EFC

West Brom 0 Everton 2

2014-09-15T19:30:00.000+01:00

After the madness of previous games, Everton’s first win of the season was refreshingly comfortable.

If you’d put together a wish-list for Saturday’s game, it probably would have read ‘comfortable win, clean sheet, Lukaku getting off the mark’. All duly arrived and, just in case that was not enough, we were all then treated to Paul Lambert and his Dean Army storming Slytherin House and taking back three points. Magic.

There was just one change to the line-up which started the Chelsea game, with John Stones replacing the injured Sylvain Distin. The big Frenchman apparently has a dead leg, and it’s clear, from the way Roberto Martinez has spoken about injuries such as the ones to him and others, that the manager is taking no risks, even on slight knocks. Given the cover we now have within the squad, it’s a smart move given the heavy upcoming fixture list. On the West Brom side, neither Anichebe or Lescott made the side – all those booing slacks, ironed for nothing.

One who was a doubt for Saturday was Lukaku, but he justified his inclusion straight away. Within two minutes, Barry fed Naismith who worked the ball out to Baines. He played a slightly wayward ball inside, but, fortunately, Metallica roadie Jonas Olsson played it straight back to Lukaku. The big Belgian, 20 yards out and on his wrong foot, took one touch and bent a beautiful swerving shot into the far corner. Get in.

When Lukaku doesn’t have to think like that you get a real glimpse of his potential. There is so much talent in there, and let’s hope this is the start of a good scoring run. He looked fitter and stronger again, and gave Olsson – who got a ton of stick from the home crowd – a torrid time before being replaced by Leon Osman after the second goal.

The rest of the first half was quite bitty – Everton certainly were not at their most fluent and struggled to get players like Aiden McGeady and Steven Naismith in the game. Fortunately, though, West Brom are absolutely crap and you never really felt they would score. All eyes were on the central defence, and there were a couple of nervous moments as the home side tried to press high up the pitch and throw high balls in, but in general things were much improved. Both Jagielka and Howard had much more assured games, and Stones was his usual ultra-calm self. He made the only really important defensive intervention of the first half, blocking well when the ball dropped to Saido Berahino, as other than that Howard did not have a save to make.

Everton ended the half on the front foot again – Mirallas sent a booming shot just over the bar – but overall there was room for improvement in the second period. A bit more control and attacking zip needed.

Thankfully, Martinez clearly got the message across and the Toffees looked much more ‘at-it’ after the break. Baines and Coleman pushed forward more, Naismith and McGeady were far more involved and Kevin Mirallas in particular was excellent. The West Brom defence were terrified of the Belgian’s pace and trickery, with ex-kopite no-mark Andre Wisdom not getting near him all half. With West Brom offering nothing in attack, you felt a second was a matter of when, rather than if.

In fact it should have come earlier than it did. Lukaku again ran at and skinned Olsson before sending a powerful drive on goal. Ben Foster made a good one-handed save, and the ball dropped to Naismith, unmarked, 10 yards out. Unfortunately though, the normally clinical Scot had slightly overrun the ball, and it crashed off his shin and over the bar. Incidentally, the TV replay of it is brilliant – 3,000 travelling Evertonians, perfectly in sync, hands-on-head in disbelief.

West Brom failed to heed the warning though. Shortly after Howard’s first meaningful action – bravely blocking a Wisdom cross at the feet of the truly rubbish Brown Ideye – the second goal arrived. Mirallas and Baines worked down the left, and Mirallas cut in and hit the ball with his right foot. He scuffed it a bit, straight at Foster, who obligingly dived straight over it. 2-0 and, despite Everton’s frailties when ahead this season, game over.

The only real question from there was whether Everton would add another goal or two. After the second Martinez immediately replaced Lukaku, presumably to rest him up. His replacement, Leon Osman, produced an excellent cameo, and his deflected shot forced a good save from Foster. Aiden McGeady – much improved second half – also fizzed a drive just wide, before he was also replaced by Muhamed Besic. He also impressed – possibly as a reaction to his mistake against Chelsea, he seemed determined to get involved, keep things simple and get the ball moving. It was a promising glimpse of what the Bosnian will offer in games to come.

Besic was heavily involved in the best move of the match, almost leading to the third goal Everton deserved. A cracking passing move also involving Mirallas, Osman and Baines led to the full-back breaking down the left. His ball inside was back-heeled by Mirallas to the onrushing Osman, who cracked in a shot first time. Just as Evertonian lips mouthed the word ‘Larissa’, Foster intervened with his best save of the match. Would have been a cracker.

Everton saw out the game very comfortably with few scares – one superb recovering block from Stones and, in the last minute, a wayward McCarthy backpass led to Howard making a brilliant double save – and fully deserved their first win of the season. It’s a most welcome three points and, despite the limitations of the opposition, stands us in good stead going into Thursday’s game against Wolfsburg.

Goodison under lights for a European game after a ‘Singing the Blues’ weekend – you can’t help but be excited for that.

Everton: Howard, Coleman, Jagielka, Stones, Baines, McCarthy, Barry, Mirallas, Naismith, McGeady, Lukaku.

Subs: Robles, Alcaraz, Besic (McGeady 88), Osman (Lukaku 68), Gibson, Atsu, Garbutt.

Goals – Lukaku (2), Mirallas (66)

MOM – Mirallas

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West Brom (A) Preview

2014-09-12T04:53:00.000+01:00

Everton are back – well nearly. The international week at the start of the season always seems to take an age, and it comes at a crap time too – the season’s only just got going after all. Anyway, we’re almost through it, as Roberto Martinez takes his charges to the Hawthorns on Saturday looking for a first win of the season which would be most welcome.

John Stones and Leighton Baines started both games for England in the break, and both did OK – Baines in particular had a very good game in the qualifier in Switzerland. Stones is still never a full-back in a million years, but is a good enough player to gloss over that, and did a solid job at right back. Also, Phil Jagielka got a good 20 minutes or so which will boost his confidence, making several decent blocks and clearances as the Swiss pressed. With no injuries reported, that may have actually been a decent week for our England men.

Back home the injury news is mixed – Lukaku and Pienaar should be OK, but Osman and Eto’o are nursing what Martinez describes as ‘knocks’. It seems likely he will leave them out of Saturday’s game, with fixtures coming thick and fast in the next three weeks.

Key in Martinez’s mind seems to be the Europa League, with the Blues being handed a tough if exciting draw against Wolfsburg, Lille and Krasnodar, who knocked out Real Sociedad with minimal fuss in the qualifiers. Whilst there is an argument that we’d prefer an easy group stage just to get going, games like this are what you want to be involved in, and there’s definitely potential for a couple of cracking trips with big ticket allocations.

Saturday marks the first of 7 games in 22 days for the Toffees, and it’d be great to start with a win. There have been plenty of positives in the first three games but, bottom line, we only have two points. If we’re serious about being towards the top of the league at the end of the season, winning games at teams like West Brom is a must. It would also contribute to, hopefully, a good,loud crowd when Wolfsburg come to Goodison on Thursday night.

A few Everton old-boys await within the Throstles’ staff (we won’t have any of this ‘Baggies’ nonsense). Alan Irvine was a real surprise appointment as their manager in the summer, but (games against Everton aside) you won’t find many who don’t wish him well. The ex-Everton player, coach and academy chief just seems a thoroughly good egg, and it would be nice to see him prove the numerous media doubters wrong. One of his first signings is another former Blue, Joleon Lescott, and despite the ignominious nature of his departure, he could be a great signing for WBA. Certainly,

when he was playing regularly at Everton he was one of the best in the league. At the other end of the pitch, dear old Victor Anichebe is in and out of the side. There are good and bad memories of Victor– for every Kharkiv and Nuremberg there was a titty lip fit which incurred the wrath of the Gwladys Street – and you get the impression he knows he could have made more of himself and his time at Everton. A shame, really.

Everton will probably line up with a similar side to what played in the Chelsea game, unless Steven Pienaar returns. Despite the defensive issues, Martinez seems unlikely to drop Jagielka or Distin, and he’s been typically effusive in his praise for them this week. Of course that’s good to see – but you’d hope in private they’ve also had a boot up the arse. Martinez has also gushed about Aiden McGeady, who scored an absolute beauty for Ireland in midweek, so it will be interesting to see if he gets the nod over the less showy but more consistent Pienaar.

No excuses then. A ground-out 1-0 got us going this time last year – another would do fine.

5 more WBA and Everton old boys:

1. Imre Varadi – Ask anyone who saw him and you’re guaranteed the words ‘dead fast’ and ‘crap touch’. Scored the winner in a derby though, so he gets a thumbs up;

2. Paul Holmes – Garbage full back, most remembered for hitting his own crossbar in a cup game at Bolton, leading to their goal;

3. David Burrows – Another crap full back, brought in by Mike Walker as a brainless part-ex for Tony Cottee. Utter shit and with a proper kopite face to boot;

4. Kevin Kilbane –‘Zinedine’ – an honest, hardworking winger turned ubiquitous TV pundit. Did a great job for Everton;

5. Kevin Campbell – God bless that man. If ever one player saved a team from oblivion, he did it. Suffered later with typical Smith injury mismanagement, but should be remembered as a genuine Everton legend.

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Everton 3 Chelsea 6

2014-09-01T15:32:00.000+01:00

It’s difficult to know where to start after that.

Everton were again the architects of their own downfall, for the third time this season. If last week’s game was mental, this one went stark raving bonkers, particularly in the second half. Again, we saw some great attacking play from the Toffees, but the defending and decision making on show left a lot to be desired.

Chief culprit at the moment is Phil Jagielka, who is having a pretty awful time. As ever with modern Everton sides and players, there’s no lack of effort, and it may well be that the likeable club captain is trying too hard to be clever, and thus making mistakes. Unfortunately, one such mistake came after about 20 seconds, when, instead of running alongside Diego Costa and forcing him wide, Jagielka stepped out a fraction too late and allowed the deadly striker through to slot underneath Tim Howard. Bugger.

To make things worse, as would be the case throughout the game, Everton failed to gain their composure after the goal and made another quick mistake. The midfield sat off too far, Leighton Baines copied Jagielka before him and charged out of the line, leaving Branislav Ivanovic clear for an easy finish. Five minutes in, already needing snookers.

Replays later showed that Ivanovic was slightly offside, but it was one of those offsides which was very marginal, like the Naismith one last week, and the defending was the real culprit. In any event, Everton can hardly complain about the decisions first half as, shortly afterwards, Howard had a brain fart and came and caught the ball about two yards outside the area. Mercifully, the linesman on the Bullens side, hopeless all day, somehow missed it.

After about 20 minutes the game settled down a bit, with Everton – in particular through their two standout performers, Kevin Mirallas and Steven Naismith – scrapping very hard to get back into things. Lady Luck again wasn’t smiling after a crashing Lukaku header hit the crossbar – if your luck’s in, they hit the goalie and go in – and the rebound was correctly disallowed for offside. Naismith also skidded a shot from distance wide as Everton grew into the game. Again – no shortage of heart in the team, and they got their reward on half time.

It was a beauty as well. Aiden McGeady, the only change in for Steven Pienaar, was very much in-and-out of the game, but had impact when he was – in this case a lovely ball inside the full-back to Coleman. His cross was a cracker, floated into space eight yards out, and Mirallas timed his run brilliantly to plant a header into the far top corner. Game on, and you hoped that the defensive calamities were now out of the system, paving the way for a second half fightback. Wrong!

Everton actually started the second half very well, with almost constant pressure in the Chelsea half, before, on 67 minutes, getting hit with a sucker punch. Eden Hazard went past McCarthy far too easily on the right and his pull back clipped the lunging Coleman and ended up in the net. Coleman had just been involved in a bit of handbags with Diego Costa, and the Chelsea man – who is absolutely brilliant, despite being a snide – followed up the goal with some kopite-level twattery, giving a few verbals until Tim Howard interjected. There was talk afterwards, from bellends like Graham Poll, that Howard could have again been sent off for this – he was booked – but in reality it was one of the few things that referee Jon Moss got right. Get on with the game.

Everton certainly did, as they exploded from the kick off and scored another lovely goal. McGeady furthered his reputation as a conundrum – doing nothing for 20 minutes followed by a bit of brilliance – and skinned a couple of defenders before playing a perfect pass to Naismith. The Scot finished clinically, and it’s a measure of his improvement and form that you honestly never thought he’d miss. Roberto Martinez immediately raised the Goodison crowd even more – McGeady off, Eto’o on.

What happened? Well another bit of crap defending, that’s what. Less than five minutes later, with Everton having failed to just calm down and control things a bit, Chelsea worked the ball sideways along the box to Nemanja Matic, who, with Distin only a couple of yards away, took a couple of touches to set himself. Close him down Sylvain. Close him down. CLOSE HIM DOWN FOR FUU…. Ahh bollocks. In off the post. It wasn’t as eye catching as some of the other goals conceded, but this was perhaps the worst – with Everton back in things, the defensive midfield was totally AWOL and the lack of pressure on Matic was appalling.

Remarkably, Everton again got straight back in things, as Baines’s free kick was headed home by Eto’o, in one of his first few touches. The debutant forward was one of the positives that can be taken from the game. He looks the real deal, with superb movement and intelligent play, and the likes of Lukaku can only learn from him. Lukaku himself has had a bit of stick after the match, but again his effort was good – another perhaps trying too hard – and if that continues, the goals will come. It’d be interesting to see Eto’o through the middle with Lukaku coming in from the right.

Unfortunately that attempt at Martinez-style positivity must stop there though, as some more Keystone Cops defending, only a minute later, finally took the game away from Everton. Baines, Distin and McCarthy were the culprits this time, allowing Ramires to waltz through unchallenged to score past Howard.

Everton tried to hit back again, and a lovely move involving Coleman and Eto’o led to a chance for Mirallas, which Courtois wonderfully saved onto the post. The Toffees were running out of ideas, though, and failed to really threaten any further. There was only time for the candle on the cake of shit defending to be lit.

Martinez introduced Muhamed Besic for a late debut – possibly 20 minutes too late, as both McCarthy and Barry had very poor second halves and looked knackered – and the Bosnian wasted no time in fitting in with his team mates. Receiving a simple pass, he inexplicably decided to just do a blind back-heel, setting Jon Obi Mikel through. Mikel played in Costa, who finished comfortably with Distin and Howard scrambling. Besic is obviously better than that and, of course, there were far more culpable on Saturday – but, fucking hell, it was one of the stupidest decisions you’re ever likely to see. The only consolation was that it was in a dead game, and so hopefully won’t now happen in tighter circumstances. You couldn’t make it up.

6-3 then. Not really rocket science in the final analysis – we’re good going forward, but painful at the back at the moment. The predictable immediate reaction has been that the defence needs ripping up and starting again, but that in all likelihood won’t work. John Stones will certainly be knocking on the door, and being on the lookout for a young, left-sided centre-half to eventually replace Distin is something that certainly should be done. The majority of mistakes are individual ones, though, and so it’s up to the players to cut them out. This is the same defensive unit that was almost impregnable at times last year, and it’s very unlikely that all of Jagielka, Distin, Baines, McCarthy, Barry and Howard will have such a poor game, all at the same time, again.

That said, this is one of the first real tests for Roberto Martinez – we’re looking like the naïve side we were all told he always produces – and it needs sorting out. Whether he decides to have a dip in the transfer market will be interesting, and you would hope that after the international break we will see a much sturdier Everton side.

Everton: Howard, Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, McCarthy, Barry, Mirallas, Naismith, McGeady, Lukaku.

Subs: Robles, Stones, Alcaraz, Besic (Lukaku 89), Osman, Eto’o (McGeady 70), Gibson.

Goals – Mirallas (45), Naismith (69), Eto’o (76)

MOM – Mirallas, with an honourable mention to Naismith

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Chelsea(H)Preview

2014-08-29T13:20:00.000+01:00

For the second consecutive week, Everton welcome one of the apparent title favourites to Goodison for a Saturday evening kick-off.

It’s been another busy week in the world of the beautiful Blues. The biggest news was obviously the signing of Samuel Eto’o which, having been rumoured for weeks, was done with the minimum of fuss on Tuesday. It’s been obvious for some time that another forward was a priority, and you certainly can’t argue with Eto’o’s pedigree. He’s a genuine superstar of this generation, has won the lot and played for some of the biggest clubs in the world. Even if his very best days are behind him, it’s a really exciting signing and one which gives Roberto Martinez’s striking options a big boost.

We won’t mention the leather shorts, though.

In addition to that, the League Cup draw saw Everton given an away tie at Swansea – not the easiest, but the sort of tie you’ll get at some point if you want to win the thing – and Friday sees the Europa League draw. Everton will sit in pot 3, meaning their group will theoretically be a tricky one, but you can’t see any of the teams in pots 1 and 2 – even the likes of Inter Milan and Sevilla – fancying coming to Goodison.

As to Saturday, and it’s another big game. Chelsea have looked pretty formidable in their first two games, with new signings Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa to the fore. The signing of Fabregas is a cracker – a top class midfielder who knows the league inside out. Costa, with two in two games, also looks the part, though is rumoured to be missing at the weekend through injury – a boost if true. Regardless of that, though, Chelsea’s squad is excellent and they will be right in there this season, so the Tricky Blues will have to be at their very best to get a result on Saturday.

Roberto Martinez has said that Steven Pienaar will miss out, but Romelu Lukaku should make it. You’d hope we’ll see a fired up Lukaku with a point to prove, especially after some of the things said about him by ultra-snide Jose Mourinho. We keep saying he’s unstoppable on his day, well now it’s time to prove it. Eto’o may also be keen to get one over his old boss, having also been a victim of some gobbing off last year, but you’d expect he’ll start from the bench.

Martinez has a decision to make in the midfield – will it be a straight swap of Osman for Pienaar, or something a bit different? Given the number of creative players Chelsea have, he may be tempted to stick in Muhamed Besic to do some destroying, for example. Alternatively, will he try to stop Chelsea by attacking them, and include someone like Aiden McGeady? It’s nice to have the options to even be thinking about this.

Whatever team the manager puts out, Saturday will be a tough one – but the recent home record against Chelsea is excellent. They don’t like coming to Goodison, and hopefully this weekend will be no different. In a strange way, it’s the perfect game to follow the frustration of last week, a high profile opponent and perhaps a little less pressure than a game where the Toffees would be expected to win comfortably.

Three points against Chelsea last season kick-started Everton’s season. A repeat on Saturday could well do the same.

The last 5 – Chelsea at home:

1. 2013/14 – Steven Naismith gets the only goal and every Evertonian realises how good Gareth Barry is;

2. 2012/13 – An early Pienaar goal gives the Blues the lead but a combination of bad luck and Frank Lampard’s opportunism lead to an undeserved defeat;

3. 2011/12 – Feed the Straq, feed the Straq… ;

4. 2011/12 (League Cup) – A classic Everton balls up. Jan Mucha chucks one in his own net, Baines misses a pen after Chelsea’s goalie gets sent off and, after Drenthe gets a red for acting the twat, Chelsea get an extra time winner;

5. 2010/11 – Last game of the season, decided by an absolute cracker from Jermaine Beckford.

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Everton 2 Arsenal 2

2014-08-26T08:32:00.004+01:00

Saturday saw Everton at their very best and very worst, all in a mental 90 minutes.

The best – the Blues ripping into a more fancied opponent with some inventive attacking play and scoring some great goals. The worst – a monumental balls-up, the likes of which only Everton seem to be capable of.

Let’s start with the positives, and for 75 minutes or so Everton were fantastic. Martinez started as much as he could with the team that battered Arsenal last year – Coleman and Mirallas came into the side as expected, with Lukaku again deployed from the right. Amazingly, Arsene Wenger and his team seemed to have learnt nothing from that game. The first half was almost a carbon copy of last year, with Arsenal playing ineffective, sideways football and Everton simply picking them off.

The only downside to the first half was an early injury to Steven Pienaar, who was clattered in a tough (but fair) aerial challenge by Callum Chambers. He was replaced by Leon Osman, but it didn’t seem to disrupt Everton’s momentum too much. They survived an early scare when Seamus Coleman’s poor clearance was put wide by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and then completely took over.

The first goal came on 19 minutes. A clever free kick move saw the ball worked to Gareth Barry, and his pinpoint cross was met by Coleman, rushing in, to head into the roof of the net. Arsenal barely responded, with the likes of Özil, Sanchez and particularly Jack Wilshere barely having any impact at all. Everton kept flooding forward on the break and some better finishing or decision making – particularly from Kevin Mirallas, who was lively but frustrating all day – could have seen the second come earlier than it did.

As it was, it arrived just before half time. An awful pass from Özil was intercepted by Jagielka, who pushed the ball out towards Lukaku. He outmuscled Mertesacker and rampaged down the right wing, leaving Chambers in his wake. A pinpoint pass found Naismith, who finished comfortably. Replays showed the Scot was slightly offside, but there were no complaints from the Goodison crowd, as the Blues went into half time two goals to the good.

To give Wenger his due, he changed things quickly at half time with Giroud on for the ineffective Sanchez. Arsenal as a result had a brief flurry just after the break, and were certainly better set up, but after that the game settled down into a scruffy scrap with very few chances. From Everton’s point of view, again the final pass let us down – a couple of Baines forays down the left led to pull backs just beyond onrushing attackers. Arsenal’s midfield had no answer to the energy and organisation of McCarthy and Barry, and they barely made any chances – Tim Howard made one good save from Giroud, but it seemed for all the world that Everton were seeing the game out. Arsenal were getting frustrated – Wilshere, who was utterly hopeless throughout, could have gone for a terrible tackle on Barry – but as the clock ticked into the last fifteen minutes, the game turned right on its head.

Wenger again made some clever changes, with slack-jawed Jack and Oxlade-Chamberlain getting the hook and Cazorla and Campbell coming on. Unfortunately, Everton are short of the same like-for-like quality in certain positions. Lukaku, who had a good game and kept possession well, was goosed after 70 minutes, and Roberto Martinez later revealed he had been struggling with a toe injury all week. We don’t have another striker in his mould, and without the threat in behind, Arsenal pushed on, and Everton cracked.

First, on 83 minutes, Carzorla got the ball out wide, the Everton right side backed off too far, and Osman failed to track Aaron Ramsay’s run. Then, in the last minute, an overhit pass luckily found Monreal, Coleman didn’t shut him down, and the full-back whipped in a cross. Jagielka got under the ball, Distin got horribly the wrong side and Giroud nodded in. Again, replays showed that he had a handful of Distin’s shirt, but you deserve all you get from rank bad marking like that. Fucking hell, Everton.

The real worry from the last 15 minutes was how fitness levels dropped off – Everton looked out on their feet and failed to do simple things well, like holding onto the ball, getting it wide and keeping Arsenal in their own half. It’s obviously been a tricky job for Martinez balancing giving the players rest with getting them ready for the season, but the difference was alarming. We’ve got Europe to come though, and there is no point blowing out early and being knackered as the season wears on. The manager knows what he’s doing, and hopefully the likes of Lukaku and Mirallas will repay his faith when they have a few more miles in the legs.

What was abundantly clear again, however, was the need for another striker. There is no replacement for Lukaku at the moment – as much faith as there may be in Arouna Kone, he’s had a year out of the game and won’t be match fit for some time. Another big, quick forward to keep Arsenal going backwards in those last 15 minutes would have made all the difference – the replacements we did have, Aiden McGeady (who will want to forget his cameo very quickly indeed) and Christian Atsu, are completely different players to what was needed. You’ve got to believe Martinez knows this, though.

Let’s not get carried away – we were playing one of the apparent title favourites, and, for 75 minutes, they didn’t lay a glove on Everton. Get up to speed, cut out the stupid mistakes and we won’t be too far away at all.

Everton: Howard, Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, McCarthy, Barry, Mirallas, Naismith, Pienaar, Lukaku.

Subs: Robles, Stones, Alcaraz, Besic, Osman (Pienaar 10), Atsu (Mirallas 85), McGeady (Lukaku 76).

Goals – Coleman 19, Naismith 45

MOM – Naismith, just from McCarthy.

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Arsenal Preview

2014-08-22T09:05:00.000+01:00

Arsenal (H) Preview

Commence Operation Goodison Exercise.

For the first home game of the new season, Everton host one of the favourites for the title – if you listen to the media at least. In reality, it’s difficult to know what to make of Arsenal. On paper and reputation, they look an excellent side – but they have developed that habit of flattering to deceive. They certainly don’t summon up the same fear that their late 90s/early 2000s sides did – there certainly isn’t a player of the calibre of Vieira, Henry or Bergkamp to be seen. Despite that, they always do enough to get onto the Champions League gravy train and, last year, won the FA Cup. An opponent to be respected, therefore, but one which is certainly beatable.

Roberto Martinez certainly proved that last year, when the Gunners came to Goodison and, with the Champions League spot still up for grabs, got absolutely battered. Everton were as good as they’ve been for a good long time that day – a repeat would surely see a first win of the season – but Arsene Wenger, for all his faults, isn’t soft and will want to see much more from his charges.

It will be interesting to see how Martinez sends out the team on Saturday. Last season, he sprung a real surprise by putting Romelu Lukaku on the right, and he, together with Seamus Coleman, terrorised the Arsenal left side. You can imagine Wenger will be ready for a repeat, but with Keiron Gibbs injured and Thomas Vermaelen sold, it seems that his options to counteract such a ploy are limited. Lukaku cutting in, with Naismith buzzing around the centre halves, is certainly an option.

Other than that, you’d imagine Coleman comes back in for one of the centre halves – most likely John Stones – and we will see if Kevin MIrallas, another who was excellent in the fixture last year, also earns a recall. The Belgian is our one attacking player with real pace, and apparently looked very good in a behind closed doors friendly in the week.

Arsenal themselves have a few injury problems – most notably Mikel Arteta will not be playing, so there won’t be any of the slightly awkward booing from last year. It’s a weird one with Arteta - snidey as he can be, he was also like that when wearing Royal Blue (remember him buying free-kicks or poking Carragher in the eye?), so on the one hand it’s a bit daft – on the other, though, it really put him off his stride last year, and he has acted the twat in previous games. Arsenal are certainly one of those sides that you have to get in the face of, and hopefully James McCarthy and Gareth Barry won’t give the likes of Özil, Giroud and this year’s fanny merchant, Alexis Sanchez, an inch.

Ideally then – a well-oiled Goodison crowd, a fast start and a performance similar to last year. Come on you Blues.

All that and no mention of ‘big falsies’ or Shelbyville signing another lunatic. ‘Fool me once okay, shame on… shame on you, okay. Fool me, okay… you don’t get fooled again, okay.

5 great goals against Arsenal:

1. Wayne Clarke’s lob over Lukic in 1987;

2. Dave Watson’s left footed rocket at Highbury;

3. Rooney, back when watching him had you on the edge of your seat;

4. An absolute beauty of a back post header from Cahill at home in 2009;

5. Lukaku cutting in and blamming one last season.

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Leicester City 2 Everton 2

2014-08-18T11:23:00.000+01:00

Déjà vu, all over again.

Just like last year, Everton started the season with a winnable away game, were the better side for most of the game but ultimately threw two points away through a combination of bad luck and poor defending.

The weekend started badly, with news that Ross Barkley had torn his medial ligament in training. Reports initially had him out for 6-8 weeks, but Roberto Martinez has suggested it could be anything up to five months. It’s clearly horrible news, and we can only hope that Barkley doesn’t end up falling into the same alternate dimension that Arouna Kone has ended up in. We need him in and around the team as soon as possible.

With his options restricted, Martinez threw Lukaku straight into the team, with Naismith just behind him. McGeady and Pienaar played wide, with John Stones starting at right back. Coleman and Mirallas were both not considered fit enough, with both starting on the bench.

If there is a silver lining to the Barkley cloud, it may be that Steven Naismith will get a run in the side in the role just off Lukaku. It’s his best position and, whilst the admirable Scot isn’t the quickest or most eye-catching player, he’s clever, always showing for the ball and a goal threat. He was certainly one of Everton’s better players here, and his partnership with Lukaku may have the makings of something good.

Despite the frustration of the result, there were some positives for Martinez to take from the game, particularly first half. Everton were very good in the opening period, dominating possession, restricting Leicester to barely any chances and scoring two excellent goals. The first, from Aiden McGeady, was an absolute pearler. It’s a big season for McGeady – he’s had six months to bed in now, and has to make a starting position his own in the face of serious competition. He did himself no harm here, being very lively first half and getting on the end of a few half chances – he could have had two or three. The one he did get was worth the wait – after Leighton Baines and Sylvain Distin had shots blocked, McGeady picked the ball up and from a tight angle bent a cracker into the top corner, past about six defenders on or around the line. It was the sort of goal you never get tired of watching.

The second goal wasn’t bad either, scored by Naismith but created by some classic Baines/Pienaar wing play. The Everton left side was another great positive for Martinez, with Pienaar especially looking fit, motivated and incisive. He’ll be really important while Barkley recovers and the likes of Atsu and Mirallas find their fitness – the best we’ve got at turning defenders and bringing Baines into play. Shortly before half time, Baines surged down the left, Pienaar’s back heel found him, Baines played the return and Pienaar slid the ball to Naismith. The finish was another beauty, left-footed, in off the bar.

That made it 2-1 going into the break, with the only real negative being one of the dozy bastard defensive errors that cost us last season. It happened just after McGeady’s goal – Leicester sent in a pretty regulation corner, no-one from the Everton defence took responsibility to put a head on it, and the ball dropped in the six yard box. Sylvain DIstin tried to clear it, off balance, but only succeeded in smashing it into the stomach of Leicester’s big grock number 9, Ulloa. Howard had no chance with the half-volley. It was a weak clearance from Distin, but generally Everton need to be far more dominant on crosses and set pieces. It’s an area we’ve lost goals from a lot over recent seasons.

At half time Martinez would have been satisfied, and he probably would have been with most of the second, which was quite a drab, scrappy affair. Leicester definitely improved and had more of the play. They put another player out on the left which blunted Pienaar and Baines and, without Seamus Coleman providing an equal threat, Everton’s attacks suffered. Indeed, they barely managed a credible effort on target after the break.

Getting the Irishman back will be very important to us hitting our straps, but ironically it was his introduction which seemed to unbalance Everton in the closing stages. Martinez’s substitutions were unusually conservative – Pienaar and McGeady off for Mirallas and Coleman, with a move to 3-5-2. It seems to be the formation that’s in fashion in the moment, but every time Everton play it we look like an accident waiting to happen.

Beforehand, Leicester hadn’t created much, aside from Stones letting the wonderfully named Jeff Schlupp run clear to put a shot into orbit. Stones is a great young centre-back, but while his attitude is spot on, he’s a crap right back. He got dragged inside a few times too often – to be expected for a central player playing out there – and this contributed to Leicester’s equaliser.

Make no mistake, though, he was not the only one culpable. Mirallas and a knackered Lukaku (who was in and out of the game and probably should have gone off rather than Pienaar) lost possession too easily. Baines and Barry – who was hesitant after a couple of clumsy fouls left him close to a red card – allowed the Leicester winger, Mahrez, past them without a proper challenge, and both Jagielka and Stones, because of this, were both dragged too far in. Jagielka in the end got to his man and made a challenge, but this took Stones out of the game and the player he was supposed to be marking, Chris Wood (no, me neither) slotted past Howard. Bollocks.

Two points lost, definitely, although you should never be too sniffy at an away point. How this is viewed will probably depend on whether we beat Arsenal - four points form two game would be a decent start. Hopefully, a more balanced Everton side will deliver.

Everton: Howard, Stones, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, McCarthy, Barry, McGeady, Naismith, Pienaar, Lukaku. Subs: Robles, Coleman (McGeady 85), Alcaraz, Besic, Osman, Atsu, Mirallas (Pienaar 81)

Goals – McGeady 20, Naismith 45

MOM – Pienaar.

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Chris Wood(above) reflecting on his first, and possibly last goal in the Premier League

18th August 2014

Leicester Preview

2014-08-15T11:11:00.000+01:00

LEICESTER CITY(A) PREVIEW

So here we go again. After the generally pretty-bloody-good year that was 2013/14, what does the new season hold for the Tricky Blues and their dashing Catalan leader?

Overall, football wise, it’s been an excellent summer. We’ve had a World Cup which completely lived up to the hype, key players tied down to contracts and some exciting, top-class players signing in. What more could we want? Well, not playing shite in a couple of pre-season games would have been nice, but, cliché though it may be, those games mean absolutely nothing. Remember Alex Nyarko contemptuously strutting around in the August sunshine, leading Walter Smith’s side to win after win? Yep.

The signings then, and the headline has to be the permanent move for Romelu Lukaku. Let’s be honest, at full time in Hull in May, no-one genuinely believed it was a goer. Lukaku isn’t perfect by any means, but his potential is limitless and he is without doubt the most exciting Everton signing in decades. He needs to toughen up a bit, he needs to work on the consistency of his first touch – but, bottom line, the lad scores goals and when he’s on he’s unstoppable. It’s great to see him back.

Equally important were midfield reinforcements, which were much needed. Gareth Barry was vital for us last year and is well worth the three year deal he’s been given, not least to help the development of young players such as Barkley, McCarthy and other new signing Muhamed Besic. The Bosnian certainly looks the part, and impressed in a lively cameo at Leon Osman’s testimonial. More than one observer has likened him to Olivier Dacourt, which cuts both ways of course – Dacourt had all the talent in the world, but seemed to be always on the brink of a red card and suspension. Let’s hope Besic has all the skills with a bit more discipline.

Finally, just this week, Christian Atsu and his horrendous Back to the Future trabs signed in on loan from Chelsea. From the World Cup he looked quick and direct, and we need that to replace the departed Deulofeu. Roberto Martinez also has his sights set on another striker – no arguments here on that one – but we may have to wait a couple of weeks to find out who.

All that and we haven’t even got to the long term contracts for Barkley, Coleman and Stones, to add to that for Leighton Baines last year, and the suggested one for James McCarthy. It’s a great time to be an Evertonian.

Of course, they’ll probably balls it all up at Leicester on Saturday now, but twas ever thus. Realistically, if Everton get out of third gear they should win comfortably. There is a concern about the fitness of some players – Coleman has been injured and Lukaku, Mirallas and Jagielka have barely figured in pre-season – but you would hope we will still have enough. With Arsenal and Chelsea coming up, hitting the ground running is essential.

Leicester themselves are a slightly unknown quantity – a mix of a load of players I’ve never heard of plus journeymen like Matthew Upson, ex-kopite dog Paul Konchesky and David Nugent, someone who you’d love to be good enough to play for Everton but who just isn’t. Having just looked up their squad – Jesus H we should win this.

Anyway, over to you, Everton. No excuses.

5 Leicester (a) memories:

1. Andy Gray scoring two and telling the bench how much he loves them;

2. Limpar scoring a belter from somewhere near Derby;

3. Gary Speed netting a late, late penalty in a vital win;

4. Gascoigne looking brilliant there, shortly after he signed, in a 1-1;

5. Duncan throttling that horrible snide Freund

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Match Report: Everton 1-1 Norwich

2011-12-20T00:09:00.002+00:00

Same old, same old.

Everton's latest home encounter, Saturday's visit of Norwich City, was depressingly predictable. Dominate for 20 minutes, fail to score, concede a twat of a goal from a set-piece, end up chasing the game. Thank goodness for Royston Drenthe, whose introduction from the bench was the key factor in Everton grabbing a point from this one.

David Moyes' Team Selection Tombola saw Magaye Gueye and Leon Osman come in for the injured Seamus Coleman and dropped Diniyar Bilyaletdinov. Drenthe returned to the bench, where Conor McAleny was preferred to Apostolos Vellios. Tim Cahill and Louis Saha continued in 'attack'.

It's becoming a broken record but we are utterly impotent up front. On Saturday, Saha at least looked half-likely to score - forcing a couple of saves out of the excellent John Ruddy and going inches wide with a first half turn and shot - but Cahill might as well have not been there. The Australian is in an absolutely horrible run of form. He's adding nothing to the team and is snatching at everything he does - be it a half chance like the one laid onto him by Phil Neville in the first 10 minutes, or simply controlling the ball to hold play up. It's looking increasingly like he would benefit from a run as an impact substitute - he was certainly more effective in that role in the wins against Fulham and Blackburn earlier in the season. At the moment, his selection simply isn't working.

So to the game - and as mentioned above, the first 20 minutes was completely one sided. Gueye looked lively, linking well with Baines a few times, but the full-back's delivery was slightly erratic in spells. Fellaini had the first half chance - his shot well smothered by Ruddy - and Osman saw his effort cleared off the line by Russell Martin. Everton were well on top, Tim Howard again with nothing to do - and then, as ever, the opposition score with their first attack. Heitinga gave away a daft free kick, needlessly pulling back Wes Hoolahan, which was lofted into the box. Jagielka made a hash of the header away, and as the ball was prodded back into the box it was controlled by Grant Holt. Heitinga made a powder puff challenge, Tony Hibbert also hesitated slightly, and Holt spun and knocked the ball in off the far post. Bollocks.

The remainder of the first half was slightly laboured and Norwich grew into the game more. Saha had a couple of snapshots - one agonisingly close - but the goal clearly knocked the home side's confidence (again). That's another issue we have at the moment - previous Moyes sides would have just pulled their socks up and gone and got two goals, especially against limited opposition. If this Everton doesn't score early - and we rarely do - they look nervous all game.

No changes at half time, and the second half reverted to type - almost constant Everton pressure, with Norwich breaking when they could as the blues committed men forward. Osman saw a couple of shots well saved by Ruddy and Saha should have done better with a near post header, but the game changed when Moyes introduced his substitutes - first, Denis Stracqualursi replaced Cahill on 60 minutes, then Drenthe for Gueye on 70. Stracqualursi was involved straight away, winning a good header to set Saha through - again Ruddy saved well. The big Argentine has been a bit of a figure of fun this season, but his performance was vastly improved on Saturday. He is still suspect on the floor, but in the air he was strong, aggressive and dominant, against a centre half pairing who had barely been challenged by Cahill. He deserves the praise given to him after the game by Phil Neville, and hopefully can continue to improve.

Drenthe was the real spark, however, and as soon as he came on Everton looked more 'at it'. His speed and skill make him our most potent attacking player and, even if there has been a spat with Moyes, he has to play against Swansea. We just look 100% more likely to score when he's on, and the equaliser duly came, with the Dutchman playing a big part. A decent passing move fed Drenthe on the right. He skinned his full-back, cutting in on his left foot, and shot at goal. The shot was somewhat scuffed, but Leon Osman reacted quickly to redirect it past Ruddy. Nine minutes left, game on.

As an aside, an unnoticed part of the goal was the role of Tony Hibbert, who made a great overlapping run to give Drenthe the space to go at his man. Hibbert's attitude was an example to everyone on Saturday - more than once he took responsibility and carried the ball deep into Norwich's half, trying to keep the ball on the ground too. He even had a half chance after Osman and Baines worked well down the flank, but mis-hit his left-foot shot.

There was only one team looking for the winner after that - Drenthe stung Ruddy's palms with one rising drive, then bamboozled the keeper with a howitzer of a shot which Ruddy somehow blocked up over the bar. A great tackle by Tierney denied Stracqualursi as he bundled through, and McAleny - on as a late sub for Saha - snatched at two late chances. In the end, though, Everton just ran out of time.

When you look at the stats for the game - Everton had 26 shots, for example - it's clear that the Toffees were the dominant side. A home draw against Norwich just isn't good enough, though. Let's be honest, they were rubbish - a limited side with a good attitude and two big forwards who fought for everything - and you have to put those teams away. QPR, Stoke, Norwich at home - 1 point. Crap.

The Swansea game on Wednesday is now absolutely massive. Everton simply have to win, or face the prospect of being right in the dogfight to avoid relegation. Drenthe will surely start and be key to this, and Moyes has a big decision to make in attack, as to whether he perseveres with Cahill. He is well paid to make such decisions, and at the moment - despite the arguments and counter-arguments on the club's finances - both he and his playing staff are under-achieving. This needs to stop, quickly, or there could be some really tricky times ahead.

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Everton - Howard, Hibbert, Baines, Jagielka, Heitinga, Osman, Neville, Fellaini, Gueye, Cahill, Saha
.

Subs - Mucha, Distin, Bilyaletdinov, Stracqualursi, Drenthe, Rodwell, McAleny

MOTM - Hibbert, just, from Osman and Drenthe.

Match Report: Arsenal 1-0 Everton

2011-12-12T13:59:00.000+00:00

In reality, Everton's defeat at the Emirates told us very little we didn't know, on the playing side.

Defensively, we're not too bad. We have a lot of decent, experienced cover and our goalkeeper, back four and defensive midfield are more than good enough to be at the top end of the league. Unfortunately, we are woefully short when it comes to creative and attacking options - and we're certainly lacking the sort of player who can produce the bit of magic that settled this game.

Saturday's game, taken in isolation, isn't too much of a reason to worry. It was pretty dull for the most part, Everton looking comfortable and organised, and looked to be petering out to a 0-0 until Robin Van Persie struck an absolute blinder past Tim Howard on 70 minutes. Of far more concern are some of the tactical decisions being made, however, and we also got a prime example of one of them on Saturday.

Now, I am no Premier League manager and there is no way I could have performed the great job David Moyes has done with Everton since 2002. At the moment, however, some of his decisions are baffling, and the one to switch Saha for Distin on Saturday was a real head-scratcher. You can understand part of it - Moyes clearly wanted Fellaini further forward to try to hold the ball better and Saha was, to put it politely, 'quiet' - but why not, for example, put Vellios or McAleny on and just switch Fellaini and Cahill? As it was, we broke up the centre halves, ended up with Heitinga (Everton's best player on the day, along with Tony Hibbert) and Neville in midfield, and no real attacking options if, as happened, Arsenal pinched one.

It all just seemed a bit unnecessary and ultra-defensive, coming so early in the half. It also seemed partly just to be a way to shoe-horn Distin back into the fold, and there was just no need. The big Frenchman knows he's got to win his place back, but Jagielka and Heitinga have looked good as a partnership recently. Moyes is clearly in one of those periods, which seem to happen every season, where he doesn't know his best team and tries to keep things tight until he figures out what it is. All very frustrating.

The game itself was, in the main, pretty awful, but that suited Everton. Arsenal made a couple of incisive breaks first half - Tony Hibbert did brilliantly, twice, to deny Gervinho, Howard saved well from the same player and Aaron Ramsay shot over when well placed. Everton offered little going forward in the first half - a couple of Saha pot-shots the sum of their efforts - but improved second. First, Vermaelen just got in front of Cahill after Baines whipped in a beautiful cross, then Phil Neville shot onto the roof of the net after Coleman broke forward. In between, Howard again saved well from the lively Theo Walcott.

Everton were having more of the ball at this stage, but the substitution meant that the midfield was sitting far too deep when we were defending. When Alex Song, therefore, picked the ball up just inside the Everton half, we sat off too much and allowed him to chip a ball over the top. Van Persie, who had a yard on Jagielka for the first time really, smashed an absolutely beautiful volley past Howard and in off the post. The American didn't even have time to move - it was a world class goal.

After that, Moyes did ring the changes with Gueye and McAleny coming on, and both looked bright and had half chances to score. McAleny, in particular, is different to anything we have up front at the moment and went very close with a last minute half volley. These are the sort of players that are going to have to be involved more, given the paucity of striking options we have. Again you can understand Moyes's desire to protect them, but it would be nice to see half hour, rather than ten minute, appearances, and a chance for players to get into the game.

Everton now face two massive games before Christmas, at home to Norwich and Swansea. We have to pick up points from both, otherwise the new year could be a long, hard slog. This may force the manager into some difficult decisions - how long can Tim Cahill be allowed to be a non-scoring striker for example? He has to be bold enough to make them.

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Everton - Howard, Hibbert, Baines, Jagielka, Heitinga, Coleman, Neville, Fellaini, Bilyaletdinov, Cahill, Saha.

Subs - Mucha, Distin, Barkley, Stracqualursi, Gueye, Vellios, McAleny

MOTM - Heitinga.

Match Report: Everton 0-1 Stoke City

2011-12-05T11:09:00.000+00:00

Let's get the good points from Sunday out of the way first - the pre-match tribute to Gary Speed was, as always with Everton in these situations - superbly done. I'm sure few will forget the images of the teams walking out to the Welsh national anthem, in almost total silence, and the sight of Speed's father on the pitch, looking utterly destroyed by it all but full of appreciation for what Everton were doing. Well done to all involved at the club.

Unfortunately, whilst that tribute was a fitting one, the subsequent 90 minutes were anything but.

Everton were awful. Truly, truly dire. It's not like we were beaten by a better team, or one who dominated possession. We weren't outdone by a tactical masterstroke from Stoke's coaching team. We can't blame bad luck or a dodgy refereeing decision - though the continued presence of the hopeless Lee Mason refereeing top flight matches is baffling, to say the least. Everton were just so mind-numbingly predictable when trying to create chances that Stoke never looked under any danger of conceding. Dreadful stuff.

David Moyes wasn't helped by Louis Saha - again - picking up a 'not serious' injury which ruled him out. His options were further limited by the continued absence of Royston Drenthe. Now, whatever you think of either player - and Saha's mystery injuries are, putting it nicely, beginning to wear a bit thin - both have that little extra spark of something which is needed to influence games like this. Without them, the game was going to be a grind, and that's exactly what it was.

Apostolos Vellios replaced Saha and it is easy to see why Moyes has been reluctant to start the young striker. His effort was fine, he looked to come and lay the ball off to get moves going, but against a fit, disciplined defence like Stoke's he was too often simply out of the game. This is understandable given his inexperience - hopefully he will benefit from it and learn from the game - but Vellios's strength at the moment seems to be exploiting tired defences as a substitute. Despite the frustration that comes with him, we need Saha fit and quickly.

It's unfair to single out Vellios as there were much more experienced players than him who just didn't turn up on Sunday. The likes of Cahill, Osman and Bilyaletdinov have to take more responsibility in games like this. Cahill in particular is in a bad run of form - he's snatching at chances, trying to over-compensate all the time and desperately needs a goal to try to kick start him. At the moment, however, it doesn't look like happening.

Of course, Cahill's job is made harder by our constant struggle to create anything from midfield. In fact, it's hard trying to think of any Everton chances worth mentioning. Gone were the low, whipped crosses we saw in the second half against Bolton, and in came a load of hopeful, high, aimless loops into the box, which Stoke's team of grocks happily smacked to safety. Bilyaletdinov miscued an early half volley which he should have done better with, Fellaini flicked a header wide on half time and substitute Jack Rodwell should have probably scored in a second half goalmouth scramble. That was about it. Whilst some players - Jagielka, Heitinga, Baines and Fellaini - kept at least trying to drive us forward (the centre halves deserve credit for trying to step in and play the ball to feet as much as possible), others hid a little bit. We cannot afford for even a single player to do that.

Stoke, for their part, came for 0-0 and hoped for a break. They got it on 15 minutes. Leighton Baines - who was willing as ever going forward but had a bad game defensively by his high standards - made a complete hash of a clearance which led to a Stoke corner. The kick was half headed away but no-one had picked up Dean Whitehead on he edge of the box. He fired the ball back in, and Robert Huth diverted it past an unsighted Howard. From there, it was all-out defence and spoiling tactics from Tony Pulis' men - not that you can blame them - and Everton simply didn't have the guile to break them down. It is the sort of game where we desperately miss someone like Steven Pienaar, who can just slip a pass round the corner to create a chance. I'm sure Moyes knows this, but a playmaker and a striker are essential if the supposed January signings are going to materialise.

Moyes now has a big job in getting the players ready for a trip to an in-form Arsenal side. You get the feeling already that there will be changes - I'd be very surprised if Phil Neville didn't come back into the side - but any repeat of this performance and we will get absolutely battered.

Utter rubbish.

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Everton - Howard, Hibbert, Baines, Jagielka, Heitinga, Coleman, Osman, Fellaini, Bilyaletdinov, Cahill, Vellios.

Subs - Mucha, Distin, Neville, Rodwell, Barkley, Stracqualursi, Gueye

MOTM - Jagielka.

Stoke Preview

2011-12-02T13:42:00.000+00:00

You imagine that the majority of the build up to Sunday's game will be dominated by mention of Gary Speed - there is talk of a presentation by former players and the like, and the club normally do this sort of thing superbly - but make no mistake, the visit of Stoke City remains an important game for David Moyes' Everton.

Despite the money they've spent, Stoke remain absolutely horrible. They come to this game on the back of an important win against the useless Blackburn Rovers, but parts of that game were the worst kind of Sunday League shite. It's simple - they will come to Goodison and look to smack long balls at some carthorse like Peter Crouch or Kenwyne Jones, play for set pieces and try to exploit the long throw of Rory Delap. You know what's coming, Everton - deal with it.

That said, the Toffees aren't doing too badly at the moment either. Two wins on the spin and confidence should be high heading into this one. It would be a surprise if Moyes went with anything other than the team which started at Bolton - the one possibility could be Sylvain Distin returning in defence to add that extra bit of height. If we stand up to Stoke, and keep an eye on the good players they do have, such as Etherington and Walters, we should get the result. As a simplistic example, Fellaini and Osman should not fear a midfield of Delap and Glen Whelan. A lot will also depend on players who have, in the past, been questionable in the more 'rough and ready' games - like Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and, most importantly, Louis Saha - he's got to be willing to battle Stoke's mutant back four and hold the ball up for our midfield runners.

This game's all about attitude - if we're tough, a third consecutive win is there for the taking. If we're not, we risk a repeat of the horror show on New Year's Day at the Britannia.

Over to you, Everton.

Last 5 at home to Stoke:

Oct 2010: Everton 1-0 Stoke (FAPL) - Fresh from a comfortable derby win, Everton survive Stoke's alehouse attack and secure the points thanks to a beauty from Yakubu - it was to be the big smiley hunk's last for the club.

Oct 2009: Everton 1-1 Stoke (FAPL) - Everton's stuttering start to the season continues, as despite having the better of the game they fall behind to a Robert Huth goal. Leon Osman quickly equalises, bending an absolutely sublime shot into the top corner, but the Toffees fail to find a winner.

Mar 2009: Everton 3-1 Stoke (FAPL) - With a Wembley appearance on the horizon, Everton comfortably see off the Potters thanks to goals from Jo, Joleon Lescott and the newly dreadlocked Marouane Fellaini.

Nov 1984: Everton 4-0 Stoke (Div 1) - Howard Kendall's title chasers are in a blistering run of form, and dispatch of the soon-to-be-relegated Stoke with goals from Adrian Heath (2), Trevor Steven and a rare Peter Reid effort.

Aug 1983: Everton 1-0 Stoke (Div 1) - With barely a hint of what was to come over the next two years, Kendall's emerging team start the season with a battling 1-0 victory courtesy of young striker Graeme Sharp.

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Bolton V Everton

2011-11-28T10:41:00.002+00:00

Everton's victory over Bolton on Saturday was completely overshadowed the day after by the sad news about Gary Speed.

Speed, a boyhood Evertonian, was signed from Leeds in the summer of 1996 by Joe Royle. He was an instant hit, scoring ten goals in his first season as Everton looked like genuine contenders for a while, before the team faded badly around the time of Royle's departure. The next season, under new boss Howard Kendall, Speed was made captain. His departure that winter was, to say the least, acrimonious and shrouded in secrecy. If the rumour mill is to be believed, Speed could have had a lot to say about the club and more celebrated ex-employees. Tellingly, he has never criticised Everton in the press, however - quite the opposite. The man was clearly a blue.

Here's 5 Gary Speed things:

1. Linking up brilliantly with Ferguson on his debut against Newcastle, and capping it with a trademark goal;

2. Scoring a late headed equaliser at the Kop end, complete with comedy David James dive;

3. Bagging a hat-trick in the 7-1 demolition of Southampton, one of the best Everton performances I've ever seen;

4. A flashing header to win a vital game against Spurs later that season, after Royle's departure;

5. Converting a nerveless penalty in the most pressured of situations the following year, injury time away at Leicester City for a 1-0 win.

RIP to a fellow Evertonian.

Bolton Wanderers 0-2 Everton

Turning to Saturday's game, and Everton put together back to back wins for the first time this season by seeing off the truly awful Bolton Wanderers. There was one change from the Wolves line-up, with Diniyar Bilyaletdinov replacing the injured Royston Drenthe. Distin, Rodwell and Neville were also unfit, so it was really 'bare bones' on the bench - but in the end the Blues never even had to get out of third gear.

The early stages were slightly cagey but Everton were well on top - Coleman looked very lively again and was the first to test Jussi Jaaskelainen after skinning Paul Robinson, before the Bolton keeper also saved well from Phil Jagielka's header. Bolton's sole riposte - amidst the continual hoofed balls to the still horrible Kevin Davies, was a 20 yard drive from Ivan Klasnic which Howard saved well.

Then the game changer - On 20 minutes, Bilyaletdinov, who enjoyed a much improved performance, seized on David Wheater's big grock touch and got clattered by his big grock lunge. It looked a bad one at the time, and TV replays later showed that the referee, Michael Oliver, was spot on in sending Wheater off. Bolton down to ten - advantage Toffeemen, surely.

The remainder of the first half was almost total Everton pressure, but the Blues were guilty of snatching at chances and a bit of impatience in front of goal. Saha, Cahill and Bilyaletdinov all had half chances, and David Moyes noted after the game that he wanted to get them in at half time to change a few things about the approach - presumably a bit more composure and patience in possession. This was clearly evident in the second half, as Everton were much more happy to switch play and move Bolton around - with John Heitinga, who had his best game in a long while, playing a key role with crisp passing from the back to the wings. Everton just looked a bit more 'at it', and a goal soon followed.

It started out on the right - Coleman whipped a peach of a cross in towards Tim Cahill, who was only denied by a fantastic clearing header by his namesake, Gary. Everton quickly switched the play, and some neat interplay between Osman and Baines released Bilyaletdinov. The Russian fizzed in a fantastic low cross and Marouane Fellaini - head and shoulders the best player on the park - slid in to convert. Get in.

Everton continued to push, and apart from a mad 60 seconds where Klasnic had a half chance saved well by Howard, it was more a question of when the second goal came. Saha shot too close to Jaaskelainen after being brilliantly released by Cahill, Osman and Coleman both had deflected shots saved, Cahill went close with a header and there should have been a penalty when Davies - who was also lucky to be on the pitch after a two-footer on Bilyaletdinov in the first half - handled. Maybe a change was needed, and Moyes's switch of Saha for Vellios did the trick.

Another switch of play led to Fellaini finding Baines in space. He sent a beautiful serving delivery to the back post, which the tireless Tim Cahill did brilliantly to cut back, straight onto Vellios's left foot. The young Greek - who you've got to love, he looks completely star struck by it all and his interview about coaching sessions with Big Dunc couldn't fail to raise a smile - made no mistake. There was just time for a lively cameo by Ross Barkley - but in effect that was game over.

Yes, Bolton are awful. Yes, they were down to 10 men. In those circumstances though, all you ask is for Everton to be professional and do the job. This they did, comfortably, and secured another three points. It would be churlish to criticise, but we have to expect a much tougher test when that other set of horrible grocks, Stoke City, visit next week.

COYB

calcioEFC

Everton - Howard, Hibbert, Baines, Jagielka, Heitinga, Coleman, Osman, Fellaini, BilyaletdinovCahill, Saha.

Subs - Mucha, Mustafi, McAleny, Barkley, Vellios, Stracqualursi, Gueye

Goals - Fellaini (49), Vellios (78)

MOTM - Fellaini.

Bolton Preview

2011-11-25T21:34:00.000+00:00

After breaking up a run of bad results with three hard fought points against Wolves, Everton travel to another team having a horrible season, Bolton Wanderers.

At this point it is obligatory to say 'yes it was over the line, but it was a foul on Southall and you had 36 other games to sort yourselves out, you bulbs'.

The arse seems to have completely fallen out of Owen Coyle's men this season. This looks to be a combination of a few things - they have been desperately unlucky with injuries to their best players, Stuart Holden and Chung-Yong Lee, but are also paying the price for over-reliance on 'babysitting' loans for the likes of Jack Wilshere and Daniel Sturridge in recent years. Those sort of loans, which David Moyes never seems to go for (the link to Lukaku this week was utterly absurd, given that he couldn't play for us this season anyway), undermine the idea of building a team, and certainly, without Sturridge, Bolton look like a much lesser threat.

That said, this game will be far from a walkover. Bolton are still big, tough and horrible and Everton, as Tim Howard has already anticipated in interviews this week, are in for a scrap. Sylvain Distin will surely come in if fit, and you get the feeling Moyes will want Jack Rodwell in there too to add more height and athleticism. If the Toffees can get their heads down and play their game, however, the game is there for the taking. Confidence should have been boosted by the Wolves result, if not the performance, and whoever plays in our midfield - Fellaini, Osman or Rodwell - should be able to get hold of Nigel Reo-Coker and Fabrice Muamba.

Another three points please, Everton.

Last 5 at Bolton:

Feb 2011: Bolton 2-0 Everton (FAPL) - Anything on Saturday has got to be better than this. Everton turn in 90 minutes of utter dross which Moyes describes as one of the worst of his time at the club. He's not wrong.

Oct 2009: Bolton 3-2 Everton (FAPL) - Fresh from a battering at Benfica, Everton are two down in no time but come back to level with crackers from Louis Saha and Marouane Fellaini. A couple of missed chances and some horrible defending later, however, and the Toffees dip to an Ivan Klasnic goal.

Oct 2008: Bolton 0-1 Everton (FAPL) - A truly awful game where absolutely nothing happens is settled by emerging cult hero Marouane Fellaini's injury time header. Christ it was cold that night.

Sept 2007: Bolton 1-2 Everton (FAPL) - Everton secure an early lead through new record signing Yakubu on debut, before Bolton equalise through a Nicolas Anelka howitzer. The returning Thomas Gravesen then takes centre stage, sticking a perfect corner onto the head of Joleon Lescott for a last minute decider, before going bonkers in front of the travelling Evertonians and lashing Lucozade bottles everywhere. Loon.

Apr 2007: Bolton 1-1 Everton (FAPL) - Everton continue their push for a UEFA Cup place as James Vaughan, playing the best football of his Everton career, scores an equaliser before, typically, rupturing an artery in a second half challenge.

calcioEFC

Everton V Wolves - Match Report

2011-11-21T15:13:00.002+00:00

It's stating the obvious but it's true - after Everton's recent run of defeats, the result - not the performance - was the most important thing on Saturday. Wolves came to Goodison on the back of a good home win, and despite some obvious nervousness Everton managed to get the job done with an ugly win, albeit a deserved one.

Whilst a few hundred are determined to make off the field matters the focus of attention, Saturday was all about matters on the pitch.

Fans' Rights Movement: 'The standard of trainers amongst us has dropped significantly during Kenwright's tenure'

Make no mistake, this was a massive game, and losing it just didn't bear thinking about. David Moyes had revealed some injury problems, and whilst Phil Neville and Sylvain Distin's absence wasn't too much of a surprise, the revelation that Jack Rodwell has a rib injury was. The young midfielder has been much improved in recent weeks, and his impressive England performances suggested a surge in confidence that Everton would benefit from. It wasn't to be, and we can only hope the injury is not as serious as Moyes has warned.

With Everton down to the proverbial bare bones, therefore, Osman partnered Fellaini in midfield, with Coleman and Drenthe wide and Cahill behind Saha up front. Options on the substitutes bench looked particularly sparse, but even so, it was fucking Wolves. Surely, SURELY we'd have enough for them.

The game kicked off with Everton looking slightly cagey and pressured, and Wolves adopting the 'we'll take 0-0 thank you very much' formation. We always seem to struggle when teams do that, and were guilty at times of being impatient and rushing possession. Phil Jagielka - superb defensively - betrayed his lack of training time with far too many aimless long balls, and Tony Hibbert - again, sound at the back and as ever showing a top notch attitude - was equally wasteful. We don't create much, and whilst that's not the Huyton Cafu's fault, we can't afford for five or six crosses from good positions to float gently into the goalkeepers hands. His crossing's been better this season - hopefully this was a blip.

Everton improved towards the middle of the half with Saha and Cahill holding the ball up better and getting early balls out wide. Drenthe and Osman both flashed dangerous crosses in from the left, and Saha went closest when Cahill linked up with the impressive Coleman - the Frenchman's shot slamming into the turf and saved well by Hennessey. It wasn't free flowing dominance, but Everton were comfortably the better side with Tim Howard almost a spectator.

So what happened next? Wolves scored. Course they fucking did.

After a laboured piece of possession down the Wolves left, We again failed to stop a cross - one of the most annoying parts of this season - David Edwards got onto it, Fellaini stuck out a leg, penalty. It looked nailed on at first glance, and whilst TV replays suggested contact was minimal, we couldn't really have too many complaints. Stephen Hunt gave Howard no chance with the kick.

Frankly, it was difficult to see us scoring two from that point. The game was typically Everton this season - dominating possession without looking too dangerous, then a couple of daft mistakes and we're behind and chasing the game. It was a welcome relief, therefore, that the equaliser came quickly. Cahill was stupidly fouled by Roger Johnson, Baines whipped in a peach of a free kick and Jagielka headed past Hennessey. Thank fuck for that.

With only two minutes to go to half time, that seemed to be that for the first half, but in truth Everton should have gone in ahead. First, a brilliant lay-off by Louis Saha sent Drenthe through, but Christophe Berra recovered well to block his shot at the last minute. From the resulting corner, Hennessey saved well from Fellaini and Cahill was dragged down by Karl Henry in the area. Now, Joey Barton is right about very few things, but he's got Henry spot on - he's absolute garbage. Inexplicably though, the referee waved away the Everton protests. 1-1 at half time.

Having regained the momentum, you hoped that Everton would push on second half. Did they? Did they shite. It was turgid and laboured, and whilst we were never in trouble of conceding again - Howard must have been freezing - we only sporadically looked threatening. Cahill missed an absolute sitter after Coleman again barged down the right wing and Saha flicked on, and a couple of speculative efforts from Fellaini and Drenthe found the Upper Gwladys. When Moyes switched Cahill for Vellios (correctly), we looked more balanced - the young striker does the simple things really well, hold the ball up, lay it off, get in the box - and gradually the pressure increased. A series of corners led to another fantastic block by Berra to deny Saha, and from the next kick the Frenchman was barged by Stephen Ward - penalty. Both managers described it as 'soft' - fair enough - but it was also a stupid challenge by Ward, especially given the Henry one previously. Just about a pen then, and Baines made no mistake.

The expected barrage from Wolves never really materialised, and in truth Everton saw out the game pretty comfortably, with the exception of one free kick which Jamie O'Hara put wide.

Bilyaletdinov replaced Drenthe and apparently there were some boos from the hard-of-thinking areas of our support - and to state the obvious again, we all know the Russian's faults but really, it's just fucking stupid and pointless.

Not the hammering we all wanted then but three points to start this run of winnable games that we have coming up. Bolton next.

calcioEFC

Everton - Howard, Hibbert, Baines, Jagielka, Heitinga, Coleman, Osman, Fellaini, Drenthe, Cahill, Saha.

Subs - Mucha, Mustafi, Bilyaletdinov, Barkley, Vellios, Stracqualursi, Gueye

Goals - Jagielka (43), Baines (pen 83)

MOTM - Coleman.

Everton - Post West Brom

2010-11-29T13:24:00.000+00:00

Saturday 27^th November is for me the bleakest day Everton have experienced under the 8 years, 8 months of David Moyes’ management.

Moyes has been absolutely fantastic for Everton. The team, squad, and Club as a whole is vastly improved when compared to what he inherited upon arrival.

Evertonian expectations are now to be challenging for European football every season and at the very least making the latter stages of each competition we enter, all while playing entertaining and fluid football.

That those expectations are so far removed from merely hoping to avoid relegation under Walter Smith is clearly a result of the players we now have at Everton and the relative success of Moyes’ reign to date.

Hopes hadn’t been so high ahead of a season for at least 15 years before this one got underway. It is for that reason that the limp showing we have experienced so far, culminating in the West Brom horror show has been so crushing.

I wrote after our initial 5 league games and defeat to Brentford, that I was personally never going to allow myself to be suckered into believing Everton could become a powerful force again.

The following 5 games produced 3 win and 2 draws, with only 1 goal conceded. That this sequence included the dismantling of Liverpool only served to increase a slowly emerging feel-good factor. In truth, that run never had any sense of permanency about it.

After those first five games I conceded that I’d allowed myself to be blinded to the deficiencies in our squad, and they were very much still present five matches later.

At that early stage of the season I still believed that David Moyes was the right man to manage Everton. The events of yesterday lead me to think, for the first time, that that is no longer the case.

Waking to see quotes attributed to the manager suggesting that he would welcome David Beckham for a new year loan spell set alarm bells ringing.

That Moyes sees Beckham as a viable option for his squad goes against everything he has tried to change at the club. We are no longer a retirement home for a famous name seeking a final bout of publicity, or a top up of their obscene bank balance.

This is the manager that inherited Gascoigne and Ginola and had no interest in working with them. Experienced players have worked on occasion. Stubbs and Weir were vital for Moyes when we finished 4^th, but he’s always known when to move them on.

The misguided idea that Beckham could be what this current Everton side need serves only to confirm in my mind that Moyes has no clear idea what he wants to do with this squad of players.

An endearing feature of Moyes’ management has been an ability to learn from mistakes very quickly. This season the same mistakes are being made time and again.

Team selections have no consistency, players are being played out of position, and the tactics employed are failing to bring the best from those players we have capable of winning games.

Focusing on recent games there is much to be confused about.

Why has John Heitinga been continually employed in the centre of midfield? He is clearly uncomfortable in the position, is lazy, and plays with an alarming lack of responsibility. His woeful showing against Arsenal should have seen him dropped, yet he’s started both the following games.

Having Heitinga alongside him must be hindering Mikel Arteta. The Spaniard is clearly out of form and it is to be hoped he returns after his suspension more like the player we were delighted signed a contract to stay for the next 5 years.

That will be more likely if he doesn’t have a headless chicken inadequately performing the holding role intended to free Arteta to play higher up the pitch, where he can hurt opponents.

Rodwell should have replaced Heitinga against West Brom. He’s not a natural ‘holding’ player at the moment. He is, however, a footballer of far greater ability than Heitinga. Moyes is forever telling us that Rodwell should be in England squads. If you think he’s that good then pick him, and not on the right of midfield in a half-hearted attempt to squeeze him into the side.

Saha coming into the side to replace Yakubu when the Nigerian finally looked as if he was rediscovering his form of two years ago was incredible. How he then kept his place after an awful display against Bolton only compounded the error.

The inconsistent treatment of Seamus Coleman is increasingly confusing. The Irishman has clearly been our most effective player wide on the right this season, yet Moyes is alarmingly reluctant to offer any public praise of the player. He was inexplicably left out against Bolton, before completely changing the tone of the game when he came on. Replacing Coleman with Anichebe on Saturday defied belief.

Speaking of right sided players, takes us to Tony Hibbert. I loved watching Hibbert when he first broke into the side. Hard as nails, combative, and extremely good at his prime job, defending, he was a perfect fit for the difficult to beat side Moyes was building. Now, robbed of any pace and confidence by illness and injury during the past few years he has no place in any Everton team.

I’m never the most confident ahead of a match, but my sense of foreboding when I see Hibbert’s name on the teamsheet reaches new heights. His recent receipt of a contract until 2014 was staggering.

Moyes isn’t being helped by the poor form of some players he has come to rely on. Tim Howard is treading a very fine line, between good ‘keeper prone to the occasional rick, and liability. Since Howard has been with us we have never had anyone capable of putting any real pressure on his place in the team.

Jagielka is horribly out of form. I’ve never been totally convinced of him in the way others have, but there’s no doubting that when he’s fit and performing to his best he’s vital to Everton.

Everton at the back look vulnerable to the extreme. An individual running at them, or any ball played into the box is a cause of panic and a near miss, or increasingly often, a goal.

Beckford is the only forward we have capable of turning opponents defenders towards their own goal. The last minute chance at Sunderland, however horrible a miss, was the first time we got behind them with any pace all night.

Despite this, he is clearly not ready to be a regular forward in a Premier League side with designs on competing at the top. It is the manager’s fault that we’ve gone into this season with an abundance of creative players who can play some beautiful football, and not one striker that can be relied upon to score goals, let alone appear with any regularity.

The £10m signing making a Russian shaped dent in our bench is becoming a bigger elephant in the room every week. Moyes’ signings are subject to intense scrutiny, such is the scarcity of money at the club, but that is an aspect of the job he, along with the vast majority of managers in the league has to accept.

Biyaletdinov is fast becoming the player I, and I’m guessing many others, look at and think, ‘what could we have bought with that £10m?’, not to mention of course that around the same time £6m went on Heitinga.

Moyes’ attitude towards Steven Pienaar is baffling. The South African is currently our best player, and certainly one of the outstanding individuals at the club. To openly concede he’s likely to leave, while making what appears little effort to keep him makes no sense whatsoever.

Pienaar is one of the few players that can be relied upon to keep the ball, and his link up play with Baines on the left offers the only consistent incisiveness the side has.

What was especially perturbing after the West Brom debacle was Moyes’ willingness to concentrate on the refereeing the preceded Arteta’s sending off.

There was clearly a foul on Baines, and on Arteta which he then reacted to. To lament that this cost Everton the chance of getting back and winning the match is to ignore what’s going on in front of the manager’s eyes.

He refers to how we were seeking to overturn a two goal lead at the time, and that we clearly weren’t being ‘carved open’ as both goals were from set-pieces.

Well, that’s alright then. It’s OK to concede goals in that manner, and being 2-0 down to West Brom within half an hour isn’t a worry.

For years we have witnessed Everton having to grind out every victory they earned. There have been signs during the past few seasons that this may be changing. Lesser teams were coming to Goodison and being brushed aside in a manner verging on contempt.

Many Evertonians-me included-thought that pattern would continue this season. West Brom are a good side, but they are exactly the sort of opposition that we hoped to see soundly beaten on their visit to the old lady this season. That they walked away with such a comfortable victory was the greatest example yet of the contrast between our hopes-and in many cases, expectations- for the season and what has actually unfolded.

Moyes looks tired and he is exuding a defensive persona, unwilling to accept responsibility for Everton’s dire form. Most strikingly, he doesn’t appear to have a clear idea of how to turn that form around.

David Moyes has done a fantastic job at Everton. As I’ve stated, he is largely responsible for raising the expectation levels that aren’t being met. Most importantly he has given Everton back our respect, something that was eroding-save for a brief, exciting period under Joe Royle-since we last won the League title in 1987.

As well as the dud signings I’ve mentioned there have been some excellent purchases. In the current side alone; Cahill, Arteta, Pienaar, Fellaini, and Baines are excellent footballers.

Moyes’ time at Everton, I think, has simply come to an end.

Who could replace him? No one stands out.

Bill Kenwright will have an extremely difficult job selecting the right man. The size of that task shouldn’t deter him from making the decision that needs to be made. He got his appointment spot on in March 2002, and should be confident of doing so again.

I can’t imagine Hiddink or Guardiola will be rushing to take a job with a team currently sitting 16^th in the league, and paying wages somewhat below those to which they may be accustomed.

The usual old names would, I’m sure, be trumpeted. Martin O’Neil, Dave Jones, Martin Jol. No thanks.

Whoever any new manager may be he would inherit a squad that has a very good side within it, and includes some exceptional players.

It is a squad that needs fresh ideas, and a man that has no pre-conceived ideas about any of them. A fresh, knowledgeable pair of eyes is required to start getting the best out of what we have, and to bring in the players this team is crying out for.

Sure, we would benefit from cover right across the defence, and in the middle of the field. A wide right player would appear imperative, but given a proper opportunity I believe that Coleman could develop into an excellent performer in that position.

For me, the absolute priority is to bring in a ‘keeper who is a viable alternative to Howard, and most definitely another striker, possibly two. If a new manager was given the opportunity to purchase these players he would be presented a strong hand with which to start.

This is no knee-jerk reaction. I’m a big fan of David Moyes and I’m sure he’ll go on and be successful elsewhere. Quite simply, however, his work at Everton is finished. It is time for him, and Everton, to move on.

This is a crucial time for Everton. Changing manager after nearly 9 years is a huge decision, and one, if I’m honest, I’m glad I don’t have to make. It is the right thing to do. Over to you Bill.

Paul McNamara

West Brom Match Report

2010-11-29T13:17:00.000+00:00

Everton 1 West Brom 4

Well, pick the fucking bones out of that.

We seem to have a run like this every year, where the manager doesn't know his best side and consequently the team's form is laboured at best - the odd win here and there but generally struggling -until Moyes hits on a formation (usually after a couple of injuries and suspensions) which gets us together. One of the worst parts of these runs is that you always get the impression that a real twat of a result is on the way. On Saturday it arrived with bells on.

Everton were dire. Really, really fucking awful. You can point to a few moments of bad luck or judgment from our players or the referee, but there is no excuse for a performance like that. They got exactly what they deserved and, with Chelsea to come next week, need to get themselves in gear quickly, or risk being into the dogfight at the bottom of the table.

David Moyes made another baffling team selection, bringing in the desperately unfit Victor Anichebe for one of the players who has been in-form, Seamus Coleman. In addition, Yakubu came in for Louis Saha, dropped after his human statue impression at the Stadium of Light, and Tony Hibbert replaced the injured Phil Neville.

It was one of those games where the ex-Man Utd man's importance becomes horribly clear. It's no coincidence that our form dips when he's out of the side - the defence looks shakier, the team looks completely disorganised and there seems to be no-one willing to take up the mantle of actually trying to lead by example. Neville has his critics - he's not the most technically gifted by a long shot - but he is vital to the team. We need him back, let's hope the injury isn't serious.

As seems to always be the case this season, Everton started brightly - Mikel Arteta looked a bit more 'at it' than recently, Pienaar and Baines were bright as ever, and Anichebe forced a good save from Scott Carson in the opposition goal. In fact, when you look at the first 20 minutes or so it was played almost exclusively in West Brom's half - but then, as always seems the case this season, the self-destruct button was pressed and Everton gave away another stupid goal.

An Everton attack broke down and, while Anichebe appealed for a free kick instead of getting up and getting the fuck on with things, West Brom hacked a high ball down the left. Phil Jagielka - who is another who has been way off form recently - let it drift over his head and gave away a pretty needless corner. From the resulting kick, no-one picked up arch-hank Paul Scharner, and he who always scores against us planted a free header into the net. The focus of criticism has been on the strikers recently - defensively, this goal was as bad as it gets.

Everton looked shaken and the visitors began to assert themselves on the game, running things in midfield where Everton's trio - Cahill, who looked like he had a cob on, Arteta, who is never fully fit in a million years and whose confidence looks shot, and Heitinga, who is simply not arsed in the slightest - were anonymous. Arteta forced another good save from Carson from a free kick, but within minutes Everton were two down. There seemed to be no real danger as West Brom built slowly midway into the Everton half, but then Cahill went flying in to one of those stupid fouls you can see coming a mile off. Chris Brunt stepped up and lashed a great free-kick into the top corner. There were some murmurings about Tim Howard's positioning - the kick was a hell of a long way out - but, bottom line, it was a needless and pointless foul by Cahill, which was punished. As a senior player, he should know better.

That said, it's hard to have a go at the player who is our only goal threat at the moment. The second goal did seem to kick Everton into gear, and from a Baines corner Cahill sent a trademark header into the corner of the net - game on. The momentum was definitely with Moyes' men, and another Baines corner somehow sneaked past the post with Distin and Heitinga both in close attendance. Half-time came with the game very much in the balance.

The second half began with Everton still in the ascendancy and Moyes replaced Heitinga (who stunk the place out and got a less-than-warm reception from the supporters) and Yakubu with Saha and Beckford. Nothing wrong with bringing attacking players on at all - indeed it nearly worked - but by this time Anichebe was knackered and Coleman may have been a better option. As it was, a minute of utter madness flipped the game on its head shortly afterwards.

First, Pienaar and Arteta combined and the little South African spotted a great run by Beckford, playing a cute through ball into the area. One-on-one, this was the sort of chance that we were promised that the ex-Leeds man would put away in his sleep - as it was he put it too close to Carson, who got a hand to it which allowed a defender to hack the ball off the line. As the ball dropped, Baines went up for a header only to be clattered by Gonzalo Jara. It looked a nasty one - definitely a foul, probably a yellow or even worse - but the hapless Lee Mason gave nothing. Jara then went flying in on Arteta - again it looked a foul - but nothing was given. In the ensuing scramble, Arteta 'did a Fellaini' and stupidly aimed a stamp at the Chilean full back. He made little contact, but a couple of West Brom flew at the referee to get involved - something we should have done after the challenge on Baines - and the inevitable red card followed.

Arteta's form is a real problem. He looks scared of making a mistake and rumours keep going round that he's playing on injections. Certainly, he hasn't been the same since missing the game at Spurs with a hamstring problem - is it sorted? Is he narked about something off the pitch? We probably won't find out, and maybe three games out will do him good. Whatever, and however much contact he made with Jara, it was a stupid thing to do with the game in the balance and Everton on top of possession. Another senior player who should know better.

Even with a man down, the chances still came - Beckford in particular had two more at 2-1, which should have brought us level, and both were horribly spurned. He's looked better in his approach play recently, and is getting into goalscoring positions, but those chances need to be taken. Both at Sunderland and on Saturday, missing easy chances have contributed to us losing points. Not good enough.

The game stretched from there and Everton's threat petered out. West Brom replaced Jerome Thomas - who'd given Hibbert a torrid time already - with Somen Tchoyi, who absolutely ripped him to shreds. The big Cameroon winger cut in to score an excellent third, and then contributed in the move which saw Youssuf Mulumbu, possibly West Brom's man of the match, turn in a fourth off Sylvain Distin. In the dying seconds, Mulumbu was harshly sent off for two bookings, but by then those that remained were simply waiting to let the team know what they thought of the 'performance'.

Utter shite. The attitude of some of the players absolutely stinks - Heitinga chief among them - whilst others, like Arteta and Jagielka, are horribly out of form. You have to question, however, some of the manager's decisions also. We've not been at our most fluent at all this season but he did have a team which was picking up points, even if we should have won some more games, like the one away at Blackpool. Why change it then? Why fuck about for the Bolton game? Why drop Coleman (twice) when he's playing well, and Yakubu, who was contributing significantly, the first chance he got, for the dis-interested Saha? Even more worryingly, why have we stopped closing teams down and getting stuck in? There seems to be this perception that we're trying to be like Arsenal - let's stick to being Everton first and foremost, as we're being outfought at every turn at the moment.

We go to Chelsea on Saturday with some really big decisions to make. Hopefully Neville will be back, and Fellaini will go into midfield to add some steel. Surely Jack Rodwell will join him in there, and Coleman will return on the right. If Everton are organised and strong, they can get something from the game - Chelsea showed on Sunday that they're not to be feared at the moment, particularly in midfield. Let's get into them and show a bit of heart - it's always been the bedrock of Moyes' teams - we need it back.

calcioEFC

Sunderland Match Report

2010-11-23T09:40:00.000+00:00

Did he really just miss that?.......''I like Everton, they're definitely one of the better teams in the league, they've been in the premier league since day dot and that’s what we've aimed for and I think we’re getting there'' - Steve Bruce. Errr yeah, sorry about the errrrm.... ''Giant Cauliflower head'' jibe and that pal. It’s almost December and Everton are in 14th position and Sunderland are in 7th. Nice to get sugar coated pleasantries from managers after games and that, but another games rumbled by and it's a case of what might have been, damn you and your tattooed neck Jermaine, damn you.

On a positive note, it was nice to get some sort of performance from the side even if the result didn’t reflect our marginal dominance. Did i just type that? Don’t worry, i know what i mean. This purposeful contest between two well matched teams sparked into life after just 6 minutes, when Leighton Baines swept in a veritable peach of a cross right onto the most lauded Antipodean bronzed fod in the game. GOALSCORE! Almost before any of us could start reaching for our Cahill 1-0 betting slips to check we'd written it down right, Bouid-Budd....Beudw.....err Zenden, did a decent (fattish)Lionel Messi impression and left Pienaar flat on his arse and Baines(on corners now too!) a little bit confused before cutting back for Welbeck to stab home at the near post.

Ah well, loads of time to put it right, c'mon Blues. Cahill had another header cleared off the line by the annoying, pre-pubescent, canine faced Henderson before the referee finally blew up for half time and probably a welcome respite from a growing Sunderland threat. Unsurprisingly, the most stark contrast in the game was the two teams forwards lines. Every ball passed back towards Distin, Jagielka or Howard was feverishly chased down by either Darren Bent or Danny Welbeck, which seemed to fire up their team mates for the cleared second ball, the home support to put our players under a bit of pressure and generally to lead from the front. Whereas with Everton, Saha continued contributing almost frig all, the odd defensive header apart, it's hard to actually pinpoint exactly what he's bringing to the side at the moment. He genuinely offers no attacking threat at all, none, nothing, nowt.

The second half got underway, with Everton shading possession in the opening exchanges and generally flattering to deceive. Predictably these days though, Cattermole released an offside Kieran Richardson down the right to possibly whip in an even better cross than Baines for Cahill in the first half. Welbeck, who looks like that Giraffe in Madagascar who Ross off friends does the voice for, jumped highest and weighted his header nicely to lob the advancing Howard and Everton defenders. Ah well, loads of time to put it right, c'mon Blues. And they did. The changes were made, Saha off for Yakubu and Heitinga off for Beckford. With it immediately putting Sunderland on the back foot, Everton passed it neatly, like they can, in threatening areas, like they can, just awaiting someone to WEBB IT purposefully towards goal, and he did, the swarthy little frigger. Arteta who was quiet and wasteful throughout, hit his shot which caught a wicked deflection and evaded the perma apologetic Craig Gordon to level things.

With not long left and both teams not wanting to lose a tightly fought affair, things became a little more cautious with defences sat deeper and inviting a bit of pressure onto themselves. Sunderland's final effort came from Welbeck looking for his hatrick, he seemed to snatch at the ball when he should have squared to a completely unmarked Bent who could have tapped it home if he liked, leaving the large away support mopping their brows and thinking a point now is just fine by them..............until, with barely seconds left in added on time, Jagielka punted the ball forward to Beckford, who cleverly held off his man, timed his run to perfection and bared in one on one with a petrified looking, already committed Scotsman, inexplicably though, rather than just poking it over him, he conspired to welly a rising drive up and over the bar, for what would have been a vital 3 points for him and his team, not to mention a place amongst the hearts of some of his hard to please detractors. Who in this instance will tell you he missed that cos he's shite, and that’s it. Rather than it possibly being something to do with him not getting hardly any time on the pitch, with a strike partner natch.

Two up front against West Brom please Dave, three points wouldn’t go amiss either.

Juice Terry

Sunderland Preview

2010-11-22T10:59:00.000+00:00

Off we go to The Stadium of Light then, lying in 16th position, a point off the bottom three and a win away from the top half of the table. As has consistently been said, it's been a weird old season thus far, with back to back wins from any frigger putting them into contention for something, be it staying up, Europe, Champions League, the title....delete as applicable.

Sunderland will probably be quite happy with their season, where, apart from being comprehensively snotted by their closest rivals at St James park, have strung a few decent games together and sit in 7th after handing out their own snotting last week, to the League Champions no less. Bah!

Old Chod Head himself, Steve 'Cauliflower' Bruce, has a bit of knack of picking up decent players from relative obscurity and seemingly turning them into a running, tackling, goal scoring adverts for other ''bigger'' clubs, which was all very well at Wigan, but now he's at a side who's supporters(and owners may it be noted) probably wouldn't stand for any of that, well, not like it very much anyway. Either way, his managerial style seems to be quite suited to the team he's at these days.

You cant argue with some of the players he's picking at the moment who are doing the business for him. Eyebrows a plenty were raised when Asamoah Gyan arrived for a club record fee, with simplistic bordering on racialist whispers of him being ''an athelete'' not ''a Goalscorer'' has him sat on 3 times as many goals as Everton entire forward line. Ah well, the real stickler in their side is always Darren Bent, who could return tonight from injury by the way.

You look at him and his record at every team he's played for and think ''Shitting Hell Everton, we could have had that twat for frig all...'', I'm referring to the time were incidentally, another vegetable headed fellow called Joe, apparently offered him to the blues for a bag of used Bellefield balls. Suffice to say, he's the type of centre forward Everton are crying out for, with Yakubu and Saha being two of the most enigmatic, lazy, talented footballing conundrums that have ever wore the Royal Blue.

In terms of our injuries, we've got one or two ourselves and Fellaini is serving the second of his 3 match ban. But when you look at it, especially with the record we have against them in the last few years, 10 wins in 12, you still think a sneaky little away win isn't out of the question even with the way we are playing. It wont be easy though, the likes of Cattermole, Onuha, Henderson and Wellbeck will make us work for it, but come on Everton, let's do these.

It would be nice to see Moyes not trying to be too cute with his team selection as well tonight, knowing and putting his strongest team out(stop laughing at the back!) and possibly being a bit more proactive with his substitutions should it be needed.

A win tonight then what on paper looks like a home banker(yikes!) against West Brom on the weekend would be just the welcome we need for Landon Donovan's mid season arrival from The Galaxy....YER WHA? Like I said, let's do these.

Up th Toffees!

Juice Terry

Match Report - Arsenal

2010-11-15T21:48:00.000+00:00

Well, it’s Monday, I’m off work and very hungover so I thought to myself how hard can it be, I will write a brief match report.

Everton had a chance to get up the league and head into what looked like 2 winnable games (whatever they are) against West Brom and Sunderland in a good position.

Everton started ok, with the highlight of the opening 15 minutes or so a Seamus Coleman foray down the right flank which saw him fly past Fabregas at full pelt and pick out the one person you would have wanted it to fall to - Tim Cahill - unmarked in the box. Tim unusually headed over when unmarked in the area, but it was great direct play from Coleman, and i hoped it was a sign of things to come.

Sadly after that, it just didn’t happen. Arsenal turned the screw, and John Heitinga charged around a lot and gave away a few free kicks for petulant fouls, Mikel Arteta continued his poor form by seemingly not wanting the ball, and when he did have it, doing his best Lucas Leiva impression of moving it on sideways, and Louis Saha, who somehow kept his place in the side, not really offering anything up top.

Arsenal took the lead in the 36th minute, Samir Nasri cut inside Pienaar, and got a shot off from the edge of the box which was saved by Howard, the rebound somehow ended up being worked to Bacary Sagna inside the box, Mikel Arteta just watched and threw in a token jog back and stick your leg out gesture as the right back slapped it past Howard at his near post. Good finish, but surely Arteta should have been breaking himself to stop the effort, and Howard will be disappointed at his part in it, beaten at the near post is never a win for a keeper.

We all hoped for an Everton response, but in all truth it never occurred. Howard Webb made a few bad decisions which incensed the home crowd, but that glosses over the fact we were never really looking good enough.

Rodwell replaced Heitinga at the start of the second half, with the Dutchman looking a cert for a red card, but it never made a difference. Arsenal at times strolled through the middle, and it wasn’t really a shock when after a neat passage of play and a few 1-2 passes ,the ball fell to Fabregas on the edge of the box who finished easily.

Moyes responded by bringing on Jermain Beckford and Yakubu for Phil Neville and Arteta. But all this really did was negate our most effective attacking force in Coleman as he moved to right back, and left all 3 of the strikers making the same runs and generally looking a bit blunt. Anyway, we still rallied a bit and Tim Cahill, who as always kept on going, got a late goal which kept up the hope of a grand stand man utd-esqe finish. But it never really looked like happening, Fabianski saved well, but comfortably, from a Beckford and Saha effort, and that was it.

At the end I was left with more questions than answers once more. What is going on with Arteta? He used to be taking the ball from the centre backs, always going forward, trying to create, but in recent weeks our talisman looks a shadow of the player we know he is. I’m sure it’s only a dip in form, everyone has them, but we really need him to start firing. Saha starting is another one. The Yak was starting to look like more of the player he used to be, bringing others into the game, barging defenders out the way aots, and generally beginning to look ace again in spells. Yet he now finds himself ousted for Saha, who looks like he doesn’t care, doesn’t link play anywhere near aswell as the robust Nigerian, and for my money shouldn’t be starting games.

Several of our big guns are not firing, and frankly we need them to. As in this tight league, it’s going to be important to go into Christmas in a decent position. If we harbour any hopes of top 7 and a return to the glamour of the Europa League, we need to start winning games. Not drawing, not losing, but winning.

Bluelordloverocket

The Great War 1914-15

2010-11-15T12:03:00.000+00:00

Brave British soldier. Not afraid to die.

Everton Football Club

A Great War chronicle

Introduction

On the morning of Tuesday, 25 August 1914, eight days prior to the start of what would be Everton’s second title‑winning season, Private William Thorpe, a thirty‑six‑year‑old Liverpudlian serving with the King’s Own Lancaster Regiment, experienced his Great War baptism of fire in a fierce clash with German units just north of Haucourt, France. At the end of that day his regiment had lost fourteen officers and 431 other ranks killed, wounded or missing out of a total strength of twenty-six officers and 974 men. One of the missing was William Thorpe, fit and well, but now hopelessly stranded behind enemy lines in unfamiliar territory east of the River Somme. In due course, he would, with six other fugitive British soldiers, find sanctuary, hidden in the bosom of French families in the village of Villeret, Picardy. However, their presence there would eventually be betrayed to the Germans, and at dawn on 16 May 1916 Private William Thorpe and two of his comrades were captured hiding in a barn. On 20 May 1916 they were tried as spies in nearby Le Câtelet, the administration headquarters of the local German occupation forces, and sentenced to death by firing squad. Six days later, on 26 May 1916, the superior German military authorities at Saint-Quentin confirmed the sentences, and the three British soldiers were duly executed at 03.00 p.m. the next day, 27 May 1916. In his farewell letter to his wife and three small children Private William Thorpe, completely overwhelmed by emotion and grief, managed to pen just three agonized phrases: ‘Darling wife and children. Brave British soldier. Not afraid to die.’ Over and over and over again.

In his book A Foreign Field, Ben Macintyre depicts the execution of Private William Thorpe and his two comrades, Private Thomas Donohoe, an Irishman from County Cavan, and Private David Martin, an Ulsterman from Belfast, both serving in the Royal Irish Fusiliers, as follows: “Before they were bound to the posts, the three men shook hands. David Martin was lashed to the middle post, with Thorpe at his left shoulder and Donohoe to his right. None wore blindfolds. […] Then the firing squad of twelve men stepped forward. […] When the executioners opened fire, the two other men were killed instantly, but [William Thorpe] was only wounded. So, in silence, without any supplication, he lifted up three fingers of one hand, spread apart, to signify that he had three young children. The commander of the firing squad walked up to him and finished him off with a revolver bullet in the ear.”

It is to the memory of Private William Thorpe and his two comrades, all three of whom are buried in Le Câtelet cemetery, that this Great War chronicle of Everton’s 1914/15 Championship campaign is dedicated.

On the football front, a 1:0 defeat at Chelsea on Saturday, 25 April 1914 had brought the curtain down on Everton’s disappointing 1913/14 campaign, which saw the Toffees finish fifteenth, four places lower than the previous season, which had been even more disappointing still given Everton’s promising second‑place finish in season 1911/12. Veteran right‑back Billy Stevenson and long‑serving right-half and full Irish international Val Harris had moved on to pastures new by the start of the 1914/15 campaign, but otherwise it was very much a case of as you were, with only Scottish international centre‑half James Galt arriving from Rangers to bolster the Goodison Park playing staff, which, nevertheless, still featured four 1911/12 stalwarts, Tommy Fleetwood, England international Frank Jefferis, John Maconnachie, a Scot hailing from Aberdeen, and Harry Makepeace, an England international at both football and cricket, and two 1911/12 fringe players, Alan Grenyer and Louis Weller. Following the rank mediocrity of the club’s two previous campaigns and given the lack of activity on the part of the Everton custodians in the summer transfer market, not in their wildest dreams could Blues fans have imagined what this, the final season prior to the suspension of league football for the duration of the Great War, would hold in store. Ably assisted by co‑strikers Joe Clennell, Frank Jefferis and Liverpool‑born Billy Kirsopp, in only his second season at the club Scottish centre‑forward Bobby Parker would set the pace in blazing the Everton Championship trail, equalling the First Division goal‑scoring record set by Everton centre‑forward Bertie Freeman in season 1908/9 by netting no less than thirty‑six times in thirty‑five league outings, two fewer than his free‑scoring Everton predecessor, including one four‑goal strike, five hat‑tricks and five braces, this at a time when it was necessary for three players to be positioned between the striker and the goal when the ball was played forward. A remarkable feat indeed.

Sources

Publications Geoffrey Bennett, Naval Battles of the First World War, 1974
Malcolm Brown and Shirley Seaton, The Christmas Truce, 2001
Alan Clark, The Donkeys, 1994
Liddell Hart, History of the First World War, 1972
Lyn Macdonald, 1914, 1987
Ben Macintyre, A Foreign Field, 2001
Steve Pearce, Shoot. The ultimate stats and facts guide to English league football, 1997
Janusz Piekalkiewicz, Der Erste Weltkrieg, 1995
Julian Putkowski and Julian Sykes, Shot At Dawn, 1989
Ken Rogers, Goodison Glory, 1998
John K. Rowlands, Everton Football Club 1878-1946, 2001
Stanley Weintraub, Silent Night, 2001

Databases Tony Brown and Andy Ellis, Everton F.C. 1887-1999. A Year-by-Year History, 1999
Jeff Hurley, Everton AFC Database (1887-1996), 1996

Principal Web sitesCommonwealth War Graves Commission (http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/search.aspx)
Everton Football Club (http://www.evertonfc.com/news/?page_id=6)
FirstWorldWar (http://www.firstworldwar.com/index.htm)
The Long, Long Trail (http://www.1914-1918.net/index.htm)
Toffeeweb (http://www.toffeeweb.com/)
Victoria Cross Reference (http://www.chapter-one.com/vc/default.asp)

Everton Football Club 1914/15

From left to right, back row: Tommy Fleetwood, Alan Grenyer, Bobby Thompson, James Galt, Tommy Fern, John Maconnachie, Harry Makepeace.
From left to right, front row: Sam Chedgzoy, Billy Kirsopp, Bobby Parker, Joe Clennell, James Roberts.

Wednesday, 2 September 1914 A crowd of 9000 witness visitors Everton start the season in fine style, winning 3:1 at Tottenham Hotspur. Scottish international James Galt, the new club captain signed from Rangers in May 1914, makes his Everton debut at centre‑half. The Everton line-up in this opening fixture of the season features Tommy Fern, Bobby Thompson, John Maconnachie, Tommy Fleetwood, James Galt, Alan Grenyer, Sam Chedgzoy, Frank Jefferis, Bobby Parker, Joe Clennell and George Harrison, the majority of whom would remain the backbone of the side throughout what would ultimately remain a relatively injury‑free campaign. Everton scorer: Joe Clennell (3).	Five days previously at just after 12:30 on the afternoon of Friday, 28 August 1914, the German light cruiser, SMS Cöln, flagship of Rear‑Admiral Maass, is sunk by two salvoes from HMS Lion, flagship of Admiral Sir David Beatty, during the Battle of Heligoland Bight. Rear‑Admiral Maass, his Flag Captain and all but one of his crew perish. The centrepiece of the memorial to the officers and men of SMS Cöln at the Eigelstein Gate, just a few minutes’ walk from Cologne main train station, is the shattered remnants of one of the ship’s lifeboats.
Saturday, 5 September 1914 An unchanged Everton complete a brace of victories on opposition territory, winning 1:0 at Newcastle United in front of 12,000 frustrated home fans. Everton scorer: Frank Jefferis.	The Retreat from Mons comes to a halt south of the River Marne. It is the eve of the great French counterattack, the First Battle of the Marne, in which the British will play a minor, albeit important, role.
Monday, 7 September 1914 Unchanged for the third match in a row, Everton have a hat-trick of away victories in their sights, but falter, going down 1:0 at Burnley. Attendance: 20,000.	The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) advance eight miles towards the River Marne, re‑crossing it the next day. The ensuing British assault on a vulnerable section of the German front is instrumental in forcing the enemy to abandon the battlefield in confusion on 10 September. This reverse thwarts the German dream of achieving rapid victory over France in the West before concentrating their forces against Russia in the East, and ultimately dooms them to total defeat.
Saturday, 12 September 1914 Everton’s first home match of the season in front of 14,000 spectators falls flat, with party‑poopers Middlesbrough emerging victorious by the odd goal in five. Tommy Nuttall makes his first appearance of the season, deputizing for Frank Jefferis, and Billy Palmer replaces George Harrison on the left wing. Everton scorer: Bobby Parker (2).	The Battle of the Aisne, 12-28 September 1914, commences, with the British and French pursuing the retreating Germans over the River Aisne and beyond. The engagement ends in stalemate and the so‑called Race to the Sea begins.
Saturday, 19 September 1914 A 1:0 reverse at Sheffield United in front of 20,000 home supporters completes a dismal hat‑trick of defeats for the unchanged Blues.	Posthumous Victoria Cross [i] Captain Harry Ranken, aged 31, Royal Army Medical Corps. Citation On 19 and 20 September 1914 at Haute‑Avesnes, France, Captain Ranken was severely wounded in the leg whilst attending to his duties on the battlefield under shrapnel and rifle fire. He arrested the bleeding from this and bound it up, then continued to dress the wounds of his men, sacrificing his own chance of survival to their needs. When he finally permitted himself to be carried to the rear his case had become almost desperate and he died within a short period.
Saturday, 26 September 1914 An Everton crowd of 20,000 witness a 0:0 draw at home to the previous season’s First Division runners‑up, Aston Villa, as the Blues secure their first point in four matches. At left half, Alan Grenyer makes way for long‑serving stalwart Harry Makepeace in the starting eleven, with Frank Jefferis returning to the side in place of Tommy Nuttall.	Shot at dawn [ii] Private George Ward, aged 20, 1st Battalion, The Royal Berkshire Regiment, is executed for cowardice. Four days earlier on the morning of 22 September 1914, U9, a German U‑boat under Lieutenant‑Commander Otto von Weddigen, the first feted submarine commander in the history of naval warfare, sinks the British cruisers HMS Aboukir, HMS Cressy and HMS Hogue off the Belgian coast. Of the 2000 officers and men aboard these three ships 1400 men perish.
Saturday, 3 October 1914 It’s as you were on the Everton line-up front as the rampant Toffees thrash the living daylights out of Liverpool, triumphing 5:0 at Anfield. A crowd of 32,000 witness this, the heaviest defeat the Blues have ever had the pleasure of inflicting on the Anfielders on their own second‑hand patch. Everton scorers: Bobby Parker (3), Joe Clennell (2).	It is the eve of the ultimately futile Anglo‑Belgian defence of Antwerp, an action which costs the British Royal Naval Division 2600 killed, wounded and missing, of whom 1479 were interned in neutral Holland and 936 captured by the Germans.
Saturday, 10 October 1914 The Blues remain unchanged for the third match in succession and the good times, they are well and truly a‑rolling as Everton put four past First Division newcomers Bradford Park Avenue at Goodison before a home crowd of 20,000, conceding one in return. Everton scorers: Bobby Parker (2), Sam Chedgzoy, James Galt.	The last of the Antwerp forts surrenders to the Germans. The bulk of the BEF and the Belgian Army succeed in retreating on Ypres, universally known as “Wipers” in the parlance of the linguistically challenged Tommies. The immortal Ypres Salient is born. Against all the odds, it is, at a terrible cost in lives, held by the British Army to the bitter end. It is primarily here in the fields of Belgian Flanders and on the Somme pastures in Northern France that the flower of Australian, Canadian, English, German, Irish, New Zealand, Scottish, South African, Ulster and Welsh manhood would perish in the four years of merciless Anglo‑German battles of attrition which would ensue.
Saturday, 17 October 1914 With long-time bit-part Everton player Bobby Simpson deputizing for Bobby Thompson at right‑back, the Toffees snatch a point in a 1:1 draw at high‑flying Oldham Athletic in front of 13,400 spectators. Everton scorer: Frank Jefferis.	Next day, the German East Asiatic commerce‑raiding squadron comprising five warships under the command of Admiral Graf Maximilian von Spee sails from the Chilean port of Valparaiso, the town in which CD Everton of Chile were founded on 24 June 1909, intent on engaging and destroying Admiral Craddock’s West Indies squadron.
Saturday, 24 October 1914 Lowly Manchester United slump to a 4:2 reverse against an unchanged Everton side at Goodison in front of a crowd of 15,000. Everton scorers: Bobby Parker (2), Harry Makepeace and Billy Parker.	The Belgians retreat on Diksmuide. Next day they open the Yser Canal locks, flooding the surrounding countryside for miles around and forcing the Germans to concentrate all their offensive efforts on Ypres to the south. Three days later in the Neuve Chapelle sector to the south, the Germans fire 3000 shrapnel shells containing a nose and eye irritant as well as bullets. This is the first battlefield experiment with chemicals in the history of warfare.
Saturday, 31 October 1914 There are no changes in the Everton line‑up as the travelling Blues are held to a 0:0 draw by Bolton Wanderers at Burnden Park in front of 10,000 spectators.	Crisis point during First Ypres: the Germans take Gheluvelt and break the British line. The Worcesters save the day by plugging the line and fighting the enemy to a standstill. Corporal Adolf Hitler, 1st Company, 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment, 6th Bavarian Division, VI German Army, wins the Iron Cross 2nd Class for rescuing a badly wounded officer while under heavy fire at Wytschaete, near Ypres. Victoria Cross Sepoy Khudadad Kahn, aged 26, 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis, Indian Army, Hollebeke, near Ypres. The first native-born Indian to be awarded the Victoria Cross. Citation On 31 October 1914 at Hollebeke, Belgium, Sepoy Khudadad Khan was in the machine‑gun section of his battalion and was working one of the two guns. The British officer in charge of the detachment was wounded and the other gun was put out of action by a shell. Sepoy Khudadad Khan, although himself wounded, continued working his gun after all the other five men of the detachment had been killed. He was left by the enemy for dead, but later managed to crawl away and rejoin his unit.
Saturday, 7 November 1914 A home crowd of 25,000 are left badly in need of liquid succour as an unchanged Everton side suffer a 3:1 home reverse at the hands of reigning League Champions Blackburn. Everton scorer: Bobby Parker.	Three days earlier, in the East African theatre of operations, Colonel Paul von Lettow‑Vorbeck’s heavily outnumbered German forces rout the British under General Aitken during the Battle of Tanga, German East Africa. British and German casualties total 847 and 148 respectively. Posthumous Victoria Cross Captain John Franks Vallentin, aged 32, 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, Zillebeke, near Ypres. Citation On 7 November 1914 at Zillebeke, Belgium, when leading an attack against the Germans under very heavy fire, Captain Vallentin was struck down and on rising to continue the attack, was immediately killed. The capture of the enemy's trenches which immediately followed was in a great measure due to the confidence which the men had in their captain, arising from his many previous acts of great bravery and ability.
Saturday, 14 November 1914 With Bobby Thompson ousting Bobby Simpson from the side at right‑back and George Harrison returning to the left wing, Everton feature in yet another 0:0 draw, this time in front of a crowd of 10,000 at the new kids on the First Division block, Notts County, the 1913/14 Second Division Champions.	Three days earlier, under orders to drive back and crush the enemy, Prussian Guards lead the last determined German assault on the Anglo-French positions in the Ypres Salient. The assault is stymied and the crisis at First Ypres finally subsides. It has essentially been a soldier's battle, memorably epitomized in the words of General J. E. Edmonds, the official British Great War historian: "The line that stood between the British Empire and ruin was composed of tired, haggard and unshaven men, unwashed, plastered with mud, many in little more than rags." This feriocious clash of arms costs the BEF a total of 58,000 casualties, the French 50,000 and the Germans 130,000. The German failure to achieve a decisive breakthrough results in stalemate and trench warfare from the North Sea to the Swiss frontier.
Saturday, 21 November 1914 Unchanged Everton return to winning ways with a vengeance, thrashing Sunderland 7:1 at Goodison, a turkey‑shoot witnessed by a crowd of 15,000. Everton scorers: Bobby Parker (3), Joe Clennell (2), George Harrison and Frank Jefferis.	In the Meopotamian theatre, modern-day Iraq, then part and parcel of the Ottoman Empire, which had declared war on Britain, France and Russia on 5 November, in a campaign on which the British had embarked to protect their oil interests in the region, British forces, at a cost of 500 casualties to the 1000 suffered by the Turks, seize Basra, now Al‑Basrah, and its oilfield, a capture of immense strategic importance given that it was this oilfield which supplied most of the Royal Nay’s oil.
Saturday, 28 November 1914 Bobby Parker runs riot as Sheffield Wednesday are the next set of lambs for the Everton slaughter, slumping to a 4:1 home defeat at the hands of an unchanged Blues side. Everton scorer: Bobby Parker (4).	Victoria Cross Commander Henry Peel Ritchie, aged 38, Royal Navy. Citation Commander Ritchie of HMS Goliath was in command of the searching and demolition operations a Dar‑es‑Salaam, Tanzania. He had fitted out a steam pinnace for the execution of this task and, accompanied by two other small craft, entered the harbour. At first there was no reaction from the enemy, but suddenly they were met by a storm of shells and bullets from all directions. The commander was hit eight times in twenty minutes, but in spite of his wounds he carried on until at last he fainted from loss of blood.
Saturday, 5 December 1914 Fielding the same line‑up for the fourth encounter in succession, Everton secure a third successive victory, defeating West Bromwich Albion 2:1 at Goodison in front of a crowd of 22,000. Everton scorers: Joe Clennell, Bobby Parker.	On the Mesopotamian front, Anglo‑Indian forces amass 2100 troops for a cross‑river assault next day on Turkish positions in Qurna, a town at the junction of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris and the legendary site of the Garden of Eden. Three days later, four German cruisers, including Admiral Spee’s flagship, SMS Scharnhorst, are sunk by Vice‑Admiral Sturdee’s British squadron during the Battle of the Falkland Islands. Only the German light cruiser SMS Dresden escapes destruction. 2200 German sailors are lost.
Saturday, 12 December 1914 Hat‑trick hero Bobby Parker stars as Everton extend their unbeaten run to five matches. This time it is Manchester City who are on the receiving end of another emphatic home display by the Blues, going down 4:1 before 20,000 Goodison fans. Deputizing for Tommy Fleetwood, Scottish right‑half Billy Brown debuts for Everton after having recently joined the club from Partick Thistle, and Billy Wareing makes his first appearance of the season, replacing Harry Makepeace at left-half. Everton scorers: Bobby Parker (3), Joe Clennell.	British GHQ issues the order for the British Third Division to assist the French in their assault on Wytschaete (“White Sheet” to the Tommies) and beyond on 14 December. There are no artillery preparations and the assault degenerates into a complete fiasco. The two attacking battalions of the British Third Division, 1st Gordon Highlanders and 2ndRoyal Scots, suffer a total of 358 casualties for no material gain whatsoever.
Saturday, 19 December 1914 With both Harry Makepeace and Tommy Fleetwood returning to the first‑team fold the travelling Toffees are back to full strength. Nevertheless, the Everton juggernaut shudders to a halt as the Blues suffer a surprising 2:0 defeat in front of a crowd of 18,000 at down‑among‑the‑dead‑men Chelsea.	The second day of the Battle of Givenchy, a British-held village in Pas-de-Calais, witnesses units of the Indian Corps assault and capture two lines of German trenches. However, their success is short‑lived and they are ousted by swift and determined enemy counterattacks. The action lasts from 18-22 December and costs 4000 British and Indian casualties. Not a single square yard of ground is gained. Posthumous Victoria Cross Lieutenant William Arthur McCrae Bruce, aged 24, 59th Scinde Rifles, Indian Army. Citation On 19 December 1914 near Givenchy, France, during a night attack, Lieutenant Bruce was in command of a small party which captured one of the enemy trenches. In spite of being wounded in the neck he walked up and down the trench encouraging his men to hold out against several counterattacks until he was killed. The fire from rifles and bombs was very heavy all day and it was due to his example and encouragement that the men were able to hold out until dusk when the trench was finally captured by the enemy. Posthumous Victoria Cross Private James Mackenzie, aged 25, 2nd Battalion, The Scots Guards. Citation On 19 December 1914 at Rouges Bancs, France, Private Mackenzie rescued a severely wounded man from the front of the German trenches under a very heavy fire and after a stretcher party had been compelled to abandon the attempt. Private Mackenzie was killed later on that day while trying to carry out a similar act. Victoria Cross Lieutenant Phillip Neame, aged 26, 15th Field Company, Royal Engineers. Later Sir Phillip, he was a member of Great Britain’s 1924 Olympic Running Deer Team at Paris and is the only VC recipient who has won an Olympic Gold Medal. Citation On 19 December 1914 at Neuve Chapelle, France, Lieutenant Neame, in the face of very heavy fire, engaged the Germans in a single‑handed bombing attack, killing and wounding a number of them. He was able to check the enemy advance for three-quarters of an hour and to rescue all the wounded whom it was possible to move. Shot at dawn Private Archibald Browne, aged 26, 2nd Battalion, The Essex Regiment, is executed for desertion.
Christmas Day, 1914 Fielding an unchanged side, Everton miss the opportunity to play Santa Claus for 20,000 supporters, dropping a point in a 1:1 home draw with Bradford City. Everton scorer: Frank Jefferis.	The 1914 Christmas Truce Merry Christmas/Fröhliche Weihnachten Widespread fraternization between British and German front‑line soldiers is the order of the day, with several impromptu football matches being staged between the opposing forces in no‑man’s land. One contemporary eye‑witness report states that “a battalion of the 10th Brigade on our left arranged a football match against a German team, one of their number having contacted in the opposing unit a fellow member of his local football club in Liverpool.” Rifleman Andrew (centre) and Rifleman Grigg (right), London Rifle Brigade, photographed in no‑man’s land with Saxons from the German 104th and 106th Regiments, Christmas Day 1914.
Boxing Day, 1914 In the traditional next-day return fixture, the Toffees arrive bearing cold turkey for their hosts, Bradford City, and a home crowd numbering 30,000, with the same Everton eleven stealing both points in a narrow 1:0 victory. Everton scorer: Sam Chedgzoy.	Along most of the Anglo-German front, Yuletide fraternization continues virtually unabated.
New Year’s Day 1915 The Blues forfeit yet another home point, this time in a disappointing 1:1 draw against struggling Tottenham Hotspur. 17,000 Blues fans depart Goodison in need of a New Year’s Day hair of the dog. Replacing Frank Jefferis in attack alongside Bobby Parker, twenty‑two‑year‑old local lad Billy Kirsopp makes a scoring debut for the Toffees after having joined the club from the ranks of junior football in April 1914. Everton scorer: debut boy Billy Kirsopp.	HMS Formidable, a pre-dreadnought warship, is torpedoed in the English Channel with the loss of 547 officers and men. Vice‑Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly is subsequently convicted of negligence in having led his squadron down Channel on a steady course at no more than ten knots, and ordered to strike his flag.
Saturday, 2 January 1915 The Blues make amends for the previous day’s failure, thrashing Newcastle United 3:0 at Goodison in front of 20,000 happy Everton campers. Billy Brown once again deputizes for Tommy Fleetwood, while in his first Everton appearance of the season and his last for the club, fringe player John Houston, a full Irish international, enters the fray for Sam Chedgzoy. Everton scorers: George Harrison, Billy Kirsopp, Bobby Parker.	Lord Kitchener, the British Minister of War, receives an appeal from Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia for a diversion which would relieve the Turkish pressure on the Russians in the Caucasus. Unable to supply troops, Kitchener proposes a naval demonstration against the Dardanelles Straits. This is the origin of the abortive Gallipoli campaign which will cost the Allies 35,700 dead and 107,600 wounded.
Saturday, 9 January 1915 It’s FA Cup first round time and, with Tommy Fleetwood and Sam Chedgzoy returning to the side, the Blues make no mistake, dismissing second division Barnsley 3:0 at Goodison. Everton scorers: James Galt (2), Bobby Parker.	In a memorandum penned two days previously Admiral Hugo von Pohl presses the case for unrestricted submarine warfare.
Saturday, 16 January 1915 A home crowd of 7500 gather to witness Everton, despite fielding an unchanged full‑strength side, come badly unstuck at mid‑table Middlesbrough, slumping to a shock 5:1 defeat, their heaviest reverse of the campaign. Everton scorer: Bobby Parker.	Three days later, with the permission of Kaiser Wilhelm II, the Germans launch the first of many Zeppelin raids against the British mainland. Two civilians are killed and sixteen injured.
Saturday, 23 January 1915 Shorn of the talents of free-scoring Bobby Parker and his able side-kick Billy Kirsopp in attack, Everton scrape a 0:0 home draw versus Sheffield United, a disappointing result witnessed by 18,000 spectators. Parker is replaced by Billy Wright, a recent acquisition from St. Mirren making his first appearance in the royal blue jersey. Tommy Nuttall and Billy Palmer step into the breach for Billy Kirsopp and George Harrison respectively, while Bobby Simpson replaces John Maconnachie at left‑back.	In the North Sea, Admiral Franz von Hipper’s battle‑cruiser squadron sets sail to repeat the 16 December bombardment of Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool, during the course of which 122 civilians had been killed and 443 injured. However, early next morning his forces are intercepted at Dogger Bank by Admiral Sir David Beatty’s squadron, which halts and sinks the hybrid battle‑cruiser SMS Blücher and severely damages Admiral Hipper’s flagship, SMS Seydlitz. 984 German sailors are lost.
Saturday, 30 January 1915 Everton halt their slump in form, demolishing second division Bristol City 4:0 at Goodison in the FA Cup second round. Bobby Parker and Billy Kirsopp mark goal‑scoring returns to the attacking Everton fold, while utility man Billy Wareing deputizes for club captain James Galt at centre-half. Everton scorers: Joe Clennell, Billy Kirsopp, Bobby Parker, Billy Wareing.	Private A. Pitts, age unknown, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, is court‑martialled for desertion after having fled the line under fire near Zillebeke in the Ypres Salient on 24 October 1914. He is convicted and sentenced to death by firing squad.
Saturday, 6 February 1915 Despite the fact that the return to the team of club captain James Galt and first‑choice left‑back John Maconnachie means that Everton are at full strength for the return clash with their neighbours from across Stanley Park, it’s Derby Day misery for the Toffees as the Anfielders triumph 3:1 at Goodison in front of 30,000 spectators. Everton scorer: Joe Clennell.	Shot at dawn Private Joseph Byers, aged 16, and Private Andrew Evans, age unknown, 1st Battalion, The Royal Scots Fusiliers, are executed for desertion. Private Byers, who had claimed to be nineteen upon his enlistment in November 1914, is the first Kitchener volunteer to be executed.
Wednesday, 10 February 1915 In his one and only appearance for the Toffeemen the only Welshman to grace Everton’s colours during this Championship‑winning season, James Roberts, signed from Crewe Alexandra in 1914, deputizes for Billy Palmer on the left wing as Aston Villa feel the backlash from Everton’s Derby Day blues, suffering a resounding 5:1 home defeat in front of a crowd numbering just 4,500. Everton scorers: Bobby Parker (3), James Galt, Billy Kirsopp.	Three days later, Field Marshal Sir John French, Commander‑in‑Chief of the BEF, approves General Douglas Haig’s plan for an all‑British “battering-ram” attack against the enemy positions at Neuve Chapelle involving 40,000 men, a numerical superiority over the sparse German defenders in the line of thirty‑five to one, and the strongest concentration of artillery guns per yard ever assembled in the history of warfare.
Saturday, 20 February 1915 A crowd of 33,000 assemble at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge ground to witness Everton defeat QPR 2:1 in an FA Cup third round tie. George Harrison returns to the left-wing slot for the Blues. Everton scorers: Joe Clennell, own goal.	Four days previously, in defiance of International Law, Germany declares that the waters surrounding the British Isles constitute a war zone in which "every merchant vessel will be destroyed without it being possible to avoid damage to the crews and passengers", it being "impossible to avoid attacks being made on neutral ships in mistake for those of the enemy." Unrestricted submarine warfare begins, though, in this first instance, it will be short‑lived.
Saturday, 27 February 1915 There are no changes in the Everton line‑up as the Toffeemen complete a league double over the ailing Red Devils, triumphing 2:1 at Old Trafford in front of 10,000 spectators. Everton scorers: George Harrison, Bobby Parker.	Two days earlier, an Anglo-French naval attack in the Dardanelles Straits from close range fails to silence the twenty‑four mobile Turkish batteries protecting the minefield defence of the Straits from the heights above.
Saturday, 6 March 1915 An unchanged Everton side make it four straight wins out of four in the FA Cup, with a crowd of 26,000 witnessing Bradford City’s 2:0 defeat at Valley Parade. Everton scorers: Sam Chedgzoy, Joe Clennell.	Shot at dawn Private James Briggs, age unknown, 2nd Battalion, The Border Regiment, and Private Ernest Kirk, aged 24, 1st Battalion, The West Yorkshire Regiment, are executed for desertion.
Saturday, 13 March 1915 Billy Wareing replaces James Galt at centre‑half for the Toffeemen as a crowd of 20,000 see Everton suffer a 2:1 reverse at Blackburn Rovers, their first defeat since the Goodison Derby debacle. Everton scorer: Billy Kirsopp.	The Battle of Neuve Chapelle, which began on 10 March, comes to an end. The four British attacking divisions involved in this, the first planned British offensive of the war, suffer a total of 11,652 casualties for precious little material gain. Next day, HMS Glasgow and HMS Kent open fire on the German light cruiser SMS Dresden anchored at Mas a Fuera, one of the Juan Fernandez islands off the Chilean coast. She is subsequently scuttled by Captain Lüdecke, who escapes to neutral territory with his crew.
Wednesday, 17 March 1915 With Billy Wareing still deputizing for club captain James Galt and Alan Grenyer, Billy Palmer and Billy Wright, the latter in his second and final appearance for the club, replacing Harry Makepeace, Sam Chedgzoy and Joe Clennell respectively, a crowd of just 8000 witness an under‑strength Everton forfeit two vital home points, faring second best in a seven‑goal thriller at home to title rivals Oldham. Everton scorers: Bobby Parker (2), Billy Kirsopp.	Next day, the British and French launch their final naval effort to clear the minefields, force the Dardanelles Straits and pave the way for an assault on Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman Empire. The outcome is a debacle involving the loss of HMS Inflexible, HMS Irresistible and HMS Ocean on the British side and the French service ships Bouvet and Gaulois.
Saturday, 20 March 1915 Goalkeeper Tommy Fern, left‑back John Maconnachie and right‑half Tommy Fleetwood are replaced by stopgap men, Scotsman Frank Mitchell, Louis Weller and Billy Brown, another representative from Everton’s Scottish contingent, but Harry Makepeace and Joe Clennell make a welcome return to the side as the Toffees duly trounce Notts County 4:0 at Goodison in front of a crowd of 10,000, securing a much‑needed brace of league points in the process. Everton scorers: Billy Kirsopp (2), Joe Clennell, Bobby Parker.	Some German prisoners are taken in the southern sector of the Ypres Salient. Ominously, under interrogation they reveal extensive details of the enemy’s intention to launch a chlorine gas attack a month hence. The onset of chemical warfare is nigh. The German positions from which the gas is eventually released at 05.00 p.m. on 22 April 1915, the opening scene of the Second Battle of Ypres, are now marked by a commemorative roadside cross. Lasting until the end of May 1915, Second Ypres costs the British 59,000 casualties.
Monday, 22 March 1915 Bolton are next to come under the Goodison cosh, suffering an emphatic 5:3 reverse in front of a poor attendance numbering just 5000. Tommy Fleetwood returns to the side and Bobby Simpson, Alan Grenyer and Liverpool‑born Everton debut boy Horace Howarth replace Louis Weller, Harry Makepeace and Billy Kirsopp respectively. Everton scorers: Bobby Parker (3), Joe Clennell (2).	The previous night the Germans launch their first Zeppelin raid on Paris, killing one and injuring eight civilians.
Saturday, 27 March 1915 A crowd of 22,000 spectators watch the high‑flying Blues squander their chances of a league and cup double. James Galt, Harry Makepeace, Sam Chedgzoy and Billy Kirsopp all return to the Everton side but, reduced to ten men with the injury‑induced departure of Harry Makepeace in his final appearance for the club after just ten minutes, the Toffees suffer a 2:0 reverse at the hands of relegation‑threatened Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park.	Two days previously, in response to the telegraphed threat to the Gallipoli Peninsula posed by the disembarkation of large numbers of British and Anzac troops in Egypt, Enver Pascha, Head of the Ottoman Empire, tasks the head of the German Military Mission in Turkey, Colonel Liman von Sanders, with the formation of a separate army for the defence of the Dardanelles.
Friday, 2 April 1915 Alan Grenyer replaces Harry Makepeace and Tommy Fern makes a welcome return between the sticks, but Everton’s woes continue, this time in a 2:0 home defeat versus Burnley.	More German prisoners taken in the Ypres Salient at the beginning end of March and the beginning of April confirm the planned launch of a chlorine gas attack in that sector, providing full details of the gas cylinders which had been placed in the German front‑line trenches and the gas discharge method. These reiterated warnings of the imminent onset of large‑scale chemical warfare fall on deaf ears.
Saturday, 3 April 1915 Billy Palmer for Sam Chedgzoy is the only change in the Everton line‑up as the Blues suffer their second home defeat in two days, going down 1:0 to Sheffield Wednesday and slumping to fifth in the table. With four straight away games looming, the Championship is now looking a distant prospect indeed for the Toffeemen.	Three days previously, a British auxiliary cruiser sailing under a Swedish flag attacks and sinks U29 commanded by the celebrated Lieutenant‑Commander Otto von Weddigen of U9 fame. All hands are lost.
Tuesday, 6 April 1915 The Toffees soothe their wounded pride at Sunderland, registering a resounding 3:0 away victory in front of 10,000 home fans, with Louis Weller and Billy Wareing deputizing for Bobby Simpson and James Galt in the Everton line-up. One down, three to go. Everton scorers: Bobby Parker (2), Billy Kirsopp.	On the colonial front, having succeeded in evading the British blockade, a German supply ship is heading for Tanga, German East Africa. It arrives four days later bearing large quantities of desperately needed arms, ammunition, equipment, provisions and, in the shape of the ship's crew, reinforcements for the beleaguered German garrison under the command of former Colonel and now General Paul von Lettow‑Vorbeck. Hopelessly outnumbered or no, on not one single occasion do his forces finish second best in an engagement with the British in four years of bitterly contested guerrilla warfare, remaining unvanquished until the very end. In recognition of his truly remarkable generalship and exploits in this far‑flung theatre of Great War operations, General von Lettow‑Vorbeck is feted as a national hero when he eventually returns to his native soil. General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck
Saturday, 10 April 1915 Two down, two to go: in his final appearance for the club, Bobby Simpson replaces Bobby Thompson at right‑back and Billy Brown comes into the side for Tommy Fleetwood, who makes a rare appearance in attack deputizing for the absent goal‑getter Bobby Parker, as Everton register another league double, defeating West Bromwich Albion 2:1 at the Hawthorns in front of 8748 Baggies followers. It is also Billy Palmer’s final outing in a royal blue jersey. Everton scorers: Tommy Fleetwood, George Harrison.	The British 171st Tunnelling Company completes the tunnels underneath the German stronghold Hill 60 in the Ypres Salient. Explosive charges are packed into the twin chambers of tunnels M1 and M2 and the single chambers of tunnels M3 and M3A, all of which terminate just in front of the German front line.
Wednesday, 14 April 1915 It’s musical chairs in the Everton line‑up as Bobby Thompson replaces Bobby Simpson, Tommy Fleetwood returns to his usual slot at right‑half, James Galt re-enters the side at centre‑half, Billy Wareing deputizes for Alan Grenyer, who plays at inside‑left in lieu of Joe Clennell, Sam Chedgzoy replaces Billy Palmer and Tommy Nuttall features at centre‑forward for the still‑absent Bobby Parker. Under these trying circumstances, Everton do well to defeat Bradford Park Avenue 2:1 on their own Park Avenue patch in front of 6000 spectators, registering yet another league double in the process. Three down, one to go. Everton are back. Everton scorers: Alan Grenyer, Billy Kirsopp.	On the Mesopotamian front, the British rout the Turks in the final clashes of the Battle of Shaiba. Five thousand men on each side are involved. The British suffer 1200 casualties, the Turks 2400.
Saturday, 17 April 1915 Everton again field a reshuffled side, with Alan Grenyer returning to right‑half, Tommy Nuttall, in his final appearance in Everton’s colours, moving to inside‑right for Sam Chedgzoy and both Bobby Parker and Joe Clennell making welcome returns to the attack, as, to the disappointment of the majority of the 30,000 spectators present, Manchester City are the next outfit to suffer their second league defeat of the season at the hands of the in-form Toffeemen, losing 1:0 at Hyde Road. This fourth away victory in succession means that Lazarus-like Everton are back on the Championship trail with a vengeance. Everton scorer: Joe Clennell.	At 7:05 p.m. three officers of the 1st Tunnelling Company detonate the mines in front of the German trenches on Hill 60. The position is subsequently stormed and taken by British infantry units. A German counterattack that same evening regains the hill, but it is retaken by the British in a fresh attack the next morning.
Saturday, 24 April 1915 Oldham, having lost their final match of the season at home to Liverpool two days previously, are level with Everton on forty‑four points, meaning that a draw in their last match of the season at home to Chelsea will see the Blues pip their Lancashire rivals at the title post. There is only one change in the Everton line‑up, Sam Chedgzoy for Tommy Nuttall, as the Toffees duly do just enough to secure the League Championship, squandering a 2:0 lead to draw 2:2 in front of 30,000 Goodison supporters, a result which also dooms Chelsea to relegation along with bottom‑placed Tottenham, sweet FA Cup semi‑final revenge indeed for the Toffees. However, it would be Chelsea who would have the last laugh due to the fact that upon the resumption of league football in 1919 the First Division was enlarged from twenty to twenty‑two clubs, and Chelsea, though not Tottenham, would be spared the drop. Indeed, Everton’s opening post‑bellum First Division fixture was at home to Chelsea on 30 August 1919, an encounter from which the Londoners emerged victorious by three goals to two. Having featured in all but six of Everton’s league games in his one and only campaign at Goodison, club captain James Galt makes his final appearance for the Toffees in this Championship‑clinching match. Everton scorers: Tommy Fleetwood, Bobby Parker.	Victoria Cross Lieutenant Edward Donald Bellew, aged 32, 7th Battalion, British Columbia Regiment, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Citation On 24 April 1915 near Kerselaere, Belgium, the advance of the enemy was temporarily stayed by Lieutenant Bellew, the battalion machine-gun officer, who had two guns in action on high ground when the enemy's attack broke in full force. Reinforcements which were sent forward having been destroyed, and with the enemy less than 100 yards away and no further assistance in sight, Lieutenant Bellew and a sergeant decided to fight it out. The sergeant was killed and Lieutenant Bellew wounded, nevertheless, he maintained his fire until his ammunition failed, when he seized a rifle, smashed his machine-gun and, fighting to the last, was taken prisoner. Posthumous Victoria Cross Company Sergeant‑Major Frederick William Hall, aged 30, 8th Manitoba Regiment, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Citation On 24 April 1915, near Ypres, Belgium when a wounded man, who was lying some fifteen yards from the trench, called for help, Company Sergeant-Major Hall endeavoured to reach him in the face of very heavy enfilade fire by the enemy. He then made a second most gallant attempt, and was in the act of lifting up the wounded man to bring him in when he fell mortally wounded in the head. Shot at dawn Early next morning, while the Everton players and supporters are still nursing their Championship hangovers, Driver John Bell, age unknown, 57th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, is executed for desertion. That same morning, following the failure of the Anglo-French naval efforts to force the Dardanelles Straits, large British, Anzac and French infantry forces land at Cape Helles, Ari Burnu (Anzac Cove) and Kum Kale respectively, signalling the onset of the ill‑fated Gallipoli campaign.

1914/15 facts and figures

The First Division had been increased from eighteen to twenty clubs for the start of the 1905/6 campaign. In the ten seasons in which it existed in that form, Everton’s 1914/15 Championship haul of forty-five points was the lowest ever recorded, four fewer than the next lowest of forty‑nine achieved by Blackburn Rovers in season 1911/12 and nine fewer than the record haul of fifty-four points achieved by Sunderland in season 1912/13. During the course of the 1914/15 league season in which, according to Tony Brown and Andy Ellis in their database Everton F.C. 1887-1999. A Year-by-Year History, Everton’s average home gate totalled 16,263, the Blues, fielding a total of twenty‑four players, all but seven of them English (and of these seven four, Billy Brown, John Houston, Frank Mitchell and James Palmer, were but bit‑part players mustering a grand total of eight league appearances between them), notched doubles over Bradford Park Avenue, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion, registering nine home wins and eleven away wins, six home defeats, five away defeats and a total of eight draws, five at home and three away, in the process, and twice suffered defeats at the hands of Blackburn Rovers, Burnley and Middlesbrough. All in all, the Toffeemen netted forty‑seven goals at Goodison and thirty‑two on opposition territory, conceding twenty‑nine at home and eighteen on their travels in return. In the FA Cup, notching and conceding a total of eleven and three goals respectively, the Blues recorded two home and two away successes before succumbing 2:0 to Chelsea in the semi‑final at Villa Park.

1914/15 Everton appearances (with goals in brackets)

League FA Cup

Billy Brown 4

Sam Chedgzoy 30(2) 5(1)

Joe Clennell 36(14) 5(3)

Tommy Fern 36 4

Tommy Fleetwood 35(2) 5

James Galt 32(2) 4(2)

Alan Grenyer 14(1)

George Harrison 26(4) 4

John Houston 1

Horace Howarth 1

Frank Jefferis 18(4)

Billy Kirsopp 16(9) 5(1)

John Maconnachie 28 3

Harry Makepeace 23(1) 5

Frank Mitchell 2 1

Tommy Nuttall 5

Billy Palmer 17(1)

Bobby Parker 35(36) 5(2)

James Roberts 1

Bobby Simpson 9 2

Bobby Thompson 33 5

Billy Wareing 8 1(1)

Louis Weller 6

Billy Wright 2.

Of the players who took the field in Everton’s colours during the club’s 1914/15 Championship season, Billy Brown, Sam Chedgzoy, Joe Clennell, Tommy Fern, Tommy Fleetwood, Alan Grenyer, George Harrison, Horace Howarth, Frank Jefferis, Billy Kirsopp, John Maconnachie, Frank Mitchell, Bobby Parker, James Roberts, Bobby Thompson, Billy Wareing and Louis Weller were all still on the club’s books when league football recommenced at the end of August 1919, though James Roberts failed to make the first‑team grade and was transferred to Tranmere Rovers in 1920.
With regard to the others, in his book Everton Football Club 1878-1946 John Rowlands states that Championship‑winning captain James Galt returned from the Great War suffering from severe shell shock and never kicked a ball in anger again, though my Everton records indicate that he was in fact transferred to Third Lanark in October 1920.
Belfast‑born John Houston, the only player hailing from the Emerald Isle to feature in an Everton eleven during the 1914/15 title‑winning campaign, was transferred to Linfield in 1915. In view of the fact that I have no record of his movements subsequent to this transfer, or his date of death, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that he was a Great War casualty. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Web site lists forty‑four J. Houstons who fell in the First World War from 1915 onwards, only two of whom served with Irish units. If he was indeed killed in the Great War, it is likely that he was one or other of these two fallen Irish soldiers: 6173 Rifleman John Houston, age unknown, 8th Battalion, The Royal Irish Rifles, killed in action on 2 July 1916, the second day of the 1916 Somme offensive, and commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, pier and face 15A and 15B, or 30471 Private J. Houston, age unknown, 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who died of wounds on 22 November 1918 and is buried in Tourcoing (Pont‑Neuville) Communal Cemetery, District of Lille, France.
Following his injury‑induced departure from the field of play very early in the FA Cup semi‑final versus Chelsea at Villa Park on 27 March 1915, Harry Makepeace retired from football altogether and died in December 1957, aged seventy‑one.
Tommy Nuttall was transferred to St. Mirren in 1919.
Billy Palmer was transferred to Bristol Rovers in July 1919.
Redcar‑born Bobby Simpson made his last Everton appearance at West Bromwich Albion on 10 April 1915. I have no record of his subsequent movements or his date of death, meaning that he, too, might have been killed in the Great War. However, given the fact that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Web site lists 105 R. Simpsons killed in action during the First World War from 1915 onwards, it is not possible to verify this speculation without further information.
Billy Wright was transferred to Tranmere Rovers in 1915. As in the case of John Houston and Bobby Simpson, I have no record of his subsequent movements or his date of death, meaning that he, too, might have fallen on the field of battle, but in view of the circumstance that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Web site lists 407 W. Wrights killed in action during the Great War from 1915 onwards, as with his two 1914/15 team‑mates, this is only speculation which defies verification without additional information.

Postscript

I know of just one confirmed ex-Everton Great War casualty, namely Lance‑Corporal Leigh Richmond Roose MM, 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 19th (Western) Division, who was killed on the Somme on 7 October 1916. While my Everton records do indicate that another former Everton player was killed in action in 1915, namely, left‑back David Murray, born in Glasgow in 1882, who made two appearances for the Blues in a 1:0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday on 7 November 1903 and a 1:0 home defeat to Sunderland seven days later before crossing Stanley Park in May 1904, I have been unable to verify this assertion. David Murray joined Everton from Rangers some time in 1903, and while a former Rangers player by the name of Private David B. Murray, 8th Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders, is recorded as having been killed in action on 6 October 1915 (see http://www.geocities.com/gherriott/Rangers.html), the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Web site records the age of this fallen soldier, who lies in Lapugnoy Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, as twenty‑one, meaning that he cannot be the same David Murray who played two games for Everton in November 1903.

Anthony Williams

[i] During the 1914/15 Football League season, i.e. from Wednesday, 2 September 1914 to Saturday, 24 April 1915, a total of forty-seven Victoria Crosses were awarded, of which fourteen posthumously.

[ii] A total of twenty-nine British soldiers were executed during the 1914/15 Football League season, twenty‑five for desertion, two for murder, one for cowardice and one for quitting his post in the face of the enemy.

Don't Talk to Me

2010-11-15T11:11:00.000+00:00

Arsenal Fans Smash the Guinness World
Record for Most Haircuts in a 1 mile radius

Did yer go against Arsenal?

I went, borrowed me neighbour's seasie, good spec it is,but what's it like eh? Everton playing with one up front,at home, it's a friggin' disgrace, that's what it is, what's that Moyes playing at?

Saha moves like I do when I'm goin' for me pension. Get rid of 'im, he's shot it and what's with that fuckin' orange hairdo, which barber is responsible for that?

I still watch our matches on Sky, like, in the Griffin on Bankhall Street, but I don't know, how are we going to score goals with that Saha and Yakubu,they're both shite. I seen Joe Royle score some crackers home and away and why do we look scared of teams? I know what I'd do with that Fibreglass feller who plays for the Gunners, gerrim' a proper job for a couple of weeks at United Molasses in Bootle, he'd not last two fuckin' minutes with them fellers I used to work with. Hard man? Don't talk to me about hard men, Johnny Mogsy would've farted and blown him into Goodison Road.

That Howard Webb doesn't know his job, gave them everything he did, the fuckin' laughing policemen. Why didn't he send that lad off when he tripped Saha up? That's the rule nowadays isn't it? On the way out, some lad said it was because he wasn't running towards goal? Yer wha? What was he running towards, then, the friggin' bus stop on Walton Lane? Dont' talk shite.

Why haven't they cleaned them panels on the side of the Main Stand? 'Ave yer seen the state of them? Why doesn't Mr Kenwright take his Judy down to B&Q for some fuckin' Brillo pads or something, they've been like that since Joe Harper scored on his debut.

What's with that Chang beer? Awful stuff it was, like lukewarm Threlfall's from the 1960's, no wonder young fellers are always getting involved in behaviour if they're drinking that stuff. And why do we need a friggin' elephant on our jerseys? And it's having a piss as well, we've got sprinklers for that sort of thing and it's Goodison Park, not sodding Knowsley Safari Park. I blame the board meself, why do we need a foreign sponsor? What's wrong with Schoey's Lemo,or Alpine?

I like that Cahill feller, he's a trier, but when's he going to have his other arm coloured in? A good lad he is, but he's too thin, he needs some milk stout down him and some black pudding and scouse. It's all fuckin' broccoli and Perrier water these days, no wonder they're always injured. Can yer imagine Dixie drinking mineral water? He didn't take any chat from any opponents that feller, and he once had a shite in the centre circle at Goodison, that's how much he was revered at Everton.

I like that Pienaar as well, he's a bit like Bobby Collins used to be, but Bobby never had a woman's hairdo or played in fuckin' gloves. I can't stand it when they wear gloves, that's a softshite cockney's trick, like them ponces today. You know the one's I mean, don't yer, like that Lasagne who scored their first goal.

I suppose we were a bit unlucky today and the referee gave us nott'n, but we've got to do better and that Arteta plays some lovely stuff, but he was poor today, he looked as if he'd had merrder with his missus before he went to catch the bus to the match.

Look, Mikel lad, she knows where yer are, so just fuckin' get stuck in and offer to wash up when yer get home. And who’s done that Phil Neville's hair, the corpy? Get some Brylcreem on it lad, yer look like a Mancunian, an’ yer one of us now, so no more of that shite.

I won't be going for a while now, but I'll be keeping an eye on our results and we need to move up the table a bit, or they'll start throwing cushions onto the pitch again when we get beat at home.

I had a pint in the Tramway on the way home, what's with all this drinking lager out of bottles? Load of tarts, if y'ask me.

Grumpy Arse.

Arsenal Match Report

2010-11-15T10:28:00.000+00:00

Diamond Encrusted Breast Sheaf
model: Mr Webb

Oh well, it looks to have been a bit of an expensive week for Everton, two reasonably winnable home games, 1 point. Some of us go on sardonically about which Everton will turn up week on week, it feels like we've had a bit of everything this week in weird little patches spread over 180 minutes, more of the 'Shite Everton' as it happens.

I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Arsenal in years gone by, you know, a bit like Everton...founder of the football league, traditional family club, lovely old ground (before they moved to 'The Grove'...oh do fuck off), not to mention giving me the dearly held memory of an 8 year old me watching in utter delight my elder brother and dad wind-milling around our living room when it was ''up for grabs now'' at Anfield that memorable evening in '89. Fuck off McMahon.

But for anything up to 10 years now, they have become harder and harder to stomach due to a continental knack of being dead easy on the eye when stroking the ball about to each other, but unfortunately it comes at a price, theirs being that they're a bunch of time wasting, cryarsing, ref baiting bell wipes. Dont get me started on their fans either, the wacky japesters that they are, their repetoire of anti scouse bile seems to grow season on season.

Ultimately, Everton werent very good against Arsenal, we had a chance to comfortably move up the table a few places with a win, maybe more realistically though, a point would of been nice and certainly not outside the realms of possibility against a team who we have had some favourable results against of late. As it was, the first half ebbed away with very little momentum or incident from Evertons point of view, there was a niggly little snide off between Heitinga and Fabregas to see who might get sent off first, maybe a bit of leftovers from the World Cup? Who cares really. Maybe Howard Webb did? I'll get to him in a minute, the bad baldy fraud.

Everton's best and only real chance of the opening exchanges came from that man again Seamus Coleman, he is starting to embarrass some of his more experienced team mates with his commitment and attitude whenever and where ever he is asked to play, surprisingly, this isn’t a slant on Bily, far from it, it’s the likes of Arteta and Saha who need to start doing the basics right, how that orange headed get managed to avoid being dropped after his Bolton display is a question only Moyes seems to have the answer to...anyhoo I digress....he took the ball from his own half and ran full pelt with it, outstripped a sprinting Fabregas in the process, cut back a near perfect cross, then Cahill seemed to uncharacteristically mistime his jump and head over, the biff, all he does is score and miss open goals you know.

Arsenal seemed to grow in confidence after that and used a mixture of possession, time wasting and moaning at the ref to take the wind out of Everton's limp makeshift sails. The impressive Samir Nasri had a shot parried by Tim Howard, who pushed the ball away to his left, the only person awake to it was Arshavin, who cut a ball back to Sagna who smashed it past Jagielka and Distin in their p.j.'s sipping Ovaltine, sloppy.

It would have been nice to see a spirited fightback from Everton after they came out in the second half, as it turned out though, they just seemed prepared to let Arsenal tire them out and carry on doing what they had been doing in the first half. Rodwell came on for Heitinga for what looked like a positive move by Moyes, even though the dutchman had been promising, he was treading a fine line with the overly officious, fussy, look at me and my atheletic yet bald physique ex-south yorkshire police man(just saying like!), is this phoney genuinely the best this country has to offer? He always panders to the monied champions league monsters of footballing rock, consistently get's all the big decisions wrong in games and pretty much ruined the world cup final singlehandedly by lacking any understanding for the occasion, it's a cliché like but he's a typical rozzer, look in the dictionary under ''here y'are sir, have 3 penalty points...'' and his smug kipper will look right back at you.

Fabregas too, as good as he can be, is reprehensible at times, he looks like the kid in school who had it all, clobber, footy ability, girls but was thick as mince. The sooner he fucks Arsenal off and joins that other gang of crying tarts at Barcelona, the better. Anyway, he swept in what turned out to be the winner, when he finished off an impressive passage of play for Arsenal who tikky takky'd it around a load of flat footed helmets dressed in Royal Blue.

Moyes reacted by throwing on two centre forwards, ''is right Moysie'' we all thought, he then took off Neville and Arteta. Which in regards to Mikel Arteta probably looked the right decision at the time, Neville though? Weird. They lost shape and it completely unsettled what little balance we had in the side beforehand, Coleman, our most potent threat probably all season, never mind on the day, was pushed backwards into the defence, which left Saha, Yakubu and Beckford all wandering about trying out confuse each other about what their roles and/or positions should be.

The Fightback materialised, as it usually does, where Cahill reacted first and grabbed a consolation in the dying moments of the game, stabbing home the ball after Saha nodded back Pienaar's cross. Fabianski made a couple of half decent saves after the goal most notably from Saha, but in all honesty, it felt like it was beyond Everton all afternoon.

The season continues to rumble on and we still languish in the bottom half. It's a bloody weird league this year as quite literally everybody seems to be beating each other left right and centre, results that are unexpected but heartening nonetheless basically still leave us with a chance to get our shit together and get a run going and maybe even...whisper it quietly...do something this season, dont hold your breath though lids, lods and ladesses.

Sunderland away up next, who at the time of writing have just snotted Chelsea off the park at Stamford Bridge, so does this run begin against them or the Baggies the week after? Fuck knows...

Juice Terry

Bolton Match Report

2010-11-11T19:45:00.000+00:00

Same old story again. A winnable home game ends with points thrown away after Everton, who dominated for large spells in the game, had to be thankful for Jermaine Beckford's stoppage time goal to salvage a draw.

Before the game, all the talk was of team selection. One of the criticisms of David Moyes is that, from time to time, he is capable of some baffling decisions when it comes to changing his team around. Wednesday night saw Marouane Fellaini replace the injured John Heitinga - not too many complaints there given the Dutchman's form - but, strangely, Louis Saha come in for Yakubu and, even moreso, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov replace the in-form Seamus Coleman.

It's easy to make the Russian a scapegoat but the fact is he's not playing well and does not justify selection. Our form this season significantly picked up when Coleman and Yakubu came into the team - we've looked balanced, aggressive and tough to beat. The changes significantly affected the mood inside Goodison (understandably given Coleman's popularity and form) and Bilyaletdinov, again, looked hesitant and scared to make a mistake.

That said, Everton should still have won the game comfortably. After a nervy first ten minutes - Tim Howard in particular looked uncertain - the Blues began to impose themselves, with Fellaini and Pienaar in particular looking bright. What is worrying, however, is the teams reluctance to shoot from range. Arteta, Pienaar and Bilyaletdinov all had chances to do so - but their extra touches or attempts to be cute meant that the chances went begging. As the half wore on, Louis Saha forced a couple of saves from Jussi Jaaskelainen and had a header from Arteta's corner hacked off the line by Chung Yong Lee. Fellaini blazed over as well, but the half ended goalless.

Bolton began the second half with a bit more spark about them - Sylvain Distin, who played well again, had to be alert after Johan Elmander went past the unusually sluggish Jagielka - and a couple of corners led to Matt Taylor hitting the top of the crossbar and Howard saving brilliantly from the impressive Stuart Holden. The game soon reverted to type, however, and half chances for Saha and Bilyaletdinov were not converted, before great work by Baines led to Gary Cahill deflecting the ball over his own crossbar by inches. Coleman replaced Bilyaletdinov, and a couple of barnstorming runs down the right warmed the crowd up and had Everton on the front foot.

Unfortunately, when you don't take chances, the inevitable will happen. From an Everton attack, Jagielka, who was virtually the last man, dwelled on the ball and was robbed by Holden. He fed Taylor on the left, who whipped a beauty of a cross between defenders and goalkeeper for Klasnic to tap in. Brilliant, Everton, well done.

Moyes hit the panic button, sending on Yakubu (who should have started the game - whatever the opinions are on the Nigerian, we play better football when he's there) and Beckford for Saha (bright initially but faded badly) and Neville. The game seemed up, however, when Fellaini stupidly kicked out at Robinson following a crunching challenge, and was rightly sent off. He had played well and should be first choice in that position, but his reaction was moronic and will only increase his reputation, however unwarranted, with referees.

As the supporters headed for the exits, Everton's attacks became increasingly desperate, but those who stayed were rewarded. Leighton Baines' persistence and drive won back a ball that should never have been his, and, from his cutback, Beckford bent an absolute howitzer into the top corner. The ex-Leeds man is nowhere near ready to start games yet - he's still got a way to go to adapt, particularly when it comes to work outside the box - but that was a wonderful goal which will hopefully do him the world of good.

Overall it has to be a poor result - caused by players not willing to take responsibility, and, in no small part, bad team selection - but hopefully lessons will be learned. They have to be, given that Arsenal visit on Sunday.

COYB

CalcioEFC

Bolton Review

2010-11-11T19:38:00.000+00:00

Well you can either shit or get off the pot, so I thought I'd give this article lark a pop. Where better to pop my journalistic cherry than the match that sparked a media frenzy build up of anticipation. Yes that was the build up to a November night as Everton took on Owen Coyle's Bolton. As with Hull City of yester year the rules of sports journalism(get me) dictate that the managers name must be inserted prior to announcing this teams name. As if they have changed grounds or soemthing, like the MK Dons.

Well its Wednesday night, its been more than a bit parky, and we are taking on Bolton. These are the things that test your devotion at times, but just shy 0f 32,000 braved the cold, including the usual Bolton shameful showing. The anticipation was summed up in my trip to the ground where with 5 people in the car the main topic of conversations were:

Haye v Harrison

The mystery missle in LA

Students wrecking a building in London. To be fair to them thier sugars levels and body clocks would have been all over the shop after staying up all night lining up for the new call of duty. Then a 24 hour diet of energy drinks and pop tarts as they strive to be the first to finish it.

I digres, back to the game. Well even the most ardent of critics must say that Bolton have been doing alright this season, and under Coyle (it is also compulsory for someone to now pipe up and shout 'He'll be our next manager ya know') they are playing well. The Allardyce yard dog years appear to have left a certain steel about them, but Coyle does have them far more professional, and actually allowing the ball to stay on the ground. Going into the game they sit 5th, after a good hiding being given to Tottenham, and racking up only 2 loses all season. Regardless most blues will have gone into the game thinking we should get 3 points here, all be it it will be hard fought. That scruffy bookies on the corner of the bullens and gwladys street that always seems to have smoke in it, and people shouting crap betting tips, must have took more 1-0 Cahill bets than anything else.

For most of the season it is fair to say that we have played some decent stuff on the deck, and looked dangerous going forward, but not put teams to the sword as we appear to be trying to walk it into the net. It is also now compulsor for someone to say (usually me), somebody is in for a good hiding from us soon. Yakubu after getting off the mark against Stoke looked a bit sharper at Blackpool, and did well to find space and turn well to set Cahill up for a great near post goal, that showed signs of them linking up well. Yet the bench it was for him as Moyes tried to find a differant formula to break down a well organised Bolton backline of freakish looking individuals, including the bizarley straight looking Zat Knight. Look at the lad he is like a straight line drawn with a ruler the weirdo.

The thinking must have been that Saha with his ability to shoot from outside the box aswell as turn in it may have served us beter than the Yak shoulder shuffle. Also despite a goal last week he dropped Coleman to give Bilyaletdinov a start.

Fellaini came in at centre mid for the very uninterested looking Heitinga. Some say he is being played out of position, some say he is just shite, some say he is just uninterested. I know what I think. News started to filter through pre-match that he was injured. No doubt a story will appear in the dutch press through the week about a bust up with Moyes or some criticism of him playing him out of position. Which will then be refutted with the no famous 'lost in translation' quote. For me I can't see him being here next year, but what do I know.

Other than that the team was as you were, with the same back line, and Pienaar, Arteta & Cahill completing the midfield.

Bolton appeared to come out of the traps quicker, with Everton struggling to get a foothold on the game, but as the match progressed we managed to play some decent stuff through the middle and on the wings, but it all too often broke down outside the 18 yard box. Bolton looked dangerous on the attack, and Distin at one point had to throw his hulk like frame in the path of a goal bount shot after Jagielka had been rolled by Elmander. There was also the opportunity for Bolton to take the lead, and they would have if it wasnt for the fact that every person inside the ground expected Howard to make a simple catch / punch on a deflection. Only for him to just stand there and watch it bounce infront of his goal and them harmlessly past. His usual rant stranegly missing this time, post incident.

Saha weaved his way in to shoot straight at the keeper, as did Cahill with the rebound. But in genreal Saha was kept to a few shots from oustide the box, which resulted in a number of corners, that it must be said were shocking in thier delivery for the vast majority of the game. Although from one corner Saha did have a header cleared off the line at the far post. As for corner taking though, for a man who has on occasion served up some superb goals from dead ball situations, Arteta's ability to take a corner leaves alot to be desired. During one such occasion Cahill almost ended up in the book for venting his frustartion at the ref with the most distinctive run in the league, for not awarding a penalty to us after recieving yet another 'Elton John' rear hug from Bolton's Cahill. Dowd gave him a teachers telling off. Cahill v Cahill then resumed at the far post and Dowd delivered one of those 'thats it' talks to the pair of them, which they both ignored.

HT 0-0 and on the balance of play a fair result, with most blues musing that it wasnt a bad half after a slow start. But the air was generally optimistic.

Second half starts and as like the first, Boltons fans try tirelessly to goad the home support with the usualy rhetoric about jobs, stealing, failure to sing. My personal favourite was the targetting of Neville as if there is some sort of rivalry between Bolton and Mna Utd. The Everton fans on the whole were quiet, and just left the fucking idiots to it as they went headlong for the 'biggest helmets at Goodsion all season' award. Which to be fair has alreday been awarded to Stoke, and will take some beating after witnessing Claude Greengrass and his daughter in the front of the paddock bit they have. Both resplendent in thier red long sleeve tops with a Stoke short sleeved kit over the top. The fat daughter aged* about 23 (*no not even with yours), with Katie on the back, and Claude Greengrass with Kaites Dad on the rear of his. A rare Sky Sports moment indeed.

Anyway, seconds out round two. Everton attack the Gwladys street, and it soons become apparent that if Howard Kendall was telling the truth then the Gwdladys street better start sucking as it wasnt looking like we were going to put the ball in the net through football, as Jussi Jaskelinan had one of his quitest games for some time save wise. To be fair Boltons back line, even with Zat Knight in it, who is just poor. Looked organised and held strong against unimaginative Everton. The corners kept coming, but with a freakish amount of high and disciplined marking Cahill got nowhere near any of them, neither did Fellaini or anyone else.

At the other end Bolton were also starting to get a few corners and they were being delivered with an unnerving amount of pace, which caused panic in the Everton area as a mere touch from anyone could have put it in the net. Which was almost the case as Holden drifted in unmarked at the far post to head goalbound, only for Howard to save it with an impression of Graham Norton who was just noticed a wasp. A good reactionary save never the less. Bolton were growing in confidence and Moyes replaced Bilyaletdinov with Coleman, and Bolton replaced Elmander with Klasnic. Coleman injected a large degree of pace into the team straight from the off down the right that had been missing with Bilyaletdinov there. To steal an observation from a mate, Bilyaletdinov's positioning in the second half was as if he was the refree. Largely taking up positions away from play. However when he drifted into the middle he occasionaly looked dangerous with a shot. But for the whole game he mostly looked well off the pace of the game. I still subscribe to the school of though that he would be better as asupport striker as cahill does. His goals show that, and his performances show that he is not a winger, as the game in the Premiership is too quick and there is not alot of space. But Seven goals in the few starts he had last season shows he can score. His slice infront of goal may show differant.

Coleman did what he does best and put the left back under pressure with pacey runs at him, but again the organised Bolton picked up thier men and held thier ground alowing little space for the forwards. As such Jaskelinan was rarely troubled.

Then it happened, as Moyes had Yakubu & Beckford striped off to come on, a very simpe ball was badly controlled by Jagielka, in a good impression of Rodwell against Sporting Lisibon. Matt 'likes to lob Howard' Taylor burst down the left wing and delivered a outward swinging low ball into the box that should have been saved / pushed away by Howard. Who for some reason seemed to pull his arms away from it. Klasnic drifted in at the far post to knock the ball into an unguarded net. Howards usualy rants again missing as even he thought he shoud have done better.

The game restarts and its as you were for Everton, with Moyes appearing to change his mind over the subs as Beckford & Yakubu put back on those quite snazy white training tops. Regardless the two eventually come on, but strangely Neville is taken off, and in doing so gooses any threat Coleman was causing, and Yakubu comes on for Saha. For me Cahill should have come off as he was having no impact on the game at all, but Moyes seem's allergic to substituting the fella, as he subscribes to the 'he may just nick you a goal' school of thought. Yes stats wise he avergaes a goal every 3 and half games, but when players are as ineffective as he was in a game, you shouldn't nullify a threat that is doing something, as Coleman was, on the off chance a lad who hasnt threatened in 80 minutes, will do it in 20.

Regardless Everton carried and the impressive Fellaini, who has the starnge ability to be able to control a ball on his chest and foot at the same time does so on the half way line and is clattered by the yard dog that is Robinson. A tangle of legs ensues, and as the rolling comes to an end and Robinson attempts to get up. Fellaini obliges by trying to push him up with his foot right in his goolies. Strangley Dowd didnt see this as the obvious Samaritan act that it was and sent Fellaini off. Confusion ensued as a large selection of the crowd thought they had been given the card and also left the area. Bolton threatened to get a second as Everton looked clueless goalwise, despite Pienaars putting in his usual great showing. As the end of injury time approached Baines ran 15 yards after a hopeless ball that

Chung-Yong Lee was trying to shepherd out. Through tenacity he managed to disposses Lee and slid the ball to Beckford on the edge of the area. Beckford turned his man and hit a curling shot up and over everyone and into the top car corner of the Boton goal. Jubilation ensued in the walkways of Goodison park, lets face it we were all stodd near the exits. Everton secure a point, that in fairness was the right result based on the game over all. The fact it was scored in the 94th minute when only 3 minutes was put up will no doubt he straight into Tony Pulis' ref's fanatsy league.

So that takes it to 3 goals a large number of season ticket holders have now missed at home, which is far lower than the amount of points we have dropped.

Man of the match - Distin, pipping Pienaar

Must do better man of the match - Howard

Ref - Didnt have alot to do, but seemed alright with what he did 7/10

Next up Arsenal at home, but I wonder if I should put a sly fiver on Harrison? I heard someone said Haye has a moody chin.......................

mickmack