Match Summary

Wright Sign: Wrong goalkeeper!

This one started with another one of those utterly bizarre moments from Richard Wright in the warm-up.  Jumping languidly to catch a high practice ball, he fell backwards into the goal, landing on some stupid sandwich-board sign and twisting his ankle, probably with some ligament damage to boot.  

And what did the sign say?

Words to the effect that players should not warm up in the goal mouth due to the state of the pitch!!!!

Oh mercy! So Wretched Wright strikes again... and a chance for Iain Turner to make his mark in goal...

Everton started with intent, but Huth went close on Chelsea's first corner, forcing Hibbert to head brilliantly off the line.  On eight minutes, Gallas drilled one in just wide of Turner's post. Then a free-kick for Chelsea when Nuno Valente brought down Wright-Phillips but Turner gathered Lampard's strange bobbling effort.  Chelsea kept probing away but they were not exactly slicing through Everton's dogged and determined defensive wall, and were generally restricted to taking pot-shots from distance.

Everton's first corner caused a silly spell of head-tennis before Chelsea could clear.  WP went on a good run down the Everton left but Turner was put to the task, making sure he did not spill the ball, as he gained confidence from each thwarted Chelsea attack.  Everton were impressively trying to play the ball forward on the ground, but frustratingly things kept breaking down in the final third.

But on 22 mins, Everton were then undone by classic Route One, with a high looping ball to Crespo being laid off nicely to Robben who's skill would have been too much for any goalkeeper as he clipped his finish expertly beyond a committed Turner and just inside the post.  A one-goal mountain to climb...

Everton responded by continuing to play there same game, putting the home side under some pressure but then allowing possession to switch suddenly and cheaply with almost instant pressure coming on Turner once again.  By a neutral analysi, Chelsea were handling Everton "comfortably".  Valente went in the book on the half-hour for a determined bodycheck on Johnson.

Valente then gave away a very soft penalty as he tried to deny Shaun Wright-Phillips, treading on his ankle: the little fella collapsed in a heap and the ref had no hesitation.  Lampard converted with ease despite a great attempt to reach it 

Moments later it was three, with a scintillating free-kick delivered in viciously by Lampard that only needed the merest of flicks from Crespo to divert it past Turner.

Off an Everton corner, Beattie found himself with a glorious chance to pull one back, but he dug it out and spooned it high over the bar when trying to hit the roof of the net.  That luck David Moyes talked about has clearly deserted Everton tonight...

Could [...Would?] David Moyes do anything to change the almost inevitable gameplan unfold in the second half?  Yes: Bring on McFadden and Davies... sacrificing Beattie(!) and Valente.  But Everton seemed to resort to more hit and hope in the second half, while each time Chelsea attacked it was hearts-in-mouths stuff.  Gudjohnsen got lose but Turner came out well to block; a dangerous free-kick from Robben was well covered by Turner at the near post; Gudjohnsen headed very narrowly wide from a superb Johnson cross; Robben got away and would have scored but for a superb last-ditch lunge from Hibbert — from behind!

The contrast was shown in an Arteta free-kick that went harmlessly into Cuduicini's hands from the exact same spot where Lampard had fired in what became Chelsea's third.  It was a battling and tenacious rearguard action from Everton, rather than the expected capitulation, but in truth they were getting nowhere near the Chelsea goal, despite a healthy corner count.

But on 71 mins, a Huth hand prevented a McFadden shot progressing toward goal and Mikel Arteta calmly fired home the penalty.  Er... Game On?  Cahill then got a yellow for upending Wright-Phillips and Chelsea got revenge from Huth's blocked free-kick that John Terry lashed home past the distraught Turner.

There was little to cheer about as the game petered out, but Lee Carsley did make a long-awaited comeback in place of the tiring Osman.  Carsley got himself booked in the dying minutes, with Gallas getting a yellow for requesting the yellow (well done, Ref!).  

The scoreline was probably just give the difference in desire and ability to score, and it gave Turner some excellent top-class exposure, the lad having little chance with any of the goals.  We all knew it would have been a miracle... didn't we?

Michael Kenrick

Match Preview

To win the FA Cup, you have to beat the best... although, not always on their home ground!  So, if the Blues are to progress to the 5th round where Colchester United lie in wait, they're going to have do it the hardest way possible: by beating reigning Premiership Champions and runaway leaders, Chelsea, at Stamford Bridge.

Of course, Everton could not be going into this one in a better frame of mind.  Unbeaten in nine games despite having arguably the least equipped squad in the top flight, and with nothing really to lose because everyone will expect the Londoners to progress.

James Beattie was withdrawn three quarters of the way through the win over Manchester City at the weekend but he should be fit for the trip south.  He will likely be supported by Leon Osman in his now familiar roving role between attack and midfield, with Tim Cahill and Phil Neville in the centre of midfield.

David Moyes probably won't change much from the weekend, so Mikel Arteta can expect to be deployed wide on the right with Kevin Kilbane on the opposite flank.

At the back, the return ot fitness of Matteo Ferrari comes just at the right time. The strength of the newly reconstituted Weir-Stubbs partnership has been a feature of the last three games but Stubbs is cup-tied and can't take part.  Nigel Martyn won't be passed fit, though. He'll miss a third successive game with an ankle injury, and Andy van der Meyde is not yet ready to return either. Duncan Ferguson starts a lengthy suspension for his childish behaviour at Wigan a week ago.

Chelsea's performance in the original game at Goodison was a strange one.  They were surprisingly subdued and really didn't get going until an hour in.  Everton cannot expect the same seemingly apathetic start from Jose Mourinho's side and keeping it watertight at the back is going to be key.

Despite Chelsea's undoubted superiority, this is an FA Cup tie after all and anything can happen.  The Toffees have shown that they are resilient and can really play when they set their minds to it.  This cup replay, broadcast live on the BBC, is going to be one of those times.

Lyndon Lloyd

Matchday Stats

This will be just the 147th meeting between Everton and Chelsea in all competitions and the 8th FA Cup match.  This will also be the 75th meeting at Chelsea and the 5th meeting in the Cup there.

Everton's full record against Chelsea is:

Everton’s record away to Chelsea is:

The last meeting between the clubs was the other week when the sides drew 1-1 at Goodison Park in the original match of this FA Cup tie.  The last meeting at Chelsea was on 6 November 2004, when Chelsea won 1-0.

The most common Everton victory over Chelsea is 1-0, which has happened 11 times in Everton’s 48 victories.  Chelsea’s most common victory is also 1-0, which has also happened 11 times in their 54 victories.  The most common draw between the sides is 1-1, which has happened 22 times in the 44 draws between the sides.

There have been 3 hat-tricks against Chelsea over the years, with the last coming from Bill Dean who got 5 goals in a 7-2 victory at Goodison Park on 14 November 1931.

Everton's record for 8 February is:

This is the first time the clubs have met on this day.  Everton’s last match on this day was in 2003 when Everton lost 2-1 at Charlton Athletic in the Premier League.  There have been just two F.A. Cup ties on this day.  Ironically, both were replays.  The first, in 1905, was at home against Liverpool with Everton winning 2-1, thanks to goals from Tommy McDermott and Harold Hardman.  That season saw Everton reach the Semi-finals.  The only other FA Cup match on this day was in 1912, when Everton won 6-0 against Bury at Gigg Lane.  The goals, that day, came from Frank Jefferis, ‘Tommy Boy’ Browell (who got 4) and Willie Davidson.

Abe Hartley was born on this day on 1872 in Dumbarton.  Signed from Dumbarton, Abe made 61 appearances and scored 28 goals between 1892 and 1897, before he moved “across the park” to Liverpool.

Kevin Ratcliffe was in the Welsh team that drew 3-3 with Israel in a friendly match on this day in 1989.

Joseph Yobo was in the Nigerian team that beat Cameroon 2-1 on this day in 2004 in the African Nations Cup.

Jimmy Harris scored for England u23 on this day in 1956 against their Scottish counterparts with England winning 3-1.

Five years later, Brian Labone also appeared for England u23 on this day, this time against Wales in a 2-0 victory.

Milestones that can be reached this game:

·          If he starts, Nigel Martyn will be making his 100th start for Everton in all competitions.

Steve Flanagan

Report

Lyndon Lloyd

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