Column

From My Seat: Sunderland (H)

On an unbeaten run and playing what some describe as our best football for many a year we meet a lowly side in Sunderland at home and fans expectations are quite reasonably high as we normally beat them at Goodison no matter what their status. Today turned out to be anything but predictable.

On an unbeaten run and playing what some describe as our best football for many a year we meet a lowly side in Sunderland at home and fans expectations are quite reasonably high as we normally beat them at Goodison no matter what their status. Today turned out to be anything but predictable.

Pre-match pint and chat saw fans buoyant and bookies slips being filled in with predictions of scores and goal scorers plus times of goals that ultimately were little more than pie in the sky. The attendance in our pub suggested a crowd of some 35,000 and all awaiting a vintage display and easy win. Football just aint like that. The 96 mins of play stretched emotions to the limit and feelings of relief rather than euphoria.

We started quite brightly and Mirallas put Jelavic in but like a player out of form he did no more than fall over and watched the chance go by. Although looking to be on top we could easily have been 2 down within ten mins. Firstly Howard tipped away for a corner from a Sunderland player who had been afforded space where none should be given then a wayward Neville pass allowed Fletcher a chance that rolled just the wrong side of the post much to the relief of those assembled. That was close.

In these early moments I had a sense all was not rosy within our ranks as Pienaar looked out of sorts, Jelavic struggling for form and Coleman- well – just struggling.
We went into passing mode but we witnessed neat and tidy stuff but with little or no end product. The times a decent move broke down due to a basic mistake was rife among those in Blue. Sunderland deserve some credit though as they had plainly set out their stall to defend well and counter at every opportunity. For this fan their counters were more prevalent than their defending which led to much apprehension being transmitted to the pitch from the faithful.

A surprise around the 20-min mark, we had a shot. Jelavic hit it and the ball was deflected for a corner which when delivered drew much exhaling from the crowd as it merely petered out without any real intent from a Blue-shirted person.

We continued to get bits and pieces of chances but such was our disarray and seemingly just either out of form or out of sorts little went our way. Jelavic came to life and rampaged through 3 tackles before laying the ball back to Neville whose strong shot was fisted away. That was probably his best contribution of the half.

The half went on in this vein, we looked the better side but could nowhere near prove it with a goal and players who have previously been sharp and bright seemed blunt and dull. To make matters worse many a fans new favourite player Mirallas had to limp off with what looked very like a 4 to 6 week hammy. His frustration was there for all to see as he ripped off his gloves and hurled them to the deck before heading straight down the tunnel. Naismith replaced him. I just wondered if it might have been better to move Pienaar who was having a mare in all departments including poor shooting when afforded a chance to the right and having Oviedo in front of Baines on the left. He looked strong and sharp in his last cameo. I am not the manager so Naismith it was.

The board for 1 min injury time went up as more disjointed play led to a Sunderland corner. This was taken in regulation fashion across the box, it appeared to hit a head and go to the right of goal where Johnson completely unmarked hit home. What a stunner as the whistle went and disgruntled fans headed for bar and bog.

Half-time and the chat was downbeat as many wondered if we had peaked to early and draws were now to be turned into defeats. A bit hasty I thought as we still had 45 mins to go and who knows in football.
The Blues came out second half with a flea in their ear and roared forward, well maybe not roared but certainly with more purpose than they showed first half. From a corner Heitinga headed in and his effort was cleared from the line.

We pressed and pressed with Osman instrumental in playing balls wide for both Coleman and Baines but each time the final ball was poor and neither seemed able to distinguish the colour Blue from Red. Baines got blocked in the box but Ref Mason lived up to his diffident mantle by waving away appeals yet the next innocuous tackle by a Sunderland player away from any danger was given. I wondered if the assessor in the stand actually means anything as almost every game I have seen Mason ref he is always the man for an easy life yet is never given a rest.

Everyone was now getting frustrated and the angst was tumbling down the terraces onto the pitch to join that of the players. On the 70min mark the manager acted and Vellios replaced Neville and joining Jelavic up front with Fellaini dropping deeper into mid-field.
Immediately he seemed to have an effect without doing too much but the response around him was visible as he set moves and players into more meaningful action.

It was now the box-to-box Fellaini and between 75 and 80 mins the game was turned on its head as that 5 min purple patch both rescued and won the game. First our latest England man Osman danced forward and fed the raiding Fellaini in the box; he turned majestically and poked home with aplomb. The roar that greeted this feat was loud and full of relief. All of a sudden those that sing sang and the Blues ploughed forward. On the 80th min Osman again was the playmaker as he fed in Fellaini once again in the box and this time the Belgian defied his gangly build to deftly turn the ball into the path of Jelavic who hit home with the great relief of at last scoring and wheeled away to celebrate with anyone who came into view.

Could we hold on? Fulham was in the mind of many fans. We sighed in unison as a goalbound shot from a Sunderland player hit his own man. Nerves were now stretched on and off the pitch as bodies were thrown at everything, hoofs and hacks were suddenly permissible.

Hitzlsperger had replaced Jelavic and I bet he will be best remembered today for misplacing a pace and letting the opposition have a final attack. We repelled yet again, we groaned as 5min injury time went up. Hitzlsperger – The Hammer – hit one – wrong foot and wide. The same man then played Naismith in but the Scot was more SPL than EPL and that chance went. We then had a bit of ‘argy-bargy’ over a free kick and time-wasting but no soon had the free kick been taken than the final whistle sounded. No great celebrations and fans left muttering about ‘a win is a win’ and ‘We will take three points'.

MotM — Fellaini (best of an out of sort’s bunch)
Overall I had a good day out as I thought it was one of those matches where yes we were put under the collar and yes at the end we may have been fortunate to get all three points but after years of following the Blues the gaining of a win under the circumstances of today auger well for teams wanting high finishes. Some of our best teams have relied on just 10 mins of magic on their way to a success.

Back to the pub for the inquest and most were happy, butties were on and I celebrated 3 points by returning to the Ball era and having a Brown over Bitter.

Talking of Bally, Ronnie Goodlass has a DVD coming out at the end of November celebrating the great little man’s time at Goodison with contributions by Royle, Harvey and Kendall among others. He says it will be on sale in Everton 1 & 2. Could be nice stocking filler for someone.

I hope Mirallas is not out for to long as he is showing some inspired stuff. To counter that the Echo reveal that both Hibbert and Gibson are now close to a return. With the games coming up we will need them all and may they find some better form by we visit Reading next.

They say if you can get a win whilst out of form and playing poorly then that is the form of Champions then after today we are in with a shout. — What do you mean, you can’t see that... Believe!!

UP THE BLUES

Reader Comments (36)

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

About these ads

---

, placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails', target_type: 'mix' });