Match Preview

Bellamy's pace was driving Newcastle forward and Shearer was benefitting from the extra space that he was getting and the supply from Robert and Solano was first class.

The busiest man at Bellefield was the physio and Everton's play was getting more and more lethargic and predictable.

Thankfully, things have changed dramatically for both clubs.

Bellamy's injury has hit the Geordies very hard; without him, they have really struggled for penetration.  Shearer's lack of pace and mobility — remind you of anyone — has been shown up and the run of games against Arsenal (3 times) and Liverpool has dramatically affected their confidence.

For Everton, Smith has gone and Moyes has arrived... along with 6 oh so welcome points.

Both teams will be missing players with Newcastle giving late fitness tests to both Dabizas and O'Brien.  Speed also is struggling and Bellamy is due back next Monday.

If both the centre-backs miss out then you have to fancy Dunc to pinch one in the form that he is in.

Solano and Robert are still both quality and whoever plays fullback — Unsworth and Pistone?  Watson for the bench? — will have to be at their best.

With no Bellamy, then Weir and Stubbs may be able to control Shearer.  Cort is still playing his way back after a long time out and their other option is Lua Lua — completely unpredictable but I would suggest not Premiership class yet.

For us?  Gravesen will play before he misses the game against Bolton and the rest of the midfield is playing for Sweden or Scotland tonight.  Fingers crossed that they all come through.

I actually think we can nick a point in this game.  1-1 is possible but the Geordies are still a good side and we will need to improve again from the win at Derby if we are going to continue our climb to safety (and to an InterToto place???).

The key-man may well be Alexandersson.  He has so disappointed the last few years but perhaps Moyes' more attacking style will suit his game.  He looked excellent against Derby and if he and Bomqvist can supply Dunc then a goal is always possible.

Then again, why worry; there's always Unsworth!

BlueForEver

Moyes' braves undone by sheer class

David Moyes' Everton honeymoon is over as his plucky side crashed to a 6-2 defeat by Newcastle United at St James Park.  Although few would have been surprised by the defeat, the manner and scale of it emphasised the scale of the task that the new manager faces as he seeks to build for the future — and he could do a lot worse than look at Bobby Robson's Newcastle for inspiration.

The Blues, minus the injured Lee Carsley, Gary Naysmith and Kevin Campbell, started the game in what is becoming typical fashion under Moyes: hungry for the ball, quick to close down, urgent and enterprising in attack.  And their new-found offensive confidence reaped dividends early on when Tomasz Radzinski — a constant target because of his pace — was put through by Thomas Gravesen's through-ball, but the Canadian international was muscled out and his shot flew over from the angle.

Two minutes later, however, from nowhere, Everton were ahead.  The ball broke to Ferguson in the area with two defenders in front of him, but a deliciously sliced right-foot effort caught Shay Given off guard and the Irish 'keeper couldn't get enough purchase on the ball to prevent the arcing effort from spinning into the net.  Ferguson was incredulous; Everton were off to a flyer.

Unfortunately, it drew a swift and deadly response from the home side's well-oiled attacking machine.  First, a long throw-in from the relative safety of the halfway line found Shearer with Alan Stubbs and David Weir caught napping.  The England striker was in an offside position (but legally so because it was a throw) and he advanced unhindered to bury it past Steve Simonsen.

If Everton were kicking themselves for such an embarrassing lack of concentration for the first goal, they were undone by a devastatingly effective move down the Newcastle left when Laurent Robert beat Tony Hibbert and crossed for Carl Cort to effect a clinical finish for his first goal of the season.  A quarter of an hour gone, it was game on.

Everton, for their part, were playing some sublime football; neat triangles and accurate balls down the channels were causing the Magpies trouble in defence, but Newcastle's own attacking strengths meant that more goals were always in the offing.  Unfortunately for the visitors, Hibbert had to be stretchered from the playing field with a badly turned ankle on the half hour, to be replaced by native Geordie and former Newcastle man, Steve Watson.

But their rhythm remained largely unaffected and within four minutes Everton were level.  Sheer persistence by Niclas Alexandersson paid off as he chased a header from Gemmill into the box and capitalised on indecision between two defenders to nip between them and poke it past Given. 

Again, Newcastle responded by moving up a gear in attack and they had three opportunities in quick succession to regain the lead.  First, Cort headed over from a good position, then Dabizas put a free header straight into Simonsen's arms and, finally, Robert had a shot smothered by the 'keeper as the home side pressed for a goal before half time.

The second half was to be an entirely different story to the first and, to be honest, Everton simply weren't at the races in the second period.  Newcastle gave the Blues a master-class in rapier-like attacking football, carving open the midfield and defence with regularity and ease.

13 minutes after the interval, they exposed Everton's weakness in defending corners when Andy O'Brien stabbed a loose ball home from close range.  Just 12 minutes later, Newcastle sliced through the Blues rearguard thanks to Kieron Dyer's pace down the right as he left Allessandro Pistone for dead and laid it on a plate for  Nolberto Solano to fire in the hosts' fourth.  Embarrassing wasn't in it.

Two minutes after that, Solano profited in a similar position from Jenas, who burst through the centre and slotted the ball forward perfectly for the Peruvian international to fire home his second and make it 5-2.  Moyes' response was to make a double substitution, bringing on Nick Chadwick for Radzinski and Jesper Blomqvist for the disappointing Pistone, but their introduction had little effect.

It was left for Newcastle to drive through the Blues defence once more when Lua Lua skinned Watson down the left before cutting the ball back for his fellow sub Bernard to complete the rout with three minutes to go.

This was never going to be an easy game from which to earn a result.  Newcastle's renaissance under Robson this season has been stunning, particularly given their shaky start, but the former England boss has built a youthful side with flair and an ability to score goals for fun — and win games despite going behind.  His side bear all the attributes that Moyes will be hoping to add to Everton in the coming seasons, albeit on a fraction of the budget.

The Blues boss will also have to address the porous nature of his midfield, the worrying lack of pace in his back four, and his team's vulnerability from set-pieces.  All things to mull over during the season run-in which remains important after this, Moyes' first loss in charge.