bluekipper.com - Wigan v Everton - Match Report - 2006/2007

Everton: Howard, Neville, Yobo

, Stubbs, Lescott, Davies, Arteta, Osman, Carsley, Cahill, Johnson

Bench: Wright, Beattie for Cahill, Anichebe for Johnson, Van de Meyde, Pistone.

Not one for the purists, but do we care, do we hell. Everton travelled the twenty odd miles to Pie eating territory and remarkably for the first time in the League took all the points against Wigan. The match was over shadowed by the injury to Everton's marksman Andy Johnson. He was involved in a collision with Chris Kirkland, and had to leave the pitch on a stretcher. Early reports indicate that the ankle injury may not be as bad as first feared. Ironically the injury led to Big Vic coming on for Johnno, and it was the Nigerian striker who was hauled down by David Unsworth, and the for first time in ages, we had ref who actually gave the Blues a spot kick. Micky duly obliged as he fired his spot kick high into the roof of Kirkland's net.

All that happened in the early stages of the second half, the first half being one to forget. The weather played a huge part in the lack of skill on show from both sides. Moyesy was forced to shuffle his defence around, Stubbsey partnering Joey, with Roger filling in at left back, as none of our three regular left backs were deemed fit enough to start. Tiny sat in just behind AJ, who had to watch most of the game pass him by, as high balls up the park seemed to be the order of the day. Neither keeper was called into any serious action in the first forty five, and it was a relief when Mr. Webb who had an excellent afternoon brought an end to the first period proceedings.

The game changed for the better with AJ's unlucky injury. On a scrappy day like today, a bit more brawn than finesse was needed, and Big Vic brought that by the bag full. As described before it was Big Vic who won the penalty, but his all round play is getting better by the week. The goal sprung Wigan into action, and they nearly pulled level when Skoko's shot came crashing back of Tim Howard's bar. It was nervy stuff as Wigan pressed looking for an equaliser, but Everton put the win beyond doubt with a beautifully crafted goal involving, Mikky, substitute Biffa and Phil Neville. The England International, put in an exquisite cross that Mikky stuck out a leg to, to steer the ball into the back of the net. Job done, as I said not pretty, but a good hard working performance from the lads. Special mentions to Harry Hill and Phil Neville, but my bluekipper starman goes to goal scorer Mikky Arteta.

No competitive game next week, so its the shite in a fortnight at Analfield, and a repeat of last September's result will do very nicely indeed, so get fit please AJ.

Full Time: Wigan 0 EFC 2

Harry Battles With McCulloch	AJ On The Run
AJ's Injury	Mikky Opens The Scoring From The Spot

Lavo Reports From The JJB

Today's
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Star Man

Star Man

Stats

Goals

Bad Boys

Prem Table

Superb

Evicted

Quotes After The Game

Moyesy says: No it wasn’t pretty, mainly because Wigan are a very difficult team to beat. I didn’t think the conditions suited any of the midfield players today and it was difficult. We didn’t pass it as well as we liked but they dug in, kept their shape and did the right things. They are in a scrap of their own and they are like a wounded animal – desperate to do well and get a result. We’ve played much better and only drawn games but today we dug it out and we were resolute at the back when we needed to be. If you keep clean sheets you have a chance.

That’s good because we want to get closer to the other sides. It was an important three points and we’ve bow to got to win a lot of our games to try and stay in the top area of the table."

Basil Rathbone On AJ's Injury: "Andy was taken off after injuring his left ankle. He was taken to the casualty department at Wigan Infirmary where a series of x-rays were done. There is no obvious fracture but we will be undertaking a few more specific investigations tomorrow." (21/01/07)

What The Fans Thought

What did you think of the match? Did Moyesy get his team selection and tactics right? e-mail info@bluekipper.com after the game.

* I thought it last week against Reading and again this week, the 4-5-1 formation has its benefits granted but a 4-4-2 would offer us so much more. And if we played with two up front Victor could start more games and frighten and even terrorise more premiership defence's. I love the blues but its starting to frustrate me a little. Blueboy Chomp.

* Star man gotta be Arteta, without doubt. How he doesn't manage to get a game for Spain when those useless cunts across the park are in there without fail, fuck knows. Also good on Howard for showing a bit of bottle, i can't remember a high ball he failed to deal with, good news for us in light of his recent fuck ups. Roll on the redshite away. Jumpin' Jack Flash

* What a day all us blues had. Seen some terrible hangovers in work. It was worth it though. I didn't think we were going to pull it off then Mickey Arteta puts a beautiful pen away then scores again through some properly played football. SUPERB MICKEY ARTETA SUPERB!!!!! AND I THINK ALL OF US WISH A.J. A SPEEDY RECOVERY. WELL IN LADS. COL THE BLUE E.F.C. FOR EVER

Off The Ball

* Phil Neville bollicking his team mates after Mikky's opener for too much celebrating, and not getting back for the re-start.

Prematch Views

Scores On The Doors

What Do you think The Score Will be? How Will the game pan out? Who Will Score the goals? e-mail info@bluekipper.com before the match. Keep it short and to the point.

* Wigan 1 - 2 Everton. Yobo To Get First, Unsy To Get An Equalizer, And Then Biffa With A Dodgy Deflected Goal. Dav

* First of all many thanks for the opportunity to discuss all the things blue on this great site. As an ex pat, who can only show his support through buying merchandise from the club and signing up for Everton tv every month, your web site is an absolute god send, thanks again!!!! My feeling for Sunday is a probable draw, but certainly one they should win. Please Mr Moyes find a place for Stubbs and please move Joey to right back to allow Chuckle to move back into midfield. Blue Oz

Everton Team News

Once again Moyesy has good news and bad news ahead of Sundays trip to the Pie Eaters. Mikky Arteta is back to give the midfield a boost, but not for the first time this season, Moyesy has at present no fit left back, with Nace, Sandro' and Nuno all injured. Nuno looks the likeliest to make it, but if not Roger or Phil Neville will be called upon again to deputise at full back. Tiny who came through ninety minutes last week, will keep his place in the middle, as me thinks Moyesy may go 4-5-1, with AJ ploughing a lone furrow up front.

Even though we have not won this year, we still find ourselves in seventh spot, admittedly five points behind Pompey. Europe is still an achievable goal, but if we have ambitions of continental trips, we must improve against sides of Wigan's calibre, as we have not beaten since they arrived in the Premiership a season and a half ago. A win would be a nice birthday present for Phil Neville, who will captain the side on his 30th birthday, he is the younger brother, with Gary being 57. Our one and only win over the Pie Munchers came back in 1980, when Brian Kidd, Big Bob, and Joe McBride all scored as we defeated Wigan 3-0 in the FA Cup 4th Round, a similar scoreline on Sunday would do very nicely indeed.

Moyesy says: "They are in need of the points but we feel as if we are in need of them more because we need to push on. We know it is very tight and we could quite quickly be eighth, ninth, tenth or further down, so we have to try and stay ahead of the people behind us. But also over the coming weeks and months, see if we can claw back one or two of the teams above us.

It is always a tough game against Wigan, they have always been very competitive. The manager (Paul Jewell) gets the team prepared well and organised well. They are a strong side and it will need a big performance for us to go there and get a result." (20/01/07)

Everton from: Howard, Wright, Neville, Hibbert, Pistone, Yobo, Lescott, Stubbs, Valente, Naysmith, Osman, Arteta, Cahill, Carsley, Davies, van der Meyde, McFadden, Johnson, Vaughan, Beattie, Anichebe.

Lavo's Eleven To Start: Howard, Valente, Lescott, Yobo, Davies, Neville, Arteta, Osman, Carsley, Cahill, Johnson

Clean Sheet Please

Birthday Boy

50 / 50

Bootiful

IF ANY EVERTON FAN WANTS TO WRITE A REPORT OF ANY OF THIS SEASON'S GAMES, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO SO. JUST E-MAIL IT TO info@bluekipper.com AND WE WILL PUT IT ON THE SITE.

Get Your Shirt On...

Lavo's Bet: Mikky's odds will be around 8/1 for the first goal, and I reckon as we all do, that the Blues are due a penalty sooner rather than later. Apart from that, get on Jade Goody to win Celebrity Big Brother, at an unmissable price of 1,000,000/1. What I hear you cry, has something happened, I have been on my hols this week !!

About The Opposition

There will be one player on the pitch on Sunday who has won honours for the Blues, but this time he will be trying his best to get one over the team he loves. David Unsworth spent more than a decade battling it out for Everton, with his undoubted highlight being the 1995 FA Cup win over manure. Unsey reluctantly left the Blues a few years back, and after his spell at Sheffield United did not go to plan, he now finds himself twenty odd miles down the road at Wigan. He has joined another ex-blue Kevin Killbane.

Unsey says: "If I am being brutally honest, yes I thought my last chance of playing Everton one more time had gone. Missing that game at Goodison earlier this season with Sheffield United was soul destroying. So to get the chance of being involved this weekend is a real bonus. Ideally I'd like to play at Goodison Park again one more time. But having said that, the away fans at Everton are the most fanatical anyway. They are the real Evertonians in my opinion. Everton's away following really is sensational. They go everywhere in their thousands and they are always really vocal. So if I'm selected on Sunday, playing in front of them will be a privilege anyway."

Killa says: "Everton was a great place to be. I really can’t speak highly enough of the place, and I enjoyed every minute. But I’m old enough to realise that sometimes in this game, it’s time to move on and I have absolutely no regrets about coming here."

Paul Jewell has a few problems of his own with Henri Camara, Arjan de Zeeuw and Dunc's mate, Paul Scharner all out. Want away striker Lee McCulloch is available, but Jewell may decide to teach the errant forward a lesson by leaving him out. Another Everton old boy Killa Kilbane will also be on show, and like Unsey he is sure to recieve a good reception from the travelling Blues.

The Pie Eaters have now lost six on the bounce, yes that's right I have said it, and I know I should not have, so if a team is there for the taking, its Wigan. Lets hope with our travelling band of 6,000+ fans, we will witness our first win since late December.

Wigan From: Kirkland, Jackson, Hall, Kilbane, McCulloch, Boyce, Johansson, Landzaat, Heskey, Cotterill, Skoko, Baines, Granqvist, Haestad, Valencia, Unsworth, Taylor, Cywka, Filan

Last Season Wigan 1 Everton 1

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