Everton:
Gerrard, Hibbert, Weir
,
Li Weifeng, Unsworth, Alexandersson, Gravesen,
Li Tie,
Pembridge, Campbell, Radzinski,
Subs:
Watson, Gemmill, Linderoth, Rooney for Alexandersson (80m), Rodrigo
for (83m).
Steve
Simmo failed to recover from a dead leg, so with Wrighty out with
a hand injury, it was left for Mr. Magoo to take over in goal. Being
fair to him he made a couple of good saves, but was still very nervous
looking. That is what he made the back 4 look as he did his customary
flap at the odd cross. We were so desperate for keepers at the club,
that Steve Watson was on the bench with orders to go in goal if Gezza
got injured. Li Weifeng made his debut at the heart of the defence.
We
started well & The Rad had a chance to score in the first few
minutes, but missed. With Li Tie prompting from midfield we took control
of the game. Super Kev missed when he hit his shot against the goalies
legs. Davie Weir headed just wide from a Tommy Gravesen corner. We
just battered them, but couldn't score, & this was after only
20 minutes. The worst miss of the season came when The Rad blazed
over the bar from 6 yards, with Jones the goalie already committed
on the floor. Cry's of ' a 16 year old could have scored it' were
lost on Moyesy until 10 minutes to go. Surely he has to start on Saturday.
Stracken
was apparently sent off for bad language towards the ref. I would
have thought it should have been at his team. The Saints fans made
their feelings known when the Rad did his dying swan lark. It's not
clever Thomasz. We call it cheating here. Pack it in. If he uses his
talent & pace he'll get his rewards. He won't need to try it on
all the time. Again Li Tie set up Campbell, but when in a great position,
his touch let him down. This happen a couple of times tonight. You
got the feeling it's not going to be our night.
Everton
piled on the pressure with 3 corners on the bounce, but still we couldn't
score. Even when Southampton did mount an attack, Weir, Hibbert, &
Li Weifeng, who had a great 1st game, were in control. When the whistle
went, I could not believe we hadn't scored.
Half
time: Southampton 0, Everton 0.
It
was more of the same in the second half, with Everton having most
of the possession, & chances. The chances fell to a Gravesen drive,
a Li Tie volley. The Rad had a shot saved by the legs of Jones the
Jammie, & Campbell put the rebound in the side netting. Pembo
& Li Tie were having top games, & you just hoped one of these
chances would go in, but this is Everton we are watching.
The
sucker punch came when Pahars went down in the box, when Davie Weir
breathed on him. The Rad would have been proud of it. The ref bought
it. Penalty. Goal. Good Night Vienna. It seemed that the whole of
the Everton team wanted to smack young Marion, but they would have
been better off bringing their shooting boots with them.
Moyesy brought
on The Dook, & Rodders in the final 10 minutes or so. They both
did OK. But we could have played all night, & not scored. The
worrying thing is we have played well in all the games we have played
this season, but we are now 16th in the League. It's Smithy Country.
The plain facts are Campbell our centre forward has only scored
1 this season, yet missed 4 easy chances. The Rad has scored to
& missed 2 sitters. Yet the options seem limited. I don't see
the Rooney, Rad pairing being a success. Maybe it's time to bring
the young lads on, & have Chadders & The Dook upfront. With
Duncan out of the picture, the options are limited. I haven't talked
about the midfield scoring goals, as they are not the players to
do it. We are not Arsenal, & if their forwards don't score,
they have 6 or 7 midfield or defenders who will.
It's half past
5 in the morning, maybe I should have waited until tomorrow to write
this. Oh yes it is tomorrow. My star man was Li Tie. He had a stormer.
Pembo, Weir, & Hibbert also had good games. I love Everton,
but I didn't like what I saw tonight.
Quotes
Moyesy
says: “We played well tonight and controlled long periods of the
game, but we missed a lot of chances. It would be hard to pick out
any one player. They were all part of the team that played well. But
we need to win when we play well and we should have won. I would hope
at this level in the Premiership when you create so many opportunities,
your centre-forwards should be there to finish them off, or other
players for that matter. It wasn’t difficult to lift the lads at half-time,
because they thought that they could go on and win the game.”
Team
News
Well
the team news is turning into a Freddy Kruger (a fuckin' nightmare).
We already knew that Stubbsey was suspended and that Nace was struggling.
But now Wrighty could be out for up to three weeks and Joey Yobo has
done his ankle in again.
Moyesy
said: “As everybody knows Joseph played in the reserve game against
Manchester United and is now about ready to play.But he picked up
an injury in training yesterday when he blocked a shot a jarred his
ankle. It
will be a late decision on him and we need to wait and see how he
is."
On
Wrighty, Moyesy said: “We were concerned that we may have missed something
on one of the scans because he has got a certain tender spot. We have
had it x-rayed, we have it re-scanned and unfortunately it is a lot
worse than we first feared.”
My
11 to start has got no chance now. He has got a few options if Joey
doesn't make it. Pembo could go left back and Juli on the left mid
with Rhino in the middle or Li Wei Feng or Stevie Watson could come
straight in for Stubbsey with Rhino at left back. We will have to
wait and see. By the way where is Pistone?(10/09/02)
The
four on international duty have all returned with a clean bill of
health, Tommy had a good one setting up the first goal for Denmark,
Carsley got splinters in his arse and never played, Pembo crippled
on-loan redshite Litmanen and Davy Weir got crucified in the Scottish
press. Hopefully Richard Wright will be back between the sticks and
Joey will make his debut, big question is, is there any place for
leading goalscorer Rhino - maybe Gary Naysmith will make way? (09/09/02)
Kipper
predicts the team: Wright, Hibbert, Yobo, Weir, Unsworth, Rodrigo,
Gravesen, Li Tie, Pembridge, Campbell & Radzinski
