COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY

From my seat: Sunderland (H)

Back to basics Blues gain a solid win

We all assembled on a sunny afternoon and the line-up showed a 4-4-2 formation in a bid to capitalise on home advantage and move up the table and put some daylight between us and a relegation spot.

From the off, it looked as though Sunderland had come to make a game of it despite their poor record at Goodison but, by the end, it was normal service resumed.

They could and should have gone ahead within the first five minutes when, for what was to be the only time in the game, our defence seemed at sea, allowing Richardson the freedom of our area from an astute pass but, fortunately for those of a Blue persuasion, he dragged his shot horribly wide. We responded well from that scare and were looking all over the park a team determined to attack and defend as a team in our position should.

Fellaini started to boss things and the rest took his lead, Osman was a threat and on 8 mins his clever reverse ball into the Sunderland box was left by Saha, did he get a call from Beckford? But the upshot was Beckford got a shot on goal which struck Bramble and trundled into the net. One up and we don?t care how they go in so long as they go in, in fact the goal was as good for us as a 40-yd screamer.

This visibly stunned the Black Cats and Saha and Beckford, playing as a two for only the second time this season, were pulling Sunderland all over the place thanks to the promptings of in the main Arteta, Osman and Fellaini yet all were playing their part. We were on top and bossing the game but Sunderland gave us a scare when their number 28 hit a screamer from 20 yds for Howard to make a truly magnificent save, tipping it onto the bar and away.

This galvanised us again and, in no time at all, Arteta took centre stage as he went past two defenders and, in a powerful run, left Mensah for dead, crossed for Beckford who had got into an excellent position ,allowing him to fire left-footed past the keeper, not the sweetest of strikes but who cares, 2-0.

Saha then came to life and had a shot blocked and one wide as the Blues ended the half well in control. Just before the break, Fellaini went down for treatment twice and the second time was replaced by Rodwell as he limped off with what looked like an ankle injury. We can only hope it is not too serious as he had looked a class above most in midfield from either side.

Half-time saw most satisfied and the highlight was the subs out on the pitch keeping loose as a game of ?hit the crossbar? broke out between Heitinga and Mucha from near the half way line and by my calculation Jonny won it 2-0; he celebrated in good humoured fashion with arms held aloft.

Second half and, within minutes, Beckford should have recorded his first hat-trick when he blazed over after some scintillating stuff from Osman to put him in. We were now playing some fine stuff and had the chance to go 5 up when Osman volleyed wide and their keeper saved well from both Coleman and Saha.

Rodwell was looking powerful with some runs but his passing was that of a man short of matches due to injury, Arteta was having his best game since last season, and Osman was looking more like the player he can be. The back two of Jags and Distin along with Baines and Neville gave those forward of them confidence.

Then, on 70 mins, we had our second injury, causing a player to leave the field, when Beckford pulled up and was replaced by Cahill. I got the impression the manager would rather that had not've  happened but, in our position, the points were paramount. It seemed Cahill used no more than his experience to get through the game was no more than a threat the Sunderland defence could not ignore. We remained on top and on the 80-min mark Saha was wrapped in cotton wool and replaced by Bilyaletdinov who quickly had a shot crash wide after some superb passing and approach play featuring the excellent Osman and Arteta.

The clock was ticking down and the game was as routine as we have expected many times only to be disappointed... but today we saw it out and at the death that man Osman, after another super one-touch passing move, danced into the area, rounded the keeper and smashed it goalwards only for Sunderland to have got 3 men back on the line and one of them headed away. After 4mins of extra time, the final whistle and all left with that feeling of ?At last? a routine home win.

A very welcome 3 points and the table looks better but more of the same will be required as we get to the business end of the season. MotM was very difficult today as players all over the pitch put in performances that we have expected of them previously and played as a team together without anyone really being classed as outstanding. Fellaini would have been in the frame had he not succumbed to his pre-match injury but over the piece I would go for Arteta purely on the basis that he put in his best shift of the season and had influence in the centre of the park, on the other hand I would not argue too much with anyone?s nomination. Distin and Osman were on the lips of many on the way down Spellow Lane.

After the excitement of Chelsea, a packed Goodison seemed satisfied with today?s performance and were in relaxed mood long before the end and this was illuminated when the Park End got fed up with the away fans chants of stereotypical taunts regarding Liverpool people and responded with a wall of noise that left them in little doubt such things were not well received and we heard little of them until the end.

Reading next on Tuesday night and the team selection will be interesting as we seem to have got more injuries than we would like. Still, we go with what we have got and, whoever plays, if today?s attitude prevails, so will we. 7:30 KO so a quick dash and I am hoping for a win that sees Wembley ever closer and also a fervent hope that our local ?ale house? does not run out of beer as they did today.

See you there
UP THE BLUES

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