Match Summary

Per Krøldrup: Moyes still isn't convinced of the £5M man's fitness

Nuno Valente was expected to return at left back, but didn't, while Cahill was declared fit to perform his magic in midfield. No Ferguson, so McFadden partnered Beattie up-front.

It was a good, lively, promising start from Everton, with Beattie in particular showing unexpected verve and desire, laying in a couple of great passes in the first 10 mins, and really should have scored when given spilt a McFadden free-kick but no-one was following up.

Not much happened in the next 10 mins until Ameobi got clear in front of Martyn but fired it straight at the goalie instead of scoring.  Everton's response saw Arteta deliver the ball well to Beattie who again laid in a lovely pass to McFadden, but he could do nothing with it.

At the other end. a silly free-kick given away, but Solana curled it just high and wide of the Everton goal.  Another good move in response from Everton, McFadden making an intelligent take and winning a corner, but Van der Meyde's corners were atrocious.  Newcastle's corners were far better, Emre lifting them in well, and needing a good  block by Hibbert.  From the next Emre corner, a fantastic chance for Shearer, finally scrambled off the line by Beattle.  Another chance followed from the third Emre corner in a row.

Better pressure from Everton followed with decent chances following, but Everton crucially could not convert quality balls into decent headers on goal. 

From another Everton attack, Ameobi's shot on goal hit McFadden's hand and was deflected away from goal.  The Newcastle players were livid when referee Webb awarded a corner, brushing away their fervent demands for a penalty.

Babayaro and Cahill then got into it after a 50-50 challenge that saw both players demanding something from the referee. Cahill then made a great pass out to Van der Meyde who's shot was perhaps Everton's best chance to score but it was not cleanly hit, Given parrying it for McFadden to lash the ball over the bar.  The half ended incredibly 0-0 after both sides could point to numerous glorious chances spurned in an very entertaining and lively first half.

At the start of the second half, Arteta worked hard to regain possession, set up McFadden with a great ball, McFadden turning and firing first time.  From the corner, Joseph Yobo leapt high and fired in an easy header as he lost his marker, a great strike past Given for a precious and much-needed goal that sent Goodison into raptures.

Souness responded quickly, bringing on Luque in place of Babayaro.  But Everton continued to take the game to Newcastle, and Beattie got a great chance from a Yobo cross that he really should have buried.  Arteta also got half a sight of goal but could not convert.  Van der Meyde then got into a good position, cutting in along the byeline, but tellingly could not put in the left-footed cross the move required.

Arteta played another lovely move and drew a foul from Parker, but Arteta over-did it, getting Parker booked.  Shows desire, I suppose, but not warranted.  Shearer and Weir then clashed in a challenge, Weir coming off worse with an elbow in his throat. 

Another great move by Everton, McFadden switched play with a great 45-yard pass to Arteta, Hibbert overlapped, but the cross was behind the three Everton attackers.

Newcastle responded with another great move that won them a free kick 25 yards out but Yobo headed away Emre's shot.  Parker fired wide in the follow-up.  With 15 mins left, Kilbane replaced Van der Meyde, who had not really played well.

A stunning move involving ,Arteta McFadden, and Davies, who brilliantly set up Beattie, seven yards out, Beattie blazed it unbelievably over the bar.  Osman came on for Arteta, who richly deserved the wave of appreciative applause.

Newcastle had not given up on this, though, with Emre firing a dangerous free-kick over the bar and Luque looking dangerous in their attacks.  Bent came on for Beattie, who also received generous applause from a relieved Goodison crowd who could sense victory in the closing minutes. 

McFadden, desperate to score, weaved in on goal, but could not convert.  McFadden took the corner, and Bramble had to head away from under the Newcastle bar with Cahill threatening.  McFadden shot, Given saved, Cahill unbelievably could not get it past the Newcastle keeper.

Newcastle corner in the last 10 seconds threatened to the end, but they could not deny Everton a vital and well-earned win in what was an excellent and highly entertaining game with lots and lots of vibrant attacking football.  What a difference from last week!

Michael Kenrick

Match Preview

Just when you thought things couldn't get worse, they did. Everton sunk to new lows last weekend against West Bromwich Albion, at a time when things looked like they had taken a turn for the better.

Now, in the context of being plunged back into the bottom three, that now infamous and unwanted distinction of having the worst goalscoring record on the continent cuts a little deeper.  It also multiplies the fans' fears of a long battle against relegation this season.

Of course, there are plenty of people pointing out that if the Blues win their game in hand against West Ham, they're mid-table and moving in the right direction.

But, as we found out a week ago and on more than one other occasion so far this season, Everton have a propensity to self-destruct.  And, while some are comforted by our proximity to mid-table respectability, the core issue remains the fact that in order to win matches, you need to score goals.  And we have managed just four in twelve games... a horrific statistic that shows few signs of improving.

Andy van der Meyde, has been billed by many — myself included — as the potential key to our problems.  Unfortunately, he never will be if Moyes doesn't find a way to make the Dutchman the focal point of the team rather than stuck out on the touchline and hardly touching the ball.

His preferred role may be hugging the touchline on either flank but with his talent and ability to beat a man, he can be utilised anywhere across the front line.  With the one-paced Beattie-Ferguson partnership merely an exercise in treading water until the transfer window, it is surely worth deploying Van der Meyde in one of the attacking roles where, just as with Andrei Kanchelskis 10 years ago, his pace can be the crucial outlet up front in the absence of any other tactic that results in Everton keeping possession when the ball comes out of defence.

Or, if we must persist with the "Bruise Brothers" in attack, can we at least concentrate on getting crosses in from advanced areas as opposed to lumping ineffective balls from deep?  And what does it say of Moyes's managerial skills when these one-dimensional tactics are perpetuated week-in, week-out?

The team's response this weekend will, no doubt, be lots of commitment, sweat and toil as a substitute for attractive, effective passing football.  They grind out a narrow win, everything will be hunky dory again... until the next big collapse.  Or that me just being typically negative and "ToffeeWeb-ian"?!

The good news is that Tim Cahill is likely to return after missing the WBA trip with a groin strain and Nuno Valente — who has made a highly inauspicious start to life at Goodison — is expected back at left back where Phil Neville has had a difficult run of games as deputy.

The news probably isn't so good for Per Krøldrup after Moyes's admission at the Shareholders AGM that he is not 100% satisfied with the Dane's fitness, reinforcing rumours of a troublesome pelvic problem.  That's a shame because last weekend showed that it is high time that David Weir's ageing legs had a rest.

And it's made all the more worrying by the fact that Shearer, Owen and Luque are all in contention for this one.

Great.

Lyndon Lloyd

Matchday Stats

Textr.

Steve Flanagan

Report

Lyndon Lloyd

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