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BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP / Sat 29th Dec 2007 / Kick
Off: 5:15pm (Live on Sultana)
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EVERTON |
1 |
v |
4 |
The Arse |
Everton:
Howard, Yobo, Lescott, Hibbert, Jagielka, Neville, Carsley,
Arteta
,
Pienaar, Cahill, Yakubu
Bench: Johnson (Hibbert), Wessels, Valente, Vaughan, Anichebe
Referee: Martin 'Not Up To It' Atkinson
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Aaaaaaargh, how frustrating was that. Moyesy hit the nail on the head, when he said we lost it, Arsenal did not win it. Poor defending, poor misses and poor decision making, qualities thankfully we have not seen a lot of this season cost the Blues three points, and put The Arse on top of the pile come year end. Everton looked Champions elect in the first period, as the Foreigners of Arsenal were chasing shadows. Our passing, movement and work rate was second to none, and as early as the eighteenth minute our hard work was rewarded when Tiny and The Yak put the Blues ahead at the far post. I still say the Yak got the final touch, only as I had a tenner on him at 7/1, but like the Blues I was to end up disappointed. Arsenal were out played, out muscled, as Wenger left Adebayor and Rosicky on the bench. The Blues were rampant, Peanuts and Mikky Arteta were a pleasure to watch, the Yak's work rate gets better with every match, Phil Neville is a born leader, Tiny is a latter day Bryan Robson, and Harry Hill is the most under rated defensive midfield player in the country. All was well, one up and Arsenal were looking out for the count. The Yak showed a lovely touch to break away from his marker only to be shouldered off the ball in the box, penalty we shouted, but it would have been harsh on the visitors if it was given. A sign of things to come, came when Arsenal in the last five minutes of the first period started slowly to turn the screw and put the Blues on the back foot for the first time in the match. Everton's back four started to shake, Phil Neville gave Tim Howard a roasting for not coming off his line for a cross, and we wanted the whistle to blow. It did and off we went for our Chang's. All was well with our half time banter, one up, playing Brazil like football. Arsenal mostly on the back foot. We questioned Wenger's arrogance at leaving some of his names out, and we looked forward to another home win against The Arse, how wrong we were. Within a minute of the re start, Eduardo had pulled the visitors level, when Wimbledonesque style football undone the Blues. The Jag totally mistimed his leap, and the ball flew over his head. Eduardo controlled well, and slotted past Tim in the Park End net. Yak should have done better with his header after great work from Mikky and Roger out on the left, but his header flew wide by some distance, and a minute later we paid the price. A similar move to Arsenal's first goal undone us , when Eduardo again out muscled The Jag and slotted home. Match of the Day later pointed out what we all thought at the time, that the Arsenal front man had handled it, but refs and decent decisions at Goodison this season don't go hand in hand. A glimmer of hope was afforded the lads when Bentdner was sent off for his second yellow. A straight red it should have been as Peter Crouch's love child went in hard on AJ's shins. Thankfully AJ did not make a meal of it, and was up and away, as the Arsenal forward made his way to the tunnel. Everton's light though was finally put out after calamitous defending from Joey and Tim Howard that allowed Adebayor to put daylight between themselves and Everton. The Ground emptied, but more controversy was still to come when our very own Mikky saw red after he swung an arm at Fabregas. The Arsenal midfielder went down like the Titanic on the deftest of touches from Micky, as the ref fell for the sucker punch and sent our Spanish Magician off. After treatment to Fabregas he further pissed off the Goodison faithful as he strutted of the pitch on his substitution. Rosicky came on and made it four as the Blues pressed forward. Moyesy was incensed, so were we as The Blues were surprisingly out muscled in the second period. Starman goes to Tony Hibbert, who after a shaky start played a blinder at the back. He was unlucky to be brought off as Moyesy made a tactical substitution in bringing AJ on. So 2007 comes to a footballing end. Yes not the best way to finish it admittedly with home hammering, but as I said last week, we lie sixth in the table, three points off Champions League, a Semi Final to look forward to and of course the UEFA and FA Cups. Bring on 2008, I feel good things are not too far away. Full Time EVERTON 1 Arse 4
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In
a game that we certainly did not deserve to lose, we threw it away.
Much like we did against Manure, we played some wonderful football but
at times some of our players made me ashamed to be blue. Unfortunately I don't get to Goodison as much as I use to but I took my 6 year old boy to Goodison Sat 29-12-07 for his 1st time ever at a live game trying to convert him to a Bluenose, because I'm sick of him spouting how good "Glass Face Fabregas" is!!! But talk about a tale of two halves, Gooners were out muscled, out fought, out played & then we come out 2nd half thinking job done & get turned over by very dodgy defending (personally I think Jags is not a centre half) & the worse refereeing decisions I have ever witnessed at Goodison in a very long time but in all fairness we looked as impressive as I have ever seen with Phil Nev being a true leader (in my opinion best Moyesy purchase yet), Pienaar looking a great loan accusation (just hope Moyesy has the sense to make it permanent 1st thing in January), Joey being one of the best centre half's in prem league, Carsley is the most underrated midfielder in europe and Mikel what a player!!! My
boy was purring on the way home asking for an Arteta shirt & turned
to me after the 3rd goal saying, "Dad I wanna go home were getting
stuffed" to which I duly obliged smiling inside thinking JOB DONE!!!
Walking down Bullens escaping the rush, hearing the cheer coming from
Goodison I was thinking we were back in it, but very disappointed to
hear in the car we conceded a 4th!!! It was just one of those days &
I was sure we would bounce back, which we did New Years Day, Well Done
Blue Boys!!! |
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Moyesy says: "The better team lost and we lost quite heavily. What impressed me was that we were better than Arsenal today. Certain things did not quite go for us. Their second goal changed it and the decision not to give hand ball changed it. You need decisions to go for you. It happens and you cannot do anything about it. We were the better team and we never stopped. Cesc Fabregas was acting like he had broken his jaw. But you come and have a look at Andy Johnson’s shin. They probably can’t believe they came away with it. It was Everton who were passing the ball and Arsenal who were playing long balls." Glass
Jaw Cesc Whines:
" He is my friend but this is football. It just happened, the same
with Nicklas (Bendtner who wellied AJ). Everyone can have their opinion
but the one thing I am sure about is that he put his elbow in my face
and that is a red card." (29/12/07) |
* Moyesy and Wenger going at it on the touch line in the first period. * The play ball in the Street End getting thrown around for most of the first half, some terrific ball skills from the Street Enders. |
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Joe Parkinson
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| * Blues to Play Another Blinder and Nick it 2-1. COYB Grego IOM * 1-0 to Everton. The Yak to score. Wenger to moan about Everton being too physical. Billy Blue *
Everton
to come back and snatch a 2-2 draw after being 2-0 down. AJ brace.
Lobbo |
| Moyesy's has two big doubts in Tommy Grav and Phil Neville, for our home clash against the Arse. Phil climbed off his sick bed to net the opener in Wednesday's win against notloB, and loved every minute of it. Usual suspects Bainsey, Stubbsey and Ossie are still on the treatment table, as the Blues look for their seventh straight home win in League and Cup, not bad for a small club hey. No doubt the line up though will have a familiar look to it, with the Yak leading the line. If Grav does not make it, Moyesy will shuffle his midfield, me thinks to accommodate AJ wide right. If Nev does not make it, Nuno or Tony Hibbert can step in as Moyesy will re jig his defence. Expect the Everton skipper to start though, as no bout of the wild shite's will keep him away from his old foe's Arsenal. Moyesy says: "We have slight doubts over Phil Neville and Thomas Gravesen. Phil has been ill. He has done a little bit of training today but I will make a decision tomorrow. Tommy is a doubt as he took a knock on his knee during the Bolton game. We think we have been playing well but you will be tested to the full against Arsenal. We have had some good results against Arsenal at Goodison before so we are going to try and do that again. Both teams are playing well at the moment and hopefully we can give them a game. Everybody says you will be judged with how you get on against Manchester United and Arsenal – I do think you have to do well against them but I still think you have got to beat your other teams. The teams at the top are very hard to beat even when they are not playing well. I have to say Arsenal have looked a really good team – they have hardly had a blip all season and have been really consistent. That shows how well Manchester United have played. It will be tight but I think Liverpool (the shite) and Chelsea will be there come the end of the season but there is a long way to go until the Championship is decided." (29/12/07) Lavo's XI To Start: Howard, Jagielka, Lescott, Yobo, Neville, Carsley, Arteta, Pienaar, Johnson, Cahill, Yakubu Everton from: Howard, Wessels, Hibbert, Neville, Jagielka, Lescott, Yobo, Valente, Arteta, Cahill, Carsley, Gravesen, Pienaar, McFadden, Yakubu, Johnson, Vaughan, Anichebe.
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. |
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* No first goal scorer for this one, when the Blues can be backed at 2/1 at home to turn Arse over. Unbeaten at home since mid October, and with our last two Goodison encounters against The North Londoners both producing 1-0 home wins get on it. Also aren't you gutted we did not sign Joey Barton, I am !! |
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Young Theo and Robin Van Persil are out, though William Gallas has been passed fit for the visit to Paradise. Danger man Adebayor who scored in Arse's last win at Goodison in the Carling Cup will lead the line. Lehmann has been given the boot and Almunia will keep goal. Apart from that they lie second in the Table, but have not done the Blues in the Prem at Goodison for a few seasons now. The Boss Arse says: "We expect a tough test at Everton. First of all, there's a good atmosphere in the stadium, a good organisation and a tough fighting spirit. Also the manager has done extremely well. They have bought wisely and invested a lot. They got Lescott and Jagielka from the Championship and they bought well in the summer with Pienaar and Yakubu. Then they had Arteta and Johnson. But we will be up for it. On that front, I have no problem. Let's just say that in the last three games we have not created so many chances but we have played Chelsea, Tottenham and Portsmouth away and we took seven points from nine games. That's not disastrous." (29/12/07) The
Arse From:
Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Eboue, Flamini, Fabregas, Hleb,
Rosicky, Adebayor, Lehmann, Bendtner, Diarra, Song, Diaby, Walcott,
Senderos. |
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