" Its A Grand Old Team To Play For....."
| " Its A Grand Old Team To Play For....." |
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BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP / Sun 6th April 2008 / Kick
Off: 3.00pm
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EVERTON |
1 |
v |
0 |
Derby County |
Everton:
Howard, Neville
,
Yobo, Lescott, Baines, Arteta, Fernandes, Carsley, Osman, Johnson, Yakubu
Bench: Anichebe (Yakubu), Valente (Arteta), Jagielka (Fernandes), Wessels, Gravesen
Referee: Andre Marriner (He's Still all at sea)
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Some things are so pains takingly hard but we have to go through them for the greater good. Shopping with the missus, a trip to the dentist, going to Analfield once a season to see our beloved Blues. All these things must be done, but we hate having to do them. Add to the list watching Everton v Derby County at Goodison on April 6th 2008. A trip to the dentist suddenly becomes more appealing than having to sit through something as painful as this match again. Derby who were recently relegated (a record as it was still in March) and who are on course for the lowest ever points tally in the top flight are a poor woeful, shocking side. This was a team who came into Sunday’s clash with no win in the Premiership in the last twenty six odd matches. Our betting slips were all indicating a goal feast, two nil, three nil, four nil, and the prices of the bookies reflected the gulf in class between the two sides. The Blues were 5/1 on, whilst you could have picked up a nice 10/1 for a Derby away day victory, it was never going to be that simple. Moyesy rang the changes as he himself needed desperately to halt our own disturbing slump of one point out of the last possible nine available. Leighton Baines, Manny Fernandes, and Andy Johnson all started, replacing the likes of Hibbo and Peanuts who both missed the cut through injuries. The Yak could have and should have given the Blues an early lead when he contrived to miss the easiest of chances, chipping over the bar from six yards out when it looked easier to have scored. One of them days I could hear everyone groan, as the first half limped to its conclusion. Mikky went close, well closish as his free kick sailed over the bar by some distance. Half time came and the sound in the ground was muted, but by then my lips were already round a Chang, as I myself tried to sort out my blistering hangover paid for from the night before. H-T 0-0 Moyesy know doubt let his Scottish temper fly at his out of sort’s players in the half time interval, as the second period started with a slightly better tempo. In fact it took only ten minutes of the second period for Everton’s only goal to come, when Leon Osman left footed shot beat Roy Carroll hands down. Ossie went close again, but the Derby keeper this time got the better of the exchange, not once but twice. Derby gained more confidence as the match went on, as the expected Everton goal flurry did not materialise. Carroll came up for a few corners near the death, but Everton’s back four dealt with them well, and hung out to record their eighth clean sheet of 2008. This game as you are well aware was not a classic, far from it, but it has brought us two points nearer fourth spot, and strengthens our claims for fifth. Both finishes will guarantee us European football next season, but our game will have to be raised, after falling short this term. Footballers are human, and we are seeing after all the talk of recent weeks how much the Fiorentiana game has really affected us. With the likes of Chelski and Villa to come to Goodison in the next few weeks, and a trip to the Emirates on the horizon, we have enough class of opponent to lift our spirits and end a fantastic season on a high. Fourth may be a bridge too far for us, but we now have 60 points with five games to go. We finished our Champions League season on 61 points, so a target of say 70 points would be a fantastic achievement and show the footballing world how much Everton have come on in recent seasons. Starman goes to Ossie, for his winning goal and his work rate that at least today carried the Blues to victory. F-T 1-0
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Everton 1 – Derby 0 by Ian Saunderson (Blue Kipper’s north east correspondent) Well it was great to be at a home game after going to three away games where all the home fans wore red (at least we beat them all!). Back in familiar surroundings, EFC car number plates, blue and white traffic cones, Z Cars mobile ring tones and the ‘Keep Everton in our city’ plane. I went to the match with brother-in-law-in-law, Channel Dave from Burnley (doing my best missionary work to spread the word of Blue in the north east corner of Lancashire). Last time he came we beat Fulham 4-1; we were both hoping for more of the same today. After a quick pint in the Wilmslow (almost needed Shep to round up the Rams in there) went into the rabbit warren of the Main Stand. Great to see that AJ was playing. With him and the Yak up front we’d get an easy three points wouldn’t we? Pleased to see Baines in and Joleon back in the centre of defence; left back is not his position. He’s a great defender, but we need proper full backs on both flanks who can get down the wing and put in good crosses. Meant Jags was on the bench though, and he’s a great player too - good vision and pace. Perhaps he can be tried out in the Carsley holding role (in a Premiership game, not in Europe), after all Cars isn’t going to last forever. Not a great first half. Miss of the season by the Yak after a cross from Baines to the back post. Derby were playing without any pressure on them and were often first to the loose ball. Second half was much of the same until a piece of skill from Fernandes put Leon through who controlled well and shot brilliantly from the edge of the box. 1-0 and for the first time we chanted happily. Manny played well today and he’s back in the form he showed at the end of last season. He’s a summer buy for me. Despite the goal we weren’t comfortable and needed two good saves from Tim to keep us in front. Yak was withdrawn in favour of Big Vic, but neither he nor AJ got any chances. We had a corner to defend in injury time and it was a tense finish. Still we got the win and are up to 60 points. Man of
the match for me – Tim Howard. Didn’t have a lot to do, but when he
did, he did it well. If Derby had scored we’d have been hard pushed
to score a second. He won us the 3 points. Ian
Saunderson |
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Moyesy says: "We are optimistic that we are still in with a chance of doing it. We've got 60 points, we've won 18 games in the league with five to go so we are in a healthy position. I think if we won at Birmingham it gives us more points than I have had at Everton before. We've not created as many chances recently as we should have done, and in a way that was the case again." (07/04/08) |
| * AJ to score both in a easy 2-0 win. COYB Grego IOM *
4-1 to Everton. After Derby take an early lead, Everton come
back to lead 2-1 at the break with goals from The Yak. Second half goals
from AJ and The Yak comletes his hat-trick. Cookie |
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The Blues go into Sundays tussle with Derby County with a boost in the attacking department with both AJ and Big Vic being passed fit. Apart from long term absentees, Vaughny and Tiny, Moyesy has a fully fit squad to pick from, though he has small doubts over Hibbo and Peanuts who are both carrying slight knocks. The Blues have been away for a few days on a training jolly to Spain, and Moyesy although saying it wasn't needed was happy to let the players have a bit of sun on their backs. He is hoping it recharges their batteries for the end of season run in, especially with another shot at Europe on the horizon. The Blues take on already relegated Derby County, who stand at present to finish the Premiership campaign with the lowest points total in Premiership history. We are looking for our fourth straight win against the Rams, and our first win since we defeated Fiorentina in the UEFA Cup. In saying that we are unbeaten in 2008 in the Premiership at Goodison, and a win would hopefully close the gap on the shite, as they travel to The Arse on Saturday dinner time.
Lavo's XI To Start: Howard, Neville, Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott, Carsley, Osman, Pienaar, Arteta, Johnson, Yakubu Everton from: Howard, Wessels, Hibbert, Neville, Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott, Valente, Baines, Carsley, Arteta, Osman, Pienaar, Gravesen, Fernandes, Johnson, Anichebe, Yakubu. No Corresponding Fixture
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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Its Grand National weekend, and with the hub of Bluekipper based in Aintree itself, we are neither use nor ornament in giving you the winner. After some long hard studying, I have the winner of the big race down to The Pilgarlic, L'escargot, Red Rum , Corbiere, Party Politics or Freddie Starr's horse who I am racking my brains out trying to remember. Sod it, get on AJ to mark his return with the first goal at 5/1. (05/04/08) |
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They have been relegated, they are very poor indeed, and if we have any ambitions of getting in Europe next season, we need to be scoring a good few against them. Stubbsey is out with injury, which is a shame, but Lily Savage will hopefully rile the crowd, get our backs us, and let Harry Hill kick him all over the park. Derby
from:
Carroll, Moore, Leacock, McEveley, Sterjovski, Savage, Ghaly, Lewis,
Miller, Villa, Earnshaw, Todd, Jones, Robert, Price. |
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