Meeting an Everton legend was the big thrill, and he couldn’t have been more accommodating.
I’m referring, of course, to Lyndon.
Don’t get me wrong, Sharpie was great, but there’s only one Lyndon. There were several other TWers on hand as well. It was a blast for me.
On to the stadium, where Juve fans somewhat outnumbered us in a crowd of 22,000. (San Francisco has a huge Italian community.) Howard and Baines got the loudest cheers in the introductions, and Tevez got a distinct mix of boos. The only surprise in our lineup was John Stones, making his debut at right back. I was seated next to a loudmouthed Yank Juve fan who didn’t know the offside rule. Neither, apparently, did the officials, who waved off Pienaar’s early free kick even though the offside Jags hadn’t played the ball before it went into the net.
For better or worse, the Martinez Everton looks a lot like the Moyes Everton... a mix of sharp interior passing and long balls to Big Vic, who was in midseason form with his falls and foul complaints. To do him justice, however, he did force several wrestling takedowns from the Juve defenders and earned a bunch of free kicks. The last of those was taken by Mirallas and deflected onto the head of Stones, who flicked it off the inside of the post. Can you imagine being a 19-year-old debutante and scoring your first Blue goal against the legendary Juventus? He was an inch away.
The fun really started in the second half. First, Mirallas broke through off a flick from Vic and was stopped at short range by Storari. Then, just as my buddy and I moved down behind the Juve goal, Vic stole the ball (his defensive work tonight was outstanding) and fed Gibbo, who sent Mirallas away down the right with enough space to plant a good-sized corn crop. Kev cut in on his left foot past a flailing Peluso and slotted the ball perfectly into the short side. 1-0.
That’s when the curtain came up on The Tim Howard Show. To the TW contingent who’ve been agitating for Howard to be replaced – you know who you are, I don’t need to name names – tell me, which of his saves did you like the best? The dive on the free kick? The leg save on Vidal? The spectacular lunge to the left on Tevez? Or the point-blank stop on Vucinic that ended with Timmy holding the ball over the goal line like a waiter holding a tea tray?
There was some fun at the Juve end too after Baines and Gibbo, both carrying nicks, were replaced by Osman and Oviedo. Kev immediately crossed for Oviedo, whose diving header was stopped superbly, and Bryan then worked himself loose for a shot over the bar. His confidence was obvious. Pienaar’s, however, was not – he was gifted a clear breakaway by the hopeless Peluso and somehow pushed it wide.
And that was costly, because after Storari stopped Mirallas again, Ossie had a defensive brain lock. He let a gently rolling ball slide right off his foot to Asamoah, who has a left foot like a rocket launcher. I swear you could hear the impact from the other end of the stadium. 1-1.
Barkley came on in the final minutes and nearly won it – had his screaming shot been anywhere but right at the keeper, it would have been unstoppable – but it was on to penalties.
Ossie got the first call, but his brain was still locked. Awful. Barkley and Kev scored on perfectly accurate blasts, and Jags and Oviedo succeeded with equal aplomb, but the Juve guys were hitting nothing but the side netting, giving Howard no chance (although he did stop some yahoo who jumped onto the pitch and took a shot himself). So when Pirlo stepped up for the game-winning final kick, you had to figure it was over.
I’d bet that Pirlo hasn’t shot wide on a penalty since he was eight years old. We couldn’t believe it.
And then guess who gave the old grandmaster a pen lesson? The kid. Stones stepped up and calmly chipped – CHIPPED – into the top corner. Stones? Hell yes. Big ones. Huge. The Evertonians went crazy.
Motta equalized, Coleman hammered one down the middle, and then up next was poor Peluso. He never had a prayer. Howard ate it up. And the Old Lady was beaten.
MotM had to be Timmy, but this may have been a very special night, the coming out of John Stones. In addition to his near-miss header and some good passing, he blocked at least two shots and made a great saving tackle on Asamoah shortly before his goal.
It was sure as hell special for me. I got to see Everton play in person, and be surrounded by Evertonians, for the first time in my life. Awesome.
Thus ends my career as a TW match reporter, unless the Blues come back some day. Or until I make it to Goodison Park!
Reader Comments (46)
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2 Posted 01/08/2013 at 14:52:23
On another issue but possibly related was a report on S
3 Posted 01/08/2013 at 14:58:00
4 Posted 01/08/2013 at 14:58:06
5 Posted 01/08/2013 at 15:12:27
With regards to a 49ers investment, I doubt it would be very much or very soon. The 49ers owners aren't the wealthiest around, and they are very much focused on moving into a new stadium right now. But there's no question that possible NFL expansion into London would fire up more interest over here.
6 Posted 01/08/2013 at 15:12:46
7 Posted 01/08/2013 at 15:27:53
Some guy who I thought they said was the owner of the 49ers was on Sky yesterday saying he `might be interested` in investing in `UK soccer` but at present he was working on a `a billion dollar re-built` of his stadium back home. Anybody see it?
Bet BK had changed channels and missed it !
8 Posted 01/08/2013 at 15:33:52
A very reassuring night.
OK, heading down the Pacific Coast Highway after lunch to LA. The boys will enjoy the trip in the coach, it is a spectacular drive.
9 Posted 01/08/2013 at 16:12:26
10 Posted 01/08/2013 at 16:27:44
11 Posted 01/08/2013 at 16:31:06
12 Posted 01/08/2013 at 17:12:23
For some reason I thought that you lived in Texas Mike (Gaynes). Cartmel, Carmel, Clint Eastwoodville is a good place to stop and eat and drink right?
13 Posted 01/08/2013 at 17:39:22
14 Posted 01/08/2013 at 17:41:57
15 Posted 01/08/2013 at 17:53:06
16 Posted 01/08/2013 at 17:36:40
I hope another report is imminent from LA this weekend Mike, really enjoyed your report & viewpoint!! Oh, almost forgot, I did manage to chat with Sharpy on the phone, thanks to my son Chris, for fixing that one up & Graeme Sharp is indeed a wonderful bloke, very unassuming & modest, as I ranted on about his greatness & goals, in THOSE 80's teams!!
There is something about Roberto M, that I have always liked, wouldn't it be something indeed, if he was even remotely close to emulating HK1?!? One can only dream eh!?!
17 Posted 01/08/2013 at 18:10:45
And yes I am one of the TW contingent that would like to see a better keeper than Howard playing. There are reasons for this. One of them being I think he has cost us too many points in the last couple of seasons. But don't think I don't enjoy watching him play like he did against Juve. Absolutely brilliant, and if I could rely on performances like that all season then I am more than happy to see him in the team. His best period last season was after Mucha had a couple of games and pushed him for a place, mabe Robles has put him on his toes.
I just fear that when the PL is underway again then it will be back to normal, but really hope he proves me wrong.
I try not to judge a player on one game, but see what he is bringing to the table. Football supporters are quite fickle that way Mike, they will slag a player for games on end and then he plays a blinder and suddenly he is god again.
But thats the charm of football I suppose.
18 Posted 01/08/2013 at 19:10:26
We definitely have viewed him with different eyes over the past couple seasons. What we saw last night was his shot-stopping, at which he is one of the very best. His weaknesses are in the air and distribution, but I say he's currently the most reliable starting keeper in the Prem and has cost fewer points with mistakes than any other keeper you can think of. I have the odd habit of collecting howlers, and aside from Given and Friedel, who are now backups, Howard has the fewest of anybody in the league.
19 Posted 01/08/2013 at 19:26:25
20 Posted 01/08/2013 at 19:52:41
Well done again lad.
21 Posted 01/08/2013 at 20:17:12
22 Posted 01/08/2013 at 20:49:35
Everton FC of England, another soccer giant that had planned an open session at StubHub Center -- the Galaxy's home field -- Friday afternoon, now will not take part because of the change in venue, the Galaxy said.
Those three teams, along with Juventus of Italy, will play the following day in a doubleheader at Dodger Stadium as part of the inaugural Guinness International Champions Cup.
Real Madrid has been training at UCLA since arriving Sunday and "requested the change of venues in order to maintain a consistent training schedule during their stay," the Galaxy said.
General-admission tickets for the session were $35 and "Everton supporters who are not interested in watching [the] Real Madrid training session will be offered a full refund" until noon PDT Friday, the Galaxy said.
If this is old news I apologise but some people may not be aware and I wouldn't want them to be disappointed
23 Posted 01/08/2013 at 21:32:29
I am certain our lads will be playing Real Madrid. Good stuff. Madrid is waaaaaaay better than Galaxy and I anticipate nothing more than cameos for Keane and Donovan.
24 Posted 01/08/2013 at 22:04:28
It's been an absolutely cracking few days. More on all of it to come shortly once I get some time to bash out some thoughts.
Great report by the way!
25 Posted 01/08/2013 at 22:11:58
So if that was not you with the hat running on the pitch, who was it?
26 Posted 01/08/2013 at 22:25:38
27 Posted 01/08/2013 at 23:20:04
Shame you won't be contributing any more match reports, because lines like "Mirallas away down the right with enough space to plant a good-sized corn crop" are absolute gold! I like your style.
I'd be interested on how you managed to track down Lyndon. Despite your correct assertion that he is an Everton legend - his isn't a face we see in the media very often. Everton shirt with number 9 and Lloyd on the back? Stood at the bar holding a single blue rose? Name badges?
I can imagine fellow toffeeWebber Paul Ferry was much easier to spot. He would have been the very very drunk one trying to chat up all the ladies!
28 Posted 01/08/2013 at 23:42:31
Jamie (020) I was very very very drunk not very very drunk, and I made one pathetic attempt at a chat-up line - suggested, was it by you, I can't remember - and I was rightly roundly rebuffed.
The old English accent can go a long way over there though.
Mike(839): Timmy 'currently the most reliable starting keeper in the Prem and has cost fewer points with mistakes than any other keeper you can think of'. I just can't agree with this but you were spot on about him yesterday. Don't mean to be a geek/troll but I bet there are stats in the cyber-sphere to counter this. I'm more with Tony, Tim cost us some goals last season.
On another note: thanks ever so much for all the tips, staying in Santa Barbara this evening, thanks ....
29 Posted 01/08/2013 at 23:51:33
30 Posted 02/08/2013 at 00:37:50
I believe it was Patrick who made the suggestion yesterday. Something about a moon wasn't it? Perhaps you mis-interpreted it in your drunken state. Is that why you were arrested?!
31 Posted 02/08/2013 at 00:31:01
LA will be much warmer than SanFran, no fog there, but a massive urban sprawl and not as picturesque as San Fran
Our second favourite holiday was to Miami so Evertonians going there for the last game are in for a great time in what is a great place to holiday although very hot and steamy in August!
You lucky so and so's!!
32 Posted 02/08/2013 at 01:52:51
Was there in April '03 when the Rodney King trial was on, and we got on a bus in Pasadena to Hollywood Blvd (a mistake) and as we got on poor Ruth, an English rose, looked at an African-American sitting at the front of the bus who said to her: 'honky you gonna fry when Rodney's verdict comes out'!
COYB
33 Posted 02/08/2013 at 02:04:45
34 Posted 02/08/2013 at 02:11:03
What a nice gentleman he is.
35 Posted 02/08/2013 at 04:56:15
36 Posted 02/08/2013 at 05:16:36
37 Posted 02/08/2013 at 08:39:48
Tim Howard performed as he should do, done what he is payed to do, what he is expected to do, and was brilliant at it against Juventus. Would you say the same about Stones? Did you expect him to play like that, a young debutee, unflustered, calm and going 90 mins without a fault, looking like a seasoned pro?
Sorry Mike, this was John Stones's day!
38 Posted 02/08/2013 at 08:21:28
I'm always staggered by the number of non-English Evertonians who inhabit TW.; and I get a little dewy-eyed when one of you tells the rest of us about his/her first experience.
Those of us who started life in "the 'pool" and moved away — in my case, eventually, by a little less than 150 miles (but I got too old to do the round-trip very often) — naturally consider ourselves committed to the cause; but I wonder what caused you (plural) to take up the blue-and-white.
Indeed Michael/Lyndon don't you think that might make a nice human-interest piece on a slow news day? Something on the lines of "My name used to be Saul; but when I was on the road to Damascus...".
Hope that was biblically accurate, I get to church a little less often than I get to the GOL these days.
39 Posted 02/08/2013 at 10:50:05
Every where I go it is special to meet fellow Evertonians, even as an excilled scouser living in Bristol, my local boozer contains three other scouse blues. Welcome to the club Mike and in ToffeeWeb you have found THE best site to connect with very special people.
P.S. I don't think I have been more excited about a forthcoming season since 85/86.
Given time IMO Roberto will bring back the great times we have all missed.
40 Posted 02/08/2013 at 17:43:22
I'm normally critical of Howard but,for me, he was MOM. Stones did well but made 2 or 3 mistakes. Howard made none.
41 Posted 03/08/2013 at 02:16:37
He did play well... but, in my opinion, still not great. He made a couple of okay saves, saved a poor pen, and made one excellent reaction save (which came about because he didn't deal well enough with the original effort by Tevez – getting down too late and pushing the ball back into play.)
I still feel (as I have for numerous seasons now) that, to really progress, we need to replace him with a better more consistent keeper. (Is Joel the man?????)
42 Posted 03/08/2013 at 17:29:12
43 Posted 03/08/2013 at 17:44:51
44 Posted 03/08/2013 at 17:45:26
45 Posted 04/08/2013 at 19:09:31
46 Posted 05/08/2013 at 11:40:33
On a positive note, it's pre-season and if we can beat Valencia, it will be a very good trip, and great for the lads going into the season.
ps: I'm really glad our American Toffees could see the boys in action, and in a more glamorous setting, as I only live a mile from Goodison and take it for granted, so enjoy, lads!
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1 Posted 01/08/2013 at 14:35:12
And meeting THE Lyndon? Special night indeed :-p