After 3 Dec 2003

Match Preview

Three points do seem to have lent this last week a rosier glow though perhaps it was only the first-half performance that has really given Evertonians the faint feelings of a resurgence in confidence.  However, we must be careful not to get too carried away.  Wolves were terrible — Bolton this Saturday at the Reebok will be a much harsher test.

The reserves victory over Wolves on Wednesday night (2-1) saw the return of Carsley, Gemmill and most importantly Pistone.  Two goals from Osman — one penalty and the other after a lovely run — again highlights his claim for more than a paltry 8 minutes on the field for the first team spot.  As we saw last year, there is competition for the bench.

Moyes's standard process of team selection suggests that after a comfortable victory we are unlikely to see any changes to the starting 11.  Naysmith was unfortunate to have missed out and just may replace Unsworth but I would be surprised if he did. 

Osman and Jeffers surely deserve their place on the bench which means that Pistone (has this one come to soon?), Naysmith, Li Tie, Nyarko, Campbell and Clarke will be battling for two bench places — now that is the sort of competition that we need and augurs well for the Christmas period when other teams' squads may well be stretched.

You will note that I exclude Ferguson — expect Moyes to do so again.  Only injuries will see him playing at Goodison again.

Bolton are beginning to put a good run together and are above us in the table.  Four consecutive clean sheets has been the base for their resurgence and, with Campo patrolling in front of their back four rather than in it, they do appear a solid unit.  They have though struggled for goals despite having the brilliant Okocha in their side and may have missed Djorkaeff who is now fit again — though scouser Kevin Nolan kept him out of the side against Leeds last Saturday.

Despite their run Boltonare a side that we should look to be beating.  A brace from Watson last season won us the three points though we were held 0-0 at Goodison when somehow Rooney failed to score despite creating numerous chances.  Rooney has not quite exploded for us yet but I am tipping him to do so this weekend and drive us to another 2-0 win which should help banish the word 'relegation' and start pushing us up the table to where we belong.

Blue4Ever

Lee Doyle

Pure unmitigated shite

The first half began in the typical fashion of Everton playing away from home.  From kick off the ball was laid back to Tony Hibbert who hoofed a long ball down field straight onto the head of a Bolton defender.  On the Blues' next possession a few seconds later, Thomas Gravesen passed straight to a white shirt... normal service resumed.

Bolton, on the other hand, were purposeful and quick and before two minutes had elapsed Kevin Davies dispatched a bullet header just over the bar with the Everton defence at sixes and sevens.  Six minutes after that, Stelios was put in the clear by a wonderfully incisive through-ball but, fortunately for the visitors, the Greek clipped his shot just past the far post.

With David Moyes barking frustrated orders from the sideline and incurring the ire of the pedantic officials for continuously stepping outside his technical area, his team was its usual infuriatingly clueless self.  Four successive corners midway through the first half presented them with the opportunity to finally put a telling ball in from a set piece but, of course, each one failed to cause Bolton any problems.

With 24 minutes gone, along came the inevitable. A long throw from the effervescent Jay-Jay Okocha ended on the end of Campo whose looping header was punched meekly by Nigel Martyn and Per Frandsen, given plenty of room by Tobias Linderoth who had simply stopped, headed easily into the corner of the goal to give Wanderers the lead.

Everton's response was to continue looking clueless in midfield, although they did put their first decent ball into the box on the half hour when David Unsworth picked out Wayne Rooney, but he couldn't get behind it due to the close attention of his marker.  The 18-year-old then fell awkwardly in a challenge with Jaaskeleinen and injured his ankle but was able to run it off and finish the half. However, it was probably still bothering him when he tried to lob the 'keeper from 20 yards but sent the ball high over the bar instead.

At half time, David Moyes realised the error of leaving James McFadden on the bench for the less creative Lee Carsley and introduced the Scottish midfielder on the right hand side instead of Linderoth because Kevin Kilbane had, depressingly, been the Blues' most creative outlet. However, he hadn't even had a touch of the ball when Everton found themselves 2-0 down to another soft goal.  Thomas Gravesen's idea of challenging a 50-50 ball with Frandsen was to wave a leg aimlessly in the air and when the ball broke to Djorkaeff, he swivelled and shot, the ball deflecting off Kevin Nolan and past Martyn who was already moving across to the other side of the goal.

Frandsen was inches from making it 3-0 minutes later when, after Bolton's midfield had once again embarrassed their Merseyside opponents with some creative touches, he curled a shot just around Martyn's right hand post.

On 54 minutes, Rooney was removed from the fray in favour of Francis Jeffers. It was the right move by Moyes because Rooney had been tightly marked and, in any case, had hardly received any service beyond having to come deep and pick up the ball from his idea-less midfield team mates. It gave Jeffers an opportunity to rediscover his form.

McFadden was booked for dissent on 60 mins and Carsley also saw yellow for leaving his boot in on Frandsen67 before Yobo almost scores own goal and Djorkaeff unleashed a snapshot that drifted over the bar

With 20 minutes to go came the clearest sign from the dugout that things were bad for Everton. Gravesen, the player to whom plenty of column inches have been devoted this past week as someone who has turned the corner, was taken off and Alex Nyarko came on to chase a lost cause. The Dane had been as ineffective as at any time during his Goodison career but Moyes's decision came across more as a statement than an attempt to turn a game that was long since lost.

Depressingly, the closest the Blues came all game was a fizzing effort by Alan Stubbs that had the former Trotter's frustration written all over it as it flew a yard wide of the post.

Where to now, Mr Moyes?

Lyndon Lloyd