COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY

From my seat: West Ham (H)

Blunder Blues salvage unlikely point.

West Ham at home and they are bottom of the league, home banker you would think well footy and Everton?s meagre resources ensured this was anything but nailed on. The teams were announced and seeing Parker and Noble in their midfield and comparing it with ours which saw Fellaini as the only form player then I expected and got a game that in truth the Hammers had the better of.

The Hammers mid-field pairing combined early doors and but for Noble firing over after good link up with Parker which split our defence we would have been a goal down. We did respond with some pressure the best of which was when Beckford was put through on goal but a touch to far saw him and the ball swept away by a timely tackle from Tomkins. We then had a yell for a pen when Tomkins put in a strong tackle on Coleman but the Ref. Mr Walton deemed it fair.

We then had a spell of pressure that brought about four or five set pieces which were in the main poorly taken by Arteta and Baines respectively and that man Tomkins seemed to have a free clearing header on all occasions. Then near the 25 min mark one of my feared players Noble received the ball from another of our attacks that broke down and he found Boa-Morte free on the left with an excellent spot and with our defence stretched he picked out Spector who coolly beat his fellow American and we were one down and Goodison a morgue except for mutterings of discontent.

We were now all at sixes and sevens and within minutes Spector crossed for Piquionne to head on goal beating Howard but thankfully finding the inside of the post with no West Ham man on hand to capitalise. Just minutes later Boa-Morte had the ball in our net but was ruled offside.

We huffed and puffed until the interval with both Anichebe and Beckford having sniffs but not the touch or experience to capitalise. Half-time and the chat was much the same as at Anfield, we could have been 2 or 3 down and changes were needed.

The second half saw Beckford replaced by Saha but little else changed with much huff and puff promising something but ultimately coming to nothing as the Hammers smothered our attempts and sought to break quickly, this pattern continued as the clock ticked down and the visitors becoming more confident by the minute.

Our manager was prowling his area barking out pearls of wisdom as the crowd became more and more agitated and their demeanour wasn?t helped when first Spector firing just over and then Hines tried a volley for the cameras which went wide.

The Blues then tried route one stuff into the box but to no avail and then on the 70 min mark the manager decided to change our approach and replaced the woeful Anichebe with Bilyaletdinov, this didn?t seem to make much difference for a few minutes and then Neville tried another long one toward Fellaini who was now spending his time up top and the Belgian headed it down and a West Ham man tried to clear but the ball fell for Bilyaletdinov who right footed smashed a shot past Green and into the net. The ball rebounded from the net that quickly that at first I thought he had missed but as he celebrated, all on his own?, we all realised we were at last level.

Then we showed some intent that had been missing previously and the crowd roused themselves just a little as most seemed to have been so disenchanted with proceedings that going level meant little overall. Saha tried to raise us a little more with some intelligent play and sharp running and one of his forays saw him shoot with venom which Green parried in the air to Coleman who unfortunately matched his woeful display by woefully putting the ball over the bar when the goal gaped.

A gilt edged chance to take the lead and the points was wasted and, wouldn?t you know it, the on-loan Bridge put in a stunning cross and Piquionne rose and planted the ball home and duly went to his own fans to celebrate, picked up a second yellow and left the pitch. What a daft rule that is... especially if you combine it with the offence of taking your shirt off both actions deemed yellow card offences yet at the end of games players can swop shirts and walk off topless also go to their fans and throw in shirts, gloves and shake hands with their fans with no penalty and all in full view of those present and the ever present TV cameras. Makes no sense to anyone except duffers at UEFA and FIFA.

Still it helped us as the manager introduced Rodwell for Neville and ensured Fellaini played up top. We peppered them with high balls in desperation and the ten men got nervier as they tried to run down the clock. They seemed on course when two minutes into injury time Osman now operating in mid-field and making Arteta look a novice slung another one in with a little more thought and found Fellaini who controlled and then out muscled two defenders before drilling the ball into the far corner and a point was salvaged.

MotM ? after such a game it is tempting to say ?Yer avin a laff? but I did think Fellaini was our man and it was a bit worrying when you realise he did most things on his own and he must wonder what his future is if we continue in this vein with so many not in form or just not up to it. On today?s showing I have to say that the Beckford signing and the contract extensions to Coleman, Anichebe and Arteta look at best optimistic and at worst our reported dire financial plight denying the manager any room for manoeuvre in signing ready made class players and having to make do with hopefuls and a class player who seems to have lost it leaving us more lower league than higher league.

Today was a really horrible watch at Goodison even worse than the Wigan game which was a shame as it was the day we saluted ?The Cannonball Kid? and ?Dr Everton? I hope they both had a good day though and a good natter. Still in football things can change quickly and who knows what will happen next week in the cup and beyond in the league. After today though I imagine thirty-odd thousand match-going fans will be looking more at doom than delirium.

Onward and upward I will see you next Sat. for the next Goodison instalment. How many days before the window closes??

UP THE BLUES

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