VIEW FROM THE BLUE

Spirited Blues Triumph in Eight-Goal Thriller

Goodison Park played host to a truly stunning game of Premier League football as Everton eventually came out victorious in a roller-coaster encounter that had it all ? eight goals, refereeing controversy, an incredible goal-line clearance, a four-goal haul for a striker on top of his game in every way, and a home win for a side that so desperately needed another galvanising display in front of their anxious fans.

Blackpool have made attacking football and a never-say-die spirit the hallmark of their first season back in the top flight and the manner in which they turned the match on its head in two lightning-quick minutes just past the hour mark was testament to that.

But they could not hold back an irresistible performance by Everton, one laced with some scintillating moments of attacking football, some superb finishing ? a rare commodity in Liverpool L4 lately ? and marred only by another episode of calamitous defending and more evidence of vulnerability to the counter attack.

There were signs early on that this could be a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon for the Blues as they signalled their intent with some sustained forward pressure in the early going and some lovely touches by Jack Rodwell who was again preferred as the man to play behind Louis Saha.

There were also as many suggestions that those familiar failings in the final third could again be their undoing. Three direct free kicks in the first 17 minutes, all within 25 yards of goal by three different players ? Mikel Arteta, Leighton Baines, and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov ? ended up rebounding off the defensive wall, John Heitinga drilled a good shot too close to the goalkeeper, and Bilyaletdinov couldn't get sufficiently above a Phil Neville cross and headed well over from close range.

But everything fell into place in the 20th minute with a wonderful move that ended with Saha ramming home the first of four goals from eight yards out. It began with a Seamus Coleman interception inside his own half, saw Marouane Fellaini spin out of trouble and find Rodwell via a deflection. He in turn fed Bilyaletdinov who played a one-two with Baines, skipped delightfully inside two defenders and cut the ball back for the Frenchman to do what he does best with the goal at his mercy.

Five minutes later, Rodwell found himself in space in the area but having done the hard part with a nice piece of skill to wrong-foot a defender, he air-kicked his shot before a deft chip into the area by Bilyaletdinov set up a chance for Saha but he was crowded out by a forest of white shirts before he could dig the ball out from between his feet.

Blackpool had barely figured as an attacking force but were level thanks to a slice of fortune after 35 minutes . Sylvain Distin was somewhat harshly penalised for handball on the edge of the "D" but Charlie Adam's free kick was deflected behind by Arteta. When Adam's corner bobbled to the near post, though, Evatt was the first to react and he thought he'd scored after turning a shot off the inside off the post and onto the goalline. Baines stopped it from going in but Baptiste was on hand to turn the loose ball home.

Four minutes later, the Blues would have been back in front were it not for a horrendous refereeing decision by Kevin Friend. Coleman had touched the ball brilliantly past his marker and, having muscled his way into the box despite being held back, he squared it perfectly to Saha. The referee ignored the obvious advantage and blew the whistle as the striker turned the ball past the 'keeper for what would have been his second goal of the game.

Baines wasted the free kick that was awarded and Goodison erupted into a chorus of frustrated boos, that continued as Bilyaletdinov's cute chip-shot forced Rachubka into emergency action at the back post and then reached a crescendo at the half-time whistle a couple of minutes later.

David Moyes's side retained their fire as the second half kicked off, though, and were back in front for real within two minutes of the restart in yet more style. Rodwell's slide-rule pass released the over-lapping Baines down the left and his perfect low cross served the ball on a plate to Saha who just needed the appetite to beat two defenders to it and stab it home. 2-1 and game back on!

Bily was then picked out in space on the left side of the box by Saha but his powerful shot was parried away and Rodwell showed yet more quick thinking in the area to touch a square pass in front a defender but then, with the angle closed down by Rachubka, poked wide.

It felt like one of those days when the floodgates would open and deliver one of those increasingly rare Goodison hammerings so what followed felt like a kick to the guts.

It started with an ill-advised chest back in-field by Coleman that was intercepted by Adam but when the ball came loose, Heitinga went into a 50-50 challenge in unforgiveably weak fashion and came off second best, allowing Grandin to release James Beattie who crossed for Puncheon to tuck a shot past Tim Howard and inside the opposite post.

Two minutes later, Blackpool were ahead. Fellaini had a shot cleared off the line in front of the goalpost that resulted in an Everton throw down their right. When the ball broke loose and Adam slipped just as the counter-attack was on, it looked as the danger had gone, but Distin dallied and was robbed near the centre-circle allowing Puncheon to race away and play in DJ Campbell who was sure to score... until his shot came back off the crossbar. Unfortunately for Everton, the ball bounced back perfectly for Adam who stooped to head into the empty net and make it 3-2.

At this point, with the crowd stunned and haunting memories of disasters past from earlier in the campaign, the Blues might have descended into panic but they stuck with what had been working and almost carved out an immediate response with a virtual carbon copy of the second goal. Rodwell fed Baines, he crossed low and Fellaini tried to turn it home but Rachubka saved and, in any case, play was pulled back for offside.

Two minutes later, Rodwell thought he'd delivered the equaliser. Rachubka went walkabout outside his area,and got away from Coleman but not Rodwell and was dispossessed leaving the net unattended and just begging to be bulged by the 19 year-old's well-struck shot. Somehow, though, Evatt scrambled back and hurled himself into the path of the ball, stretching out a despairing leg that steered it clear and left the defender in a crumpled heap in the Gwladys Street End net. Rodwell couldn't believe it and neither could anyone else.

With 20 minutes left, Moyes decided to change things up, though despite the scoreline it was hard to see who he could pull off as almost everyone had been having a storming game up to that point. Rodwell and Bilyaletdinov were the ones to make for Tim Cahill and Jermaine Beckford and five minutes later, the Blues were back on level terms.

Saha won a corner that eventually came out to Baines and yielded a second corner when his shot was deflected behind. Arteta stepped up to take the kick from the Everton left, Beckford challenged for the wicked inswinger inside the six-yard box and when the ball bounced up invitingly for the unmarked Saha at the back post, the striker made no mistake by burying the header to mark his hat-trick.

With Holloway having put two defensively-minded players on when the score was 3-2, the momentum was back with the home side and just four minutes later, Goodison was rocking once more as the Blues reclaimed the lead. Baines stepped inside his marker on the left touchline, picked out Beckford's run with an inch-perfect ball in with his weaker foot and the mercurial striker delivered the perfect finish, a left-footed volley that guided it clean past the advancing 'keeper.

4-3 in a spellbinding game and Everton weren't done yet. Surging away on a counter-attack of their own another four minutes on from the fourth goal, Fellaini sent Saha away with a well-time pass across the halfway line and the no. 8 simply took it from there, powering in on goal and burying his fourth goal past Rachubka with the outside of his right foot before wheeling away to milk the celebrations from the home crowd.

Moyes gave him the opportunity for a standing ovation by substituting him with four minutes left and the Blues successfully played out time with just a Beckford overhead kick that flew over the bar the only real chance that fell to either side in injury time.

The scoreline belies the quailty that coursed through this Everton performance, easily the most complete attacking display they have put in all season. But for Blackpool's unfortunate opener and some poor defending for their second and third goals, this would have been a romp for Moyes's boys. As it was, Goodison was treated to an absolutely thrilling match and though Moyes has persistent concerns over his side's susceptibility to lapses in concentration at the back and to being hit on the break, he'll take enormous satisfaction from what ended up being a terrific victory.

He also has something of a dilemma now that Cahill is back from the Asia Cup because Rodwell, despite all the predictions he will make a great centre half, made a very convincing case for retaining that advanced midfield role. Were it not for a loss of composure at critical moments in front of goal and, of course, that miracle stop by Evatt, he would have added his name to the scoresheet, but his performance was notable for some wonderful vision, threading a number of defence-splitting balls through the Blackpool rearguard.

Indeed, there were great performances all over the park. Fellaini was immense, Arteta energised and more creative than we've seen him in months, Coleman a terror, Bily an occasional magician, and Baines inspired with his delivery from the left.

But the bulk of the plaudits rightly belong with Saha who grabbed four goals and scored another that was disallowed but also put in the complete striker's display, chasing everything, chesting down long balls, holding up play and generally haring around the Goodison turf like a man possessed. For a player that many had written off as injury-prone, disinterested and past it, he lit up this match in the manner that persuaded Manchester United to pay Fulham £11m for his services all those seasons ago.

Like the stirring win over Spurs here a month ago, this should provide a platform for Moyes's side to kick on and start climbing away from trouble at the wrong end of the table but a tricky trip to the Reebok Stadium in their next fixture will fully test that new-found resolve. Having shown that they can get their attacking ticking and the goals flowing, this game should provide a benchmark for the last third of the campaign.

Player Ratings: Howard 6, Neville 7, Heitinga 7, Distin 7, Baines 8, Coleman 8, Fellaini 9, Arteta 8, Bilyaletdinov 8 (Cahill 6), Rodwell 8 (Beckford 8), Saha 10* (Jagielka 6)

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