COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY
From my seat: Stoke (A)
Comments (43) : The first half was a tame affair which saw the Blues play the better football and up to the 40-minute mark only a shot from Fuller had been on target. On that 40-minute mark we saw a delightful move built up down our left and Arteta who had been quiet to this point picked out Cahill that put the home defence into disarray, Cahill slipped in the Yak and his second touch saw him glide the ball beyond the dive of the keeper, nestling in the corner of the net with what was our first shot on target in the game. Roof off time and the Yak song.
We continued with good build-up until half-time and that period saw a last-ditch tackle and block deny Cahill our second.
During the break we wondered if any change would be made as Big Vic had looked a bit like a fish out of water in the right-mid berth but the manager said same again. This definitely paid off as it was Big Vic, left all alone in the box, who glanced home a free-kick well delivered by Arteta. A two goal cushion that was well received by the travelling faithful.
I said to my mate, "Keep it tight for ten minutes and we could get five".... How wrong can you be? Stoke, with nothing to lose, went for it in an odd but effective way. They played for thro- ins anywhere within a 40-yard radius of our box. Delap delivered Exocet-like 'hurls' toward our goalline and every giant in their team swarmed around Howard filling the six-yard box.
It was now nail-biting time as with each throw we looked more and more edgy and sure enough we conceded two. The first saw Howard punch weakly and the ball fell kindly via the back of an Everton player and Olofinjana thundered it home. The second from my seat seemed to go straight in but by the reaction of keeper and Jags it seems like a deflection.
Worrying times now as, in-between these goals, Fuller had out-muscled Yobo and slotted home but to our great relief the ref ruled foul.
From two up to all square and many a fan might have been forgiven for saying, "Let's take a point and get out of here". But more drama to come.
The Blues regained some composure and started pressing more and a ball fed into the Yak saw his marker clearly handle a good two yards into the box. The ref blew his whistle and pointed to the spot... then went to his assistant for a chin-wag and gave a free-kick just outside the box much to everyone's fury ? none more than the manager, who caused the ref to run over and banish him from the touchline. Yes, we are embracing this "respect the ref" stuff but surely refs need to demonstrate that they actually earn it???
We were all a bit down after that episode but as things turned out not for long. We gained a corner on the left after good build up, Arteta takes, Cahill, in trademark fashion, appears from nowhere and the pace on the ball needs just a glance, Cahill applies it and the net bulges as the keeper was still in the air.
Ten minutes to go and Cahill is replaced by Rodwell, a good move I thought as he brought more height to deal with the Exocet 'hurls' that were still coming in. Although desperate at times, we held out and even managed a break that almost produced a chance. Vaughan was introduced for Big Vic in injury time but that was no more than the regulation "run the clock down and disrupt play" routine. Three points away again and if we can pick a few up at home we should be OK!
Overall I thought it was a good performance considering we were a little unbalanced and giving debuts to two players in the very heart of the team who had hardly time to find out where the bus left from and didn't speak any English. Of the two, I thought Castillo was the more assured and seemed to have a good grasp of his position and was comfortable with the ball to either foot. Fellaini I thought lived up to the manager's comment of great potential but a fair bit to learn.
We won't meet many teams with the approach of Stoke so it's difficult to asses how they will fare against more mobile pass-and-interchange teams.
However, with all players fit it looks to me that we will have once again a sound first team with just a little back up but sadly non for centre midfield so I hope those two steer clear of injury as well as Cahill who made a big difference today and didn't look like a player who had been out for so long except for running out of steam near the end but his work had been done by then.
Uefa Cup Thursday... no Fellaini so I will eagerly await the line-up and hope we can get something to hang on to in the second leg.
Just a thought on the manager: Is he stalling on his contract as he thinks the club might be near to being sold and he wants to see what direction any new owner might take as he doesn't fancy being lumbered with this trend that's creeping in of having a Director of Football to chose his players for him?
See you Thursday
UP THE BLUES
Reader Comments
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At 6?3" he?s one of the tallest ?keepers in the Premier League. Sometimes suspect with crosses, yes, but he ain?t small.
Personally, despite the odd flaw, I still think he?s one of the top 2 or 3 goalkeepers in the league.
Loads of us went to the game and experienced it first hand. The rest watched it on the box - so really don?t understand the need to try to ?report? what happened. We all saw it - possibly better than you (sorry I promised myself I would criticise - I just don?t see the point).
I have to take issue about a few of your points:
- I and everyone else at the game never felt that 3 points were beyond us and never wished for a point - that?s just overly negative,
- Yobo was clearly fowled by Fuller - not a lot - but fowled all the same (remember, you can?t be a little bit pregnant!)
- finally, your assessment of Victor was unfair - whilst being out of position, he contributed far more than when at centre-forward.
Overall a good three points - perhaps you should be happy - parts of your post sounded like Tony Marsh!
Fellaini and Cahill (although he scored the winner) both had mixed performances, with flashes of brilliance and sometimes silly errors. However, both will get better and better with each game . COYB
I thought the pressure put on him today was a tad unfair. The first we conceded he had a player right in front of him and this impacted his ability to clear the ball. Could he have done better? Probably. However I wouldn’t say we need a new goalkeeper! The second was clearly an own-goal by Jags, silly and unfortunate but that kind of stuff happens. Again, not much Howard could do. The whole team should have handled the throw-ins’ better! I don’t remember Howard doing anything else wrong so, just like the rest of the team, once we settle down and the new players settle in and learn a few words of Oz/Scouse/Yank/ Nigerian etc., etc we’ll be fine!
I thought the goal disallowed for Stoke was a foul for sure but a little bit on the generous side, had it gone the other way I wouldn’t have been surprised.
The penalty was a stone cold PK, how on earth he gave us a free-kick outside the box I’ll never know!
Although it was funny to see Moyes surrounded by Stoke fans and oversized bouncers!
All in all a good day, two new players, CAHILL BACK AND A STUNNING HEADER, three points in the bag (against a team that gave us a fight, no walkovers).
Considering we had 2 new non-English speaking guys in after a day’s training and Cahill’s first game in about 6 months, we did OK. Yes, we were disjointed and a bit scrappy, but I didn’t expect anything else considering.
Anichebe did well, he had a really tough job and worked his arse off. He isn’t a particularly gifted player, but you can’t ask much more of him when he’s asked to be back when we’re defending and effectively be the 2nd striker when we’re attacking.
Castillo did fine, Fellaini was incredibly average. The back 4 were a slight cause for concern, but against an aerial assault like that it’s always gonna be nervy.
Thought Howard played well all things considered. He really couldn’t have done much more than he did. There was nothing he could do to stop either goal and when you’re a keeper faced with the ball dropping in your box, with a packed penalty area, you’ve got a real job on your hands. Howard is as good as any of the top-4 keepers, with the exception of Cech. I wouldn’t take Reina, van der Sar or any other Premiership keeper over him. Maybe Buffon or Casillas fancy a change?
The record signing looked a big, strong but importantly technically gifted footballer.
The Ecuadorian - to me, at least - looked big and strong but gave the ball away quite often.
I was reasonably impressed by both of the new central midfielders, but Fellaini is clearly the player out of the two of them.
But MOST IMPORTANTLY, Tim Cahill is back. Thank fuck.
The new boys did OK but £15M for Fellaini? He sure must have looked good on that video!
Howard is a long way from being one of the best and again looked timid when under assault from ?the big boys?.
The ref was wrong about the penalty but Moyes?s histrionics deserved banishment although he remained in the Everton seats when he should have gone to the stand. God knows what his re-action would have been if we had had a ?good? goal disallowed as they did! Pulis was a model of discretion by contrast.
All in all, a lucky victory but against a physical side we seemed able to look after ourselves. Against real quality we would have been murdered!
However, there?s obviously going to be some bedding in needed, and one thing that was obvious was that our midfield suddenly seems "full" again which is a positive.
Other than that, I thought Victor had a good game, working hard for the team and I saw a flew fleeting moments from Arteta which made me confident we are about to get the player we know and love back again.
Hardly a top 4 performance, but what a second half! Value for money all the way...
Why would you have an issue with that? Also, at 2-2, having been there, I was slightly worried. Yes, I thought we were the better team but they were capable of scoring? So it is fair to say we were worried, maybe not panicing but we all know what our dear sweet Everton are capable of...
Agree with you on the the Yobo/Fuller foul though ? it was a tackle from behind, Wiley blew straight away ? foul. Really wasn?t sure what the fuss was about.
Some odd criticism of Howard too from elsewhere. The point was that those throw ins weren?t ?high balls?, they were anything but ? the reason they are so difficult to defend against is because the trajectory is so flat. Howard won?t be the only keeper to have trouble with them this season.
Fellaini and Castillo did OK ? not bad, not great, but OK and considering the circumstances (debut away to Stoke!) they did their jobs well. A few weeks training and I?m sure we?ll see some improvement.
Wasn?t it great to see Cahill back though?
From the correspondence above I assume that Castillo played in his his natural position in front of the back four and Fellaini in front of him. From what people are saying it didn?t work for Fellaini which I find a bit worrying as the guy has made a point of saying that he?s a defensive midfield player. I think that's going to be a problem if your looking to press the game against the not to good sides... although I do think that it could be an advantage against the better sides.
Let's be honest, we are not going to out football them so just getting a foot in, disrupting them and maybe snatching a goal, with the players we?ve got it may work. I still wish we had that creative central midfield player who can make things happen. I?d like to see Arteta given a run in that position, the only problem is we?d be short then out wide... I know, maybe we could clone him!
Sorry but you can?t have it both ways - give one, give the other.
The penalty decision was shocking though... still, I?m sure the FA will turn a blind eye to it as usual because we aren?t Man United.
Top report AGAIN ? Steve Williams, WTF?
I must say didn't agree with your comments about Big Vic, I thought he grew into the role and was delighted with him, but that shows how it?s a game of opinions, I for one am always interested to hear how other people saw it; keep 'em coming, Ken, one of the best slots on the site.
One interesting thing I spotted - not sure if the TV picked it up - but when Wiley gave us the penalty and then went over to the linesman, Arteta and the Yak were arguing over who was going to take the pen. The Yak had the ball, Arteta wanted it and the Yak pushed him away in the chest and I don’t think Arteta was best pleased. It used to be one of the last things said as you left the changing rooms - whos taking pens. I watched Arteta for the next 5 mins or so and whilst I don’t think he sulked he had 2 chances to pass to the Yak and chose not to - not good for team spirit me thinks.
Overall though I felt the team had more balance and with Piennar back on the wing in a few weeks it should improve further. The worrying thing though is central defence, none have impressed so far on a consistent basis and they all need to raise their game. Playing Joleon at LB was obviously to counter their height and throw ins but what will he do next week? Personally I think he must persevere with Joey and Joleon in the middle with Jags as back up.
Arteta tried to stand in front of Delap and the ref gave him a caution. Arteta clearly told him that it?s not in the rules that you can?t but the ref told him to get back.
It?s crap - a ref that doesn?t know how to ref!!! Peno - oh no it isn?t - turns the game into a Panto.
The rule is that you CAN stand in front of the thrower BUT you can?t move. You have to stand still. If you move, it?s an automatic free kick for unsportsmanly conduct (which will get you a yellow as well!!!). This rule will probably be clarified by the FA (right before the RS go to Stoke.....).
Just a few points about the game. I thought both the new boys did well. Felliani certainly in the first half showed an appetite for getting the ball and trying to build with it - he went off a bit 2nd half but I’m sure will fit in well. Castillo to me was excellent - cleaned up in front of the back 4 and actually passed well to feet long and short - looks very promising. I believe though in time Felliani will contribute more in the overall sense. I felt sorry for the pair of them , must have wondered what the hell they’ve left themselves in for with Stoke’s type of football .
A couple of other points , Cahill just gives us that energy, drive that no other player gives us, and on top of that he gives us 10 goals a season. We are a different team without him.
The back 4 other than from long throw ins were much better than they have been so far this season. Whether its getting Jags back, moving Lescott wide or whatever it seemed a better defensive unit. What this unfortunately means is that I believe Baines will be left out again. Moyes stated last year that he unfortunately was the victim for us neeeding height somewhere , BUT I feel that Moyes cant leave out Jags and that means Lescott will have to play left back. WE now have the height everywhere but we are so better balance with Yobo and Jags.
I agree with your point about the booking though, we?ll be looking back on this as a twat decision if Artetta?s banned later in the season when we most need him.
I thought we were a little disjointed but that was to be expected (two new midfielders, Vic on the right, Cahill fist game back, etc.). I said before the game to my Mates that if we could scrape past Stoke and Hull then we might be okay. After that new players will have hopefully started to settle, players back to full fitness (Cahill, Vaughan), other players maybe back (Piernaar) and we will hopefully be more settled, then we can fully kick on. And I think we need to settle and improve as we will face much better sides soon. Let?s just keep plugging away in the mean time. Well done Blue boys!
I look forward to Thursday, obviously will be tough though. Oh, has anybody got a spare ticket for the Hull game? I kept checking the Everton site for details but there never was any and then somebody told me yesterday they were sold out, fully pissed off! If anybody knows of any, can you post a message on here. Cheers.
COYB
Felliani and Castillo?s passing / movement were a bit off but you have to remember that this is the Premier League and not Belgium / Serbia (even though Red Star won Champions League in ?91). Once they pick up the speed they will be ok.
Fellaini looks like a fucking monster!
COYB
Good debuts from both Felliani and Castillo I thought. You can clearly see they are both quality even though there were a handful of wayward passes from both. They are clearly technical players, and neither were short of confidence - evident in the passes they made. I thought Castillo was particularly impressive and offers something we have been missing - A Makalele-type player who is not afraid to take the ball from deep, dribble and give a simple pass.
I think the midfield is shaping up nicely. Looking forward to seeing Saha now. I really think we will have to go some to achieve top 6 this year given the way others are improving but we wont be far off. I hate to say it, but I think Phil Neville is now one of the few ’old guard’ we should be looking to relegate to the bench. Most of the players around him are now better and more well-rounded
COYB!!
Just a couple of observations: this reported minor spat between Yakubu and Arteta (over the PK), that isn?t good news at all. DM needs to crack their heads together over that incident!
I?ve never seen throw-in?s like that before (the commentators did point out the Stoke pitch isn?t as wide as some??) but it does beg the question how does one defend such a set-piece? Overall, for what we?re used to, I actually thought we did well to come back and win this game. That bodes well for the future. A bit of grit and determination wouldn?t go amiss.
As to the new boys, Castillo got off to a fine start and the Expensive-Fella showed promise and he?s bloody tall!!! Considering they?ve hardly practised with the team and don?t speak the lingo, they did well. In Fellaini?s case he has a lot of pressure on him from the get-go (the amount of money, what we expect from him, his position) so to those that knock him, give him a bloody chance!!
Thanks again, Ken!!
Castillo though played well I thought. He made a few stray passes but generaly his passes were positive and well placed. He did what he was meant to do and did it well. To be honest I think he looked like the replacement for Carsley and I’m not sure what Fellaini’s role was meant to be. I can’t wait to be proved wrong but have to admit to being worried based on the only time I’ve seen him play.
Cahill wasn’t match fit but he doesn’t half make a difference playing off the front man. Class!
All in all a good result with many positives. COYB
Of course, all of the above makes Castillo?s performance all the more impressive (as you say), as I really wasn?t expecting much if I?m honest. Got knackered, sure, but could be an interesting option in midfield.
Maybe the problem was that both of them are supposed to/used to playing in the same role? If Osman was fit maybe one of them wouldn?t have played? Questions questions...
To blame Howard for the goals allowed is absolute crap and those that complain may have missed his fantastic arm save in the first ten minutes of the match.
Delap?s throws are way better than frees, because you can?t be offside on a throw!!!! So, you clog everyone in-front of the goal and hope for any deflection. Howard has to fight through 4 players in front of him, and he got the best punch he could. And the second goal was unlucky.
Supporters who don?t like Howard? Cmon.
I cant agree, yes Howard did make a decent save, I?m a big fan of his but he?s had a fucken Weston at Stoke. My missus would have punched the first one further and he should have come over the top of the Jag for the second. Like I say I?m a big fan, he doesn't have many bad games, but let's not pretend he didn't yesterday
If Delap is so good on the long throw, why doesnt every team in the Prem develop someone equally as good?
Castillo did a good job but I was also happy with Fellaini. Maybe he didn?t show up quite as well as Castillo, was caught out of position a bit, but he was hungry for the ball and to me he seems like a player who will fit in real well. I reckon Jags was pushed in the back as the ball came to him or else he looked like he would connect much better with it.
Worst on ground was the ref. Unbelievable decision. he was better placed than the linesman to see that the Stoke player was well inside the box when he handled the ball. I?m glad Davey has fire in his belly! it bodes well for the future.
Good win. COYB
Fellaini also looked for the ball, if we have two centre midfielders who can do this our distribution from defence will improve. I think we saw that on Sunday, we controlled and retained possesion well. We wheren’t that creative with the likes of Osman and Pienaar out but we definatly kept hold of the ball.
On Castillo, supposed sloppy passing, look at the telegraph website and it quite clearly states that he completed 90% of his passes against Stoke. People remember his two poor Hollywood passes and think he passed poorly, in reality though his distribtion was fine. Simple but effective.
Fellaini was in and out I thought. Good in the first half but a little sloppy in the second half. There’s no doubting he has potential, both physically and technically you could see that. He looked comfortable on the ball.
On his heading ability, people have critisised him in that area but I disagree. He won his fair share and he lost his fair share, and do take into consideration that for the majority of the game he was going up against someone the same size as him. Stoke’s centre midfielders where both around 6ft 3.
I thought Arteta was good and got involved. I critisesed him against Portsmouth as to be honest I thought he hid and didn’t get involved enough. Mainly due to Moyes sticking him to the right wing all game, he played on the left against Stoke and looked much better. He got involved more and was drifting inside and getting control of things. He also worked his socks off and showed alot of tenacity.
Excellent to see Tim back and I do think things will start to look up from now on. When we get the likes of Saha, Vaughan, Hibbert, Van der Meyde, Pienaar, Cahill, Fellaini and Castillo up and running we’ll finally have competition for places. It can only be a good thing.
Arteta was warned but obviously didn't know the rule so ignored the ref.
Castillo impressed me far more than Fellaini did... he looked hungry and although some of his passes went astray, his work ethic seems made for us. Fellaini looked a bit lethargic and was robbed of the ball a few times.
Having Tim Cahill back was great. He looks so fit and ready to score more goals like the stunner he scored this weekend. Wasn't happy with Howard when he punched the ball but think he did well otherwise. I predict that many Premier League 'keepers will have problems with Delap?s long throws. Hope the scrap between the Yak and Arteta has been sorted out. Hope we can beat Liege midweek and then Hull at the weekend as we build up to the derby game... COYB
Leave Howard alone, he’s a good goalie! You cant defend against alehouse throw-ins! Championship tactics from the minnows! Can’t blame them though!
He is a world class shot stopper.
I think it is quite unfair to bag him out over the two Stoke goals. He had what? - 5 or 6 Stokies on and around him, getting pushed and pulled, toes trodden on and no room to be able to jump properly. As a keeper m’self with over 500 games at varying levels, there are no more difficult circumstances than those.
Add to that he would certainkly have been unsighted as the bombs rained down from Delap, If you commit to go, you have to keep going, and the slightest knock or shove means you are off balance and are NOT going to get to it, However, if you stay, you have far less time to react to a ball that gets a deflection from 3 yards! - You really are damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
Very impressed with the new boys, especially given the lack of time that they would have had with the team, and also given that they would neve have seen anything like Stoke before.
I really hope Stoke go straight back down (with the shite :-)), it is an AWFUL style ? that they have and is more akin to something you would expect from CC2. Good on Timmy though, typical Cahill goal, it was as though he’d never been away!
COYB - Kris
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1 Posted 14/09/2008 at 22:27:35
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