Crystal Palace 1 - 0 Everton

22 October 1994

Scorers
Crystal Palace:Preece
Everton:
Yellow cards
Everton:
Lineups
Everton:Southall 7, Jackson 5, Burrows 8, Unsworth 7, Ablett 7, Samways 4 (46.Parkinson 5), Stuart 7, Horne 6, Durrant 4, Amokachi 5, Ferguson 5
Subs not used:Rowett, Kearton
Officiating
Referee:
Linesmen:
Attendance: 14,505

Overview

I was at the match against Crystal Palace and Everton were dreadful. I've read a few reports in the press and the general opinion seems to be that Everton played well and were unlucky to lose 1-0 - I think the reporters responsible for these articles must have been watching a different game. It is true that Nigel Martyn made a very good save from Ferguson and that Amokachi could and should have scored at least one (the miss from five yards was worthy of Brett Angell) but on the whole there was no fight, no spirit, and no invention whatsoever. The team was: 

         
                         _____________ 
                         |           |
                           Southall
         
         Jackson      Ablett      Unsworth       Burrows
         
         Stuart       Horne(c)    Samways        Durrant
         
                   Ferguson          Amokachi
         
         subs: Parkinson, Rowett, Kearton

Parkinson replaced Samways at half-time (I presume that he must have been injured).

The best player was Southall. I haven't heard too much from this list about Neville recently. I expect that you've all been too busy wiping the egg off your faces so that you can eat the humble pie which is being served up to you. Unsworth looked good on the ball and with his covering but he is not yet a commanding figure in the central defence. Jackson didn't look too bad but he did dive in from time to time, allowing Salako to leave him for dead. Burrows and Ablett were average.

The midfield was abysmal. Stuart tried but didn't get too much change out of Dean Gordon. Durrant, Horne, Samways and then Parkinson were totally ineffective. There's no way that I would buy Durrant when his loan period is up - he's just not worth the money and is not really going to improve the side. Parkinson isn't really up to it and although Horne did help us to stay up last year, it's important to remember that he is, in fact, crap. Some of his passing yesterday was laughable.

The biggest disappointment though was Daniel Amokachi. I've now seen him three times and he has failed to impress. My Dad, who was watching him yesterday for the first time, couldn't believe that this was the player who is supposed to have lightning pace and be the saviour of our side. Ferguson did some nice things but I don't think that he's really match fit and his confidence in front of goal isn't all it could be.

Where do we go from here? Limpar, who wasn't fit yesterday, should be brought back. I also think that John Ebbrell has got a lot more to offer than Parkinson, Horne and maybe even Durrant. Stuart Barlow is worth a place on the bench as he at least tries. As it stands though, Everton are quite comfortably the worst side in the league and if things do not improve drastically we'll all be going to Grimsby and Reading next year.

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