bluekipper.com - Everton v Sunderland - Match Report - 2007/2008

Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Lescott, Jagielka, Baines, Neville, Carsley

, Pienaar, Fernandes, Yakubu, Johnson

So it was off the Crossroads country for a 'must win' game against Brum. Must win for both teams really, for us so we could put pressure on the shite and for Brum so they could get away from the drop zone. After enduring the dire fare of Derby County last week, when the best that could be said was we got the three points, we were not so sure once we heard the team. Now Moyesy put a bit of the blame on to the fans last week - do the fans get the players going or vice-versa', this week we were away and as usual the fans were up for it. You can't beat arriving early, having copious Stella's a snifter before leaving then going to see The Toffeemen!

We'd heard about the midfield problems and sure enough, Ossy & Our Tater joined Timmy so we were down to the bare bones. Nev moved into the middle and Peanuts made it after his midweek demands. The other change was a surprise; The Jag replaced Joey who went to sit alongside Nuno, Big Vic, James Blunt and Tommy on the bench.

As expected, for them, the circus act which is Jimmy Mac returned, hopefully not to haunt us. They would be definitely up for it so we needed those with a
point to prove, Manny and Peanuts to deliver for us today. Now you thought last week was bad in the first half! Moyesy could not blame the fans this time; we were poor and luckily so were they. It might have been better watching an episode of Crossroads, well perhaps not. It was full of misplaced passes, huff and puff and very few chances. Roger put on into the side netting and AJ hit another tamely wide at the end of the half, The Yak on the other hand was out for a stroll in the sun wearing Benny's boots, he had a great chance after about half an hour where his control let him down. His second touch was a slide tackle !!

Then we got a scare with five mins to go, needless to say, Jimmy Mac was involved, he crossed at the second attempt and Jerome headed against the post. Surely there would be a half time bollocking by Moyesy and a better second half.

HALF TIME 0-0

If anything it was Brum who came out fired up for the second half! We survived a string of corners and Tim pulled off one cracking save before we went in
front on seventy odd mins. It had needed a shake up earlier and Moyesy brought on Big Vic for Peanuts who looked as though he was carrying an injury and played like it. We won a corner which Manny took short, AJ crossed the Yak appeared to assist and Roger nodded it in to the top corner, cue delirium, just what we wanted, get in front, keep it like this, put pressure on the shite, game over. Now Brum had already used two subs by the start of the second half and as soon as we scored a tired Jimmy Mac was subbed and they brought on Zarate. Our lead lasted five mins.

Harry Hill handled on the left side of the box about twenty yards out, Zarate put it in the top left hand corner and it was all square. We had one option left, a draw was no good, go for it! No, it was the other way round, it was Brum who went for it, and we even had to survive an injury time corner. We did have two late efforts by Nev and Manny but neither caused any problems. Finally Moyesy had everyone scratching their head when he took off The Yak and brought on Tommy - we need to score! It has been a great season.

We have had a great European adventure. All is not completely lost yet but we have definitely gone off the boil. It started at Fulham, we saw it again against West Ham and the shite and again today. If we can't boss the middle and create chances then we are not going to progress, at least Moyesy knows where his priorities lie for the summer spending spree. We trudged away as though we'd lost thinking about revenge on Chelsea next week, me arl fella used to say 'the hardest thing in football is to beat a team three times in a season', we'll see next week won't we?

Blue Kipper Star Man, just like he has been all season, was Roger. COYB FTRS

FULL TIME 1-1



	Roger Gives The Blues The Lead

Sausage Reports From
St. Andrews

Today's
Blue Kipper
Star Man

Star Man

Stats

Goals

Bad Boys

Prem Table

UEFA Table

Quiet

Started

Up Front

Quotes After The Game

Moyesy says: We are disappointed not to take three points but in the end maybe we didn't deserve it because we didnt play well enough. I think the boy (Zarate) scored a very good free kick. I think there was a foul on Yak leading up to it and I am not totally convinced it can be classed as a handball.

They (Brum) are a team fighting for survival. We knew it wasn't going to be easy and we were missing key players. We had to some how grind out a result. In the first half we did okay and in the second half we got the goal and I actually thought we would see the game out there." (12/04/08)

Off The Ball

Fans Match Report

Scores On The Doors

* 3-1 To The Blues. Yak with a couple and AJ to score. ParkendJohno

*1 nil to Everton. I don't care who scores mayne a Faddy og Madpete

Everton Team News

Another must win game if we are to put the pressure on the shite for fourth place. We may be short on numbers in the middle of the park so Jack Rodwell and Dan Gosling have travelled with the squad. I say give Tommy a run out. Oh ok then maybe not.

Leon and Mikky have doubts and will have late fitness checks, but whoever puts on the blue shirt for the Toffeemen should be good enough for all 3 points. We need them.

Moyesy says: "Arteta has got an injury and he has been playing with it, so we are grateful for that. "I think it has restricted him a bit and he feels it is dragging his performances down a little bit. Leon Osman has got a hip injury. We have been short of midfield players, it's been a problem area for us and we have used people in there out of position.

Jack Rodwell has been in the squad and Dan Gosling has been injured for a month or so, so those two young boys would certainly be in and around the squad. And if required I'd have no problem playing them. We have not done awfully well against the teams down in the bottom half of the table recently and we want that to change against Birmingham but they will make it as difficult as they can for us. But the players have shown great leadership throughout the season and I'm sure they will continue to do that in the last five games. I have got no worries on that score. They have been terrific for us all season, so I see no reason why that will change now." (11/04/08)

Sausage's XI To Start: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Yobo, Lescott, Neville, Arteta, Pienaar, Osman, Johnson, Yakubu

Everton from: Howard, Wessels, Hibbert, Neville, Yobo, Lescott, Jagielka, Valente, Baines, Carsley, Arteta, Osman, Fernandes, Pienaar, Gravesen, Johnson, Yakubu, Anichebe, Rodwell, Gosling.

Doubt

Oh Yes
No Doubt

Doubt

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About The Opposition

Faddy is touch and go if he plays against his old team. We'll give him a clap if he plays

Alex McLeish on Faddy and Everton: "Myself and David Moyes go back a long way to our playing days in Scotland and we have kept in touch ever since but friendships don't come into it when you are conducting business. I tried to get McFadden cheaper but David stuck to his price, We were getting close to the maximum we would pay at the time and I am just glad we got him. Have I still got a bargain? I think in Premier League terms, he probably is when you consider most players you ask about start at £4million - whether it is a first-team player or a reserve-team player.

James, in that respect, has shown he is promising to be a player much more valuable than that but he is the guy who has got to prove that. I always said we needed an extra bit of quality in the team and he provided that and he has given other players a lift. Other players have raised their game as well and, if he comes back to the team against Everton, it will definitely give everyone a real boost. McLeish will be guided by Blues head physiotherapist Neil McDiarmid in deciding whether to play McFadden this weekend.

We will make a last-minute assessment. We want to give him to the wire until we decide if he will be available for selection. Of course, we want to be careful we don't put him in and his knee balloons up again. In saying that, we can put him in next week and it might do the same so you are never quite sure. But I think it is suffice to say when the physios give us the green light, we won't hesitate to involve him again. David has done a great job at Everton and he is a good yardstick for aspiring Premier League managers. Everton are a huge club, probably bigger than Birmingham, but David has taken them from relegation danger to a really strong Premier League team and it has been achieved in stepping stones and not been overnight.

There have been gradual levels of consistency achieved. I never realised he had coaching ambitions but he started to do his badges when moving to England and what he has done since has been a terrific achievement. But we are not scared of what is ahead. We have just got to be ready for the next challenge which is Everton and then we will look at the one after that." (11/04/08)

Brum From: Maik Taylor, Kelly, Queudrue, Jaidi, Ridgewell, MartinTaylor, Schmitz, Murphy, Larsson, Muamba, Nafti, McSheffrey, Kapo, McFadden, Forssell, Zarate, Jerome, O'Connor, Doyle, Parnaby, De Ridder.

Match Reports 2007/2008

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