left out or would improve the team by his omission. I am pretty sure that Moyes sees Osman as the one constant in the midfield right now. He is playing with an injury and is not at his best but he runs miles for the team and was everywhere last night in the holding role, in his own area as well as keeping the ball moving in attack, showing in support and rarely wasting a ball. Leave him out of the team and see what a difference it makes. He will not be dropped until his leg falls off.

Fellaini got booked for CELEBRATING A LAST MINUTE WINNER!??

THE REFEREE'S A WANKER. THE REFEREE'S A WANKER!

Fellaini?s suspended for the West Ham game, it takes 7 days for ban to start. Also I don't think you can appeal against a yellow card, only a red.

The booking kind of sums up the general sentiment of officials for the sky 4 and the rest of us. Rooney kisses the his badge to incite the Goodison crowd... Fellaini celebrates with the Blues fans and gets booked for scoring a last minute goal. Where is the consistency?

I was there last night on a typically piss wet, freezing cold evening spent at the ?BreezeBlock? stadium. Just my take on a few of the players playing for us last night.

Howard - After a few dodgy moments this season, I reckon he dealt with anything that came his way. Usual Bolton stuff ?Tubby Nolan? and his sidekick Davis were kept quiet by our solid looking back 4 (except for a few Yobo howlers)

Our Back 4 - Solid enough but like I said above, not really troubled by BWFC

Midfield - Pienaar & Mikky showed plenty of running, especially Mikel running the left side in the 1st half, Peanuts constantly niggling at their midfielders legs (Good Work). Screech is slowly coming on now (not yet looking like a £15 mill player, but unfinished article) always wanting to put his foot on the ball and pass ON THE GROUND FFS! This lead to good links up with our forwards.

Saha played a good game but he?s still woefully short of match fitness but I?ll leave the Yak till last. As Moysey must have shouted to him, "Get warmed up Yak, you?re coming off!"

Roll on Saturday and AJ and his new pals come to Goodison. 3 more points in the bag wether we play sexy football or not. Me? I?m not arsed at the moment.
See you Saturday!

Richard Dodd, you talk rubbish. It was terrible hoofball for 89 minutes, it was the ?fancy stuff' that won us the game with a nice PASSING move down the right hand side.

Doddy, you talk some bullshit mate. So we went back to basics? Was that not being able to find a blue shirt all game? Goodlass on radio Merseyside, said "It was probalby one of the worst Premier League games I?ve ever watched." So is that the back to basics you mean?

One plus, Fellaini is slowly chipping away at the £15m price tag, shame he is going to miss a game. One minus, we are still playing shite football. 3 pts is all it was, and I suppose that is all that matters.

Erik

I?ll take your tenner AJ gets a penalty and put it on him skying it over the bar .

Brian Waring and Alan Kohl, I don?t know if you were at the match but Doddy is talking some sense.

We did for the majority of the time play balls on the floor BUT they were crap passes (i remember Yobo passing into danger) and no players seemed to move for the ball. Then about 15 minutes from the end we just hoofed and hoped.
As someone earlier mentioned, the only excellent move came for the goal. I thought Fellaini played well and actually was determined to play the ball on the floor, the problem is Osman next to him.

How can you play a box to box midfielder with an attacking lightweight midfielder next to him? Osman was pushed off the ball constantly and didn?t do enough going forward to merit a starting place for Saturday.

I?d like to see Rodwell come in and sit next to Fellaini against Fulham, as he looks a brilliant player, especially with his performance against Arsenal. However I have this feeling Moyes is playing Osman next to Fellaini so that he has some stability. Remember in the early part of his time here, we kept chopping and changing the midfield and he couldn?t find his place. However I think this is the wrong decision by Moyes as he needs to realise Osman will be murdered if we play a side like Villa with him and Fellaini there. (I know we played United yes, but you won?t see a performance like that every match).

Disappointing performance but the right result, though against opposition with a cutting edge we might well have been buried. Fellaini was excellent yet again. However, with Osman attempting to impersonate a holding midfielder we were all too often on the back foot. He covered acres of space but never really closed anyone down and failed to make anything remotely resembling a challenge and as Ken points out he was dispossessed with such ease it was truly embarrassing. To make matters worse he then concedes a free kick for a tackle which was little more than a futile gesture. No doubt Moyes will have been impressed by his performance although he contributed very little he does have a knack of looking busy.

Which brings me to Yakubu establishment appears to be taking on the mantle relinquished by AJ chasing after the ball into wide areas of the park and like Johnson rendering himself ineffective in doing so.

Saha is like a lost soul at the moment and struggles to fit in. Cahill for me would have been a much better option just behind the Yak and would equally have been a good deal more effective than the hapless Osman in the middle.

I think Ken is right to pose the question regarding how Cahill might fit in alongside Fellaini. I think Moyes had the opportunity to discover that last night but failed to do so with his team selection. Joleon looks a yard short of pace at the moment which must raise questions about his fitness. Is it possible he might be playing with an injury if so why? Baines has been in great form recently surely he?d be a much better option. Jagielka again put in a solid performance. Let's hope for a much improved performance on Saturday. Osman seemingly is carrying a niggling injury perhaps its time he was given a good long rest.

Robbie and Ajay, I am a qualified ref, obviously lower down the pecking order than Premier League.

Robbie, what is that about?

Ajay, I was sat on my Top Balcony perch on Saturday, the ref booked Rooney and then he did the badge bit, after which the ref spoke to him and he (Rooney) walked to Taggart and spoke. It was only then that he was subbed. All this was not seen by MOTD but I reckon he was warned any more antics like badge kissing would lead to early bath and Taggert took the obvious route.

Easy to pick on the ref, suppose that if we are factually correct then there is a place for it, but in the meantime...

It was already Thursday morning here in Adelaide when the game started and the sun was up. I was close to throwing up with frustration at seeing the lousy quality of the football when I heard the commentator say, "it’s quite a balmy evening here at the Reebok, only minus 10 degrees C and snow is forecast". No wonder the guys couldn’t keep their feet.

Knowing this didn’t stop the frustration but it certainly added reason. I’d forgotten what it used to be like playing in crappy conditions like that. Whatever, this was a match to win and it was a well constructed goal. Thankfully, it was us and not them who got it! Not much else to say about this game.

Ken, as most of the other guys have said, good job, well done for putting on the survival gear and seeing it through. Let’s hope the conditions are much better for the Fulham game.