Tranmere Rovers 2 - 0 Everton

Half-time: 2 - 0

But back to the present... or should that be the Future, as Walter Smith's enforced new-look Everton team had started to take shape for the approaching season.  But it seems the pre-season schedule is just too punishing as virtually all the first-choice players are rested for this one, or are injured.  Alessandro Pistone, Richard Gough, Michael Ball, Alex Cleland, David Unsworth and Steve Watson were not be risked.

As a result, Tranmere were basically facing an Everton reserves side, and the result was perhaps a foregone conclusion.  Tranmere featured ex-blues Paul Rideout, Stuart Barlow, and Graham Allen.

Walter started with Simonsen in goal, a back four of Degn, Clarke, Dunne and Pembo, in midfield were Danny Cad, Gazza, Gemmill and Milligan, with Hughes M and Jevons up top.  From the start the home side dominated the proceedings, and we had no bite in midfield, with Gascoigne and Gemmill over-run all game.  

Simmo had another 'mare, missing one cross completely and generally giving his co defenders no confidence whatsoever. Cadamarteri tried hard, but was always up against two defenders trying to kill him, and Milligan ditto.  But overall it was a total shambles, watched by a near capacity crowd, the majority of which were blues fans, judging by the shirts.  By half-time, we were two down and it could have been five. 

In the second half, I was waiting right behind the goal in Row 4 with the digital camera at the ready for the Blues attacking highlights – but there were none.  I took no photos at all.  Stephen Hughes came on at left back for Pembridge, JMM for Danny Cad, but to no avail.  The likes of Gascoigne, Hughes M, Gemmill etc were just not up to the job, and we were physically outdone by the home side.

The problem is clear. After the perceived first eleven, we are thin on the ground for quality cover.  Gascoigne, as at Blackburn, was slow and ineffective.  He was subbed after being tackled (yet again) whilst dwelling on the ball, and having a pop at the Tranmere player concerned.  He is just not good enough at his present level of fitness and performance.  Let us hope he can sort his fitness out and get faster and stronger.

The big plus factor for tonight with his Everton debut, was young Peter Clarke.  The only two Evertonians who were smiling tonight were his mum and dad (who thought this day may never come).

A crowd of 15,256 saw Gazza play just over one hour of football.  Most of it with a bandage around his head.  I think that Gazza mania was quite evident with the Evertonians here tonight, because every time he touched the ball, the crowd waiting in anticipation for either a stroke of genius or as happened tonight, a couple of hard, tough Gazza type tackles.

We saw a couple of old Everton faces tonight playing for Tranmere, Paul Rideout, Stuart Barlow and Graham Allen and they all received a nice round of applause from the visiting Evertonians.

On the footballing side, the Blues were poor tonight.  Let's hope for better on our mini-tour of the West Country next week.