COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY
From my seat: Villa (H)
Comments (30) : A first half that we started brightly and at a tempo that suggested the players knew what was at stake, left me wondering why we hadn't shown this same application in the previous five matches. The first half was ours for twenty minutes and the best effort was from a barnstorming run down the left from Yak, he outpaced and outmuscled Reo-Coker and fired in a shot destined for the bottom corner which was parried away invitingly into the path of Manny but alas his shot was both weak and well off target.
The Villa had the best of the rest of the half and a Young freekick came back off the bar after a lunging tackle by Jags was penalised. H/T and the chat was mostly bemoaning the lack of a purposful midfield.
Again, we started the half on the front foot but Villa were just as focussed and it was a relief when, just before the hour mark, the Yak was productive again down the left and his drag back eluded both Pienaar and AJ but fell for Neville who seemed to sidefoot the ball across goal but it took a deflection and nestled in the net, his celebration was a picture.
We then proceded to hold Villa while not really threatening ourselves. O'Niell then decided to throw the kitchen sink at us by withdrawing two of his back four for two attackers.
Our response was to withdraw Manny for Arteta and I must say this move baffled me as Arteta hasn't trained for a fortnight and sad to say his cameo performance verified this as it was both tepid and lacklustre. With 11 mins to go the defence was breached from a corner that saw Agbonlahor somehow get in front of both Arteta and Osman and the ball saw the roof of the net.
This goal set off a cracking last ten minutes. AJ was replaced by Big Vic and within two minutes of the change a superb Carsley cross saw Yobo steal around the back and fire a great goal into the roof of the net. Six minutes only left, surely the points were ours but in true Everton fashion within ninety seconds we switched off, Arteta failed to track back and Barry with a cross as sweet as Carsley's had three Villa men queueing on the back post unmarked and it was the giant Carew who equalised,who was supposed to be marking who?
We responded again and Yobo had a header tipped via the post for a corner which came to nought and so the final whistle saw us share the points and from my seat it was a fair result as both teams had gone for it big style. My man of the match was Yobo and I also thought Neville had his best game for some time.
I thought the manager was wrong to bring on Arteta when he did as I thought at that point we needed, in the absence of culture, some real battling qualities to prevent too much ball to their now three centre-forwards and I am afraid that, at the moment, Arteta just doesn't cut it.
Overall though a point sees us with a realistic chance of fifth place, four points from two games seals it and its in our hands but it would be handy if one the games both Villa and Pompey have left went for us.
Much work for the manager and club to do in the close season as this dismal run-in has exposed us as threadbare in terms of a quality squad, which is just not good enough considering the demands of a season fighting on all competition fronts as well as ramming home how far we are off making it a competitive top five.
Still, Rome wasn't built in a day so good luck and good hunting to Davy and Bill. Arsenal and Newcastle will come thick and fast... let's hope for the best... UP THE BLUES
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I have often stated my opinion on the physical frailty of those three and promise this will be the last time. That is not to say my views have changed; it is merely the realisation that my moaning about them probably serves to upset some good folk while not doing a blind bit of good.
For serenity and peace of mind I shall bundle up all my whinges on that score, put them in a little box and move on to other things.
Before hanging up my boots for another season and if allowed just one more gripe, it would be about the absolutely stupid tactic of lobbing high balls in the direction of tiny AJ or Yakubu who can?t jump. How many times must that be shown to be a complete and utter waste of time before our players get the message? Makes one wonder if they are all pig stupid or they are doing exactly what the boss orders.
Finally, what about Carsley then? Still rubbish is he? Too slow eh... or is it just a case of being blinded by the sun shining out of the little one?s arses.
Disappointed but better performance by Everton. We need another against Newcastle. COYBs.
Personally I thought once again that Fernandes looked our most dangerous midfielder.
Our performance was indeed an improvement to the previous matches; however, I cannot help but feel a sense of despair. Getting a point at the Emirates will be very difficult with our current level of perfromance and I really can?t see Villa not beating Wigan at home, which would place us in 6th. I know I am pushing the panic-button here, but I always felt that this Villa match was a must win.
Removing Fernandes was a mistake in my eyes. It left us with the 3 smallest midfielders in the most crucial part of the game, just as villa were throwing on the big strikers. One of the results of this was Barry getting an age to plonk it onto Carew?s head, when we should have had it sewn up.
I know I?ve said it before, but I still think our other mistake was playing 3 centre backs and leaving Baines on the bench. We lose so much attacking impetus and pace down the left by doing this. The balance Baines would bring down the flank, linking with pienaar would help us so much in an attacking sense. I know Jags has played well recently, but for me this is a really important issue and he is still 3rd choice CB and should be dropped.
Mikel hasn't been at his best for some time now and hasnt trained for a couple of weeks so perhaps it wasn't one of DM?s most inspired substitutions.
Disappointed with the result but a bit more encouraged by the overall performance though we are light years away from the team performances such as v Sunderland and first half v Arsenal to mention but a few. The last few games we?ve played like the lads have already got their flip flops on ready for their hols but yesterday was better.
Still so much to play for, come on Everton, we can do it.
Bringin Fernandes off was a mistake but I guess Moyes didn?t want to upset one of his favourites.
As usual with Everton they make hard work of everything.
But, it is so boring watching us punt balls upto Yakubu who does not move and AJ , who is a midget.
We need to pass the ball more. We need Fernandes and Arteta on the pitch for 90 minutes.
I don’t know what has happened to Piennar. He is playing absolutely crap at the moment. He was the worst player on the pitch by a mile. Why didn’t Moyes take him off instead of Manny?
Also, every one of our corners was comfortably dealt with (except the last one, that Yobo? helped on to the upright). Villa?s corners were all directed into our 6 yard box that were somehow scrambled away (except sadly, the Agbonlahor goal).
Does anybody else feel that our free-kicks and corners have been poor throughout the season ?
Villa looked very dangerous from all set pieces, with a large height advantage. PLEASE no more signings under 5"10!!
There certainly is a crying need for a couple of aggressive midfielders, a goal scoring winger and a full back but hopefully DM will unearth some un-cut diamonds in the summer. As he did with Cahill and Lescott.
I have a feeling that Villa will slip up in one of their remaining games and suffer defeat. Given the way Everton are falling over the finishing line, one point from six would the be enough. A scrappy 0-0 against Newcastle and that could be it?
Long punts from jags (does he know anything else?), and crap play in midfield (with osman and pienaar particularly bad and fernandes played out of position!)..
Second half was a far better, but it was hardly convincing stuff...taking fernandes off as bizzarre, especially whenever arteta could have moved to the wing with a switch for fernandes into his proper position in the centre!
All in all, I think our tactics threw the game away.
And this continuing nonsense of trying to keep three centre backs happy by moving our best centre half to the wing and leaving our best full back on the bench is aggravating, pathetic and tactically inept!
Oh aye, and AJ is not good enough. Sorry, but he?s not.
Remember we have only beaton Derby (and only just) in the last 7 games.
Also like to mention just how delighted I was for Pip and appreciative of how much the goal obviously meant to him.
Alas, it was not to be, and in the end a draw I suppose was a fair outcome against a strong, physical Villa side that really have come on leaps and bounds since O’Neill took over. They have so many tall and commanding players that can cause havoc at set pieces and I knew pre-game that we were in for a testing afternoon.
The Arsenal fixture looms large on the horizon and to take a point out of North London, as we have before in the recent past, would not only represent a great result but could well be enough to get that fifth place without worrying on the last day when Newcastle United journey south to Goodsion.
I thought Jagielka had one of his best games, dependable as usual, although Mikel looked out of sorts following his return from Spain. The rest of the players did a sound if unspectacular job and no doubt Neville would have been like a dog with two tails at his goal, even if some say it was an own goal off an opposition player.
So, all said, in the end a draw kind of pleases both parties but by the same token sort of frustrates both teams as a win would have sorted out who gets the fifth place and instead we will have to wait a while longer.
Finally, a shout out to the Everton ladies team, who, after a 6-0 demolition of Charlton Athletic have secured runners up in the ladies premier league. A great showing following on from the FA cup win over Arsenal.
Well done girls.
I must say that I was impressed with Villa - three lively attacking players, Barry running the midfield, and some good defenders.
As so often this season, we got something out of good old ?muck and bullets? despite the huge voids in midfield. Found myself thinking that the whole midfiled should be rebuilt around Fernandes, even if that means cashing in on Arteta and Cahill.
Let’s leave the in-fighting to the other side and get behind the best manager we have had, and the team. DM is a young manager and is still learning. He has done an amazing job taking us this far. We all want European football next season. If we get a point from Arsenal I think we will get our wish.
1. We miss Cahill and his goals terribly when he does not play.
2. Our squad is not suited to playing 4-4-2, we are clearly much better playing 4-1-4-1 or 4-5-1, however you choose to look at it.
What did Steve Harris think we could do about that - stretch our minute players on rack for 24 hours ... oh no, that torture went out in the middle ages.
I thought the boys did play some pretty attractive passing football in the second half.
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1 Posted 27/04/2008 at 23:30:59
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a) the moment IF we do get infront, it’s not for long.
b) David Moyes record in must win matches is still not looking good.
I don’t think we will get what we want in the summer, and maybe another Uefa cup run for a very limited small sqaud (prone in injuries) would take it’s toll next season too.