COLUMNIST JOE JENNINGS

A Fabulous Season

By Joe Jennings :  28/05/2009 :  Comments (9) :

Last summer was one of the worst in living memory. Communication breakdown was at the heart of our strife. Bill Kenwright was beginning to run out of scripts; they were all repeats and boring. His charm was fast waning away. Supporter patience wore dangerously thin.

It is always silly to read too much into pre-season friendlies since they're nothing more than getting-up-to-scratch fitness run outs. Not much point then in getting feverish over seven wins out of eight, or one loss out of eight. It hardly matters. But the reality that we looked complete and utter shit for the most part of the pre-season games did little to spark encouragement throughout the Everton population.

Not only that, but we had become a laughing stock in the world of football commerce. Lisbon wanted £16m for their golden boy Moutinho, so we offered 11 and sulked when they told us where to go. We went into the first league game of the season against Blackburn Rovers with a bench full of youngsters, a side that had been embarrassed by a group of American jibronis in a pre-season friendly and a manager refusing to commit, and we got exactly what we deserved.

We traipsed out of Goodison Park on that horrible August day feeling physically sick. The side that had finished the ?best of the rest? after demolishing Newcastle on the final day in May to finish fifth, and therefore the best equipped to launch an assault on the ?Big 4? come the new season provided shrewd signatures were captured, was nowhere ready physically, mentally, and of course, numerically.

We won a week later at the Hawthorns in what was billed as a start of season six-pointer, but the relief of a timely victory did little to allay the fears and frustrations that had been pent up by a summer of inexcusable mismanagement.

A week later against Portsmouth, though, we realised the win at West Brom hadn?t papered over the gaping gaps in our squad that had simply not been addressed. We wanted to moan and complain, but who or what was there to complain at? Bill didn?t seem to show his face when the chips were down. I was tired of the same old routine of recurrent disappointment. I was beginning to lose hope.

We crashed out of Europe to the Belgians and then suffered one of the most embarrassing derby displays in recent memory, going down 2-0 at Goodison to our red nemesis. What hurt most was not that Liverpool totally outclassed us from start to finish, but that our players didn?t seem to really want it. We looked clueless and sluggish throughout. The hallmarks pointed towards a struggle for survival.

Our poor form lingered into October, until a Fellaini goal against United acted as some sort of catalyst for revival. The bushy-haired Belgian was on hand days later to secure a last gasp win at the Reebok after one of the worst games I have been unfortunate enough to bear witness to. The last minute winners didn?t end there. A Saha header late on after another deplorable display at Goodison against Fulham secured a first home win of the season in November, and the Frenchman was on hand again down in the Smoke to save us with two late strikes to cement a richly undeserved 3-1 win at the Boleyn after a shockingly stagnant performance. The headline in the red tops was ?daylight robbery? and it was difficult not to believe it.

But the points acted as a camouflage for some pretty poor performances and it was at Wigan when the chickens came home to roost in marvellous fashion. Too many of our players gave a duvet day performance, none more so than Mikel Arteta, who looked disillusioned with everything at the club. He was becoming a passenger and that hurt. I have never felt so ashamed to consider myself an Evertonian than I did that night. We surrendered everything we stand for. There was no passion, no guts, no skill, no flair, no width, no creativity, no idea and, without doubt, no leader. We got walked all over like an old rug by fucking Wigan. That was Everton treason.

Under Moyes, whoever the opposition, we had always been hard to beat. Whether it was hounding the opposition, closing down constantly or stopping sides getting into their stride, most teams knew they faced a battle first and foremost when they faced Everton Football Club. This was no longer proving the case.

The fears had resurfaced, and despite two wins in two down at White Hart Lane, many assumed Everton would return to normal service with a trouncing down in the capital. How wrong we were. Arguably the turning point of the whole campaign, a season-ending injury for Yakubu didn?t stop the Blues from leaving London with a well-earned 1-0 victory. The penny seemed to drop. The despondency subsided, the players rediscovered belief and the renowned spirit and togetherness that David Moyes had instilled into his troops seemed to come to the forefront.

A valiant display at home in early December to Villa ended in heartbreak thanks to an Ashley Young last gasp winner. Young and Laursen proceeded in running down the Bullens Road stand with hands to their ears, but it?s safe to say we got the last laugh. On that day, our players, from 1 to 11, gave absolutely EVERYTHING. Everton were absolutely magnificent, and whilst I was obviously devastated by the late winner I came out of the ground full of pride and with my head held high. Moyes had zero options with his team selection, zero option with his tactics and zero option with his subs. There was physically no more he could have done. That defeat hurt the players, and our players responded like wounded bears in the fixtures that followed.

We were at Eastlands a week later and the heart, spirit, guts and passion was little short of incredible as the Blues deservedly struck with a last minute winner. The complete turnaround in the player's workrate and collective attitude was phenomenal. And it had made all the difference. This was a team to be proud of again, win, lose or draw.

Chelsea escaped with a point from the L4 bear pit, while we delivered some festive cheer to the Smoggies with one of the most comfortable away displays in Premier League history.

But the turnaround in our fortunes was not only due to incredible stoicism, but simply because Mikel Arteta had returned to his rightful place in the middle of the midfield. Arteta had transformed our game from Wimbledon to wonderful, from humdrum to hallucinating, from dour to dazzling. Outwide he was good, in the middle he was different class.

He was knitting everything together, giving the defenders options in deeper positions and was more than willing to keep hold of it and push us further up the pitch. He was the conductor of the orchestra.

A league and cup clash against our rivals was the highlight of January, with two score draws ensuing. Sandwiched in between were victories over Hull and Macclesfield, while Arsenal?s equaliser in the dying embers probably blew out the faint flame of Champions League hope. Arsenal left Goodison Park that night grateful for the point they in no way deserved. It was probably a season defining result in terms of our ambitions. Given the horrendous start we had enjoyed, it would have been greedy ? if not overambitious ? to have expected a real push for the untold riches of Champions League football.

The 4th round FA Cup replay against Liverpool at Goodison Park is a game that will live long in the memory of all Evertonians. It will forever be remembered for one magical moment, just two minutes from the end of extra-time, and for one name; Dan Gosling.

We had shown that Evertonians and Everton players, everyone around the club, had big hearts. Everyone knew that Liverpool had the £30m players, the capital, the huge squad, the rotation system, the made-up world-class manager... what they didn?t have though was the heart and soul of Everton Football Club.

Through absolute will and assiduous determination, coupled with no small amount of excellence and composure, we had shown our outspoken neighbours, shown the Liverpool loving press and shown the entire footballing world that Everton were now a serious outfit, with serious resolve, and that we were here to stay.

Wins over Bolton, Villa and West Brom kept the scintillating form going, but the game at St James? Park signalled the end for our matador. Mikel Arteta, from an innocuous challenge, suffered severe damage to his cruciate ligament, as he pounded the turf writhing in agony. Evertonians everywhere were shook to the core. No words did justice to the magnitude of the loss. They do say that God moves in mysterious ways. Most gave up hope of the FA Cup dream.

But it was a tragedy that presented opportunities. Jack Rodwell, in my opinion one of the greatest talents in world football, would get the chance to showcase his growing capabilities.

A dour display at Ewood Park was overshadowed by the FA Cup quarter final win over Southgate?s Boro, meaning the Toffees would be Wembley bound for the first time since 1995. A comfortable win over Stoke and a defeat at Fratton Park concluded March.

Players, fans and management alike, determined to overcome the adversity endured, displayed our much-tested indestructible strength of mind, with a 4-0 demolition job on Wigan, while a draw at Villa was the least we warranted after some sumptuous attacking play. But the semi-final against Manchester United would show how this team was coming of age, and how it was developing the mental toughness needed to succeed at the highest level.

It went to penalties, Jagielka stepped up to banish the demons, we all know the rest! Our club was rediscovering its grip.

If Arteta?s injury shook us to the core, a similar knee injury to the Herculean Phil Jagielka nearly brought us to tears. Tomblike silence descended upon Goodison Park as the England international fell to the floor in agony against Manchester City. This was really testing our faith. But, as ever, nothing could disrupt our resolute band of brothers as the Blues finished the season on a high, ending a 43 year wait for a win at Fulham and finishing fifth above Ashley Young?s Villa. Gobshite Martin Laursen, who was admittedly a very good player, was also forced to retire due to injury. As already mentioned, it?s Evertonians who are smiling now. Oh the sweet scent of karma.

Focus now, naturally, shifts to the FA Cup final against Chelsea.

We?ve met the standard again in the league, winning the tag of ?best of the rest?, but now we need something substantial to show for seven years of recuperation and rebirth under David Moyes. For too long have Everton been viewed like an almost extinct animal at the zoo. We have watched and stared at other sides successes, and it feels like it has been dangled before us like fish bait, we want this more than anything. We want it with a force that makes the ends of our fingers ache. To Chelsea it?s a consolation prize, nothing to really get excited about. A cup that will save them face. And there lies the big difference.

My Dad keeps telling me that we?re going to do it, and I believe him. Our supporters will outnumber the champagne sippers 2 to 1, and when Chelsea step onto that turf come 14:55, they?re going to be welcomed by 45-50,000 famished, yearning, obsessive Evertonians as the force of sound lashes them full on in the face.

We may all be guilty of still flavouring the fizz from that wonderful April afternoon, but the discharge of delight on that day wasn?t a ?we will enjoy our day in the sun while we can? type of feeling. Far from it. It was more a hope that days like it would before long become norm again, as they had been for long periods of our history that is smattered with elation.

One last push is required, one last Herculean display. I?ll be there, and I simply cannot wait. Whatever happens though, we should all remember pride, passion and dignity ? the Everton way. Sing your heart out, give it your all, and refuse to entertain the prospect of anything other than an Everton victory. It?s been a fabulous season, with so many moments to savour, and it?s impossible to flee the feeling that it won?t end in Toffee heaven. The Peoples Club bringing the cup home back to Walton, where it belongs.

Reader Comments

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment to Column articles, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and MailBag submissions across the site.