COLUMNIST PAUL TRAILL

Where from here?

By Paul Traill   ::  15/04/2012 Awakening at an ungodly hour, Ste, our driver for the day, picked me up at around 5am before grabbing the other guys. Simon with a cooler bag full of snacks and drinks which could have fed the 5000.

We were down the M6 and well on our way in very good time. We made a quick toilet break somewhere along the M6 and what a scene that was. I don?t think I?ve ever seen a Service Station so busy, packed full of Everton and Liverpool fans alike. I had to bite my tongue when a few Liverpool fans sang ?Tell yer ?ma, yer ?ma, to wipe away all the tears, no trophies for 17 years?.?. Hard to take but what is the necessity to antagonize? Anyway, anyway? following a long wait for the toilet, with men even giving up and using the Ladies toilets instead, we were back on our way and I was very surprised at how quickly we arrived in London.

On our two trips down to Wembley in 2009, we parked at Stanmore both times but did well to avoid any skirmishes with some threatening Manchester United supporters following our penalty shoot-out win in the Semi-Final. With the prospect of Everton and Liverpool fans mixing from the same station after the match, we tried an alternative tack this time as a friend of mine had kindly arranged some free parking for us at her workplace in Kilburn.

Gary was DESPERATE for the toilet and seeing him trying to walk until he found one, or at least a makeshift one, was hilarious. He looked like he was walking on the moon.

We were soon on our way, onto the tube and arriving at Wembley Park Station. Once through the station, the first thing you glimpse is Wembley, looking terrific with the Everton crest on the huge banner. Though it was now only around 9:30am we were well and truly in the groove. Everton and Liverpool fans everywhere and not a sniff of trouble in sight.

So on to a pub then... Back before the semi-final in 2009 we ended up in some Sports Bar but this was closed and so, on Police advice, we worked our way down the road, stumbling across two pubs together. One a Weatherspoons, the other more old-fashioned-pub like, The Bear, and so we opted for the latter.

It proved to be a poor choice. The bar, as one would expect, was extremely busy and the bar service woefully slow... so we gave up before even getting served and marched on down the road. We found nothing and just as we were about to give up and head back to The Bear, Sue spotted a pub in the distance and we hit the jackpot. A lovely little Irish pub, Flanbery?s Bar, was just perfect. Not too busy, Blues and Reds mixing amicably?not even doormen in place, we were able to sit and relax for a good hour, learning the team news before we headed back to Wembley.

Gueye given the nod on the left in the only contentious selection. Drenthe, ridiculously, not even on the bench. Liverpool starting with Carroll and Suarez up top, average players in the shape of Spearing, Downing and Henderson in midfield, an unfamiliar back four of Agger, Skrtel, Carragher and Johnson and their choice keeper Brad Jones in goal. Surely Everton had to seize the initiative with this one. Surely this was our time?

We walked on back to Wembley, after a little confusion finding our entry block and through the turnstyles. Our seats absolutely fantastic, directly behind the goal in the lower tier at a good height. A wonderful view of the game ? we didn?t even get to sit down all game. The stadium is a wonderful experience. It was an exceptional sight of one half blue the other all red with both crowds making a lot of noise. Howard Webb led the teams out. A minute?s silence in respect of the Hillsborough victims impeccably observed all round. We were ready to go!

Liverpool started by far the better side in the opening 10 minutes or so and would have been ahead had Spearing not of woefully skied a presentable chance from the edge of the penalty area. Tim Howard looked very overawed in the opening minutes but thankfully settled eventually, as too did Everton? Leighton Baines coming ever so close with a free kick which landed on the roof of the net.

We exploded with joy on 23 minutes when dreadful Liverpool defending presented a great chance for Nikica Jelavic. Carragher and Skirtel making a pigs ear of clearing a ball and only smashing it against Cahill. The ball popping to the alert Croat who stroked home calmly to put us ahead. Everton in raptures. Liverpool silenced.

Generally speaking, Everton held possession quite well for the remainder of the half though didn?t test Liverpool when perhaps we should have gone for it more. I expected to see us on the front foot from the start ? balls into the box from all angles to test their third-choice goalkeeper and shots from distance from Osman, Fellaini and Gibson. As it turned out, Jones appeared quite a confident keeper but we didn?t do enough to get in amongst him. Had we have done so, we may have seen a different outcome...

Regardless, we were happy enough at the break. Liverpool had a few openings but nothing which significantly stretched Tim Howard. It was all smiles at the break though Gary was keen to stress the nightmare of 1986 when we lead 1-0 at half-time thanks to a Gary Lineker strike though found ourselves 1-3 down at the end of the game. Could we hold on or extend the lead?

Disappointingly not. Up until Liverpool?s equalizer, I don?t think there was really much between either teams. Jelavic made the best of the precious little he had to work with but the midfield didn?t do enough to get up the field and support him. Such is Moyes's cautious approach, we appeared more keen on holding on to what we had when a second goal would have settled it. Again ? I?d like to have seen us test their keeper more, put more balls into the box, put them under more pressure but we just didn?t do enough of that. Nowhere near in fact.

Nevertheless, this was working. Carroll headed a decent chance wide early in the first half but other than that I remember little of which threatened our goal. I wouldn?t exactly say we were looking comfortable, but I thought we looked able until disaster struck.

Of all dependable players, Sylvin Distin played a dreadfully under-hit back pass to Howard. It fell WELL short and Suarez was onto it in a flash. Heitinga did what he could to make up the ground. Howard did all he could to narrow the angle but the Uruguayan cheat finished well to draw Liverpool level, provide MASSIVE impetus and momentum to Liverpool, and really give their support a shot in the arm who then encouraged and cheered them on noisily. Everton supporters were by then rather flat and though all in good will, it was difficult to match them for encouragement at this stage. They just had all the momentum.

Moyes tried to change it. Gueye had played poorly and was switched with Coleman, Osman moving out to the left and Coleman provided greater protection for Neville but we just couldn?t get going again significantly. I recall Osman shooting tamely at Jones and someone shooting which he fumbled but gathered the rebound but again, we just didn?t test their keeper near enough.

At the other end, Liverpool were really starting to pick us off and in truth it was amazing they didn?t score sooner as they missed some very decent chances. It was like watching a nightmare unfold before your eyes with nothing you could do about it. It was like Chelsea in the FA Cup Final all over again. Baines tried to make a tackle and stayed down injured for a period. He couldn?t continue and Hibbert was being readied to replace him.

Coleman gave away an incredibly stupid free kick down by the corner flag, clattering into Gerrard (though you would be temped to do it yourself eh!) and giving Liverpool a free kick and a great opportunity to put the ball in the box. The ball in was excellent from Bellamy though the marking was slack. How can you leave Andy Carroll unmarked from six yards? The giant Geordie had played a rancid game up until then. I thought he was extremely poor, but that mattered not I suppose as he rose and headed backwards unchallenged into the net. Liverpool fans erupted. Our players trudged back dejectedly and a look at the clock explained why? just four minutes left to play. Everton crushed, Liverpool support now even louder. Hibbert was told to sit back down with Anichebe on instead. Everton had to go for it now.

We just couldn?t get going again for one last push. We just couldn?t get hold of the ball really. I sympathized with Cahill as he lost his rag towards the end of the game. Is he going to get another chance to win something with Everton? Thankfully at least Fellaini had kept his head and managed to trap the ball, fend off a few players and get the ball out wide for Everton to have one last launch into the box. Neville got the cross in, Anichebe got on the end of it and thrashed the ball back across the box but Skirtel hoofed it clear. Webb, who?d given us every chance with four minutes of stoppage time, blew for full time and we trudged off utterly dejected.

As Sue said on the way home ?What do we do to deserve this heartache all the time??

We were out of Wembley reasonably quickly and there were thankfully no problems between the two sets of supporters as we made our way to the tube station. Some Liverpool fan tried to have a pleasant conversation about the game with Ste and me but we just couldn?t face speaking to him and just replied with rude one word answers to him. I regret that now. He was only being friendly. It?s what it can do to you sometimes.

We got to the car, snacked, all re-grouped as we?d gotten a bit separated after the match, and after a quick Grand National bet (it didn?t come in) made tracks in quite somber mood. Well the others were, I could only numb my pain with larger all the way back and was probably quite the nuisance to Ste the driver. As we got roughly half way home we?d all perked up again as defeat began to sink in. The unfortounate life of the Evertonian.

So where from here? I?ve now finally realized we?re not going to win anything with David Moyes at the helm of our club. I?ve always been a massive Moyes fan. I still am really. I think overall he?s done a splendid job for us and I do think Kenwright is sincere when he bigs up Moyes?s incredible work ethic and planning. If you read Mick Rathbone's or David Weir?s autobiography they will all but confirm this also. I think he tries his very best. However, I question his forever cautious approach and this is what has cost us again this time around. Unless we change manager, I can?t see how on earth we?ll ever win anything.

Nevertheless, I don?t have the solution. If Moyes was to leave Everton (and he would have to leave himself because he won?t get pushed out), I worry what would happen to us. I imagine our better players would want to leave. Who would run the club the way Moyes can? Who else can keep us regularly finishing 6th, 7th, 8th in the league practically without exception with nothing to spend? Who is this man and why would he want to come and manage Everton? I don?t see who else is out there who can do this job who would want to come and manage at Everton.

That?s the dilemma. We won?t win anything with Moyes but we won?t survive without him. We?re stuck in something of a rut unfortunately with no real way out except for squad investment?over to you, Mr Chairman.

?There?s always next season? we seem to tell ourselves every year. Next season is potentially a big one for Everton if we can keep hold of everyone and add a few more. If we can tie Pienaar up that will of course help us and with a bit of housekeeping here and there I do believe our team, coupled with some of the youth coming through could have another crack at challenging. If only we?d for once just get off to a good start the dream could be reality.

This is Everton. Side by side we wait, hope and (try to) believe.

Player Ratings:

Howard: I don?t think he looked very assured at all, particularly in the opening exchanges. 5

Baines: Not at his effective self at all but wasn?t helped by Gueye at all. He pulled up injured towards the end, I wonder if he was carrying the injury for a while in this game as he just didn?t get going. 5

Distin: Well?he?ll be forever remembered for his mistake in this one and, as we all would, really struggled to adapt following the error. I didn?t see him walking around the pitch apologetically after the game but did see his ?tweet?. It?s very man of him to face up to his mistake. I feel very sorry for him as he?s been fantastic for Everton since signing in 2009. 5

Heitinga: Not his commanding self unfortunately. 6

Neville: My Man of the Match. Not a lot got passed him and he was consistent and solid throughout. Exactly what you expect from Neville really. A real shame that he?ll in all probability now fail to win anything in his time at Everton. 7

Gibson: He put the work in but didn?t get on the ball like I thought he would or use it effectively. 5

Fellaini: Generally very good. Kept his head near the end when others around him failed to do so. I felt sorry for him when he collapsed onto the floor dejectedly at full time. Certainly the pick of our midfielders. 7

Gueye: Really struggled and didn?t track back nearly enough. Probably should have been subbed sooner. Fair to say I?m not convinced by him at all. 3

Osman: A bit in-and-out of the game. Would seemingly disappear for chunks but you would then see him chase back to make tackles and use the ball quite intelligently. I would like to have seen him in and around their box more, particularly following his splendid goal on Easter Monday. 6

Cahill: Had a decent first half but faded badly in the second. Played a lot of the second half further back in midfield when Fellaini was pushed further forward but didn?t do enough in my opinion. I feel for him though. As with Neville ? will he get another chance to win something at Everton? 5

Jelavic: Was always lively and always a threat but didn?t get adequate support from midfield. I look forward to seeing his handiwork next season. I think he?d really benefit from a settled strike partner. 7

Coleman (for Gueye): Will be sick about the free kick he gave away but it was Everton?s inability to defend it rather than the original foul which did it so I don?t blame him myself. I think we?d all like to clatter Gerrard given the chance. Otherwise, he did OK though nothing special. 5

Anichebe (for Baines): Came into the game in impossible circumstances really and with no real time to make an impact on the game. Perhaps cold have done better with our final chance to get something from the game. 5

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