FAN ARTICLES

You Can't Buy Team Spirit

By Luke O'Farrell :  08/05/2011 :  Comments (17) :

Big Dunc was on the pitch before the game and it got the crowd going. I was personally overjoyed to see the big man back at the club; he was my hero growing up as a young Evertonian. You get the impression, like with Cahill, that he genuinely loves the club, the fans and knows how much it means to us all.

The team showed the one change from the poor Wigan showing with Heitinga taking Cahill?s place; who hadn?t trained all week, so he was not fully fit. I assumed this meant Osman on the right with Rodwell supporting Anichebe. However the game started with Rodwell on the right and Osman behind Victor. I couldn?t help but think we had too many defensive minded players so we might struggle against Toure and Silva in the middle of the park; this proved to be true. As we had no recognised central midfielders in the middle of the park, we just kept surrendering the ball to the opposition.

About 20 seconds into the first half, we tried a clearly rehearsed set piece that Osman tried to send out of the stadium. That was one of our few attempts in the first half. Both sides enjoy a few spells of possession, although we kept running out of options and playing aimless long balls forward; Jagielka being the main culprit. I wish Moyes would tell him to watch Distin and learn from him.

With the game almost 10 minutes old, City were beginning to get a grip of the game and Silva was becoming an increasingly prominent figure. He has graced the Spain national team and his first half performance showed why. De Jong aimed a rugby union style up-and-under towards the Everton right back position and Hibbert was caught napping. Silva plucked the ball out of the air with a feather like touch; many home fans applauded, it was that good. The little Spaniard then twisted Hibbert inside out and lashed a shot just wide of the far post. This was a close escape that was to get even closer shortly afterwards.

Milner dinked a lofted through ball over a static Everton back four and Silva, on the volley, guided a cross into the 6 yard box. Thankfully for us, it was left to the unrefined finishing skills of Viera to put the chance home; he couldn?t oblige. Row P of the Park End gleefully accepted his shot. These were ominous signs though, our midfield wasn?t getting tight enough and Rodwell looked lost in an unfamiliar wide right role. Our next attempt was an Osman half volley from the best part of 30 yards; it was nearer to the big screen than the goal. He had time and should have advanced with the ball.

A City goal was looking increasingly likely and just before the half hour mark it arrived and it was oh so worryingly simple. The ball was worked down our left hand side; how many goals come from that side?? Distin dived in, missing the ball; Silva darted into the gaping hole in the back four and laid the ball off to Toure. The Ivorian had lost his marker, Baines, and dispatched a crisp strike past a despairing Howard. Our first meaningful riposte came just before half time; Rodwell guided a header wide from a cross from the right hand side.

We had been sluggish and poor in the first half; Moyes got the team selection and tactics all wrong in my opinion. Too many of the team looked uncomfortable in the roles they were being asked to perform and this contributed to our disjointed first half. The natives knew something needed to be changed and, fair play to Moyes, change it he did. Beckford was on for Hibbert with Neville reverting to RB and Mikel moving into CM and Anichebe playing from the right.

We won a free kick just after half time, Baines drove it goal wards and it took a nick along the way. Rodwell looked poised to bury the rebound but a great tackle from Kompany cleared the ball for a corner. We looked much more purposeful after the break, with Anichebe and Heitinga in particular looking up for it. Rodwell was looking livelier and Arteta was so much more comfortable in the middle. We were still living dangerously though and another City break almost resulted in a second for the visitors.

Toure was played through on goal with Osman making a valiant attempt to get back and put him off. The gangly centre mid forced a good save from Howard who made himself big and Neville was on hand to clear the danger. The next 15 minutes saw chances for both sides. Dzeko saw a header drift just wide off the far post whilst Beckford tested Hart but it lacked in power. Dzeko then came even closer as he opted to go it alone from a break and shot just wide of the left hand post.

The introduction of Cahill sparked the Blues into life. He didn?t necessarily do much with the ball but he was a nuisance and on all set pieces he had two City defenders marking him. He just has an impact against the bigger teams, especially City. They will probably throw a party when Tim retires. We won a free kick down the right and Arteta reminded us that he can take a good set piece. The best little Spaniard we know whipped a ball into the danger zone and Distin rose well. His header was powerful and towards the corner but Hart probably should have saved it. I didn?t care though and Goodison erupted; game on.

With 20 minutes to go, the turnaround was complete and we were in front. Osman provided the coup de grace with a header that Big Dunc would have tipped his hat in appreciation of. A combination of intricate passing and some well won tackles provided Neville with a crossing opportunity. The skipper delivered a cross towards the penalty area and Osman was ghosting in. He somehow, quite magnificently, rose above Kompany and looped a header into the far corner of the goal. The little magician suffered a bang on the head for his troubles but he soon recovered. We saw the remainder of the game out relatively comfortably with Beckford nearly adding a third and the closest City came was a deflected Milner effort.

I felt the manager got his tactics/selection horribly wrong for the first half but redeemed himself with his second half tactics. Although this beggars the question why start with that team. . . Anichebe had his best game of the season, by some distance and Arteta looked a lot better in a slightly more advanced role in the centre of the park. That was also the best Heitinga has played in the holding role to date. He won tackles and hustled the life out their team. I would like to see the second half team start the next match. We looked better with Neville at RB and out of midfield. This is no slight on Hibbert; unfortunately we just look a better team without our loyal right back in it.

See what we can do when we go at the bigger teams with some purpose and intent. West Brom next; boy do we owe them for our Goodison debacle. Let?s hope we can keep it going into next season. . .

Ratings:

Howard 7, Hibbert 6, Jagielka 6, Distin 7, Baines 6, Arteta 7, Neville 7, Heitinga 8, Osman 8, Rodwell 7, Anichebe 8

Subs: Cahill 7 (for his impact), Beckford 6

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