Everton Independent Research Data
David Prentice's review of 2009 - May-August
Jan 1 2010 by David Prentice, Liverpool Echo
THE latest FA Cup final for years – Saturday, May 30 – produced the quickest goal, after just 25 seconds, but Louis Saha’s strike isn’t enough to see Everton lift the famous old silverware at Wembley Stadium. “The pain is not something I ever want to experience again,” said captain Phil Neville after Chelsea beat Everton 2-1.
The month had started on a sour note, too. “The biggest disrespect has come from the FA in how many tickets they have given the teams who get to the final,” said David Moyes on the usual paltry allocation for his side’s supporters 20,000 turned up at Anfield to watch Liverpool beat an All Stars XI 3-1 in a Hillsborough Memorial match. Kenny Dalglish scored, of course. Phil Jagielka was named Everton’s Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season at the club’s annual awards bash, while David Moyes scooped his third LMA Manager of the Year award.
.Everton agree a £5m fee for Sheffield United full-back Kyle Naughton and agree personal terms, then Spurs get wind of the move . . . while the Blues reject a £15m bid from Manchester City for Joleon Lescott. “There’s not much point me elaborating on that,” said David Moyes. “Because I have been consistent. Joleon Lescott is not for sale.” “Wantaway Lescott won’t let us down,” said Tim Cahill on the eve of Everton’s opening game of the season against Arsenal. The Blues crashed 6-1, although Lescott could hardly be held totally to blame. “Disgusting.” David Moyes’ one word appraisal of Manchester City’s pursuit of Joleon Lescott.
Kevin Ratcliffe believes Everton FC have learned FA Cup giant-killing lessons
Jan 1 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool
IT WAS a game David Moyes and the Everton players involved will probably never forget – for all the wrong reasons. Everton’s FA Cup third round humbling by Shrewsbury Town in 2003 was arguably one of the competition’s shock results of the Noughties. The Toffees being bungled out of the cup by a side 80 places below them in the lower reaches of the then Third Division, came after they were outplayed for long periods at Gay Meadow. The biggest irony of the day was that the victorious minnows’ manager was Everton’s most successful captain – Kevin Ratcliffe.
Unsurprisingly Ratcliffe still harbours fond if slightly mixed memories of the tie, but predicts a similar giant killing is unlikely when the Blues take on Carlisle United at Goodison Park tomorrow. He said: “It’s different this time because it’s at Goodison Park. The biggest advantage a team like Carlisle could have hoped for was to get a home draw and make Everton go to them. “When we played them at Gay Meadow I wouldn’t have changed the venue even if I could have switched it to Goodison. Funnily enough we had played Everton in that pre-season and I felt we had caused them a few problems. “Then when the day actually arrived for the tie, I honestly had a feeling we could do something. I saw the Everton team-sheet and it wasn’t as strong as the side we had played in pre-season. “The Gay Meadow pitch was bobbly and not conducive to slick football, so I wasn’t too worried about Wayne Rooney dropping deep. He was only 16 at the time anyway. “If anything I was concerned about Thomasz Radzinski’s pace and balls being played over the top to him.
“But generally there wasn’t too much to frighten us. In the second half Everton were forced to regroup and make some changes to chase the game, and then we scored a cracking free kick. They equalised through Alexandersson, but of course we went on to get the winner. We played well and deserved the win that day but I am sure it had a lot to do with the surroundings. “Most modern premier league players are a bit spoilt. They grow up with academies where everything is done for them, and the facilities are better than any lower league grounds. “They are not used to going to little old away grounds and changing in a portacabin or in the toilets. It’s a real eye opener when they then go to a place like Gay Meadow, and so it proved to be that day.”
Ratcliffe believes Everton have long since proved that the lesson of that painful day has been learned. He said: “You could see last season when Everton had that great run in the cup. It all started away in Macclesfield and David sent out a strong team. Macclesfield’s ground is cramped and a million miles from Goodison but the players stuck at it and got a 1-0 win. It wasn’t easy but it was the win which got the ball rolling. “Now the Blues have got enough in the tank to beat Carlisle comfortably. I would imagine that first and foremost Everton will want to get a solid lead in the tie and then David can make changes and bring the younger lads on if he likes.
“They have a full week to recover so it is not a big ask for the senior players. The game will also give Phil Neville a great chance to get some match fitness under his belt. “After seeing how close they came last season, Everton’s players should want to do it again this time. The momentum their successful run gave the club was fantastic.
“It may be their strongest chance of achieving something too. When you look at the Europa league there are a lot of top clubs in it now, and it’s going to be very, very difficult to get to the final stages.” Ratcliffe could be forgiven for keeping at close hand a DVD of the day he masterminded Shrewsbury’s victory, but he has never watched the game since. “For some reason it wasn’t on TV, despite my links with the Blues,” he says. “Unfortunately you could say it had an adverse effect on us because we never won a league game after that and got relegated to the Football Conference after 53 years in the Football League. “Maybe the Everton result made some of those Shrewsbury players think they were better than they were. “Or that they should be playing at a higher level. It was certainly the last thing they had to smile about for the rest of that season. I still have mixed feelings about the tie. “Everton’s is always the first result I look out for, but that day I was in charge of the opposition. I just felt there were lots of chinks in their armour. “At the end of the game David Moyes wasn’t very happy as you’d expect. He apologised for not coming in and having a drink with me and left straight away with the team. “But then on the Monday morning he phoned me to say well done. He said he’d watched the video and wanted to say how well we’d played and deserved it. “He didn’t have to do that - so it was a great gesture
Everton set to give trial to Bolivian midfield starlet Samuel Galindo
Jan 1 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool
EVERTON are set to hand a trial to South American midfield starlet Samuel Galindo.
The 17-year-old Bolivian will arrive on Merseyside next week for a seven-day trial at Finch Farm, after being recommended by the Blues’ international scouts.
The teenager will train with Andy Holden’s reserves, and could be offered a contract if he impresses in a process similar to the one which saw Seamus Coleman become an Everton player. Galindo, who plays for Real America in the Bolivian league, has already represented his country’s U-20 side and has previously been linked with Wigan. Although Galindo captained the u-20s and has been training with Bolivia’s full squad, there would need to be an appeal if Everton applied for a work permit.
Galindo, who will be accompanied by his father, is reported to have told Bolivian newspapers: “I hope not to waste this opportunity to prove to everyone that there are good players in Bolivia.” The Blues have also been linked with a move for Belgian club Moucron’s midfielder Maxime Lestienne The 17-year-old is reported to be available on a free transfer, and is also wanted by Club Brugge, but it is understood the Blues have not approached the Belgian. Meanwhile, former Everton defender Derek Mountfield has revealed that he has a soft spot for the Blues’ FA Cup opposition on Saturday, Carlisle United. Mountfield played a solitary season with United in 1994/5 and won the Division Three title and the club’s first Wembley final.
He said: “When the draw came out, I did raise a wry smile. I can’t wait for it. I’ve been an Evertonian all my life and I have to say I will be supporting them on the day, but I had an absolutely fantastic season at Carlisle, met some great people and I still look out for their results every week
Everton FC suspend Jo after striker goes awol
EVERTON striker Jo has been suspended by the club for going absent without leave to Brazil over the Christmas period. The Manchester City loan signing, flew home without the Blues' permission to deal with a personal matter before the Christmas period. It meant he was unavailable to help Everton manager David Moyes, who has a selection headache in the striking berths, with Yakubu at the African Nations Cup and Louis Saha still injured. The Everton manager said at Finch Farm today: "The disciplinary process is on going," and declined to reveal when Jo would next be considered for selection. Jo, for whom City had paid £18m for when buying him from CSKA Moscow, was brought to Goodison in July last year for a second loan spell, having originally arrived in February. He scored on his debut for the Blues against Bolton
Royal Blue: Long road to the top but David Weir is still going strong
Jan 2 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo
THE buzz word around Everton FC these days is youth.
With the club turning out a proud production line of promising youngsters like Jack Rodwell, James Vaughan, Dan Gosling and Shane Duffy it is easy to forget that not every player starts off as an academy starlet. That’s why it was interesting to be reminded of Davie Weir’s background. He went to university in America, and didn’t play professionally until he was 22. And the former Everton skipper is still going strong for Glasgow Rangers, despite turning 40 this year. Speaking to Everton’s website, Weir said: "I just try and take things short term and make it last as long as I can, and long may it continue." He still lives in the North West and comes to Goodison often, though his ongoing SPL commitments don’t make this easy.
Weir added: “Of course Everton are my favourite club south of the border. I still speak to some of the lads and I had great times here. I always look for the results.”
His answer when questioned on a perfect 2010 underlined that lingering passion for the Toffees. He said: “Rangers winning the league, and Everton finishing in the top four. There is a lot of work to do for that but that is the standard they have set.”
Royal Blue: Kieran Agard could follow Leon Osman’s loan example
Jan 2 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo
EVERTON have nothing to lose if, as has been suggested, they allow Kieran Agard to go north of the border on loan. Hearts are tracking the 20-year-old striker, and a short-term deal could help him develop his game. Leon Osman’s loan move to Derby remains the standard young Everton stars should look to when temporarily packing their bags. Osman went to the Rams with the right attitude, impressed and was brought back to become an Everton regular and now a senior player. If the move to Scotland happens, Agard must do the same and start banging them in to convince David Moyes he is worth keeping around.
Review of 2009 - September to December
Jan 2, 2010, By David Prentice, Liverpool Echo
Mikel Arteta suffers a setback in his return from knee surgery, needing another operation. He is quickly followed on the setback trail by Victor Anichebe and Phil Jagielka, while Phil Neville and Steven Pienaar limp off in a damaging defeat at Fulham. Everton are at the forefront of UEFA’s radical experiment to use five match officials in the Europa League. Their only meaningful contribution, however, is to count the number of goals as Everton demolish a poor AEK Athens.
Two weeks after the transfer deadline has closed, Everton make a surprise late addition to their squad, enlisting free agent Lucas Neill to help cope with the growing Goodison injury crisis.
QUOTES OF THE MONTH
“He is here to give me cover at centre-half and at right-back.” David Moyes on new signing Johnny Heitinga, little realising how much he would need the Dutchman’s versatility. Everton fans are rocked when rising star Jose Baxter is arrested. No charges follow. Everton can’t bring Euro joy to the city either.
“Forget the arena, just enjopy the match,” was Colin Harvey’s message to Seamus Coleman as the youngster prepared for a baptism of fire in Benfica’s Stadium of Light. It was easier said than done as Benfica ran riot against the injury ravaged Blues.
Despite their struggles, Liverpool showed their class to beat Manchester United 2-0 at Anfield. Everton launched a unique purple shirt at White Hart Lane in aid of the Liverpool Unites charity, but David Moyes was feeling anything but charitable as The Purples were forced to play their third game in six days and lost 2-0.
But the month ends on a bright note for the Reds, as they triumph 2-0 at Goodison in the final derby match of the decade. There are further injury setbacks for Everton as Phil Neville and Phil Jagielka require further surgery. Rumours that Everton have employed Sweeney Todd as club surgeon are dismsised. Everton win in Athens then draw four successive games against Spurs, Chelsea, Birmingham and Sunderland – sandwiched by the youngest Blues’ starting XI in Goodison history losing the deadest of dead rubbers to BATE Borisov. They, too, end the decade on a triumphant note with a late brace against Burnley, started by James Vaughan (left).
Barry Horne: I’m shocked by short sighted Preston North End
Jan 2 2010 by Barry Horne, Liverpool Echo
THE artificial pressures brought on by the transfer window have seen another couple of managerial casualties. Whilst Gary Megson’s sacking at Bolton has been a case of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’, Alan Irvine’s sacking at Preston surprised me.
It’s not so long ago he was lauded by his chairman as one of the brightest young managerial talents, having saved them from the precarious position he inherited in his first season, taking them to the edge of the play-offs in his second and his team currently finding themselves as far from relegation as they are from the play offs. It is remarkable that a club such as Preston should take such a short term view.
Surely a better model for the vast majority of clubs would be to look at how Birmingham City have supported Alex McLeish and the dividends that their stability and loyalty are currently reaping. There will inevitably be occasions when it is right for managers and clubs to part company, but given Alan Irvine’s track record in his time at Preston and the notorious speed with which teams can climb the Championship from a position such as Preston’s, this doesn’t seem one of them
Barry Horne: Reasons to be cheerful in 2010
ONCE again I was very impressed with the way Everton played in their final match of the year against Burnley. Although the Clarets played their part in an entertaining game, as they usually do, it was a well deserved victory and a very welcome three points. Once again Steven Pienaar was outstand- ing, especially in combination with Leighton Baines, a partnership that is becoming quite a feature of Everton’s team-play. But there were less obvious but equally noteworthy performances else- where.
Tony Hibbert continues to impress and Yakubu, although clearly still short of full match fitness, showed some lovely touches and looked hungry for his place in the starting line-up. The return of Phil Neville has been long anticipated and it was a welcome sight to see him back on the pitch. Much has been made of his positive influence even whilst injured, but clearly the place where his influence will be of maximum effect is on the pitch. Whilst Phil Neville’s return has been much anticipated, a player who I still think can have a massive impact at Everton had slipped off people’s radar. The return of James Vaughan could, hope- fully for him and the team, be as significant as any of the more talked about absentees.
He was instantly involved in the game and showed all the qualities a striker needs – pace, confid- ence and aggression. With Yakubu disappearing to the African Nations Cup James Vaughan’s return could not be more timely. With Yobo not playing anyway and Yakubu not fully fit, hopefully the African tournament won’t hit Everton unduly. Things are actually starting, slowly, to look as if there might be light at the end of what has been a very long tunnel for David Moyes. The fact it is FA Cup weekend is also timely, bearing in mind our success last season. Recalling previous disasters, I have no doubt that David Moyes will not be taking Carlisle lightly.
The weekend’s fixture, however, does present an opportunity to possibly rest one or two players who have carried the greatest burden through Everton’s injury crisis – and also allow the likes of Neville and Vaughan to sharpen up ahead of a couple of very tough league fixtures.
Everton FC heroes Alan Ball and Brian Labone to get Shankly Show treatment
Jan 2 2010 Liverpool Echo
THE creator of hit play The Shankly Show is turning his attention to the Blue half of the city – with a production focusing on Everton heroes Brian Labone and Alan Ball.
Liverpool playwright and theatre director Andrew Sherlock, is hoping to extend this multi-media format to a whole range of other footballing icons, as well as creating a World Cup based show. Although a Liverpool FC fan himself Mr Sherlock wants to apply the same treatment he gave to Shankly to footballing heroes from across the Stanley Park divide. He said: “I aim to create a whole series on great managers and footballing icons, using live drama and multi-media documentary material including graphics and music. “It’s very adaptable as a way of doing theatre. It’s like an intimate evening with your sporting hero, crossed with a blockbuster movie. It’s like being in their company with them speaking directly to you about what’s on their mind.
“Shankly was the obvious one to lead off with as the first poet football manager but I’d also like to do a big history show about Anfield.” Mr Sherlock said the production of a Footballing Legends series could create its own company of researchers, archivists, film-makers, and producers. The biggest challenge, he said, was securing the rights to screen archive material. Mr Sherlock said: “The Everton show, called My Blue Heaven, would be based around Alan Ball in his dressing room in the sky in conversation with Brian Labone about when he disappeared in the closing minutes of the game at Goodison as his beloved Everton were involved in a relegation battle.”
This refers to the final game of the season against Coventry City in May 1998 when Labone, unable to stand the tension of the relegation match, paced nervously up and down outside Goodison. Everton’s narrowest of escapes led to wild scenes of jubilation by fans including a pitch invasion Mr Sherlock said: “The production needs to be done to the same standard as the Shankly Show but the stumbling block has been getting hold of archive material and pictures. Most of the footage is from the BBC and it’s so expensive. “Most of that used in the Shankly Show was from Granada TV who were our partners in the production for Capital of Culture. “But I am concentrating on getting something made for World Cup year. So many fans who are priced out of football, shows like this are cheaper than a Premiership game.” The Shankly Show was a theatrical success stories at its premiere during Capital of Culture year. Since then, it has been regularly revived and has been seen by thousands of people. It was most recently the first production to play at the 1,350-seater BT convention centre auditorium marking the 50th anniversary of the legendary manager’s arrival at Anfield. The one-man show featured Scottish actor Alexander “Sandy” West as Shankly who sits in the boot room at Anfield looking back over his life and career. The performance is accompanied by big-screen action featuring original footage, photos and graphics to create a unique piece of documentary-theatre.
In the meantime Mr Sherlock is working on a new, non-footballing show, called Scouse Wedding, which is due to go into production at the Royal Court in 2010
Royal Blue: Everton FC have always been People's Club
Jan 2 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo
EVERTON fans need little reminding that their club is based on a rich and fascinating history. When they sing about knowing their history at the match it could be anything from Dixie Dean’s record goal haul to becoming founding members of the football league. Well, now one academic Bluenose has put his study time to intriguing use by completing an in-depth study of the 1892 split of the original Everton FC which gave birth to city neighbours Liverpool. The study consists of information Dr David Kennedy compiled for his 2003 PhD thesis, and now it has been given a worthy showcase by the people behind the Everton Collection. Dr Kennedy goes beyond established explanations of the split being borne out of a rental dispute or the by-product of hostility between temperance and drink trade interests amongst the Everton membership. He argues that local political events outside the club were of central importance in framing its internal squabbles and intensifying them to breaking point.
He believes Everton was drawn into the eye of a perfect political storm brewing in the north end districts of Liverpool in the early 1890s and duly split. Dr Kennedy also studies the very different people at Everton and Liverpool football clubs prior to WWI, differences that, he suspects, had their origins in the social and political nature of the 1892 struggle. He writes, ‘John Houlding’s downfall at Everton was not just the result of disagreements about the rent of Anfield. Many members of the Everton committee including George Mahon and William Clayton did not believe that a football club should be associated with the drinks’ trade. ‘Houlding owned a brewery. Also Mahon, who belonged to the Liberal Party, and Houlding, a Conservative, had clashed over local election campaigns. ‘Houlding’s supporters followed him in resigning from membership of Everton F.C. In March 1892 the Everton directors set up a sub-committee consisting of Dr. James Baxter, A. T. Coates, and Frank Currier to deal with these resignations. ‘William Barclay, one of Houlding’s staunchest supporters had already resigned as Chairman of Everton in January and had been replaced by George Mahon. ‘Houlding made one last attempt to retain control of Everton FC. When the Everton Committee had voted to form a limited liability company in 1891 they chose the name ‘Everton Football and Athletic Grounds Company Ltd.’ ‘In January 1892 Houlding registered this name at Companies House. Mahon protested and the case went to the FA for arbitration. In April it stated that only one club with the name Everton could be a member of the FA and that was the current one. Houlding and his supporters formed a new football club at a meeting in March 1892. Barclay suggested naming the team Liverpool F.C. but this idea was rejected at the time. ‘After the F.A.’s ruling Houlding agreed to Barclay’s suggestion. He also reached an agreement with John Orrell, who owned the neighbouring field at Anfield, to enable Liverpool to play at Everton’s former ground. ‘Over at Goodison work on Everton’s new ground on the Mere Green Field gathered pace.
The minute books record that a company called Kelly Brothers was employed to carry out much of the building. ‘On 2 May 1892 the Committee agreed that Kelly Brothers would level the ground, lay water pipes and erect new hoardings at a cost of £479.00. The Company obviously did a good job – in 1894 Benjamin Kelly became an Everton director. ‘The minutes of 31 May 1892 reveal that the original plan was to have two end stands and a covered stand holding 3,000 spectators each. ‘There were to be two dressing rooms – no more changing in the local pub! By 7 June the Committee had agreed that the uncovered stands should be enlarged to hold 4,000 spectators each. Kelly Brothers were committed to completing all the stands by 31 July or face a penalty. ‘Mahon was determined that Everton should be a democratic club. He wanted a large number of individual applications for shares so that more people were involved in running the club. ‘Mahon was keen to have shareholders who would concentrate on football ‘the cause we all have at heart’. Allocating shares in large blocks to wealthy people who might be more interested in profit than football did not appeal to him. The minutes of 27 June 1892 note briefly that a decision was made to call the new ground Goodison Park. ‘The ground was evidently named after a Leeds born civil engineer, George Goodison, who provided the Walton Local Board with a report in 1868. Mahon was later elected to this Board which managed health related services. ‘Transforming the Mere Green Field into Goodison Park cost Everton around £3,500. This was £1,000 more than the Club’s assets. ‘Luckily help was at hand; by 3 December 1892 Baxter had advanced the Club the shortfall.
He asked for no security and no interest. Baxter devoted much of his time to Everton, serving on the Board of Directors from 1889 until his death in 1928.’
So there you have it. Liverpool tried to pinch Everton’s name after the split, the Toffees’ ground was named after a Leeds-born civil engineer and thanks to George Mahon, Everton always have been the People’s Club. HAVE a proper look at Dr Kennedy’s study at www.evertoncollection.org.uk/home
David Moyes believes Everton FA Cup heartache will inspire Wembley charge
Jan 2 2010 Liverpool Echo
DAVID MOYES has revealed how he will use the loneliness and disappointment of Everton’s FA Cup final defeat as inspiration to go all the way in the competition this time. The Blues boss was shattered after his team knocked out Aston Villa, Middlesbrough, Liverpool and Manchester United – only to lose against Chelsea in the show-piece event at Wembley last season. Now he wants another big day out in the capital in May, and intends to get things started by dispensing with Carlisle United in their third round tie at Goodison today. And the Scot does not believe his squad will suffer a psychological hangover from the 2-1 defeat by Chelsea.
He said: “With the conversations we had with the players, they enjoyed the feeling of getting there and okay, we didn’t enjoy it afterwards but it was something we wanted to achieve. “It was always going to be a tough ask to beat Chelsea but we had beaten big teams going into it and we were playing well, so I felt disappointed by it and quite lonely when you don’t win. But overall to finish fifth and get to the cup final wasn’t a bad year for Everton. I saw that as progress so after the initial disappointment, I felt that there was something to shout about. “The next bet is to go and win if we can. You need the luck of the draw but we did not have it there. “In other years we have pulled out Shrewsbury and Oldham and thought ‘that was a good draw’ – and some of the draws last year made you think ‘gee-whizz’ but we got through so it is a difficult thing at the moment and we have to hope we can do it again. “I think what happens is that the best teams want to do it again and again. Every time United win the league they want to win it again the next year, and that is what my attitude is. “We got to the final and we need to get to the final again next year, because that will give us a chance of winning it. You can only do that one step at a time and the first step is Carlisle.”
Moyes insists he is not haunted by the memories of being knocked out of the cup during his Everton reign by lower league sides Oldham Athletic and Shrewsbury Town. But he believes his players can help him erase the lingering bad memories from his mind by not slipping-up against Greg Abbott’s side. He said: “They are erased a bit by beating Liverpool and Manchester United and Boro at home so it was a tough run in the cup for us. "But I can’t just erase them completely, they are there and the players know they cannot afford any slip-ups. But there will be slip-ups somewhere.
“The memories of the final are good. OK we didn’t enjoy it on the day but we don’t need to erase the memories, we need to erase the defeat. “There are always things in the third round stage that don’t go to plan. Players not concentrating right, the underdogs getting results, dodgy weather sometimes plays its part on a half frozen pitch somewhere. “That is what happens in this round of the cup and we have to make sure we are not there.” Moyes also said new loan signing Landon Donovan will be an interested spectator at Goodison Park today. He said: “He is a boost and we will be glad to see him. Hopefully he will get here in time to see the game. “He might need to play up front for us at the moment because of our shortage of strikers and he can play off the sides as well. "What it gives me is another body. I expect his fitness to be good, he has had the break now which he needs and I am hoping that we can get him into the football quite quickly. “Everybody who knows him tells me he is a terrific athlete so that helps.” Moyes believes more Americans will follow Donovan into the Premier League after the success of Brian McBride, Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard.
He said: “I brought Brian McBride from Columbus Crew to Preston, and then I got the job here and brought him here to Everton but couldn’t sign him so he ended up at Fulham. “Clint Dempsey is now doing very well at Fulham.
“There are a lot of good players over there but the problem is the passport situation and the amount of caps they have, so Landon is probably thought of as the main US player so it will be interesting to see. “It didn’t quite work for him in Germany, so that’s why we cant go over the top, we will have to assess him and see how he goes and see if he can help us and hopefully we can give him a platform to play on.
"He has been very positive and he is excited by it and looking forward to it. Tim Howard has filled him in on the details and this could work well for him, who knows it is difficult to say. "People in America speak really highly of him as a footballer and what he can do so we hope to see that when he is here." The Everton manager is also quietly optimistic that Donovan could get the chance to play alongside a fit Mikel Arteta. He said: “I think two months is where we are at the moment. We have had so many false dawns on it that we really wouldn’t know where to start.
"He gets checked by the specialist in Spain this week, hopefully for the last time, he is training and looking quite good. “He’s not joining in, but the knee is looking quite strong again so we are confident we are on the road to recovery. Will it be one or two months? I don’t know."
Everton FC career of Brazilian forward Jo is hanging in the balance
Jan 2 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo
THE Everton career of Brazilian forward Jo is hanging in the balance today after he abandoned the club during a striking crisis. Jo returned to his home country without permission before the busy Christmas period, and left boss David Moyes short of options and fuming. Now the Blues manager is weighing up whether to terminate the loan deal which brought the £18m player from Manchester City to Goodison Park, or offer him another chance. The 22-year-old returned to Rio De Janeiro for personal matters, and Moyes admitted it was with a heavy heart that he took disciplinary action against him. He said: “He is now back but at this moment in time he is suspended from the football club. I am disappointed because we like Jo, he has been a really good lad and we’ve enjoyed having him, but there has to be discipline at all football clubs. “He left over a busy period for us and left us short of players so I find that very difficult. It is just a short term thing at the moment and that could change over the coming weeks but at the moment that is the situation. I will leave it for now and make a decision later on.” Moyes will discuss the matter with Chairman Bill Kenwright before informing Jo of his decision. It leaves the manager with a shortage of striking options for today’s FA Cup tie with Carlisle United. Yakubu is at the African Cup of Nations and Louis Saha is still struggling with a hamstring injury. It could mean a start for James Vaughan after he netted his first goal in more than two years against Burnley on Boxing Day. Leon Osman is also a doubt for today, but Tim Cahill is expected to overcome an ankle injury to play. Skipper Phil Neville could also start his first game since recovering from a knee injury. Meanwhile Moyes, who wants to add at least one more player in addition to Landon Donovan during January, believes the loan market will become increasingly popular for big clubs.
He said: “It’s to do with finances. You can talk about all the stories and big rumours and all the money you like but in truth, the clubs don’t have the finances.
“There are one or two and we know who they are but I think it will mainly be loans. There are clubs who would like to move players on, we are not one of those clubs but there are a few who would be quite happy to lose some players.
“If you look at our record in the past, Mikel Arteta on loan, Steven Pienaar on loan, some of our best players have been brought in on loan. Not all of them have worked but a lot of them have and it’s worked in the past for us and gives you a chance.”
Everton FC 3 Carlisle 1 - FA Cup final whistle match report
Jan 2, 201 By David Prentice
TIM CAHILL'S close range strike eight minutes from time spared Everton's blushes at Goodison Park today and prevented an unwanted FA Cup replay at Brunton Park.
The little Australian struck after excellent approach play from substitute Seamus Coleman who had only been introduced two minutes earlier, but it was a close call for the Blues. Kevan Hurst had equalised James Vaughan's early strike and Carlisle skipper Danny Livesey was denied by the crossbar midway through the second half.
Leighton Baines made it 3-1 with a 93rd minute penalty. crashing the ball into the corner after substitute Kieran Agard had been sent sprawling by goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley, but 3-1 was harsh on the League One visitors who were warmly applauded off the pitch by the Goodison crowd. Manager David Moyes was effectively reduced to selecting his only 11 fit senior players available - the disciplined Jo apart - and it showed. Vaughan started his first match for over a year, and began brightly, but his lack of match practice showed as the game wore on, Cahill appeared to be still feeling the affects of the injury which forced him off against Burnley on Monday and Phil Neville was starting his first game in almost four months. The returning skipper took just 12 minutes to significantly influence affairs. He harried and hustled Adam Clayton into an ill advised backpass and Vaughan's pace got him to the ball ahead of the outcoming goalkeeper Adam Collin. The youngster skirted around Collin, steadied himself and slotted into the Gwladys Street goal. But any hopes Everton harboured of a routine afternoon were quickly extinguished. Marouane Fellaini was booked - perhaps a little harshly - for a fractionally late tackle, but the quality of Carlisle's approach work from the free-kick was unquestionable. The League One visitors passed and probed, Pericard flicked a piercing pass into Richard Keogh's path and Everton's makeshift central defensive pairing were torn asunder. Keogh drove a shot low past Howard, Baines and Neill might have had it covered on the goalline but Kevan Hurst lunged in to toepoke the ball into the corner of the goal. Everton tried to hit back quickly, Vaughan's 'goal' was ruled out for offside after Cahill's shot on the turn had been pushed out by Collin, then the young striker flashed a header narrowly across goal and just wide. But it was Carlisle who grew in confidence and Everton's attacking efforts became laboured and predictable. Tim Cahill appeared to be struggling with the ankle injury he limped off with on Monday against Burnley and was a peripheral figure, and when Marouane Fellaini finally managed an effort on target for the Blues after 60 minutes, goalkeeper Collin was equal to the effort, pushing it behind for a corner. But Everton's attacking efforts lacked any cohesiveness and their set-pieces were appalling, opening up the prospect of a breakaway strike from the visitors. Such a moment almost arrived in the 64th minute. Matthew Robson sprinted clear down the left, crossed for the waiting Hurst and Heitinga had to make a vital interception. Six minutes later Carlisle went even closer. Kevan Hurst headed a searching cross into Danny Livesey's path and the skipper crashed a fierce volley from barely 12 yards which had Howard beaten but crashed back off the crossbar.
Everton looked fractured and dispirited, but finally broke through eight minutes from time. Seamus Coleman, on for Tony Hibbert just two minutes earlier, conjured his way past three Carlisle players, dribbled into the Carlisle box and dinked a pass onto Bilyaletdinov's head. The Russian headed down and after Cahill's first shot was blocked, he dug the ball out and slipped it left-footed under Collin.
Leighton Baines 93rd minute penalty, confidently dispatched after Kieran Agard had been upended by goalkeeper Pidgeley, was almost the last kick of the match and gave an unfair slant to the scoreline. The relief around Goodison Park was palpable.
Everton are into the fourth round - but only just.
EVERTON: Howard, Hibbert (coleman 80), Neill, Heitinga, Baines, Bilyaletdinov, Neville, Fellaini, Pienaar, Cahill, Vaughan (Agard 86). Unused substitutes: Nash, Forshaw, Duffy, Baxter, Mustafi.
CARLISLE UNITED: Collin, Horwood, Livesey, Kavanagh (Anyinsah 85), Robson, Taiwo, Harte, Pericard (Dobie 76), Keogh, Hurst, Clayton. Unused substitutes: Bridge-Wilkinson, Murphy, Burns, Kane, Pidgeley.
Referee: Mr J Moss.
Booking: Fellaini (foul), Pidgeley (foul).
Attendance: 31,196.
FA Cup fourth round draw - Liverpool FC may face Burnley, Everton FC take on Notts Forest or Birmingham
Jan 3 2010 By Neil Macdonald
MERSEYSIDE'S two clubs both face difficult ties after the FA Cup fourth round draw today. Should Liverpool get past a determined Reading team in their third round replay, they will take on Owen Coyle's Burnley team at Anfield. Everton, who had to work hard to overcome Carlisle yesterday, will welcome either Nottingham Forest or Premiership form team Birmingham City who drew 0-0. Other notable games include Tottenham against Leeds, Manchester United's conquerors, and Stoke versus Arsenal.
The ties will take place on January 23 and 24.
Everton FC 3, Carlisle Utd 1: James Vaughan's hard work shows he's no ordinary Jo
Jan 4 2010 Chris Beesley
THIRD round ties of the FA Cup against determined lower division opposition are not days for shrinking violets. So it was fitting that two of Goodison Park’s most determined fighters James Vaughan and Tim Cahill inspired Everton to victory over gritty Carlisle United. Despite limping off against Burnley just five days earlier, only returning to training 24 hours before the League One side’s visit and seemingly playing through the pain barrier throughout the game, David Moyes’ ‘Boxing Kangaroo’ Cahill came up trumps again with yet another crucial goal – his 50th for the club. Amazingly, it was the first time in over four-and-a-half years – since Vaughan became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history on his Everton debut – that the pair had netted in the same game. That damning statistic is largely due to the horrific catalogue of injuries the Birmingham-born striker has endured since, including three long term absences with knee injuries, a severed artery in the foot and a dislocated shoulder in a pre-season friendly. A player who has suffered more damage than most players could expect during their entire career, Vaughan, now 21, continues to put his body on the line every time he gets to wear the royal blue jersey.
Despite playing the game at the highest level, Vaughan continues to maraud around like a fearless Sunday League centre-forward and in that respect he is a glorious throwback to frontmen of a bygone era like Dave Hickson who declared: "I’d break every bone in my body for all the other clubs I played for, but I’d die for Everton."
The same could not be said for a certain estranged member of David Moyes’ forward line – Jo – with the Scot confirming that there is unlikely to be any way for him to work his way back into his plans, even with an apology, after the on-loan Manchester City man went AWOL to his native Brazil during the busy festive period.
It seems impossible to imagine the languid South American gambling to intercept Adam Clayton’s slack back pass in the way Vaughan did to open the scoring or closing down an opposition full-back at breakneck speed just to win a throw-in.
A series of strikes in comfortable wins during his early days at Goodison masked the glaring deficiencies in the former CSKA Moscow man’s game but just two goals in his last 29 outings – both in 4-0 strolls – showed he was failing on the pitch even before his untimely breach of club discipline proved the final straw for his manager.
And on a day when the hosts were in desperate need of warriors to step up to the plate, Evertonians would have feared he’d have been a prime candidate to ‘go missing’.
Having seen his side lose their previous two FA Cup third round ties at Goodison to Blackburn (4-1 in 2007) and Oldham (1-0 in 2008) and suffered a humbling in his first experience of this stage of the competition at Shrewsbury (2-1 in 2003), Moyes, who steered the club to their first cup final in 14 years last season, named his strongest possible side with just two changes to the starting line- up from the Burnley game with returning skipper Phil Neville replacing the injured Leon Osman – Everton’s third round hero at Macclesfield 12 months ago – in midfield and Vaughan coming in for Ayegbeni Yakubu with the Nigerian having departed in preparation for the African Cup of Nations. The Cumbrians, buoyed by over 6,000 travelling fans, went into the game on the back of a seven-match unbeaten run but their vociferous support was temporarily silenced after 12 minutes when a slack back pass by Adam Clayton, while being harried by Neville, was intercepted by Vaughan, who calmly rounded goalkeeper Adam Collin to net in front of the Gwladys Street for the second time in six days. Things soon turned sour for the hosts though as Marouane Fellaini was harshly booked by overly-fussy Yorkshire referee Jon Moss – who would later caution Neville for taking a free- kick ‘too quickly’ – and six minutes after Everton had gone ahead, Carlisle were level.
Villain for the first goal, Clayton, redeemed himself by latching on to a back heel by Vincent Pericard and firing past Tim Howard although team-mate Kevan Hurst claimed the last touch as Leighton Baines was unable to clear the ball off the line.
Vaughan had the ball in the back of the Carlisle net for a second time after following up a shot by Cahill which had been palmed away but the effort was disallowed with replays confirming the striker was clearly in an offside position.
From then on, Everton laboured to break down their stubborn opponents who were also employing a 4-5-1 formation. Rather than try and carve Greg Abbott’s side open using the kind of guile expected of a Premier League outfit, the home team relied too often on long ‘hit-and- hopes’ which failed to come off.
Several of those in a blue shirt seemed incapable of turning the screw and the game seemed to pass by FA Cup debutant Diniyar Bilyaletdinov in particular, with the Russian international remaining a peripheral figure for long periods.
Crowd frustrations won’t have helped the new recruit’s fragile confidence but while the third most expensive player in Everton’s history is still getting to grips with the English game, he has already shown a few flashes of brilliance, weighing in with some goals and assists and ironically, given some of his powder puff aerial challenges on this occasion, it was his downward header that played in Cahill for his second.
Indeed, ‘Bily’ got the thumbs up from Moyes after admitting after the game that he’d been off the pace. The Scot said: "When he came in, the first thing he said was that he knew he didn’t play well. He was the first one to admit that. I think if you’ve got a player who knows that then they’ve always got a chance of getting better – it’s the ones who think they’re doing well and aren’t you worry about." With 20 minutes left, Carlisle almost went ahead through captain Danny Livesey but the centre-half’s shot was deflected on to the crossbar by a finger-tip save by Howard and the let-off enabled Everton to eventually plough on for their victory. A groin strain forced Tony Hibbert to exit the contest with 10 minutes remaining but his replacement, the more attack- minded Seamus Coleman, provided the lofted cross that brought Everton’s crucial second goal just a couple of minutes later as Bilyaletdinov headed down to Cahill who followed up his initial shot, which was blocked by Ian Harte to slot under Collin’s body. Although the tie was won, Everton added a flattering third with virtually the last kick of the game in the 93rd minute as Baines’ low penalty to Collin’s left sent the keeper the wrong way after he had been booked for bringing down substitute Kieran Agard who had been played through by Fellaini.
After waiting more than two years to score, goals have come along in pairs for Vaughan. He and his Everton team-mates will now hope the same applies with FA Cup finals.
Couple find signatures of Mersey football legends Bill Shankly & Ray Wilson in living room
Jan 4 2010 by Vicki Kellaway, Liverpool
MERSEYSIDE footballing legends Bill Shankly and Ray Wilson really did leave their mark – scribbling their cheeky signatures on the wall of a home. Everton FA Cup hero Wilson, 75, was handed the same football club-owned house in Huddersfield Shanks vacated when his managerial career moved on in the 1950s. Wilson moved everything into his new home only to find the beloved Liverpool FC icon had scrawled “Bill Shankly was here” above the dining room door. Wilson, then just 18, couldn’t resist adding: “And so was Ray Wilson” in biro underneath. Remarkably, both signatures still exist on the wall of the family home in Huddersfield. Retired couple Antony and Sandra Greenwood have lived there since 1964 after paying just £2,000 to buy the house from Huddersfield Town FC. It was Shankly’s home when he managed the club – famously signing a teenage Denis Law to the West Yorkshire side before he moved on to manage Liverpool in 1959. The club handed the house to Wilson who played for Huddersfield for 12 years before following Shanks across the M62 to play for Everton in 1964. Two years later he would play in the Blues celebrated 3-2 comeback win over Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup and lift the World Cup with England. Former garage owner Mr Greenwood, 73, was stunned to find both men’s signatures when he stripped the walls and 45 years later they still remain.
He said: “My sister lived three doors away and told me the house was going on the market. It was our first house when we got married, “We knew Ray Wilson lived there after Shankly. Soon after we moved in we stripped the walls and there above the door it was written in ballpoint in his handwriting, with Ray adding his comment as well.
“They didn’t leave anything else in the house – there were lots of beer bottles in the old garage but I don’t know if they were Ray’s or Bill’s.” Mrs Greenwood, 69, said: “They hadn’t really changed the place that much because they would have been tenants of the club. “Maybe the club sold the house because it was going to cost too much to modernise or the footballers were getting paid enough to buy their own.
“We’ve changed it of course, there’s now an extension across the back of the kitchen and the kitchen and dining room are open plan now.” Mildred Wadsworth, 86, has been the couple’s neighbour since they moved in. She has lived in the road for 64 years and remembers the Shankly family well. She said: “Bill would play football with the local boys and of course it was a great opportunity for them.
“His wife Nessie was in the Huddersfield Flower Arranging Club and they had two girls Barbara and Jeannette. They were a lovely family. “But I didn’t get to know Bill as well, of course. He was all about football. He wasn’t interested in anything else.”
Tim Cahill proud to score 50th Everton FC goal
Jan 4 2010 Liverpool Echo
TIM CAHILL was proud to score his 50th Everton goal – but admits he didn't realise until after the game. The Australian struck late-on with his side's vital second goal in the 3-1 win over Carlisle on Saturday to reach the landmark figure. At the time, he was just happy to have helped the Toffees into the fourth round of the FA Cup, but after being informed of his feat he revealed his pride. He said: “I didn't know so I wasn't thinking about it before the game. All I was thinking about was getting the win.
“This is such a big competition for us and we did so well last year. To get through this round is great and we are in the draw, so it's exciting. “It does mean a lot, thinking of it now. Fifty goals for a Club like this is something I will treasure for the rest of my life. Thinking about it now, I am pretty proud of it.” Cahill added: “It was important (to get through), it was such a hard game to play and the gaffer wasn't happy with the first half. “But this is what you get when you play against teams like this; they were well organised with good players. “We've been playing some great football and not getting the results so to play averagely and get the result is fine.”
Everton FC 3, Carlisle Utd 1: Blues dare to dream again
Jan 4 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo
DAVID MOYES and the FA Cup were only casual acquaintances until last season’s passionate affair. Before then the Everton manager, by his own admission, never had much of an affinity for the competition. He barely had a run in it as a player, and then there are the painful memories of two upsets in his current job which still cause his blood to turn cold. So he could be forgiven for having given up on the romance, after the fickle hussy left him standing at the altar in May and ran off with a flashy cockney geezer with a bulging wallet. But time is a healer, and the Scot is ready to swallow his pride, pick out his best suit and dream of going all the way again this summer.
It is that sort of competition. It only took a tight third round victory over Carlisle United to get Evertonians dreaming along with their manager as they plan for the fourth round. But as everyone inside Goodison Park on Saturday would attest, the Blues made hard work of their passage. Carlisle enjoyed a spirited start in front of 6,000 raucous supporters, loving every minute of their third round experience.
The League Two side pressed Everton from the off-set, but the Blues weathered their gusto and took the lead when Adam Clayton succumbed to good pressure from Phil Neville and played a back pass which sold his keeper short. James Vaughan had the pace to round Adam Collin and tap it in for his second goal in two games.
It seemed for a moment like Everton were going to dominate. An opportunity fell to John Heitinga, whose optimism in front of goal will be rewarded eventually, but he sullied his image as an Ajax-schooled striker of a ball by miss-kicking a pass from Leighton Baines woefully wide. Then after a neat interplay of passes around Everton’s box suddenly Carlisle were in the game. Clayton found himself through on goal and although Howard got a hand to his effort, the ball broke for Kevan Hurst to stab home.
Everton could have equalised but for the linesman’s flag, when good work from Bilyaletdinov slipped in Tim Cahill, and from the keeper’s parry James Vaughan finished impressively from a tough angle. Vaughan was thriving, proving that his natural effervescence has not diminished throughout those long spells out injured.
The 21-year-old went close again when he swapped clever passes with Baines and then made it into the area to flash a header from the left-back’s perfect cross just wide.
But it was developing into an open, lively tie and Carlisle were making Everton sweat, as former Leeds full-back Ian Harte tested Tim Howard with a long range effort minutes later. Then from a Vaughan knock down Pienaar struck a sweetly executed volley which Collins spilled but Cahill, a doubt before the game, failed to capitalise.
Then Fellaini also warmed Collin’s palms with a strike from 15 yards. The break did nothing to dampen Carlisle’s endeavour, and they continued to create pepper Tim Howard with shots. Everton looked increasingly unconvincing, too often passing sideways and resorting to long ball inanity. The Blues again wasted an opportunity from a corner after Fellaini’s low shot was parried behind, and thoughts of a trip to Brunton Park began to seep into supporters’ minds as Fellaini again went close only to be denied by a reflex stop from Collins. Evertonian nerves were further on edge, when a splendid ball from Hurst found Matthew Robson scurrying down the left wing and his low centre could easily have been turned in. Referee Jon Moss was out of his depth, giving free-kicks were there were none and inexplicably booking Phil Neville for taking one too early. But the referee was not to blame for Everton’s lack of conviction, and Carlisle were fractions away from taking a deserved lead on 72 minutes. Hurst sprung up to win a header across Everton’s box, and skipper Danny Livesey twisted to fire a volley which Tim Howard pushed onto the cross bar and then back into his desperate grasp. Everton were living on luck, but they were denied a plausible penalty shout when Harte shoved Vaughan from behind. The Blues were labouring in central midfield and the components just couldn’t gel. With 10 minutes remaining an out-of-sorts Tony Hibbert was replaced by Seamus Coleman, and the young Irishman lent instant pace and penetration down the right. It was Coleman’s lob into the area after a mazy run which Bilyaletdinov headed down and Cahill finished at the second time of asking. The Aussie may still be some way off top form, but his 50th goal for Everton is a fine achievement. Within two minutes of Coleman’s introduction Everton had their barely deserved lead. If he continues to press his claims for a starting place so pointedly it will be difficult for David Moyes to ignore.
With 86 minutes gone, the tiring Vaughan made way for Kieran Agard and Tim Cahill nearly capitalised on a drifted Neville free-kick. Then continuing his fine form, Fellaini did superbly to break up a late Carlisle attack and then stride forward and chip Agard in. The young forward’s pace drew a foul from Collins and Baines duly converted the penalty with panache. The scoreline’s convincing sheen was quite at odds with the preceding 93 minutes. But cup romance is in the air around L4 again, and if Everton can beat all the suitors this time around and tie the knot in May nobody will recall that the first date was far from comfortable.
EVERTON: Howard, Hibbert (Coleman 80), Heitinga, Neill, Baines, Fellaini, Neville (capt), Bilyaletdinov, Cahill, Pienaar, Vaughan. Not used: Nash, Forshaw, Agard, Coleman, Duffy, Baxter, Mustafi.
CARLISLE UNITED: Collin, Horwood, Livesey (capt), Kavanagh, (Anyinsah 76) Robson, Taiwo, Harte, Pericard (Dobie, 76), Keogh, Hurst, Clayton. Not used: Bridge-Wilkinson, Murphy, Anyinsah, Dobuie, Burns, Kane, Pidgeley
REFEREE: J Moss
ATTENDANCE: 31, 196
David Moyes happy to see Everton progress into FA Cup’s fourth round
Jan 4, 2010 by David Prentice, Liverpool Echo
EVERTON manager David Moyes breathed a sigh of relief after his side’s nervy FA Cup third-round victory over plucky Carlisle. The League One side were heading for a deserved replay until Tim Cahill and Leighton Baines – with an injury-time penalty – snatched a 3-1 victory for last season’s beaten finalists. James Vaughan had give Everton an early lead but after Kevan Hurst’s scuffed equaliser the Cumbrians more than matched their Premier League opponents. Moyes said: “The scoreline was a little flattering, but we are through. We are also still in Europe and our league form is picking up, so things are starting to go our way. “I was not surprised by Carlisle, but I was disappointed that when we went one up early on, we were not able to build on that and control the game better. We were disappointed with a lot of things but I cannot be disappointed with the result. We had nine players injured and two away at the African Nations Cup, plus one suspended. “It was a battle, but we expected that. The same thing happened last season in the third round when we struggled to a 1-0 win at Macclesfield, but still ended up reaching the final. “That is what the FA Cup is all about. Maybe the save from Tim Howard pushing that shot onto the bar got us through. “We got great help from a couple of youngsters who came on. Seamus Coleman had a hand in the second goal and Kieran Agard won the late penalty
“We were limited with what we could do from the bench with so many youngsters there, but those two made really good contributions to the win.” Carlisle boss Greg Abbott knew his side had done him, and 6,000 travelling fans, proud. He said: “We were pleased with what we did. We matched a top Premier League side from start to finish. “They have been around the top of their division for a while, and we were never outclassed. “Maybe with a little more rub of the green we could have won, we were certainly talking in those terms at the break. “We hit the bar and there was a clear foul in the build-up to their second goal. “We certainly deserved a draw, and a shock victory would not have been out of place. We take a lot of positives from the game. We have matched Everton in all parts of the field and there did not look a gulf between the sides. “Overall we are pleased with what we got from the game. We hope we impressed our fans, they were outstanding. There were 6,000 of them behind us right from the start. “It was also nice to hear the Everton fans applauding us off at the end. They knew we had done well.”
Leighton Baines keen for another Everton FC FA Cup run
Jan 4 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool
LEIGHTON Baines today set his sights on creating more enduring memories for Evertonians by reaching Wembley again. The Blues left-back was fired-up ahead of Saturday’s hard-fought FA Cup victory over Carlisle United by watching a DVD of last season’s semi-final win against Manchester United. Now he wants to go one better and be part of the team that clinch the trophy, starting with beating either Birmingham or Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park in the fourth round.
He said: “Last year the semi-final was amazing, especially with those scenes after the game. Then being able to play in a final regardless of the result will be a career highlight for many of us. “But that is all motivation and just motivates us to get there again because we know it’s achievable. “We know we can do it. “Yes we fell at the final hurdle but we want to go on a new run. My son was watching a DVD of the semi-final the other day and I ended up sitting down and watching the first half with him and those games were so special. “It was only the other day that my mate was telling me about going down (to Wembley) and how it was one of the best days of his life. We all know what it means to the fans and it means as much to us as well.”
But Baines, who scored a penalty to seal Everton’s 3-1 third round win, is aware the Toffees were lucky to be in the draw yesterday He said: “Those sorts of games are always hard work. Sometimes you could think it’s the players or a lack of motivation but it’s more about how when the likes of Carlisle come. “It is their game of the season and will probably top anything they do all season in terms of work rate.
“The important thing was to get the first goal, but then we conceded and that swings the pendulum back in their favour and gives them such a big lift. “Had we steadied the ship after going ahead we would likely have gone on and been able to dominate, but fair play to them, they were brilliant. “They were the better team. “They worked harder, wanted it more, ran more and probably passed it better than us on the day because we really struggled. “But we’ve come away with a win. A couple of seasons ago we were beaten by Oldham in very similar circumstances in the game but this time we’ve got a win albeit with a very flattering scoreline. “It’s hard to try and put your finger why we were so far away from the standards we’ve set against Sunderland and Burnley. “Perhaps you’ve got to give credit to Carlisle for making it difficult and getting in our faces. There were times you thought you had a minute to take a touch but we didn’t. “You don’t want to be coming back into the changing room after losing a game like that. It would be unthinkable. Even as it was, we were disappointed.
“Yes we were delighted to be through because we know that’s the most important thing. “Last year we scraped through against Macclesfield and then went on to do what we did so the biggest thing is just getting through and we will play better.”
Rumour Mill - all the comings and goings at Everton during the January transfer window
Jan 5 2010 by David Randles, Liverpool Echo
THE transfer window is ajar, Sky Sport’s irritating countdown clock has started ticking . . . and speculation is filling cyberspace. Every day until the January transfer window closes we’ll trawl the net for “stories” about Everton and Liverpool. Some may have a grain of truth in them, most won’t. If you want the up to date, accurate, transfer tales, turn to our back page every night. But in the meantime, here’s what the world wide web is saying . . .Everton could be ready to make a move for Lyon striker Frederic Piquionne. The player, currently on loan at Portsmouth has apparently also caught the eye of the likes of Liverpool, Blackburn, and Aston Villa. Daily Mail
VICTOR MOSES has said he is happy to stay at Crystal Palace despite rumors linking him to Everton, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Barcelona. ESPN. Everton could also be looking to snap up Spurs defender Alan Hutton. News Of The World.
Both Liverpool and Everton are said to want to capture Frederic Piquionne from Portsmouth. BBC Radio Derby have reported that Rams boss, Nigel Clough, is prepared to be patient in his bid to re-sign Everton striker James Vaughan on loan this month. But, Yakubu’s African Nations involvement, Louis Saha’s injury woe, plus the fact there appears no way back for Jo following his Christmas sojourn back to Brazil, would make any move for Vaughan highly unlikely unless Everton can bring in more striking options. Don’t forget, if you want True Blues news and Well Red stories, pick up the ECHO every night.
NIGEL MARTYN: It’s great to see Everton striker James Vaughan making up for lost time
Jan 5 2010 Liverpool Echo
I’M absolutely delighted to see James Vaughan back in action for Everton and doing what he does best – scoring goals. The striker has had a nightmare few years with one setback swiftly followed by another. But Saturday’s strike against Carlisle was his second in as many games and it’s great to see him with a smile on his face again.
When I was at Everton, James and I had a spell on the sidelines together. I was out with an ankle injury and he had a knee problem which led to him going over to America. We went through our rehab together and he’s a lovely guy. I was coming to the end of my career but he was only 17 and just starting off. There were fears injury might wreck his dreams so I’m really pleased to see him doing the business for the Blues. I just pray he’s free from injuries for a long time now because he deserves a bit of luck. He has scored a couple of important goals and it will be interesting to see what the manager decides to do with him. There is talk of him going out on loan this month with Derby having admitted they would love to have him back. I’m sure there will be a lot of other clubs interested in him. If he goes out on loan, builds up his match fitness and continues his development then Everton will reap the benefits of that. With Louis Saha and Yakubu about, it’s probably going to be difficult for him to get the regular football he craves at Goodison. However, two goals in two games have certainly made a point to the manager and David Moyes has a decision to make.
A lot will depend on how the situation with Jo unfolds. The Brazilian made a big mistake going back to South America for Christmas without the club’s permission.
You can’t have players behaving like that, and he’s let down his manager, his teammates and the supporters. Maybe he was homesick and needed a break but Jo went about it the wrong way. I’m sure if he had gone to David Moyes and explained his feelings, something could have been sorted out. He wouldn’t have let him go over Christmas but the manager might have said in the coming weeks he could fly off after playing on a Saturday and just come back on the Thursday. If this is the end for Jo then Moyes will need to keep hold of Vaughan. Whatever happens, I hope Vaughan gets the regular football he needs.
Tim Cahill’s half century so crucial for Everton
SATURDAY was a special day for Tim Cahill as he scored his 50th goal for the Blues. His record is phenomenal and he’s been a fantastic servant over the past six years. He has amazing energy and drive as well as a burning desire to win.
Cahill has weighed in with so many vital goals and he did it again against Carlisle.
He has missed a few chances this season but hopefully he’ll now push on and get back to his best. We made hard work of winning the tie, but in the Cup it’s all about the result. When lower league teams play at a Premier League ground they always raise their game. You have to wear them down and in the end Everton’s class told.
Birmingham or Nottingham Forest at home is a decent draw and boosts our hopes of a return to Wembley.
Everton are capable of denting in-form Gunners’ title hopes
ARSENAL certainly look awesome at the moment and Saturday’s trip to the Emirates is going to be very difficult for Everton. It’s vital that we try to stifle their midfield. We have to get in amongst them and try to stop their one-touch passing.
Arsenal want to play through you so we have to protect the middle of the pitch. Our full-backs have to play narrow and make them go wide. It will be tough but we’re in a much better place than we were three or four weeks ago. We’re capable of going down there and frustrating them. If we could take a point it would be an excellent result. We’ve been a victim of circumstance this season with so many players out. But things are starting to look better and we need to have a very good second half of the season. Hopefully we can push ourselves into the top half and into the battle for the European places. We’ve probably left ourselves with too much to do, but we have to keep fighting. However, the first priority is to pull clear of the dog fight.
It’s great to see Phil Neville back playing again. The skipper has so much experience and will galvanise everyone over the coming months.
Tricky Trevor Steven pays tribute to Tim Cahill on his 50th Everton goal
Jan 5, 2010 by David Prentice, Liverpool
SOME 45 footballers have reached the 50-goal milestone for Everton Football Club.
But when you rule out the strikers, for whom goal-scoring is their raison d’être, that number shrinks considerably. In fact, only five players who could be classed as modern-day midfielders have hit half-centuries in the history of the club – which makes Tim Cahill’s recent achievement all the more commendable. Cahill hit his 50th on Saturday – and typically it was a decisive strike. An out-and-out midfielder when he first arrived at Goodison in the summer of 2004, Cahill’s eye for goal saw him progressively pushed further forward to occupy the newly-created modern role of ‘support striker’ assisting a lone front-runner. But in most fans’ eyes – and certainly his own perception – he remains a midfielder. Trevor Steven, the last Everton midfielder to reach the 50-goal milestone, also knows what it was like to play up front. But his experiences in the forward line were fleeting, the vast majority of his 60 Everton goals coming from his usual position wide on the right, or from occasional forays as a central midfielder. Now a successful football agent, Steven monitors his old club closely and was delighted to see Cahill reach the half-century milestone.
“Even in his days at Millwall, Tim Cahill was known as someone who got into areas,” he explained. “He was very bright in and around the box, his movement is good, he is brave and if you put all that together he will get some goals. “Players like that are very difficult to find. “ I think a major part of Tim Cahill’s contribution is his ability to score goals because he isn’t a prolific goal-maker, so he goes out every match to shoulder that goal-scoring responsibility. “I am sure he is not happy if he isn’t scoring. He hasn’t got so many this season but he’s had injuries and the team has not been playing particularly well. “But a season is a long time, and I am sure he will bang in a few more. “I think David Moyes missed his goal contribution earlier in the season and will hope normal service has been resumed again.”
Trevor Steven: Everton FC ace Tim Cahill has 'marksman's mindset'
TIM CAHILL hit a 50-goal milestone for Everton on Saturday, thanks to his “goalscorer’s mindset” says the last man to reach that mark from midfield for the Blues. And Trevor Steven believes there is plenty more to come from the little Australian who now has 50 strikes in just 184 starts. “Scoring goals from midfield is all about your mindset,” said Steven, who scored some of the most important goals in Everton’s history. “I had it, Kevin Sheedy had it and so has Tim Cahill.
“You have to go out there wanting to score goals. “When I was playing Kevin and myself had a rivalry, even though we never talked to each other about it at the time!
“I wanted to score and he wanted to score, which was very good for the team.
“It was a contribution we had to make.” Meanwhile, Tim Howard has praised Everton’s knack of conjuring up late goals in crucial games. The Everton keeper, who played a vital role in keeping the Blues in the FA Cup on Saturday in the 3-1 win over Carlisle, says securing results in the dying minutes boosts confidence.
He also realises it could be a key factor if the Toffees are to extend their current winning run.
Window Watch - the Merseyside transfer rumour mill
Jan 6 2010 by David Randles, Liverpool Echo
THE transfer window is ajar, Sky Sport’s irritating countdown clock has started ticking . . . and speculation is filling cyberspace. Every day until the January transfer window closes we’ll trawl the net for “stories” about Everton and Liverpool.
Some may have a grain of truth in them, most won’t. If you want the up to date, accurate, transfer tales, turn to our back page every night. The Daily Mail says Everton could revive attempts to sign out of favour Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos. AllAfrica.com report that Everton’s David Moyes’ pursuit of Senderos and/or Sheffield United’s Matthew Kilgallon has left Joseph Yobo battling for his future at Goodison Park. HOWEVER, the website adds that Yobo’s involvement with Nigeria at the African Nations Cup means he’s unlikely be sold this month.
The Mail online claims both Liverpool and Everton have made contact with Morrocco international Marouane Chamakh’s agent but the Bordeaux player wants to stay put until his contract runs out this summer. DON’T forget, if you want True Blues news and Well Red stories, pick up the ECHO every night. The Daily Mail says Everton could revive attempts to sign out of favour Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos.
AllAfrica.com report that Everton’s David Moyes’ pursuit of Senderos and/or Sheffield United’s Matthew Kilgallon has left Joseph Yobo battling for his future at Goodison Park. HOWEVER, the website adds that Yobo’s involvement with Nigeria at the African Nations Cup means he’s unlikely be sold this month.
The Mail online claims both Liverpool and Everton have made contact with Morrocco international Marouane Chamakh’s agent but the Bordeaux player wants to stay put until his contract runs out this summer. DON’T forget, if you want True Blues news and Well Red stories, pick up the ECHO every night.
Everton FC fans letters: James Vaughan merits regular games at Goodison
Jan 6 2010 Liverpool Echo
I REALLY hope David Moyes keeps hold of James Vaughan this month.
There is talk of the striker being allowed to go out on loan, but I honestly think he's good enough to get regular football at Goodison. I know Louis Saha and Yakubu are probably above him in the pecking order but having scored two goals in two games Vaughan’s confidence must be sky high. He deserves to stay in the side now and prove he's good enough to be a success in the Premier League. Vaughan has had a really tough few years with injuries but the lad has never given up. He clearly loves the club and I hope Moyes keeps faith with him rather than packing him off to a Championship club for a few months. Alan Nudge, Huyton LET'S hope scoring his 50th goal for the club catapults Tim Cahill into the form which makes him one of the best midfielders in the league. I'm sure Tim would agree, in the first half of this season, we have not seen his best performances. Of course the situation has been made more difficult for Tim to be as effective as usual when we have so many injuries but as we very slowly get players back, all Evertonians will be looking at Cahill to pop up with those crucial goals he has made his trademark. The difference between Everton finishing in a respectable league position and perhaps repeating the FA Cup heroics of last year, will be Cahill adding to the half century he has for the club.
BullensRoadBob
I LOOK to Saturday's trip to The Emirates with a mixture of hope and dread.
Our recent record against Arsenal has not been good and I'm concerned about their potential to undo some of the good work we've seen in recent weeks. But rather than look back to the 6-1 reverse at Goodison Park on the opening day of the campaign, or the 3-1 defeat down there last season, the lads need to take confidence from our 3-3 draw at Chelsea last month. Nobody gave us a chance ahead of that game but we got in their faces and matched them man for man. If we do the same against the Gunners this weekend we can come away with something and extend a four game unbeaten run. Anything less, though, and Arsenal really have the potential to take us apart.
Barry Scriven, Aigburth
WE may have struggled at times against Carlisle United on Saturday, but at least we booked our place in round four which was the most important thing.
Another home draw awaits, and that’s always an advantage in cup-ties, so fingers crossed, we could well be looking at a place in the last 16 by the end of the month.
GwladToBeABlue
USA star Landon Donovan: I’m fit to make Everton FC debut at Arsenal
Jan 6 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo
LANDON DONOVAN insists he is fit to take on Arsenal as he targets a winning start to his loan spell with Everton. The American watched from the stands as his new team-mates beat Carlisle in Saturday’s FA Cup third round tie, and is now raring to pull on a blue shirt for the first time at the Emirates. Although he joins Everton after a month’s break from competitive football, the LA Galaxy forward has been busy keeping himself in shape. He said: “Of course, any player wants to play against Arsenal at the Emirates. If not I will look forward to hopefully Manchester City here.
“I’ve done a lot of work in the last few weeks getting ready, so we will have a good week’s training and we will see. I want to get in and start training. These guys are way ahead of me because we have been off for a month.” Donovan is already an admirer of the Premier League, and the 27-year-old believes he can quickly adapt to the pace of English football. He said: “All of us in America follow the Premier League like most countries around the world and it’s exciting to be part of it and to get to play in some games hopefully. Watching on Saturday you could tell it was a lot faster here which I enjoy. I will have to get used to the style here but me and Tim (Howard) have had some discussions about it, and what to expect and I think I will be prepared. I like a fast paced game, I like to take advantages and chances quickly and I think that will suit me well.” Donovan was introduced to the Everton team in the dressing room before Everton’s 3-1 win over Carlisle. He said: “It was happy, it probably wasn’t as happy at half-time but it was a good result for the team and I’m excited to get going.
“I’m really pleased to be here. I’ve been here to play a game at Anfield, but it was finally nice to watch a game, meet the guys and the manager. “Tim has had nothing but nice things to say about this team so I am looking forward to it. “At the beginning of last year I went to Bayern Munich for a few months and that helped me a lot throughout the year and I think this will be the same. Going into a World Cup and playing in England will keep me sharp and keep me going.”
Window Watch - the Merseyside transfer rumour mill
Jan 7 2010 Liverpool Echo
THE transfer window is ajar, Sky Sports’ irritating countdown clock has started ticking . . . and speculation is filling cyberspace. THE transfer window is ajar, Sky Sports’ irritating countdown clock has started ticking . . . and speculation is filling cyberspace. Every day until the January transfer window closes we’ll trawl the net for “stories” about Everton and Liverpool. Some may have a grain of truth in them, most won’t. If you want the up to date, accurate, transfer tales, turn to our back page every night. EVERTON could be set to sign Arsenal's forgotten man Philippe Senderos, which could bring an end to Joseph Yobo's stay at Goodison Park. The 24-year-old Swiss centre-back has been left in limbo this season following the end of his loan spell at AC Milan. Vitalfootball.co.uk Derby County manager Nigel Clough remains hopeful that Everton striker James Vaughan could still rejoin his team. The Rams boss has made his feelings known to David Moyes and wants the striker to remain at Pride Park until the end of the season. clubcall.com l DON’T forget, if you want True Blues news and Well Red stories, pick up the ECHO every night
The Jury: Everton FC fans on the FA Cup win over Carlisle and the trip to Arsenal
Jan 7 2010 Liverpool Echo
DEBBIE SMAJE, Upholland
TWO wins in a week, things are looking up, aren’t they? In terms of results, definitely, but in terms of performance, we have to take the confidence we gained from those two wins and really pick up if we are to take anything from Arsenal on Saturday. Nobody wants to be reminded of what happened on the opening day if Arsenal click, and the team need to be giving them no chance to click by getting stuck into them. We gave them far too much respect and space at Goodison on the opening day and were understandably heavily punished for it. That can’t be allowed to happen again. We are always capable of scoring goals, and we need to have a bit of belief that we can cause Arsenal problems, as we did away to Chelsea. Those three goals owed a lot to luck, but maybe it was deserved because wWe at least approached the Chelsea game in the right way. Hopefully, we will approach Arsenal the same way, because if we sit back, they will punish us.
LEE MOLTON, St Helens
OUR march to Wembley has started again with a win over Carlisle. They made it tough for us but we came through it in the end. It was great to see Vaughan getting another goal and a penalty at Goodison – what a rarity! The next round sees us with another home tie. It will be a tough next round but we should get through and, who knows, another trip to Wembley could be on the horizon! A black mark has gone against the Everton career of Jo with his disappearance to Brazil. With injuries though, we need to keep him and then in the summer send him back down the M62 to Manchester. Saturday’s trip to Arsenal will be tough, but we are in a good run of form and could surprise them in their lovely stadium. Then we have a couple of winnable home games to take us back into the top half of the table again.
MIKE WILLIAMSON, Chester
THE win over Carlisle was a relief in more ways than one and at least we finished the match with no further injuries. The focus must now be firmly put back on our league position, which remains a real concern, and with games coming up against Arsenal and Manchester City we will need as many fit players as possible. Realistically, it will take something special to come away from Arsenal with anything but I would still hope that Moyes plays Donovan to get him acclimatised to the Premier League and see what sort of options he can give us. The form of Seamus Coleman is very exciting and we need to see more of him over the next month, as well as James Vaughan. We need more players but we know we will be lucky to get anybody else in the January window, so it’s another case of everybody having to pull together between now and the end of season. There again, has it ever been any different at Everton?
COLE FRASER, Litherland
WELL done to the boys for finally coming through and beating Carlisle on Saturday.
Carlisle are a side that we should be seeing off easily but they showed that they we not prepared to simply roll over for us. The next round will be tougher, especially if Birmingham prevail. Though we are now coming into some good form and confidence levels should be getting higher. It's great to see James Vaughan back and playing well. To let him go back out on loan now would be ridiculous, whether we bring in more reinforcements or not. In Saha’s absence we are left thin up front and Vaughan has seized his opportunity to show that he can provide the goals that we need. Arsenal at the weekend will obviously be a challenge. They are looking to catch the top two continue to slip up and will be eager to brush us aside as they do so, but we too are desperate to climb the table and will fight tooth and nail for it. This one is going to be close.
Everton’s FA Cup Class of 1995 gather for grand reunion
Jan 7, 2010 by David Prentice, Liverpool Echo
THE CLASS of ‘95 is back in town this spring – to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Everton’s last major silverware. It was in May 1995 that Dave Watson lifted the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium after Joe Royle’s Dogs of War shocked Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United. There have been numerous get togethers since then, but for the first time in almost a decade the entire FA Cup winning side has agreed to return to Merseyside for a celebration. Many of Joe Royle’s trophy winning side have now settled abroad. Matchwinner Paul Rideout coaches at Kansas City Wiz, the man whose break created the goal, Anders Limpar, is back in his native Stockholm, while Daniel Amokachi is still involved in football, coaching in Nigeria. Last season’s near miss means that the 1995 triumph was the fifth and final time the Blues raised the FA Cup aloft. That was the season Joe Royle took charge with the Blues marooned at the foot of the Premier League table He inspired a dramatic rise up the table and eventual escape from the drop zone, and led one of the greatest Cup campaigns in the club’s history. The Blues edged past Championship side Derby County – who included future Blues Craig Short and Lee Carsley in their ranks – then survived a mauling to scrape past Bristol City in the fourth round. But then confidence grew as the Blues demolished top flight Norwich City 5-0, shocked Kevin Keegan’s in-form Newcastle 1-0 in the quarter-finals then swept Spurs aside 4-1 in the semi-finals. The famous old trophy will also be present at the reunion – or at least one of the FA’s many replicas!
Bluenose Promotions will stage the reunion at the Adelphi Hotel on Thursday, March 25. The annual Bluenose awards will also be presented on the night to the current Everton players named Player and Young Player of the Season.. Tickets are £85, include a four-course meal and two comics, and are available from 07747-011013.
Matthew Kilgallon decision to stay put could be good news for Everton FC
Jan 7 2010 by David Randles, Liverpool Echo
EVERTON’S hopes of recruiting Matthew Kilgallon have been handed a boost with the defender agreeing to remain at Sheffield United until the end of the season.
Kilgallon rejected a contract extension at Bramall Lane in October alerting a host of clubs, including Everton, to his possible availability during January. As his current deal runs out this summer, Blues boss David Moyes could now land the highly-rated player on a free. “We have spoken to Kevin Blackwell to say Matthew is fully committed to Sheffield United until the end of the season,” Kilgallon’s agent Paul Masterton said. “Matthew is keen to win promotion with Sheffield United, if that happens we will re-assess the options in the summer.” However, with Blades manager Blackwell admitting the Yorkshire outfit are unable to match the kind of lucrative terms on offer at a host of clubs who have been closely monitoring Kilgallon’s situation, the player is likely to be elsewhere next season. That is good news for Moyes who is said to be keen on pairing the 25-year-old with his former central defensive partner Phil Jagielka at Goodison Park Kilgallon’s decision has also avoided the prospect of Everton getting involved in a bidding war for his services with the likes of Hull City, Wolves and in particular, Newcastle United. With little, if any, transfer budget to work with this month, Moyes is likely to seek loan deals during the January window such as the one that saw Landon Donovan join from LA Galaxy last week. Arsenal centre-back Philippe Senderos has also been linked with a switch to Everton this month but with ample central defensive cover through the likes of Lucas Neill and Johnny Heitinga plus Tony Hibbert, strengthening in this area is not a priority for Moyes this month – unless it comes cheap. Kilgallon’s availability on a Bosman later this year is a much more attractive prospect for Moyes who is likely to keep a close eye on the highly-rated defender ahead of next season.
Cesc Fabregas to miss Arsenal FC's Premier League clash with Everton
Jan 8 2010 L:iverpool Echo
ARSENE WENGER has confirmed Cesc Fabregas will miss tomorrow’s clash against Everton at the Emirates Stadium but the Arsenal manager has been boosted by Tomas Rosicky’s return. Fabregas, 22, aggravated his hamstring injury during a cameo against Aston Villa 11 days ago and there were hopes of the Spain midfielder returning to face David Moyes’ men – but instead he will be pencilled in for the Premier League trip to Bolton the following weekend. “Fabregas should be available for Bolton and (Gael) Clichy is not far,” Wenger said. Alex Song and Emmanuel Eboue are at the African Nations Cup but Wenger’s options have at least been bolstered by Rosicky’s return from a groin problem in the same week the Czech Republic midfielder signed a new contract at the club. Denilson and Andrey Arshavin were scheduled to return for the midweek clash at home to Bolton that was eventually postponed due to snow. “Basically (our squad) is exactly the same as it was before the Bolton game, apart from Tomas Rosicky,” said Wenger. “We have a good hope that we will get him back in the squad. But he is the only one that should come back.
“He missed out at West Ham because of a groin injury. He has little problems but when you go back to the scan it always comes back reassuring “I believe that is down to the fact that he has not played for such a long time and that his body has to readapt again. But now he is back and completely fit.” It means Nicklas Bendtner (groin), Theo Walcott (side strain), Gael Clichy (back), Kieran Gibbs (foot), Robin van Persie (ankle) and Johan Djourou (knee) remain out. The extent of Bendtner’s groin problem will be discovered later this week when he undergoes tests. “When Bendtner (groin) comes back on Friday we’ll assess him,” Wenger confirmed. “But I am not sure when he will come back.”
January transfer window rumour mill
Jan 8 2010 by David Randles, Liverpool Echo
THE transfer window is ajar, Sky Sports’ irritating countdown clock has started ticking . . . and speculation is filling cyberspace.
Every day until the January transfer window closes we’ll trawl the net for “stories” about Everton The Irish Independent rounds up all Everton’s expected transfer window activity in one fell swoop adding Blackburn’s Benni McCarthy to a list of the usual suspects that includes Portsmouth’s on-loan striker Frederic Piquionne and Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos, plus former Gunners winger Jose Antonio Reyes, now at Atletico Madrid. There is a new Blues target with teenager Maxime Lestienne apparently being lined up from Belgian side Mouscron, and we’re not sure what Rafa Benitez will have to say about the Irish Indy linking David Moyes to Maxi Rodriguez who, as we’ve already been told, has joined Liverpool
DAVID PRENTICE: Why less is more for Everton FC and Liverpool FC bosses when picking a winning team
Jan 8, 2010 by David Prenticr, Liverpool
EVERTON and Liverpool are heading for the record books this season – although it’s not a mark which will be acknowledged with any great satisfaction around Finch Farm or Melwood. If and when Landon Donovan trots out to make his Everton debut he will be the 32nd player selected by David Moyes this season. Given that we’re only just into January, that other signings well may arrive before the transfer window closes and that we’re still hopeful of seeing Mikel Arteta, Phil Jagielka and Victor Anichebe pull on a Royal Blue jersey at least once this season, Everton’s all-time record of 35 players used in a single season is under serious threat. It’s a similar story across the park. To date Rafael Benitez has used 30 players this term – just one behind the club record of 31 – and with a couple of transfer window recruits looking likely to bolster that figure, 32 players used looks well within Liverpool’s reach. The quantity of players selected hints at an overall lack of quality. The reasons for David Moyes’ revolving door policy are obvious. His squad has been hit by an injury crisis to make an episode of Casualty look dull. That wasn’t the case when the dizzying figure of 35 was achieved twice before by Everton. Both campaigns came with mitigating circumstances attached. In the very first Football League season of 1888/89, when football teams changed on a weekly basis, the board of directors selected 35 players for use in just 22 league matches. It was a figure unmatched for 31 years, until the first season after the Great War when players were still in the process of returning from military duty all over the world to their respective football clubs. Everton’s selection process happily stabilised – until the late 60s when it was almost a case of “same team as last year.” The lowest ever figure, 18, was used in 1968/69, while in the title-winning season of 1969-70 only 16 players were used in league matches, 19 overall.
The lesson is clear. Settled sides are more successful.Even in today’s rotation obsessed era when the squad is king, the clubs which rely on settled starting XIs tend to bring home the honours. The idea is reinforced by a couple of seasons when Everton came closest to matching the overworked 35 figure. In 1997/98, during Howard Kendall’s third coming, the legendary Blues boss mixed and matched players like a gambler struggling to find a winning streak. He selected 34 players – including six right-backs (try and name them quiz buffs, answer at the end) – as the Blues escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth. The following season Walter Smith used exactly the same number of players, as he struggled just as forlornly as his predecessor to produce a winning formula. That campaign still brings to mind a cry from a mate of mine who likes a moan. The Blues had just lost a Premier League match at Derby County and he railed: “For the first time in my life Everton have brought on a player I’ve never heard of!” This time I could understand his angst. I was the Echo’s full-time Everton correspondent and was still only vaguely aware of the abilities or otherwise of Adam Farley. A usually reliable rule of thumb is that if your team sends out a player you’ve never previously heard of, you’re using too many players.
Which is why the appearance of names like Nathan Craig, Jake Bidwell and Adam Forshaw on the teamsheet against BATE Borisov this season sent otherwise loyal hacks scurrying to the Ladbrokes counter to snap up 9/2 on the Belarussians.
They cashed in, Everton didn’t. It won’t surprise you to learn that in the Reds’ record breaking season of 1953/54, when 31 players were employed (in the days before substitutes as well) Liverpool were relegated. In 1965/66 they used the least number of players in the club’s history – a phenomenal 14 – and won the league.
Incidentally, Everton and Liverpool still have a long way to go to match the number of players used by Leeds United in 2006/07. In a desperate bid to avoid relegation from The Championship, Leeds turned to 44 different players. The lesson is clear . . . less is more. PS. For the quiz buffs, the six right-backs were: Mitch Ward, Jon O’Connor, Tony Thomas, Graham Allen, John O’Kane and Earl Barrett. Eek!
Why I’m getting the hang of selection a combined Everton FC/Liverpool FC team
I MUST be getting the hang of this Ever-Pool lark. My annual selection of Merseyside’s best performers, based on performances in the calendar year of 2009, was published on New Year’s Day. And so far I’ve had no middle aged men lurching at me across press boxes (that was for selecting Alan Stubbs ahead of Sami Hyypia), no vaguely threatening e-mails querying my parenthood or no crazed letters written in crayon. Just an e-mail from Tony Lees, who suggested: “Very amusing. My thoughts are, with Everton having more players here, so obviously a better team, is it time to say Rafa is a genius for almost winning the league while Everton are fighting for survival? Moyes out!” And another suggesting: “Sylvain Distin! Are you sure?”
For the record my XI was Reina; Carragher, Jagielka, Distin, Baines: Benayoun, Rodwell, Gerrard, Pienaar; Saha, Torres. And you’ve missed your chance to pass judgement.
Everton legend of the sixties Alex Parker passes away
Jan 8 2010 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Echo
EVERTON’S 1962-63 Championship-winning defender, Alex Parker, has died, aged 74. Parker, who played 220 times for The Toffees scoring five goals, suffered a heart attack and passed away on Thursday. Born in Ayrshire in August 1935, Parker’s first professional club was Falkirk. The highlight of his Bairns career was a Scottish Cup win in 1957 when Falkirk defeated Kilmarnock 2-1 at Hampden Park in a replayed final following a 1-1 draw. By then, the classy full-back was a Scottish regular and after making his debut against Portugal in 1955 he won 15 full caps, including a 1958 World Cup appearance against Paraguay. He joined Everton in 1958, although his Toffees debut was delayed because he had to do his National Service in Cyprus!
He quickly made up for lost time though and was a pivotal member of the magnificent Everton team that stormed to the League Championship in 1963. Parker played in 33 of the 42 games as The Blues clinched the title by six points from runners-up Tottenham Hotspur He left Goodison Park two years later to join Southport and later played and managed in Northern Ireland. After quitting the game he became a publican and eventually retired to live in Gretna. He had been unwell at the start of this year and had to have a leg amputated. The Everton Former Players Foundation was a great help to him and one of the trustees, Rev Harry Ross, said that a group of former team-mates had been planning to visit him. “I spoke to Alex just a few days ago,” said Rev Ross. “We were sorting out a new kitchen for him to help him cope and he was in good spirits and really looking forward to seeing some of his old pals. His son then contacted me with the sad news.” Team-mate, Derek Temple, said: “Alex was a great colleague and a genuine gentleman.”
HOWARD KENDALL: FA Cup needs more cash to increase prestige
Jan 8 2010 Liverpool Echo
IT may not have been the best performance of the season but it was good to see Everton beat Carlisle and progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Recent memory points to a few slip-ups against lower league opposition, namely Oldham and Tranmere. You desperately don’t want that to happen again, especially at home, as was the case on both of these occasions. Everton left it late but a win is a win in the cup and we can now look forward to welcoming either Birmingham or Nottingham Forest to Goodison in the next round. One thing that strikes me about the FA Cup nowadays is how opinions have changed towards it with many managers opting not to play their strongest sides. A way around that could be for the Football Association to increase the payments to participating clubs. I’m sure that if the financial incentives were greater, club chairmen would try and influence their managers to play the strongest team to get as far as possible. Getting to Wembley is absolutely brilliant but there doesn’t seem to be the right level of importance placed on the earlier rounds. Priorities now often lie elsewhere. As it is, the gloss has been taken off the FA Cup. It’s a sad reflection of where the game is going but perhaps if the bonuses for clubs were greater, they may start to take the competition seriously again. Of course, Everton went all the way to Wembley last year and did so the hard way beating the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United. There’s nothing like sampling Wembley on cup final day. Anyone who hasn’t done so yet doesn’t know what they’re missing. Blues can beat Arsenal
THINGS have been looking better for Everton recently. Since the derby defeat to Liverpool, the Blues have lost just once in eight games, qualified for the knockout stages of the Europa League and started to climb away from the relegation zone.
A trip to The Emirates is always tricky but Everton are playing better now.
Saying that, Arsenal can be great to watch and you’ve got to have a game plan with them. They’ll cut you to ribbons if you leave the centre of the pitch unguarded. You can’t allow them to play through you. I’d expect David Moyes to pack his midfield and try to force Arsenal wide. They’re not as dangerous from there. Everton will be mindful of the 6-1 defeat to Arsenal on the opening day of the season.
It was a bad start for the Blues but Arsenal have destroyed other teams since then.
They’ve got quality in all areas and that can make it hard to select the right tactics to counter their style of play.
Donovan can be a hit for Blues
LANDON DONOVAN has shown all the signs that he’ll be a good addition to the squad. He’s experienced and has played in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich that will stand him in good stead here. From reading his comments he comes across as a good professional too and is really looking forward to getting involved. Evertonians will recall Brian McBride who came over from the MLS and proved a success in the Premier League with both Everton and then Fulham.
Hopefully Donovan can have a similar impact.
Landon Donovan determined to make the most of his big Premier League chance at Everton
Jan 8 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo
WITH his healthy tan and relaxed Californian attitude, Landon Donovan is the very essence of laid-back. But ask the Everton new boy about his objectives during the next two and a half months in England, and he oozes steely determination.
Make no mistake, the 27-year-old is not treating his trans-Atlantic switch as glorified pre-season training. His spell with the Toffees may include massive games against Chelsea, Liverpool and Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League, but as an ardent admirer of the premier league Donovan insists every fixture will be a challenge.
Donovan arrived in Liverpool last weekend and watched Everton’s 3-1 victory over Carlisle at Goodison park. He has since been busy with a tough training schedule, and sorting out temporary accommodation in the city. And despite being more accustomed to the scorching Los Angeles sun, the Californian is enjoying the region’s big freeze.
He said: “Obviously the weather is different. I hear it’s a bit abnormal for it to be this cold and have this much snow at this time of year. But coming from America it’s been fun. “I’ve adapted to it really well. it’s a little easier to run when it’s cold. Sometimes it becomes difficult to run as hard in the heat in USA.” Donovan explained how the move to Everton has felt right from the moment he discussed it with friend and Blues stopper Tim Howard, to meeting the stewards at Goodison. He said “When a club like Everton comes calling you aren’t going to say no. After talking to Tim and the manager, I had a good feeling about the place. “Then from the moment I landed everyone has been top class and it’s been extremely enjoyable. I’ve been welcomed by everyone - not just my team-mates but the stewards at the ground and the fans.”
And he revealed he is excited about playing alongside Everton’s assortment of internationals. “It's been nice this week getting the chance to play with different guys. Obviously guys like Fellaini, Pienaar, Cahill, Saha, there are some talented footballers here,” he said. “For me it's going to be very nice to play alongside those guys.
“Everything everyone has ever said about Everton has been positive. I've never heard a bad word and after being here for a week, I realise why. “My LA team-mates are excited and are texting and e-mailing me every day asking what it’s like and who looks good in training. “No one is exempt from being made fun of (at Everton) and for me it has been enjoyable off the pitch as well.” Donovan has also been in touch with Galaxy team-mate David Beckham since arriving in Merseyside. The pair have long since become friends after Donovan’s early criticism of Beckham’s move to Major League Soccer. He said: “I’ve not spoken to David but we have texted back and forth. He’s very excited about me playing in the Premier League. “He's a very humble good human being. Unfortunately, I didn't give him a chance to show that at first.
“I had an idea of what he was like before he got there and that was unfair on my part. On the field, he's a fantastic soccer player and, for me, very suited to the way I play. I like to make runs and with someone like that who can pass the ball, it's a very good combination. “David is just so famous around the world so sometimes you have expectations or ideas of what people are and you don't give them a chance. I learnt a lot about myself in that way and David is just a good person and a good team-mate.”
But for now, Donovan is putting home out of his mind as he focuses on helping Everton climb up the table. He said: “It’s an important step for me to realise that I’m not just coming here for a few months for a kick around. “This is the middle of the season. Everton have got injuries here and they need immediate help. I have to be ready for that. “I’m good at creating chances and helping get the ball in the back of the net. I’m here to help the team do well. This is not a three month vacation.”
American loan star Landon Donovan looking to hit ground running at Everton
Jan 8 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo
LANDON Donovan is determined not to waste precious time during his brief Everton loan spell adapting to life in the Premier League. The USA forward is aware that he only has two and a half months to make a positive impact with the Blues, and is confident he won’t take long getting up to speed. Despite his last loan spell in Europe with Bayern Munich proving to be a frustrating experience, he is upbeat about the challenge ahead. The 27-year-old, who could play against Arsenal on Saturday as David Moyes contends with a shortage of attacking options, said: “We only have one shot at life and I want to be the best I can be. “That means that for the next 10 weeks I am here at Everton and every day I am going to be as good as I can be. “The LA Galaxy forward is also determined he will not waste precious time adapting to the English style of play. It doesn’t have to be that you need a long time to adapt.
“That often happens but this week for instance I haven’t had any trouble with jet lag I have slept through every night. “I am mentally strong and I want to take advantage of every opportunity. I am not going to tell myself I need three, four, five weeks to adapt. I am going to be ready to go this weekend if I get called on.” Donovan is hoping to play a big part in upcoming games against teams like Chelsea and Liverpool, and is keen to experience Europa League football against Sporting Lisbon. He said: “It is going to be a test for the team as a whole but that’s the Premier League. Every week you guys talk about Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham, but every game that I watch and especially this year a lot of points have been taken off the top teams. “So for me every game is going to be important. I am only here a short time and I want to take advantage of the opportunity.” Meanwhile, Blues full-back Leighton Baines believes Steven Pienaar is Everton’s answer to Cesc Fabregas.
Baines, who is confident the Blues can take something from their game at the Emirates tomorrow, said: “Steven Pienaar is a great player. “He is to us what Fabregas is to Arsenal. “He is one of our big players who takes the ball and makes things happen. He is a massive outlet for us and him coming back into the side has seen us return to form and I don’t think that is a coincidence. Baines and Pienaar helped jump-start Everton’s attacking play since being reunited down the left flank.
He said: “Obviously you train together so you build up a relationship but there is nothing specific that we work on. “Steven is just such a good player that I always know I can give him the ball and he can find another pass. “When you have someone as good as Steven to link up with it is not difficult to form a partnership with someone with so much ability.”
Ex-Everton coach Alan Irvine set to take charge at Sheffield Wednesday
Jan 8 2010, Liverpool Echo
Sheffield Wednesday are expected to appoint Alan Irvine as their new manager, it is understood. The Owls, currently second bottom in the Coca-Cola Championship after failing to win any of their last 11 league games, parted company with former boss Brian Laws by mutual consent in early December. Former Everton midfielder Irvine, 51, was sacked suddenly from his post as Preston manager last week after just over two years in charge at Deepdale. Irvine spent three years as a player at Goodison, scoring four goals in 60 games between 1981 and 1984, and rejoined the club as David Moyes' assistant in 2002 before leaving for Preston in 2007
Everton FC’s Nigeria stars assured of safety after Togo gun attack in Africa
Jan 9 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo
THE safety of Everton stars Yakubu and Joseph Yobo has been assured despite a machine gun attack on Togo’s football team at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigerian FA officials have contacted Everton to reassure them that their players are not under threat after the shooting which seriously wounded several Togo players at the tournament in Angola yesterday. Everton spokesman Ian Ross said: “It is deeply worrying news but we have been given firm reassurance about the safety and security of our players.” The attack occurred in the Angolan territory of Cabinda after the Togan team bus crossed from the Republic of Congo. The Togolese team includes Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who was not among those wounded.
Everton cavalry is coming says a delighted David Moyes
Jan 9 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo
TOUCH wood, fingers crossed and any other possible good luck ritual you can think of – because Everton’s injured cavalry could finally be about to return in the nick of time. At times this season David Moyes could have been forgiven for wondering if he was living his own version of a footballing Groundhog Day. Every morning a new player would fall victim to the injury curse that almost left his plans for the season in tatters. While physio Baz Rathbone’s office may have resembled Piccadilly Circus, first team training sessions were increasingly becoming a case of ‘spot the senior player’. Now the Everton manager can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, and he believes the return of key personnel will ignite the Blues’ fortunes for the second part of the season. He said: “Mikel Arteta joined in training this week but it was non-contact. “It was his first touch of the ball. Victor Anichebe has done a little bit over the last few days and is improving. “Dan Gosling, Jack Rodwell and Sylvain Distin are all close. Sylvain probably the closest. “They are all going in the right direction. Phil Jagielka also began running this week. We are starting to see some old faces looking like new faces. “Instead of training with 10-12 players maximum, we are seeing 16-18 on the training ground. “Having such a small group of players can help them bond strongly in the short-term, but when you've had it for three or four months it eventually drives you under a little bit. “The players have been looking for support and help, and we've not been able to give them that as we haven't had the players to back them up through the Premier League and European campaign.
“Steven Pienaar, Phil Neville and James Vaughan have had to come straight in with little preparation. “We've had to do things that ideally you probably wouldn't do. I wouldn't say they were risks, but we've had to do it because we've been so short of players. “We aren't relying on the young players to join training now. We are seeing a sprinkling of the senior ones coming back. That raises the standard and quality, and players get a lift from seeing the faces who they hope would be available for most of the season. “It's certainly given the staff a lift. It's not there yet, but at least it looks like there are some shoots of recovery coming from the injured players.”
Now as he comes to terms with the unfamiliar scenario of a selection headache this season, Moyes faces a team who thrashed the Blues 6-1 on the opening day.
Even given the explanation that the Blues’ transfer policy was in chaos going into that game thanks to the drawn-out pursuit of want away Joleon Lescott, the result stung everyone associated with the club. He said: “It was real blow to us, but at that time there was mitigating circumstances for it. It was one of those days where for half-an-hour the game was very, very close and could have gone either way. “But they scored a couple of goals from free-kicks which isn't the norm for Arsenal and it went from bad to worse. “It wasn't a good day and I do think it had a lasting effect at that time.
“It's not something you prepare your pre-season for, but there were a lot of other circumstances involved. “The game does have a knock-on effect, you look at the reason why that happened and you maybe start looking at the wrong reasons.
“At the end of the day, we didn't do well at a couple of set-pieces and that was the key to how the game turned at that time.” Now Moyes is plotting how to get revenge on Arsene Wenger’s Gunners in their own back yard. He said: It’s a real tough game but we are playing better and feeling better. “How we’ll feel after it I don’t know but we go there in pretty good spirits about how we’re doing and improving. “I don’t think we can alter too much. We’ll go and try and have a goal but we’ve got to combat Arsenal’s quality. “If you went and just played your own game against Arsenal you’d be a bit naive, but in the same breath you want to try and get at their weaknesses and use our strengths well.” Moyes is aware that Arsenal have a host of players in midfield who can hurt the Blues, one of them a former transfer target of his own.
He said: “Andrei Arshavin has always been a player people talked about a lot.
“We came up against him when he was at Zenit, so we knew a lot about him.
“I think he has matured at Arsenal. When he was at Zenit you sometimes weren’t sure whether it’d be his day, but at Arsenal he will enjoy their style of play as he wants a lot of the ball and has become a key player for them. “When you become a key player you enjoy that and he looks as if he is enjoying himself at this time. “Arsenal are always one of the title contenders. They are every year. “The club, manager and players are all capable of competing for the title, and they are certainly in contention at this present time. “It's always difficult when you play against the top teams.
“But we are beginning to find our form a bit, and if we can keep that going then maybe we can give them a bit of a surprise.”
GREG O'KEEFFE: David Moyes’ plan to improve quality of Everton's football
Jan 9 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool
DAVID Moyes has a proven track record of encouraging young British talent at Everton. The Blues boss has rightly won praise for blooding his youngsters in the Premier League and Europe, giving them opportunities they would get at few other clubs and unearthing gems in the process. Yet while the emergence of Shane Duffy, Kieran Agard and Jack Rodwell bodes well, Moyes insists that injuries have forced his hand even further in that respect this season. Nevertheless, the Scot cares passionately about the development of young players throughout the football league, and has an interesting slant on how it could be boosted. He believes the answer for creating a drip effect of quality footballers from the top flight to the lower leagues, lies in restrictions on how many players Premier League academies can take in.
Moyes suggests that the intake of apprentice players who have finished school, should be reduced to six for all top flight clubs. He said: “The other six or so which a club like Everton or Manchester United would have taken beforehand may suddenly go to the Championship and might sign for Preston or maybe go to Tranmere.
“Then the 12 Tranmere might take would include an introduction of four or so of a better quality to their club. “I think that in three or four years time, that means we will start going fishing again in the lower leagues.” Moyes believes the big clubs are stock-piling more than their fair share of young talents, and some are stagnating.
“At the moment we can’t because there is nothing to go for,” he said. “Why? Because Everton, Arsenal, Man United or Chelsea have got that many in here, and there is no room for them all to get games and be seen. “If one of those boys got a game for Tranmere at 16, we would probably be sending our scouts round to have a look at him and we’d be interested. “I think what has happened is the top flight clubs have taken all the stock, they’ve fished it all. “Of course there are other implications to this idea. The academies would start asking how they field teams. Then there are all the people who are employed by the academies. “You’ve got to see both sides of the debate, but I think only taking six players a year for say the next four years and let’s see if it helps the balance of the lower league teams getting a better quality of player.”
Moyes’ vision is built on common sense, and a holistic approach to football as a whole. He said: “Some might say there will be better facilities and better coaching at the top clubs. But think of some of the players who’ve come through in the past. They didn’t always have great facilities there. It still worked out.” Equally, Moyes points out how young players who fail to make the grade at Premier League academies have potentially been missing out on getting snapped up by lower league clubs under the present system. “Look at the boys who are getting released,” he said. “If you’re the manager of, say Macclesfield, you might say I don’t know if I’ll take that boy because he’s not hardened into the football league way.” The conundrum is why, Moyes thinks, British talent is becoming an after thought while the import of foreign players spirals. He said: “Most boys have either come through the lower leagues to join Everton or they’ve come from the academy. They’re the only two ways.
“So if there’s no lads coming up through the lower leagues they have to come from abroad. “I would allow us to bring those six lads from anywhere you want, too. If you decide that you really wanted six South Americans, so be it, but you can pick them from anywhere. “Then the other boys will go to other clubs and play for Macclesfield, Wrexham and Tranmere and get in the team a bit earlier and maybe come through.”
Another effect, he says, would be an increasing pressure on academy bosses to get the right six in. “The people involved in recruitment at the top clubs would have a bigger concentration to try and pick the six who would be right for their club instead of just saying, ‘He’s OK, let’s bring him in’,” he says. It remains to be seen whether the movers and shakers who set the quotas for academies care enough to listen to people like the Everton boss. But his solution would seem to present a way to prevent young dreams from going sour, and ensuring quality young players can learn to walk, and then shine, in lower leagues before making the step up.
Travel sick David Moyes was frozen out on the M1
IT IS usually fans who get the rough end of the stick when it comes to the Premier League’s organisational slip-ups. But spare a thought for David Moyes who was no doubt airing a few choice Glaswegian curses on Wednesday night. The Blues boss had set off on a spying mission to watch today’s opponents Arsenal take on Bolton in North London, and got as far as Milton Keynes before the game was called off due to the weather. Today he’ll be hoping, along with all the travelling Evertonians, that the match goes ahead regardless of the big freeze.
Hillsborough challenge for True Blue Alan Irvine
IT IS good to see Alan Irvine back in management so quickly, especially with a big club like Sheffield Wednesday. The South Yorkshire outfit embody the cliché of a sleeping giant and it will be interesting to see if Irvine can provide their wake-up call.
There was widespread surprise in the game when a normally stable club like Preston North End appeared to fall victim to the knee-jerk impulse and fire Irvine based on short-term failings. David Moyes was first to offer his former number two the chance to come back and work in some capacity at Everton. Now a sterner challenge awaits him, and every Blue should wish him well.
BARRY HORNE: Why Everton fans should pay tribute to Bill Kenwright
Jan 9 2010 by Barry Horne, Liverpool Echo
WHILST very few people will be overly concerned that Portsmouth’s players were late getting paid again last month, the perilous state of the club should stand as a salutary warning. The sorry saga of Leeds United in recent years is a slightly different tale in that the club overstretched itself ‘chasing the dream.’ There was clearly mismanagement and culpability, although not, I suspect, on the same scale that must have occurred at Portsmouth. The club has been passed around between a variety of owners and people are quite rightly questioning the applic- ation of the Premier League’s fit and proper persons test. It would appear to be the case that the people charged with running the club have been happy to welcome anyone with a vaguely Middle Eastern sounding name and a flashy watch into the boardroom as owners.
Yet no-one has ever questioned the integrity or acumen of the people who have been at the club throughout this turbulent time and who are presumably responsible for signing off all the paperwork – including transferring ownership of the club, as well, of course, as sanctioning transfers and players’ wages. I realise Portsmouth don’t get the biggest crowds, but they have been receiving Premier League money for the last seven years, as well as winning the FA Cup. When I read in the week that John Utaka’s wages were £80,000 a week, I thought that perhaps the fit and proper person’s test might be applied not just to new owners’ of clubs. I can clearly remem- ber a vocifer-ous minority of Everton fans being critical of Bill Kenwright for not finding new owners or investors for Everton I also remember Bill Kenwright’s assertion that he would only sell the club to somebody who he felt genuinely had the interests of Everton Football Club at least somewhere on his agenda. The way Bill Kenwright has nursed the club through the past decade, latterly with the magnificent input of David Moyes and the new CEO Robert Elstone, to put the club in a relatively financially secure position, whilst achie- ving improvements on the pitch, is something to be proud of. But then again, we could always go looking for a fake Sheikh!
Reasons to hope for a perfect 2010 for Everton
IT’S a New Year, and appropriately things are looking brighter around Goodison Park. It’s been a long dark tunnel since the start of the season, but we have had a run of decent results to finish the year. We had a much needed and deserved win against Burnley, followed by a classically dire third round encounter against lower league opposition which ended with a satisfactory result. The year we won the FA Cup, people will remember that we beat Derby County in third round, but won’t remember anything other than the scoreline such was the quality of the match. We then played even worse against Bristol City and scraped through again. So the victory over Carlisle is one to be applauded. In addition we had the return of Phil Neville and a vibrant James Vaughan. Steven Pienaar has come back from injury like he hasn’t been away, and the signing of Landon Donovan will hopefully prove inspired.
I met him after the Carlisle game and he certainly seemed to know what is expected of him. Happy New Year!
Everton FC: Louis Saha soothes striking headache by returning to training
Jan 9 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo
LOUIS Saha has soothed Everton’s striking headache by returning to training ahead of today’s clash with Arsenal, as he continues to discuss a new deal with the Blues.
The French striker, who has scored 10 goals in the league so far, has been highlighted as a cause for concern for Gunners boss Arsene Wenger – and David Moyes is pleased with how his time with Everton is progressing. Saha trained on Thursday to the relief of Moyes, who had James Vaughan and new loan signing Landon Donovan as his only other striking options. Moyes said: “The big thing was to get Louis on the pitch as much as we can, and we’ve done that. “The negotiations (for a new contract) are ongoing with the chairman and Louis’ representatives. There is no real great rush to get it done immediately because he is under contract until the end of the season.”
Saha’s contract expires in the summer but he could sign a pre-contract with a foreign club before then. The former Manchester United star is believed to be happy at Everton though, and talks will continue throughout January. Moyes also revealed that on-loan Brazilian striker Jo will return to training on Monday. The Brazilian had been suspended after he returned to Rio De Janeiro without permission from the club.
Jo, who is currently on a season-long loan deal from Manchester City, left the UK over Christmas. Moyes also revealed that the player had been fined for his conduct and the manager is now keen for a line to be drawn under the episode.
He said: "Jo will be back at the club next week following his suspension. He has been fined heavily and he knows the situation. We will look at it more next week.
"I don't think it is a big discussion point. We have dealt with it and should now move on." Meanwhile, the agent of Swedish teenage defender Johan Hammar has revealed that Everton have agreed a deal with Malmo for the youngster.
The 15-year-old spent time on trial at Merseyside last summer. He impressed Everton's youth coaches and they are said to have brokered a deal with the Swedish outfit.
"They have agreed terms and a solution which will see Everton pay a guaranteed sum that is lower than the standard," the player's agent Martin Klette said.
Arsenal 2, Everton 2: full time report
Jan 9 2010 By David Randles at the Emirates
WITH all but one other fixture called off in the Premier League this weekend, Everton and Arsenal braved the big freeze at the Emirates to draw 2-2. It took an injury time equaliser from Tomas Rosicky to break Blue hearts after Steven Pienaar appeared to have won it for the visitors with a goal of exquisite quality. After Leon Osman had headed the Blues into the lead, Denilson’s deflected goal saw the sides go in level at the break. But it was Pienaar who was denied the headlines by Rosicky’s late salvo as Arsenal came back to rescue a point. Played through by Tim Cahill with eight minutes remaining, the South African kept his nerve to chip the ball over Manuel Almunia and threaten Arsenal’s impressive unbeaten run. But with five minutes added on at the end, the Gunners poured forward. As Everton clung on, the ball eventually found Rosicky in space on the left who finished well past Tim Howard. For all Arsene Wenger’s determination to get this game played, the conditions appeared to suit David Moyes’ team better, who took the lead through Osman after just 12 minutes.
Louis Saha had already spurned a good opportunity to put Everton ahead and so Osman’s headed goal from Landon Donovan’s corner was no more than the Blues deserved as they pegged their hosts back with some good early pressure. Donovan looked lively on his Blues debut, the American offering an outlet wide on the right as he came in for Diniyar Bilyaletdinov. The American will feel he could have done better on the equaliser however when he failed to clear the ball enabling Andriy Arshavin, back after a foot injury, to slip it inside to Eduardo who rolled a pass into Denilson’s path whose shot took a wicked deflection off the unfortunate Osman to wrong-foot Howard. Despite Arsenal’s current run of form – they had won five of their previous six league games to close in on Manchester United and Chelsea at the top of the table - Everton were the better team in the first half. Other than the goal, Arsenal’s only attempt of note before the break came from William Gallas who appeared to be offside as Abou Diaby clipped a pass over the visitor’s defence. Howard did well to put Gallas off before Leighton Baines cleared acrobatically.
Typically so strong in the air, Cahill could have done better at the other end nine minutes before half-time when he opted to head Neville’s cross down into the six yard box instead of trying to beat Almunia at the near post. With no Blue shirts in sight, Bacary Sagna was able to clear. Donovan and Neville linked up well three minutes later when, from a Baines freekick, the American knocked the ball into the skipper’s path whose attempted chip had Almunia back-peddling until it nestled in the roof of the net. The conditions took a turn after the break as the snow began to swirl around the stadium. Still, the pace of the game didn’t alter with both sides looking to attack at every opportunity. Donovan carved an opening for Everton five minutes in, only for Pienaar to arrive late at the back post. Arsenal then grew in stature but, for all their possession, couldn’t find a way through a resilient Everton backline with Lucas Neill and Johnny Heitinga handling everything that was thrown at them.
Saha then saw a shot deflected out for a corner as the Blues burst forward on the counter. Rosicky replaced Aaron Ramsey on 65 minutes and came close to putting Arsenal ahead moments later. Sagna’s cross from the right looked destined for the Czech playmaker’s head until Howard intervened to punch the ball away.
Everton retreated deeper now, perhaps looking to hold on to a point. That’s a dangerous ploy in these parts and Arsenal twice went close through Arshavin and then Eduardo, the second attempt requiring a timely block by Neville. Playing on the counter-,a mazy run by Cahill down the left saw the Aussie midfielder cut inside and bear down on goal. With the away fans willing him to shoot, he pulled the ball back which saw Arsenal clear the danger. Then came Pienaar’s touch of class that appeared to have won the game. James Vaughan – on for Saha – could have put it beyond doubt with minutes to go but saw Almunia spread himself well to block his effort. It proved a costly miss. Five minutes of injury time handed Arsenal a glimmer of hope and it was Rosicky who capitalised when he found space on the left to fire past Howard and deal Everton the cruellest of blows.
Arsenal 2, Everton 2: Gunners pour cold water over Blue's revenge bid
Jan 11 2010 by David Randles, Liverpool Daily Post
THEY say revenge is a dish best served cold. One part of the old adage was without question at a freezing Emirates Stadium as Everton looked to exorcise the demons of a 6-1 humbling by Arsenal on the opening day of the season. Everton were just minutes away from doing so when it appeared Steven Pienaar’s exquisite finish would warm the hearts of the travelling support as they headed back north amid further severe weather warnings. Instead, Tomas Rosicky’s deflected effort off Lucas Neill provided a chilling end to a pulsating game with an injury-time equaliser that poured cold water over the premature celebrations taking place in the visitors section.
Given that Arsenal’s first goal also took a wicked deflection – this time off the scorer of Everton’s opener, Leon Osman – it was a harsh conclusion to a game the Toffees deserved more from after twice taking the lead. Denilson ensured the sides went in level at the break before Rosicky came off the bench to rescue a point for the Gunners.
That Evertonian’s could feel aggrieved afterwards though, is a measure of how far the team has come since the alarming humiliation dished out by a rampant Arsenal side that raised questions about Everton’s capacity to build on the progress of recent years.
The green shoots of recovery may have arrived too late for an assault on a top-six finish this year, but with the draw at The Emirates extending Everton’s unbeaten run to five games, they have addressed the poor form that had previously seen them flirting perilously with danger. Since the undeserved Merseyside derby defeat in late November, Everton have now registered three impressive draws against clubs with top four ambitions. In addition to Saturday, the results against Tottenham and Chelsea have provided a belief that David Moyes’ side can match the best teams in the country on their day; something that will no doubt be impressed at Finch Farm this week ahead of Manchester City’s arrival at Goodison Park. Up against an Arsenal side that has breathed new life into their title hopes with five wins from their previous six league games, perhaps Everton were expected to come away from the capital with little. In reality, they should have taken maximum points, a fact Gunners manager Arsene Wenger alluded to in his post match analysis. Had James Vaughan taken a leaf out of Pienaar’s book and opted for finesse rather than power four minutes before the end, it could have been a very different post-script for Moyes’ men today.
Everton haven’t won at Arsenal for 13 years. The fact this draw there came as an anti-climax is a moral victory in itself. With Diniyar Bilyaletdinov dropping to the bench, Landon Donovan made his debut on the right of midfield. The on-loan American provided width and a turn of pace that troubled Arsenal left-back Armand Traore until the LA Galaxy man eventually ran out of steam and was substituted midway through the second half. If his first impressions last, Donovan could represent a shrewd piece of business by Moyes. In keeping with the rest of the Everton defence, Phil Neville was a tower of strength at right-back too. Making his first start since the middle of September, the skipper was one of several Everton players vying for the man-of-the-match bubbly. Johnny Heitinga alongside him was another, as was Marouane Fellaini who put in a performance as good as any he has produced for the club.
“I have been saying for some time, he is the best midfielder in the Premier League,” said Moyes afterwards. It is too early for such bold statements, but if Fellaini can perform like this with any consistency, the idea may warrant serious consideration.
Returning to a holding midfield role, it was the Belgian’s positional play and will to win the ball that helped prevent Arsenal get into their usual, free-flowing rhythm.
Andriy Arshavin – back from a foot injury – was a virtual passenger, while Samir Nasri and Aaaron Ramsey’s typically potent attacking threat soon diminished when it emerged Fellaini and company where not going to afford them the kind of space that saw Arsenal run riot in the last meeting between the two sides.
Moyes’ decision to bolster his midfield paid dividends and, other than the goal, Arsenal’s only threat of any note in the opening 45 minutes came from an Abou Diaby ball over the top that saw Howard spread himself well to thwart William Gallas.
In comparison Louis Saha – in from the start for Vaughan – had the ball over the line after just six minutes, only to be ruled offside before firing over the bar moments later. The scene had been set though and it was no great surprise when Everton took the lead through Osman who rose superbly to head Donovan’s corner past Almunia.
As Arsenal pressed to get back into it, Donovan played a part in the equaliser however, when he failed to clear on the edge of the area. That allowed Arshavin to nudge the ball to Eduardo who rolled it into Denilson’s path, the Brazilian’s shot ricocheting off the unfortunate Osman to wrong-foot Howard just before the half hour mark. The conditions took a turn for the worse after the break. With snow swirling around the stadium it was only when Rosicky replaced Ramsey on 65 minutes that Arsenal upped their game. Seemingly content to hold on to what they had, Everton retreated deeper. It was a dangerous ploy that invited Arsenal forward.
Howard got just enough on Bacary Sagna’s cross to flick the ball off Rosicky’s head before Arshavin and then Eduardo went close, the second attempt requiring a timely block by Neville. Cahill then reminded Arsenal of Everton’s threat when the Aussie winger cut inside from the left before pulling a pass back across the penalty area when testing Almunia appeared a better option. But as Arsenal continued to throw bodies forward, Everton hit them on the break. Cahill was again involved, threading the ball to Pienaar who went one-on-one with Almunia. Where lesser players would have lost their heads, the South African displayed clinical composure to chip the ball over the Spaniard with nine minutes remaining. Almunia’s save from Vaughan five minutes later would come back to haunt Everton and handed Arsenal a glimmer of hope.
It was Rosicky who capitalised three minutes into the allotted five of injury time when he found space on the left and, despite Neill’s best efforts, Everton were dealt the cruellest of blows.
towards move to Russia’s Dynamo MoscowEverton FC star Diniyar Bilyaletdinov pointed Liverpool FC’s Andriy Voronin
Jan 11 2010 Liverpool Echo
ANDRIY VORONIN insists he is relishing a new challenge after completing his £2million move from Liverpool to Dynamo Moscow. The Ukrainian has signed a three-year contract after turning down offers to return to Germany. He is the second player to exit Anfield during the transfer window following the £4million sale of Andrea Dossena to Napoli. Voronin revealed he took advice from Everton’s Diniyar Bilyaletdinov before opting to make the switch to Russia. "I had options in both in Germany and in Russia, but I've chosen Dynamo," he said. "I was pleased with the professional approach of Dynamo officials during the talks. Also I talked to Dynamo's head coach Andrey Kobelev with whom I share a similar view of football.
"I've talked to many of my friends, and I've heard nothing negative about the Russian championship. I've spoken with (Sergey) Rebrov, (Andriy) Gusin, (Anatoliy) Timoshchuk, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and none of them discouraged me from going there.” Voronin joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen on a free transfer in the summer of 2007, but never established himself as a first team regular. He scored six goals in 28 games in his first campaign for the Reds before being sent on loan to Hertha Berlin last season
Everton FC linked with Hungarian midfielder Andras Gosztonyi
Jan 11 2010 Liverpool Echo
MTK Budapest midfielder Andras Gosztonyi is rumoured to be attracting interest from Everton. The highly-rated Hungarian under-21 international had planned to travel to Liverpool last week to discuss a move with David Moyes but the poor weather conditions in England saw his flight cancelled. The Toffees have been reported to be tracking the 19-year-old for around half a year after impressing during the under-20s World Cup, where the Hungarian team finished third. “This would be the best chance of my life if I could prove that I’m good enough to play abroad,” Gosztonyi said. “I hope I’ll succeed but this is not only up to me. “As I know they watched me during the under-20 World Cup and also in the Hungarian championship so they know what I can do on the pitch. England or Spain would be my dream league to play in.” Sky Sports * EVERTON are favourites to land Sheffield United defender Matthew Kilgallon. The Daily Star says Kilgallon will join Everton if Sheffield United fail to reach the Premier League. The Blades defender snubbed a £2m move to Newcastle in favour of staying for the remainder of the campaign.
Mersey hardmen: Everton FC's ‘Psycho’ Pat van den Hauwe picked his prey
Jan 11 2010 Liverpool Echo
WE all have our preferences in football. Whether it’s the teams we support or style of play and formations, the game will always divide opinion. But amongst all of this skill and substance, everybody wants a hard man in their team. In a five-part series featuring exclusive interviews this week, we will provide a revealing insight into some of the most fearless characters to have played the game... HIS nickname alone suggested Pat Van Den Hauwe was a man not to be trifled with. But there was substance to Psycho Pat, too. A footballing mongrel – Pat was born in Belgium, raised in Millwall and played for Wales – he played the game with a terrier like intensity.
His demeanour was memorably captured by Ivan Ponting in his Player By Player series. “Pat Van Den Hauwe took to the pitch growling, scowling and stubbly, like some villainous refugee from a low budget spaghetti western – and there is no shortage of opposing players and fans who reckoned he continued in similar vein once the game started. “The brawny left-back positively oozed aggression and earned the reputation of one of the hardest men in the division. “Occasionally his methods seemed at odds with the spirit of the game, yet there was no denying that the man dubbed ‘Psycho-Pat’ by a gleefully ghoulish element on the Goodison terraces was a footballer of considerable ability.” The number of ‘victims’ Van Den Hauwe chalked up during his Goodison career was considerable – tricky wingers in particular his favoured targets. Crystal Palace’s spritely young wide-man Vince Hilaire left Goodison Park on a stretcher following a challenge that was formidably fierce, but remained within the bounds of legality. The winger’s frail hand flopping off the edge of the stretcher to acknowledge sympathetic applause from the crowd still brings a grim smile to the face of fans who witnessed it. For a man who seemed to relish his hard-man status, Van Den Hauwe was surprisingly dismissed only once in his Everton career. The full-back took exception to a Simon Stainrod challenge on team-mate Graeme Sharp at Loftus Road and raced 50 yards to lay out the offending striker.
Both were sent-off. But it wasn’t merely a willingness to embrace the physical aspect of sport which saw Van Den Hauwe labelled a “hard man.” Rarely injured, he missed a chunk of the 1987/88 campaign with knee ligament damage – but amazed onlookers by the speed of his recovery and appetite to rejoin the battle. Van Den Hauwe also added to his reputation off the field – as many media men working in the 1980s will testify. This was no rogue on the pitch who just as swiftly became a gentleman off it.
In the days when press-men were allowed to loiter outside the dressing rooms to ask players whether they wanted to offer their views, Van Den Hauwe would march out, fists clenched, eyes fixed – sometimes spitting against a wall or grunting in the manner of the Spitting Image puppet – daring an unsuspecting hack to stammer a tentative enquiry. None ever did. Not in the tunnel, anyway. One intrepid reporter once had the misfortune to share a lift back from Wales international duty with several of Everton’s Welsh contingent – and attempted to strike up a conversation with Pat.
He actually managed to procure an agreement with Van Den Hauwe to submit to a rare interview, provided there were “no tricky questions!” – the warning delivered with a jutting chin and pursed lips. Mike decided to play it safe. “So, Pat. You must be really proud of your call-up from Wales?” he ventured. “That’s it!” snapped Pat. “ I warned you. No tricky questions!” and that was that. End of interview. Predictably, rumours followed Van Den Hauwe in his private life, too. Team-mate Graeme Sharp, whose wife was friendly with Pat’s then spouse, recalls having to cover for him many times. “Just tell her I’ve stayed behind for treatment,” ventured Van Den Hauwe. Which was fine on Monday lunch-time. But when Pat still hadn’t returned home by Wednesday the excuse was wearing a little thin! Then there was the mystery “blood condition” which ruled Van Den Hauwe out of much of the 1985/86 season and spawned all manner of rumours, usually involving city gangsters. Few team-mates were surprised when, after Van Den Hauwe left Everton for Tottenham, he regularly appeared in the national press as the partner, then husband, of former Rolling Stone beau Mandy Smith. Van Den Hauwe’s life was as colourful off the pitch as it was on it. But he remains one of Merseyside football’s great characters – and one of our hardest footballers. TOMORROW: Dixie Dean and Jimmy Case
Arsenal 2, Everton 2: Blues hot up in big freeze
Jan 11 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo
WHILE the rest of the nation huddles under electric blankets, cranks up the heating and prays for a respite from the cold, David Moyes wishes his team could play in a blizzard every week. His resurgent side’s display in the swirling snow and arctic temperatures of North London was that impressive, it could even prompt the Blues boss to consider the North Pole for their next pre-season tour. The Toffees have enjoyed some notable away performances since kick-starting their season in the adversity of November’s derby defeat. They took a point from Stanford Bridge when Chelsea were still being touted as champions elect, and were unfortunate to leave Sunderland with only a draw on boxing day. But this display, against a team who could have gone two points behind league leaders Chelsea had they won, must rank as their best away performance of the campaign. For his part, Arsene Wenger very nearly learnt the lesson that you should be careful what you wish for – especially when what you crave is a meeting with Everton. The Arsenal boss was desperate for Saturday’s clash to go ahead at the Emirates despite the worsening weather. He had already been thwarted from pursuing Chelsea on Wednesday when the big freeze forced Arsenal’s home clash with Bolton to be postponed. So Wenger pushed hard for the Emirates staff to ensure their next game against Everton would take place, despite almost every other Premier League game falling victim to the snow. He no doubt sensed victory against a club his team thrashed 6-1 on the opening day of the season. What he got was a draw which was only three minutes away from being a bloody nose and home defeat. Indeed if James Vaughan had managed to steer a late chance past Manuel Almunia, Everton would have been a dead cert for a euphoric 3-1 victory against a side they have beaten only once in their last 14 meetings. But the sense of consistent improvement and optimism after the eventual draw, would have been enough to keep the Blues and their fantastic travelling fans warm all the way back to Merseyside.
In a portent of things to come Everton had the ball in the net after only ten minutes. Fit-again Louis Saha pounced at the second attempt, but the French striker was clearly offside For Everton’s opener new-boy Landon Donvan stepped forward and fired an inch perfect corner into the Arsenal box, and Leon Osman confounded every inch of his 5ft 7in frame to beat William Gallas and fire a bullet header past Almunia.
It took a few moments to realise the leap and header had not been from Tim Cahill, such was the quality of its execution. The shock of falling behind prompted Arsenal to rediscover their purpose and they started playing threatening patterns around the Blues penalty area.
An equaliser seemed increasingly on the cards, and David Moyes would have been frustrated with Everton’s defending when it came. The Gunners passed the ball seven times in midfield with Ramsey pulling the strings, before it broke in the area and Donovan chose to head clear instead of aiming for the stands. Denilson reacted first and struck a low drive which took a cruel deflection from Osman on its way past Tim Howard. Then Eduardo had an optimistic penalty claim when he was shrugged off the ball by Lucas Neill. But undeterred Everton broke, Phil Neville finding Cahill with a pin-point cross and the Aussie saw his headed effort cleared off the line.
Arsenal started the second half with ominous purpose, settling quickly into their compelling one touch passing. But Everton refused to be cowed and threatened themselves after good work from Donovan who cut inside Traore and chipped across goal. Meanwhile, Fellaini was flourishing as Everton’s midfield destroyer, breaking up the Gunners’ pretty patterns on the edge of his own area. And Everton’s back four coped admirably with Arsenal’s attack, the commanding John Heitinga worthy of particular praise. With the temperature plummeting, David Moyes introduced Diniyar Bilyaletdinov to replace a tiring Donovan. But Everton were being pushed ever deeper, and Eduardo nearly capitalised from a wicked Traore cross before the Brazilian again looked certain to score only for a heroic Phil Neville block.
Eduardo’s final contribution was to accidentally injure Tim Howard reaching for a through ball before he made way for Carlos Vela. It prompted Moyes to introduce the livewire, James Vaughan, for Louis Saha. Despite being pegged back Everton could have taken the lead when Tim Cahill broke down the left and pulled the ball back for James Vaughan when the shrewd option appeared to be shooting himself. It mattered not, because moments later the Blues took the lead. Cahill persisted in central midfield and found Steven Pienaar who burst through on goal and, as Almunia rushed to close him down, had the nerve to chip the Spaniard. It was a finish of sublime quality – not least because most players would have aimed for the corner. Sensibly Pienaar sensibly chose against taking off his shirt in celebration, and instead resurrected a mock drunken stagger from his Ajax days. Suddenly it could almost have been 3- 1. Vaughan this time finding himself one on one with the Arsenal keeper but crucially he did aim for the corner and Almunia parried. Everton were buoyant and kept coming, Bilyaletdinov clipping a perfect pass into the path of James Vaughan again. His effort was saved and the ball broke for Pienaar who twisted and turned before shooting over the bar. A succession of corners kept the pressure on the Gunners as the clock ticked down, but the Blues’ task got tougher when five minutes of injury time were added. Sensing the respite, Arsenal pounced. Tomas Rosicky levelled by a deflection from Lucas Neill and suddenly Everton were on the ropes, their defending becoming increasingly desperate as Arsenal piled forward. But anything less than a point would have been outrageous, and the Blues held on to maintain their unbeaten streak.
ARSENAL: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Diaby, Nasri, Arshavin, Denilson (Merida 84), Ramsey (Rosicky 64), Traore, Eduardo (Vela, 74). Not used: Silvestre, Fabianski, Eastmond, Emmanuel-Thomas
EVERTON: Howard, Heitinga, Neill, Baines, Fellaini, Osman, Pienaar, Cahill, Donovan (Bilyaletdinov 68), Saha (Vaughan 74). Not used: Nash, Coleman, Duffy, Baxter, Mustafi
REFEREE: Peter Walton.
ATTENDANCE: 60,053.
Marouane Fellaini revelling in favourite midfield position at Everton FC
Jan 11 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe
MAROUANE FELLAINI believes his settled role in Everton’s midfield is behind the sparkling form which has propelled the Toffees’ unbeaten run. The 22-year-old Belgian has been one of various players who have previously been asked to play out of position due to the club’s injury crisis. But now he is thriving in the defensive midfield role which first brought him to the attention of David Moyes, when he impressed for Standard Liege against Liverpool in their 2008 Champions League qualifier. His performance was one of many positives for the Blues during their 2-2 draw with Arsenal, and he said: “I’ve said all along that my position is a defensive midfielder. "Obviously I do my best wherever I play. "If I’m put up front or just behind the striker, I’ll play wherever I’m put. “But I’ve always said that this is my best position. I’m enjoying playing here again. “We know when you play Arsenal that every player is good. "But I think we proved today that we can match them.
"We competed against them and did well. "You have to play well if you want to get anything from Arsenal, but we have proved we can do that. “We were disappointed. I think we deserved all three points. We put in a good performance and played well.”
Fellaini was labelled one of the Premier League’s best midfielders so far this season by his manager, but he is keeping his feet on the ground. He said: “I just do my job out there on the field. I try to do my best. All I want is that the team wins, that’s the most important thing for me. “It’s nice to hear things like this but it is always the results that count. We’ve got players coming back but then we’ve won a few games recently, and played well doing so. Victories can give you confidence and the confidence can help you get better results. It all works together.” Fellaini was quick to praise team-mate Steve Pienaar for his delightful chip over Manuel Almunia which gave Everton a 2-1 lead at the Emirates. He said: “He showed some bottle there, it was a great finish. Now we play Man City at home where it’s up to us to show what we can do. It’s up to us to take the game to them. We need to work hard this week so we are right for Saturday.”
January transfer window rumour watch: Everton chase Blackburn ace
Jan 12 2010 Liverpool Echo
RUMOURS suggest Everton boss David Moyes may fund a return to the Premier League for former Blackburn Rovers striker Matt Derbyshire. The 23-year-old has recently been playing his football with Greek outfit, Olympiakos, who he joined after a successful six-month loan spell where he scored five goals in seven games. imscouting.com
‘Positive’ talks held over new Everton FC stadium
Jan 12 2010 by Alan Weston, Liverpool
HIGH level talks took place yesterday between Liverpool city council and Everton FC over plans for a new stadium. In a joint statement, both sides described the meeting as “positive” and said more discussions would take place. EFC were forced back to the drawing board after the Government rejected a planned move to Kirkby alongside Tesco in a £400m development. Liverpool council has been keen to keep the Blues within the city boundaries. It is believed yesterday’s meeting was attended by council leader Warren Bradley, chief executive Colin Hilton and executive director of regeneration John Kelly.
NIGEL MARTYN: Everton FC star Steven Pienaar’s cool chip at Arsenal was delight to watch
Jan 12 2010 Liverpool Echo
THE lads will be really buoyed by both their result and the performance at the Emirates on Saturday. Their satisfaction, though, will be tinged with disappointment at having been so close to getting a memorable victory only to concede two goals from deflections. They were deflections that on another day could have went over the bar or wide, but in the end a win wasn’t meant to be. Of course James Vaughan had a lovely chance to put the result beyond doubt by making it 3-1. But if he had scored it would probably have been controversial because Denilson was on the floor injured when Tim Cahill played James in. There is no blame to Tim here, because it is for the referee to spot things like that and stop play. As it was the ball seemed to get stuck square between James’ feet, and he was unable to get it out towards his right side where he could’ve knocked it past the keeper. It’s unfortunate because he’s looking like getting back to his goal-scoring best, and I think it’s only a matter of time for him to get that sharpness back. The goal of the day was undoubtedly Pienaar’s – what a cool finish! It was 1-1 and Arsenal were just looking like they might score themselves when Steven got the chance, so it was vital. It took an incredible amount of skill and bottle to chip Almunia like that. Goalies will always try and stand up as much a possible in that situation and put the pressure on the striker. I recall Arjen Robben did the same thing to me when Chelsea came to Goodison a few years back, but it was easier for him because the ball was bobbling. Steven took a risk because if that doesn’t come off you look like an idiot. But Almunia went to ground at the crucial point and the chip had enough in it to carry it in. Steven’s two touches beforehand were perfect and he probably made up his mind in a 100th of a second. The finish is everything a striker loves to do to a keeper, having him scurrying back to try in vain to stop the ball going in. A finish like that really hurts a goalie. Another positive from Saturday was Phil Neville’s form. He has fitted back in seamlessly after they really missed his leadership and experience. Phil will have made Baz Rathbone’s life hell while he was injured because he hates not being involved and would have been desperate to return. It looks like he has done his rehab perfectly, and he still managed to have a big influence on the game from right back which is harder.
We look like we’re not far off reaching the levels which saw us finish fifth the last two seasons. The problem is now that the other sides have a massive head start because of Everton’s slump and failure to beat sides like Stoke and Wolves at home.
I still feel the Blues can catch Sunderland, Stoke and Fulham, but Spurs and Aston Villa will be harder to over-take. They would have to have a poor run of results and the Blues can ill afford to lose many more games if they stand any chance of getting into that top six at their expense. It won’t be easy because there are not a lot of home games left which you would say are easily winnable. But having been in that dressing room with the manager I can assure everyone he will not let up one bit and will be pushing the lads right to the end. You can never rule Everton out of going on the sort of run which sees them just creeping in.
Landon Donovan looked the real deal on his Everton FC debut
ON the evidence of Saturday Landon Donovan looks like a positive loan signing.
I’m guessing Tim Howard had a lot to do behind the scenes with getting Landon to come to Everton and would have told him it’s a good club with a nice bunch of lads who would help him settle in. He seems like he’ll bring some quality and despite being understandably tired in the second half it was a very promising introduction to English football. I was delighted for Leon Osman that he scored too. His header reminded me of a goal Duncan Ferguson scored against Arsenal, and it shows what you can do when you get your timing right and a good run into the area. In terms of new recruits Everton could do with a centre-half to provide cover until Jags is back, and another striker, with Yakubu being away in Angola. For his part, Jo has some apologising to do.
The show must go on in Angola
STEVEN PIENAAR is right when he says the African cup of nations should continue in Angola despite the shooting of the Togo team coach. Some have suggested that clubs like Everton must recall players involved for safety reasons, but Yakubu and Joseph Yobo should be allowed to stay and play. The Angolan government will do everything to ensure security is tighter than ever and although what happened was deeply tragic they won’t let it happen again. It should have no impact on South Africa either. Their security will be very tight.
Merseyside hardmen: Record-breaking Everton FC goalscorer Dixie Dean cheated death
Jan 12, 2010 by David Prentice, Liverpool
NEVER booked, never sent-off, Dixie Dean was regarded as one of football’s gentlemen. But equally there is no doubt that Everton’s legendary centre-forward belongs in the pantheon of Mersey hard men. To play your football in an era when strikers were routinely assaulted – Dean famously lost a testicle early in his career – and not retaliate takes enormous disicpline and character. But that setback was a trifle compared to the enormous obstacle Dean overcame as a 19-year-old. Quite simply, Dean battled back from death’s door. Even the most ill-informed football fan knows that Bill ‘Dixie’ Dean scored a record breaking 60 league goals in the 1927/28 season.
But fewer are aware that just 12 months before the start of that remarkable campaign Dean nearly died. The youngster suffered appalling injuries in a motocycle accident in North Wales with a girlfriend and Thomas Keates’ Jubilee History of Everton Football Club recorded: “Doctors were afraid he could not live for many hours.
“His survival astonished them. When recovery was assured the medical pronouncement was ‘This man will never be able to play football again.’ “Play again he did, to such startling affect that romantic tales began to surround his spell in hospital.”If Dean’s return to a football field was heroic, so too, were Dan’s actions in the crash itself. “A chap driving a car cut in and then dropped back and then suddenly cut in again coming towards me,” recalled Dean in Trinity Sports Media’s “Dixie Uncut” publication. “I had the choice of either going into the car or going down the mountain so I went right through the windscreen of the car. But before the crash I was able to turn round and push the girl off the bike. She only damaged her ankle, fortunately, but I fractured my skull, broke a cheekbone and fractured my jaw in two places.” Brain scans were confined to the realms of science fiction novels in the 1920s, so the only way Dean’s recovery could be gauged was in the heat of action.
There was understandable apprehension in the air when Dean ran out to play for Everton reserves barely six months later. “Old Harry Cooke was worried about what would happen when I first headed the ball,” recalled Dean. “He told Teddy Critchley, our outside right that day, to try to get a good centre over to me early in the game so that I could head it. “Harry told me that if I felt any pain from my head after heading the ball I was to come off right away. “I remember it was a very heavy day so naturally we were all worried about what was going to happen when I headed the ball. After about a quarter of an hour over came the ball from Teddy Critchley. I thought to myself ‘Here goes!’ and I went up to head it. “The ball flew into the net. I shook my head and I could see Harry Cooke on the line thinking something was wrong as I did so. They started to call me off but I shouted that there was nothing wrong.
“In those days you got a £1 bonus for winning a reserve game and I was a goal up towards £1 so I stayed on. We won 2-0 and I’ve never felt anything wrong as a result of that accident ever since. “As a matter of fact I think the skull fracture knitted twice as hard, so they tell me, and it considerably helped me with the old heading trick.”
Opposing defenders suspected more than mere Mother Nature at work. Such was Dean’s prowess with his head that fanciful tales emerged that the youngster had had a metal plate inserted during surgery. The stories were nonsense, but underlined the aura around the man. Despite his impeccable disciplinary record, Dean was clearly no shrinking violet. After a game at Spurs, he was the last player to walk off the pitch when a fan shouted: “We’ll get you yet, you black b*****d! ” A policeman overheard and was set to take action, but was pushed aside by Dean who remarked.
“It’s alright officer, I’ll handle this.” Dean jumped over to the fan, punched him and sent him flying. The policeman who saw the incident winked at Dixie and said: “That was a beauty but I never saw it officially.” Dean was never intimidated – at home or abroad. On tour in Germany, against a Dresden team featuring 10 of the German national side, the home side insisted that the game be played with a size four football.
Dean refused and when the German captain carried the smaller ball out onto the pitch and placed it on the centre-circle, Dean picked it up, carried to the touchline followed by the skipper and the referee – and booted the offending article out of the ground.
“Now we’ll play with this one – the size five,” he declared – and they did.
Dean’s ability as a goalscorer is, quite rightly, celebrated – but his prowess as a marksman should never cloud the fact that he was also one of Merseyside football’s hardest men.
Everton FC in race to tie Louis Saha into new Goodison deal
Jan 12 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool
EVERTON must act quickly to thrash out a new deal for Louis Saha or risk losing him to Spurs or Arsenal. The Toffees have opened talks with the French striker who is under contract until the summer, and is understood to be happy under David Moyes and settled in the region. But he wants improved terms after scoring 10 league goals already this season, and Harry Redknapp is waiting in the wings if talks collapse.
The ECHO understands Saha would prefer to have his future resolved sooner rather than later, although he cannot sign a pre-contract with any English clubs for the remainder of the season. Arsene Wenger is also believed to be monitoring the situation closely, with an experienced centre-forward a priority at the Emirates.
Saha would prefer to remain in the Premier League, but is keeping his options open and could sign a pre-contract with a foreign club at any time. Everton though will insist on a realistic wage compromise during the talks, based on Saha’s fitness problems which, although improved, continue to limit his involvement.
Meanwhile, highly-rated MTK Budapest midfielder Andras Gosztonyi is keen on a move to Goodison. The Hungarian Under-21 international has revealed that he planned to travel to Liverpool last week for a trial, but postponed due to the bad weather. The Toffees have been reported to be tracking the 19-year-old for around six months after impressing during the Under-20s World Cup, where the Hungarian team finished third. He said: “This would be the best chance of my life if I could prove that I'm good enough to play abroad,” Gosztonyi said. “I hope I'll succeed but this is not only up to me, as I know they watched me during the Under-20 World Cup and also in the Hungarian Championship so they know what I can do on the pitch. England or Spain would be my dream league to play in.” Gosztonyi can play on the left or centre of midfield and has notched five goals and three assists for his club so far this season.
Liverpool in 1910: Sporting stars who made their name on Merseyside
Han 13, 2010 by Paddy Shennan, Liverpool Echo
IN the third of our special five-part series looking at Liverpool life a century ago, Paddy Shennan reflects on the world of sport circa 1910
THERE may be a distinct lack of togetherness these days, but Everton and Liverpool were great examples of caring and sharing football clubs a century ago.
They may not have had a shared stadium, but, between 1904 and 1935, the clubs produced shared Everton and Liverpool Football Programmes, rather than have their own dedicated editions. But how were our teams doing on the pitch exactly 100 years ago? Well, the 1909/1910 season finished with Aston Villa as champions – although Liverpool were runners-up. Everton finished 10th.
And here’s the full – very interesting – final table:
1. Aston Villa
2. Liverpool
3. Blackburn Rovers
4. Newcastle United
5. Manchester United
6. Sheffield United
7. Bradford City
8. Sunderland
9. Notts County
10. Everton
11. Sheffield Wednesday
12. Preston North End
13. Bury
14. Nottingham Forest
15. Tottenham Hotspur
16. Bristol City
17. Middlesbrough
18. Arsenal
19. Chelsea
20. Bolton Wanderers
Not a great season for Chelsea or Arsenal, was it? What a shame.
IN the third of our special five-part series looking at Liverpool life a century ago, Paddy Shennan reflects on the world of sport circa 1910
It was a very topsy-turvey era as Everton had finished the previous season, 1908-09, as runners-up while Liverpool were 16th. And in 1910/11, Everton finished fourth and Liverpool 13th. Meanwhile, honours were even in the 1909-10 Merseyside derbies, with Liverpool winning 3-2 at Goodison and Everton winning 1-0 at Anfield.
Everton reached the semi-final of the FA Cup, but were beaten by Barnsley after a replay. Goodison Park actually staged the FA Cup Final replay (Newcastle beat Barnsley 2-0 after the sides drew 1-1 at Crystal Palace). The Blues, at this time, included the likes of Jack Sharp, Harry Makepeace and Arthur Berry. 1909-1910 was the last of Jack Sharp’s 11 seasons with Everton. The outside right played 300 league games for the Blues and won two England caps, as well as representing the Football League. He was also a fine cricketer and played in three Test matches, scoring a century against the Aussies at the Oval in 1909. He also played for Lancashire from 1899 to 1925 and, off the football and cricket fields, ran a successful sportswear shop in Liverpool, while both he and his son, also Jack, were Everton directors.
Harry Makepeace was another true all-rounder – football in the winter, cricket in the summer! Like Jack Sharp, he represented England in both sports (he developed his cricketing skills while playing for Clubmoor and Wavertree). He played in four Test matches, all of them overseas, and scored a century against Australia at Melbourne in the 1920-21 Test. Meanwhile, after his playing days were over at Everton he became a coach at the club, a position he later held at non-league Marine in Crosby.
Arthur Berry, whose medals, caps and badges were acquired by the Everton Collection, played for both Everton and Liverpool and won two Olympic gold medals for Great Britain – in 1908 and 1912 IN the third of our special five-part series looking at Liverpool life a century ago, Paddy Shennan reflects on the world of sport circa 1910
Berry was a forward who made 29 appearances for Everton, scoring seven goals before World War I. But despite making only four appearances in two separate spells with the club, he was registered as a Liverpool player when he won gold at the 1908 games in London and in Stockholm four years later. The winner’s medal he brought home from Sweden was the last made of solid gold. Ever since then, Olympic gold medals have been made of a specially-blended gold mixture. He was one of just two Great Britain players who achieved the Olympic football gold medal double of 1908 and 1912. Liverpool had recently said farewell to Alex Raisbeck, the third member of the club’s Hall of Fame and a club captain. He played for Liverpool between 1898 and 1909. But the fact that Raisbeck was the man who collected Liverpool’s first major piece of silverware – the 1901 league title – would have been enough in itself to earn his place in Anfield folklore. He later managed Hamilton Academicals, Bristol City, Halifax, Bath and Chester City before returning to Liverpool in 1939 to become a scout. Bootle-born striker Jack Parkinson was another great Anfield favourite of the era, playing for Liverpool between 1903-1914. Although injury hampered his career, Parkinson was a marvellous marksman, scoring 130 goals in his 220 appearances. He also won two England caps. The 1910-11 season proved to be his most prolific – he was the league’s top scorer, hitting 30 goals in 31 games. He moved to Bury in 1914 and, after retiring from the game, became a newsagent. 1910, meanwhile, was a significant year for Tranmere Rovers, as the club rejoined the Lancashire Combination, in Division Two, for the 1910-11 season. The club, which was formed in 1884, had initially joined that league in 1892-93 but had later joined The Combination (they were The Combination Champions in 1907-1908).
In 1911-12, they were promoted to Division One and were Lancashire Combination champions in 1913-14. In other sports . . . the 1910 Grand National was won by Jenkinstown, Kent triumphed in cricket’s county championship and, in boxing’s “fight of the century”, Jack Johnson, from Texas, knocked out James J. Jeffries, of Ohio, in round 15 to retain the world heavyweight championship. In Rugby Union, France joined the Home Nations Championship – which was now renamed the Five Nations Championship (England won that year’s competition). At Wimbledon, New Zealand’s Anthony Wilding beat Great Britain’s Arthur Gore to win the men’s singles, while, in an all British affair in the women’s singles, Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers beat Dora Boothby. And finally, in Rugby League, Oldham won the championship, with Leeds beating Hull in the Challenge Cup final.
Everton FC fans letters: Does Phil Neville really know his history?
Jan 13 2010 Liverpool Echo
HAVE you noticed over 100 years of tradition at Goodison is being ignored by Phil Neville? I have been going to Goodison over 50 years. Thousands buy season tickets expecting the team to kick into the Gwladys Street End in the second half, if we win the toss. Our skipper is ignoring this. One of our songs is If You know Your History – obviously, Phil doesn’t. Gwladys Street
EDITOR’S NOTE: Everton have attacked the Street End first, ever since Louis Saha’s late winner over Fulham last season. That ended a run of poor home results and Neville’s superstitious team-mates wouldn’t let him change! By coincidence the same thing happened this season. Phil Neville is very much aware of the club’s history and traditions. I HAD the good fortune to watch Alex Parker throughout his Everton career. He was practically unbeatable and a very clean tackler.
Another Blues great gone to join Labby, Brian Harris and Alan Ball 'up there'.
Very sad news indeed. Blooper IT was a great team performance against Arsenal and undoubtedly the best all season over 90 minutes. So frustrating, though, that we still suffer more than our fair share of bad luck. I've no complaints about conceding in injury time as we have won or saved matches ourselves very late on, but both of Arsenal's goals were scored purely as a result of the deflections and two in one match is a bit hard to take, especially as it deprived us of a deserved win. Still, given our record at Arsenal in the Premier League I am sure most Evertonians would have settled for a point before the match. Sadly, our poor record against ‘The Four’ season after season is still a major concern. With five of this season’s eight league matches against them already played we are still waiting for a first win. blue1961
THE one thing I would pay tribute to Bill Kenwright for is getting Everton Football Club the fantastic facility that is Finch Farm. When members of the national media call it outstanding, while the likes of Aston Villa complain of interrupted training, you know in Finch Farm we really do have something that is indisputably the best training facility in the league. The downside of that is we effectively rent the facility from another holding/management company. That concerns me. Finch Farm is arguably the one thing that all Evertonians can be not be in dispute about – it’s fantastic.
But why don't we own it outright? What we all want at Everton now is a stadium upgrade to match Finch Farm. If you build it they will come... Mark Reid
Merseyside’s Hardest Footballers: Duncan Ferguson - An Everton Braveheart, with attitude
Jan 13, 2010 by David Prentice, Liverpool
INSPIRATION or exasperation? World beater or a waster? Head man or head case?
Duncan Ferguson's football career sparked more opposing views than perhaps any other footballer. But there is one description which is never queried. He is a very hard man. The two burglars who recklessly attempted to rob Ferguson’s Formby home were testament to that, as were the eight Premier League footballers involved in Ferguson’s record-equalling haul of top flight red cards. But it wasn’t just a barely concealed penchant for physical violence which marked Ferguson down as a tough guy. Often portrayed as injury-prone throughout his Everton career – just 191 starts in almost a decade at Goodison – he was often the recipient of some X-rated challenges.
One particularly brutal challenge on his first appearance after returning to the club from Newcastle in August 2000 saw him sidelined for six months. The injury required surgery on his calf, led to numerous complications with his back and when the problem was finally resolved many years later, physio Mick Rathbone declared he had never met a footballer with such a high pain threshold and was stunned that he had been able to continue playing football. Stoic resolve apart, there was no hiding from the fact that Ferguson’s career was saturated in controversy. Even as a teenager stories of a stormy relationship with Dundee United manager Jim McLean surfaced culminating in Ferguson being fined and banned after an unscheduled walk-out.
His fuse appeared to be equally short off the pitch. Fined for butting a policeman in 1991, fined for kicking a Hearts fan on crutches in 1993 and then later that same year put on probation for assaulting a fisherman in an Anstruther bar, the incident which had the most lasting repercussions came following his British record transfer to Rangers in 1993. Ferguson was involved in an altercation with Raith Rovers’ John McStay, a flare-up which ended with him head-butting the player. It was unsavoury and regrettable, but hardly unique on a football field. The reaction of the Scottish football authorities, however, was. A barely disguised witch-hunt was launched which only ended when Ferguson served a 44-day jail sentence in Glasgow's Barlinnie Prison. By the time Ferguson served his time, however, he was an Everton player
And the seeds of a lasting love affair with Everton Football Club and its fans had been sown and flourished. He scored his first Goodison goal in a derby match. The Blues were rock bottom of the Premier League and the biggest derby outsiders for decades – but Ferguson’s goal inspired a famous victory and sparked a Great Escape.
Joe Royle, the manager who coined the phrase “Ferguson became a legend before he became a player,” recalled the occasion vividly. “For 45 minutes, Duncan had wandered through a derby match, until Neil Ruddock made the mistake of kicking him up in the air. That got Duncan angry,” he smiled. Like the green-skinned superhero, people didn’t like him when he turned angry – which was often.
A refusal to talk to the media gave Ferguson added mystique – and perhaps added to his aura of menace After his retirement in 2006 he was elected by a landslide vote into the Gwladys Street Hall of Fame and returned to Merseyside from his home in Majorca to be inducted. “It’s an honour to be voted into a Hall of Fame alongside all these great names,” he declared on the night. “I am very, very proud. I have played for other quite big football clubs, but when I think about my career I only ever really think about having played here. I never had a relationship at those other clubs like I had with you. I was proud to be captain of Everton under three different managers. When you’ve played for Everton, other clubs are nothing, nothing!”
TOMORROW: Johnny Morrissey
Everton fear Lucas Neill exit after receiving bid from Galatasaray
Jan 13 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool
LUCAS NEILL is on the brink of a shock exit from Goodison Park after Everton received a bid from Galatasaray. The Australian international is considering ending his four and a half-month spell on Merseyside, lured by the Turkish club’s financial package. Officials from Galatasaray are understood to have made an initial £750,000 bid for the Aussie, who has made 12 starts and three substitute appearances for Everton this season. If Neill decides he wants to go and join international team-mate Harry Kewell at the Ali Sami Yen, it is believed David Moyes will not stand in his way. It would represent a decent profit for a 31-year-old who cost Everton nothing, and Moyes would be reluctant to keep a player who is not committed to the Toffees cause. However, the departure would cause the Scot a headache, as Neill has forged a promising partnership in the centre of defence with John Heitinga and his versatility has been a plus during the club’s injury crisis. Galatasaray have been keen on the ex-West Ham man since the summer, and could be prepared to bid up to £1million for his services. Neill would be eligible to play for the Turkish side in Europe, because he has not yet been able to feature in the Blues’ Europa League campaign. Intriguingly, Everton could meet Galatasaray in the next round. Meanwhile, Everton are fast becoming the most talked about English club in the United States thanks to Tim Howard and Landon Donovan, according to ex-Manchester City star Claudio Reyna.
Reyna, who spent six years in the premier league, believes football fans in his home country will be glued to Everton matches on TV, as they monitor the form of their two key players ahead of the summer’s world cup.
He said: “It's very interesting for Americans to look at Everton now; they have been following them for a while with Tim being there. Throw Landon in and he's a very important player for the national team so a lot of people want to see how he does.
“Interest in the US has been steadily growing over the last few years. Everybody is going to be looking for the results because on one team we have two key players.
"I think American fans will be looking to see how they do, to see how much Landon plays and the better he does, the better for the national team.” Reyna, who has retired from football and runs his own foundation to help poor children in New York and New Jersey, has fond memories of playing at Goodison. He said: “It's a great stadium. I see these new stadiums coming in, but for older players, it's a bit unfortunate because I don't know if they can replicate the intimacy of some of the older grounds.
“At Goodison the fans were right on top of you, though they were quite friendly and it was a fun place to play. At City we had the game where we drew in the last few seconds of the game when Micah Richards scored. “That was a good one to come back from. I had a couple of bad games with Sunderland there so I prefer to remember that one with Micah.” l THERE will be a 10am pitch inspection today at Brighton’s Withdean Stadium to decide whether Everton’s Youth Cup fourth round tie against the Seagulls will go ahead as scheduled tomorrow.
NEILL’S CLUBS
1994–1995 AIS
1995–2001 Millwall
2001–2007 Blackburn
2007–2009 West Ham
2009 – Everton.
In 2007 Neill turned down a move to Liverpool, in favour of West Ham, but denied money was his motivation, instead claiming Liverpool hadn’t made him feel truly wanted.
Former Everton FC defender David Unsworth appointed first team coach at Preston North End
Jan 13 2010
FORMER Everton player David Unsworth has been appointed first team coach at Preston North End. Unsworth, who was part of the Blues 1995 FA Cup winning side, will work alongside new manager Darren Ferguson at Deepdale. Ferguson replaced former Everton assistant Alan Irvine last week as boss of the Championship side and has taken Unsworth from his role as development coach at Preston to now working with the first team. The new North End manager believes Unsworth's defensive knowledge will be key as he looks to turn around the side's fortunes.
January transfer window rumour mill: Everton eye Argentina ace.
Jan 14 2010 Liverpool Echo
THE transfer window is ajar, Sky Sports’ irritating countdown clock has started ticking and speculation is filling cyberspace.
ARSENAL defender Philippe Senderos will reignite a proposed move to Everton if the Toffees accept the £750,000 bid from Turkish club Galatasaray for defender Lucas Neill. David Moyes could well turn his attentions to 24-year-old Senderos who would be available for a nominal fee this month with his contract due to end at Arsenal in the summer. Senderos is known to be desperate to quit the Emirates after spending six frustrating months on the sidelines as back-up for Thomas Vermaelen and William Gallas. Speaking to the BBC, he made clear his intentions to find a new club.
“I want to go, I want and need to be playing ahead of the World Cup. “I don't want to play in the reserves, I just want to go.” Sport.co.uk CHELSEA are reportedly ready to make a shock move for in-form Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini.
The 22-year-old’s father has recently suggested Carlo Ancelotti was watching the towering Toffees star. Prior to moving to Goodison Park, the player nearly joined Manchester United and Aston Villa, amid interest from Arsenal. Daily Mail
EVERTON are believed to be one of the clubs chasing the signature of Argentinean defensive midfielder Fernando Gago. The Blues, as well as the likes of Manchester City and Boca Juniors, want to sign the Real Madrid number five, who has found his first team opportunities at the Bernabeu limited this season. Sport.co.uk
by JOE TEDFO
The Jury: Everton FC on the draw at Arsenal and Lucas Neill
Jan 14 2010 Liverpool Echo
TONY SCOTT, Walton
ATTITUDE not attribute are what make a modern day footballer and the two words couldn't be put more in comparison than our Aussie double act.
Lucas Neill apparently wants out after barely knowing the ingredients of a bowl of Scouse; compare him to his best mate who simply epitomises what Everton FC is all about. Even when Tim Cahill isn’t at his best, he works his backside off carrying injuries when most players wouldn't even step on the pitch. For Steven Pienaar's goal against Arsenal, Cahill was outstanding. Instead of just blasting the ball in the direction of Pienaar, he refused to panic, steadied himself, dragged the ball back, drawing Arsenal players in then placed it towards Pienaar giving him the chance to sprint clear. Cahill then ran after it incase Pienaar didn't finish. Cahill is a credit to the club.
MICHAEL DRUMMOND, Speke
I AM sure I was one of many to roll the eyes when we signed Lucas Neill in September – but in the end I thought, fair enough. He is on a free and he will only be a squad player which, to be honest, we lack. In the past when I have watched him against us, I just thought he was a little untidy and scrappy in defence at times.
However, I have to admit, for a player heading towards the end of his career, he wasn’t as bad of a signing as I first thought. I have been impressed with his fitness levels, his versatility and the formidable partnership that he has made with Heitinga.
We need squad players, there is no doubting that; but given Neill’s age and the time left on his contract, it makes sense to cash in on the Australian now while the offer is still there. Regardless of the outcome, I wish him every success
DAVID WALLBANK, Huyton
THE news that Lucas Neill could be heading for the exit door is good business in my book; at best he is a squad player. He makes three or four mistakes a game, and playing centre-half you can’t afford that. Spurs at home was being a prime example and not picking up his man when Michael Dawson scored a simple header.
If the deal goes ahead then it says a lot about the man who is clearly motivated by money, and do we really want a player who is only here for the pay cheque? £750,000 is the rumoured transfer fee so its good business, assuming we already have a replacement ready? We were magnificent at The Emirates, and Steven Pienaar’s wonder goal was a joy to watch. Unlucky not to grab all three points again, we must start turning these games into wins. I fully expect the lads to be the first club to beat Manchester City since the appointment of Roberto Mancini, so lets get behind the lads on Saturday!
RICHARD KNIGHTS, West Derby
HOW do you win medals in athletics? Simple. The oil rich state of Qatar gained their first world championship medal in 2005 when Saif Saeed Shaheen won the 3000m steeplechase. Formerly known as Stephen Cherono, he controversially switched nationalities from Kenya to Qatar. There was the little matter of a reputed fee of around half a million dollars, and a further million dollars for the world title and a 1000 dollars a month for life. Qatar also managed to strike gold in weightlifting with Said Saif Asaad (formerly Angel Popov from Bulgaria). How do you win the Premier League? Simple. Buy any old club and invest a few hundred million on new players. ‘Abu Dhabi City’ just seem to epitomise everything that is wrong with football while across the city the Glazer family have managed to pile even more debts onto Manchester United.
Mersey Hard Men: Johnny Morrissey was Everton FC's winger with bite
Jan 14, 2010 by David Prentice, Liverpool Echo
JOHNNY MORRISSEY might not have been the first name on manager Harry Catterick’s teamsheet . . . although despite international class competition like Alan Ball, Colin Harvey, Howard Kendall, Tommy Wright, Gordon West and Brian Labone, he certainly wasn’t far behind. But the Everton winger was ALWAYS first pick in five-a-side. Team-mate Colin Harvey revealed that such was Morrissey’s formidable reputation as a Mersey hard-man, even in training ground kick-abouts, that people always wanted him on their side. “He was a winger who famously used to terrify the full-back who marked him,” smiled his former team-mate.
“He definitely belongs in any list of Mersey hard -men, but because of that reputation people don’t give him enough credit for the skill he had – and he was very skilful.
“He was an excellent crosser, with both feet. He would get up and down and put a good shift in every game. He was a real team player and when you put those qualities together you had a very good footballer. “But he knew how to tackle, too!”
Leeds United were considered the most ruthless team of that era, with teak tough players who verged on the cynical. Names like Norman ‘Bites Yer Legs’ Hunter, Billy Bremner, Johnny Giles and the formidable central defender Jackie Charlton were renowned for their ruthlessness. In October 1970 Charlton famously appeared on a TV programme where he said he’d once kept a “little black book” of names of players whom he intended to hurt or exact some form of revenge upon. Johnny Morrissey presumably figured on page one. “We knew all about the so-called black book,” laughed Colin. “Johnny absolutely clattered Jackie one afternoon then went over to pick him up. As he bent over he muttered into his ear ‘you can put that in your ****ing book now!’ “It’s fair to say he wasn’t easily intimidated.” That school of hard knocks attitude was imbued during Morrissey’s upbringing in the tough Scotland Road area of Liverpool in the 1940s and ‘50s. His first club was Liverpool, but Morrissey’s value as a footballer was clear to all but the short-sighted members of the Liverpool FC board. A £10,000 move from Liverpool to Everton for the diminutive dreadnought was sanctioned in September 1962 – without manager Bill Shankly’s knowledge. When the incensed Reds boss belatedly discovered the deal had been done he penned a resignation letter and made it clear that any further transfers without his seal of approval would result in his exit. Liverpool’s loss was undoubtedly Everton’s gain. Morrissey made 33 appearances and scored eight goals in his debut season at Goodison, which culminated in the 1962/63 League Championship. He missed only one league match in 1969/70 – claiming nine goals as Everton were crowned champions again – but it was the silverware Morrissey missed out inbetween times, the 1966 FA Cup, which played most on his mind. The disappointment at missing out on that success perhaps explains his enthusiasm for accepting a nerve shredding role two years later – and underlined that Morrissey possessed mental strength as well as physical prowess. The first penalty kick he ever took was in an FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United – and it took Everton to the 1968 FA Cup final. “I’d not been in the 1966 Cup winning side and was desperate to play at Wembley,” he later recalled. “It’s the one big occasion in a footballer’s life that he dreams about. “I’ll never forget the circumstances during our preparations for that semi-final battle against Leeds were all against us. “First of all Alan Ball was suspended. Then on the eve of the match poor John Hurst was ruled out with jaundice, which meant we had to call in reserves Tommy Jackson and Roger Kenyon, with Roger playing in the back four. “Bally was our main penalty taker – well he took everything, corners, free-kicks, the lot! – and during our final workout on the Friday morning, the boss, Harry Catterick, asked which one of us was going to take over. “None of the other lads were all that keen. So, because I didn’t suffer from nerves, I decided to volunteer and during practice that morning I had ten or a dozen spot kicks. “During the game the turning point came just before half-time. Gary Sprake was put under pressure and trying to clear the ball he threw it straight to Jimmy Husband. “Jimmy chipped it back into the goalmouth where Jack Charlton was forced to handle it to save a goal. “I remember screaming for a penalty and when things had died down after the referee had pointed to the spot, I suddenly realised it was me who had to take it! “Tommy Wright and one or two of the other lads couldn’t bear to watch as I put the ball on the spot. “Despite the noise I didn’t panic. I took about a 12-yard run and sidefooted it with my right foot to Sprake’s left. He dived the right way but it went just inside the post. “Seeing the ball go in was a tremendous experience. From that moment on we played a lot better and could have won comfortably in the end. “It wasn’t until the Sunday that I appreciated just what an important penalty it had been. I watched a film of the game on TV. I saw how the crowd was going mad behind the goal and waiting for myself to take the penalty I broke out in a cold sweat. “Even though I say it myself, it was the perfect penalty. “I reckon if I’d missed that penalty I’d have been playing for Crewe Alexandra the following season!” If he had, you can guarantee he’d have been the first pick in five-a-side there, too!
Everton FC fans’ passion excites USA star Landon Donovan
Jan 14, 2010 by James Pearce, Liverpool
EVERTON new boy Landon Donovan is relishing the chance to make his home debut in Saturday’s Premier League clash with in-form Manchester City. The 27-year-old enjoyed a promising start to his 10-week stay with the Blues when he impressed in last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Arsenal. Now the American international can’t wait to run out at Goodison Park for the first time. “I am very excited about playing at Goodison,” Donovan said. “I am hoping I get my home debut this weekend. Sitting in the stands at the Carlisle game made me want to play. “Seeing how the fans respond and seeing their passion, I loved that. “Obviously you play for yourself but you also want to play for them and show them something. “It is a big game against City and they are a team that are playing very well but we are playing well too so it will be an exciting match.”
Donovan admits he’s been blown away by the reception he has received from Blues supporters. When he took corners in front of the away end at the Emirates Stadium he was greeted with chants of ‘USA’. “It was awesome,” Donovan added. “From day one everyone has been very welcoming. When you have that support it certainly helps you on the field so I look forward to playing at Goodison.” The LA Galaxy star’s only disappointment was the fact he wasn’t fit enough to last the full 90 minutes against the Gunners. He was substituted midway through the second half but could be satisfied with his day’s work after setting up the opening goal for Leon Osman. “The pace of the Premier League wasn’t easy but it is nothing I haven’t done before,” he said.
“I found it enjoyable as I like to be challenged and for the 70 minutes I was on the field I was constantly challenged. “I only wish I was more fit so I could have played the full 90 minutes because when I play a full game I am more effective.
“I think I could have worn them down a little more but hopefully this weekend we will be able to do that against Manchester City.” EVERTON’S FA Youth Cup fourth round tie with Brighton & Hove Albion, which was due to take place tonight, has been postponed due to snow at the Withdean Stadium. It will now take place on Thursday, January 21 (7pm).
Lucas Neill completes £1million move from Everton to Galatasaray
Jan 14, 2010 by James Pearce, Liverpool Echo
LUCAS NEILL has completed his £1million move from Everton to Galatasaray.
The 31-year-old has signed an 18-month contract with the Turkish club.
The Australian international’s transfer represents a tidy profit for Blues boss David Moyes, who signed Neill on a free transfer after he was released by West Ham in the summer. Neill made 12 starts and three substitute appearances for the Blues.
Meanwhile, new boy Landon Donovan is relishing the chance to make his home debut in Saturday’s Premier League clash with Manchester City. The 27-year-old enjoyed a promising start to his 10-week stay with the Blues when he impressed in last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Arsenal. Now the American international can’t wait to run out at Goodison Park for the first time. “I am very excited about playing at Goodison,” Donovan said. “I am hoping I get my home debut this weekend. Sitting in the stands at the Carlisle game made me want to play. “Seeing how the fans respond and seeing their passion, I loved that. “Obviously you play for yourself but you also want to play for them and show them something. “It is a big game against City and they are a team that are playing very well but we are playing well too so it will be an exciting match.”
Donovan admits he’s been blown away by the reception he has received from Blues supporters. When he took corners in front of the away end at the Emirates Stadium he was greeted with chants of ‘USA’. It was awesome,” Donovan added.
“From day one everyone has been very welcoming. When you have that support it helps you on the field so I look forward to playing at Goodison.” The LA Galaxy star’s only disappointment was the fact he wasn’t fit enough to last the full 90 minutes. “The pace of the Premier League wasn’t easy but it is nothing I haven’t done before,” he said. “I found it enjoyable as I like to be challenged and for the 70 minutes I was on the field I was constantly challenged. I only wish I was more fit so I could have played 90 minutes because when I play a full game I am more effective.”
Everton’s FA Youth Cup fourth round tie with Brighton tonight has been postponed until Thursday, January 21.
Mersey Hardmen Series: Davey Hickson – King of the Gwladys Street
Jan 12, 2010 by David Prentice, Liverpool Echo
“I’D break any bone in my body for any club I play for … but I’d die for Everton.”
If those words had come from any other footballer, they’d be met with a knowing nod, perhaps delivered with a twinkle in the eye – as if to underline that the words were metaphorical, not literal. But not Dave Hickson. Not the Cannonball Kid.
When Hickson uttered that sentence on Everton’s official video history back in 1988, he meant every word of it. Dave Hickson doesn’t do insincerity. The warrior-like centre-forward suffered enough physical injury during the cause of his celebrated career to back those words up, and almost 20 years later he came worryingly close to endorsing the second part of that sentence too. It was while serving Everton as a matchday ambassador that Hickson suffered a heart attack in the entrance atrium of Goodison Park. It goes without saying that he bounced back. But even during that awful period of his life his character and his humour shone through. As if in tribute to their flaxen haired hard-man, Everton produced a scoreline which harked back to Hickson’s own playing days – defeating Sunderland 7-1, and when the stricken striker was asked by nursing staff whether he had expected to be playing in that fixture, he replied “only in the last ten minutes.” There is no doubt that Hickson is one of Merseyside football’s greatest treasures. He represented all three professional Merseyside clubs with passion and distinction, although there has never been any doubt where his heart lies. He is an Everton man from the tip of his trademark quiff to the toecaps of his shooting boots – which he was still pulling on only a decade ago in charity matches. And even in those low key kickabouts he would ask everything from his 70-year-frame. But that was the way Hickson conducted his whole career.
It was Joe Royle who first coined the phrase “Davey would often come off the pitch covered in blood....some of it his own.” That humorous aside was probably inspired by Hickson’s courageous display in front of nearly 78,000 fans during the stirring run to the 1953 FA Cup semi-final – performances which cemented his reputation as one of soccer’s stormiest petrels. First, in the fifth round clash with Manchester United Hickson staggered back onto the Goodison pitch, blood seeping from a gashed eyebrow, to head a matchwinner. Of course the goal didn’t come until Hickson had reopened the original head wound with a header against the post. His face was a bloodied mask when he came of the pitch at the end. But there was no way he was coming off until the final whistle had blown. That set up an FA Cup quarter-final at Villa Park, and of course he scored the winner that day too, with a scorching strike from just inside the penalty box after starting the move near the halfway line.
Aston Villa also provided the opposition when Hickson made his Liverpool debut in November 1959, and again it was a significant moment in the annals of this very special footballer. He scored twice, after a transfer which made Nick Barmby’s decision to cross Stanley Park look like an afterthought. But Hickson never ducked a physical challenge in his life, so he was hardly likely to hide from controversy.
Typically he won over the Liverpool fans as quickly as he had become a folk hero at Goodison. Still a hugely popular figure on Goodison Park’s stadium tours, despite celebrating his 80th birthday recently, Hickson still has his trademark quiff and a vicelike handshake. Dave Hickson is a Mersey hard man – and a gentleman to boot.
HOWARD KENDALL: Landon Donovan made a very encouraging start with Everton FC
Jan 15 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo
PERHAPS the biggest compliment you could pay Landon Donovan after his Everton debut was that he fitted into an ever-improving team very well The lad had not played a competitive match for a while but he was bright and positive, a lot like he was in his interviews after signing when he came across very well. As for his ex-Los Angeles Galaxy teammate David Beckham, I think Fabio Capello should make his mind up now about whether he is taking him to South Africa in the summer and spare us the endless speculation. Capello apparently went to watch Beckham playing his first game back at AC Milan so he should announce it now. I’d take David. If you need something special in terms of dead-ball delivery in the last 20 or 15 minutes of a game then he is ideal. Beckham seems like a good type of guy to have around; he is popular with his teammates, has lots of experience, and sets a good example.
I’d be surprised if he isn’t on the plane to the tournament. Like Donovan he is worth taking a risk on.
Class shines through as Everton FC show their worth in victory over Manchester City
Jan 18 2010 by James Pearce, Liverpool Daily Post
YOU can have all the Sheikh’s billions but there are still some things money can’t buy. Everton and Manchester City once had much in common, now they are like chalk and cheese. The team City put out at Goodison was assembled at a cost of £110million. The three substitutes Roberto Mancini brought on were signed at a combined bill of £45m, around the same price as Everton’s entire starting line-up.
David Moyes would have been within his rights to cast a few envious glances towards the away dugout. Moyes’s mission to take his club forward has undoubtedly been hampered by a lack of funds, while in contrast Mancini has inherited a bottomless pit of cash to realise Abu Dhabi businessman Sheikh Mansour’s dream of world domination. However, what Moyes has at Everton you can’t put a price on.
His players play for each other and they have pride in the shirt. That passion, desire and collective spirit was clear for all to see on Saturday as City were taught a lesson.
Mancini arrived on the crest of a wave following four straight wins after taking over from Mark Hughes. The Italian left thanking his lucky stars his side weren’t handed a more humiliating defeat. The scoreline hardly reflected the extent of Everton’s dominance. First half goals from the exceptional Steven Pienaar and Louis Saha put Everton firmly in control and only the woodwork and poor finishing denied them further reward after the break. They had the game’s outstanding performer in Marouane Fellaini. The Belgian is enjoying a rich vein of form and clearly flourishing in the holding midfield role. His manager has hailed him as currently the best midfielder in the top flight and on Saturday’s evidence it’s hard to argue with that assessment. Fellaini broke up countless City attacks and got Everton moving again. He dominated in the air, was tidy in possession and capped off a good night’s work with a classy dragback and pirouette to outfox Craig Bellamy late on.
The Gwladys Street lapped it up and the only thing missing from Fellaini’s performance was a goal – with Shay Given’s heroics denying him the icing on the cake. Victory extended Everton’s unbeaten league run to seven games and finally lifted them into the top half of the table. Not since the Merseyside derby at the end of November have they tasted defeat in the league and now the challenge is to kick on and compete for a top six finish. It’s a tough ask considering the ground they need to make up but standards have been set that need to be maintained. This was also a personal triumph for Moyes who was desperate to put one over City following the way they went about signing Joleon Lescott last summer. A knee injury meant there was no Goodison return for the £22million centre-back but his former manager’s programme notes highlighted just how much that saga still rankles. There is no doubt that Manchester City treated us with little respect and broke rules in the summer,” the Everton manager wrote. “I found it hard to accept that a club that until recently had many similarities to Everton should suddenly start acting with no class.”
His side began like they were under strict orders to exact retribution for City’s arrogance. Mancini’s men were never given time to settle on the ball as those in royal blue snapped at their heels and forced them into errors. Martin Petrov had an early effort pushed away by Tim Howard but after it was one-way traffic. Everton were superior in all departments and the only surprise was how long it took them to find a breakthrough. Diniyar Bilyaletdinov nodded straight at Given when well placed and then Landon Donovan, who impressed on his home debut, lifted the ball over the keeper but wide of the far post. The Irish shot-stopper produced a stunning save to deny the hosts just before the half hour mark. Bilyaletdinov burst past Petrov in the box but saw his rasping left footer tipped over. Pienaar and Fellaini dominated the centre of the park with City’s £28m duo Gareth Barry and Nigel De Jong left chasing shadows. The goal Everton’s dominance deserved finally arrived in the 36th minute. Pablo Zabaleta brought down Saha just outside the box and Pienaar stepped up to curl the free-kick over the wall and inside Given’s near post. It was the third successive league game in which the little South African has found the net and he raced off to share his joy with one of the stewards. City were on the ropes and Everton went for the jugular. Bilyaletdinov was agonisingly close again before on the stroke of half-time Micah Richards pressed the self-destruct button. There was little danger as the defender marshalled Saha near the edge of the box but his continuous shirt-tugging gave Andre Marriner little choice but to point to the point. Saha converted to notch his 11th of the campaign and Goodison was in dreamland. Outclassed, out-thought and out-muscled, City had been truly woeful and in the second half they barely improved.
Carlos Tevez, who had scored seven in his previous four league games, was expertly marshalled by rock-solid John Heitinga and Sylvain Distin, who returned from injury to make his first start since December 2. The prolific Argentinian spent most of the game either on his backside or readjusting his alice band, while Bellamy continuously snarled at his team-mates for the pitiful lack of service. The early loss of Roque Santa Cruz to injury hardly helped their cause and his replacement Robinho suffered the insult of being substituted himself on the hour mark. The £32.5m Brazilian, who is reported to earn £160,000 a week, strolled around seemingly disinterested and the only surprise was that Mancini waited so long to haul him off. In stark contrast, when Distin ran out of gas, young full-back Seamus Coleman came on and fitted in seamlessly with Phil Neville switching to centre-back. Coleman, who cost roughly the same as three days wages for Robinho, gave everything for the cause and helped ensure City never had a sniff. In fact Everton should have rubbed salt into the visitors’ wounds. With 12 minutes to go Fellaini powered Donovan’s corner goalwards but Given somehow touched it onto the bar and Bilyaletdinov wastefully lashed the rebound over. Next it was Cahill’s turn to curse his luck as his header from Leighton Baines’ cross left Given beaten but bounced back off the woodwork.
“Lescott, what’s the score?” chanted the home supporters.
This was a sweet triumph. In fact you could say it was priceless.
Class shines through as Everton FC show their worth in victory over Manchester City
Jan 18 2010 by James Pearce, Liverpool Daily Post
YOU can have all the Sheikh’s billions but there are still some things money can’t buy. Everton and Manchester City once had much in common, now they are like chalk and cheese. The team City put out at Goodison was assembled at a cost of £110million. The three substitutes Roberto Mancini brought on were signed at a combined bill of £45m, around the same price as Everton’s entire starting line-up.
David Moyes would have been within his rights to cast a few envious glances towards the away dugout. Moyes’s mission to take his club forward has undoubtedly been hampered by a lack of funds, while in contrast Mancini has inherited a bottomless pit of cash to realise Abu Dhabi businessman Sheikh Mansour’s dream of world domination. However, what Moyes has at Everton you can’t put a price on.
His players play for each other and they have pride in the shirt. That passion, desire and collective spirit was clear for all to see on Saturday as City were taught a lesson.
Mancini arrived on the crest of a wave following four straight wins after taking over from Mark Hughes. The Italian left thanking his lucky stars his side weren’t handed a more humiliating defeat. The scoreline hardly reflected the extent of Everton’s dominance. First half goals from the exceptional Steven Pienaar and Louis Saha put Everton firmly in control and only the woodwork and poor finishing denied them further reward after the break. They had the game’s outstanding performer in Marouane Fellaini. The Belgian is enjoying a rich vein of form and clearly flourishing in the holding midfield role. His manager has hailed him as currently the best midfielder in the top flight and on Saturday’s evidence it’s hard to argue with that assessment. Fellaini broke up countless City attacks and got Everton moving again. He dominated in the air, was tidy in possession and capped off a good night’s work with a classy dragback and pirouette to outfox Craig Bellamy late on.
The Gwladys Street lapped it up and the only thing missing from Fellaini’s performance was a goal – with Shay Given’s heroics denying him the icing on the cake. Victory extended Everton’s unbeaten league run to seven games and finally lifted them into the top half of the table. Not since the Merseyside derby at the end of November have they tasted defeat in the league and now the challenge is to kick on and compete for a top six finish. It’s a tough ask considering the ground they need to make up but standards have been set that need to be maintained. This was also a personal triumph for Moyes who was desperate to put one over City following the way they went about signing Joleon Lescott last summer. A knee injury meant there was no Goodison return for the £22million centre-back but his former manager’s programme notes highlighted just how much that saga still rankles. There is no doubt that Manchester City treated us with little respect and broke rules in the summer,” the Everton manager wrote. “I found it hard to accept that a club that until recently had many similarities to Everton should suddenly start acting with no class.”
His side began like they were under strict orders to exact retribution for City’s arrogance. Mancini’s men were never given time to settle on the ball as those in royal blue snapped at their heels and forced them into errors. Martin Petrov had an early effort pushed away by Tim Howard but after it was one-way traffic. Everton were superior in all departments and the only surprise was how long it took them to find a breakthrough. Diniyar Bilyaletdinov nodded straight at Given when well placed and then Landon Donovan, who impressed on his home debut, lifted the ball over the keeper but wide of the far post.
The Irish shot-stopper produced a stunning save to deny the hosts just before the half hour mark. Bilyaletdinov burst past Petrov in the box but saw his rasping left footer tipped over.
Pienaar and Fellaini dominated the centre of the park with City’s £28m duo Gareth Barry and Nigel De Jong left chasing shadows.
The goal Everton’s dominance deserved finally arrived in the 36th minute. Pablo Zabaleta brought down Saha just outside the box and Pienaar stepped up to curl the free-kick over the wall and inside Given’s near post. It was the third successive league game in which the little South African has found the net and he raced off to share his joy with one of the stewards. City were on the ropes and Everton went for the jugular. Bilyaletdinov was agonisingly close again before on the stroke of half-time Micah Richards pressed the self-destruct button. There was little danger as the defender marshalled Saha near the edge of the box but his continuous shirt-tugging gave Andre Marriner little choice but to point to the point. Saha converted to notch his 11th of the campaign and Goodison was in dreamland. Outclassed, out-thought and out-muscled, City had been truly woeful and in the second half they barely improved.
Carlos Tevez, who had scored seven in his previous four league games, was expertly marshalled by rock-solid John Heitinga and Sylvain Distin, who returned from injury to make his first start since December 2. The prolific Argentinian spent most of the game either on his backside or readjusting his alice band, while Bellamy continuously snarled at his team-mates for the pitiful lack of service. The early loss of Roque Santa Cruz to injury hardly helped their cause and his replacement Robinho suffered the insult of being substituted himself on the hour mark. The £32.5m Brazilian, who is reported to earn £160,000 a week, strolled around seemingly disinterested and the only surprise was that Mancini waited so long to haul him off. In stark contrast, when Distin ran out of gas, young full-back Seamus Coleman came on and fitted in seamlessly with Phil Neville switching to centre-back. Coleman, who cost roughly the same as three days wages for Robinho, gave everything for the cause and helped ensure City never had a sniff. In fact Everton should have rubbed salt into the visitors’ wounds. With 12 minutes to go Fellaini powered Donovan’s corner goalwards but Given somehow touched it onto the bar and Bilyaletdinov wastefully lashed the rebound over. Next it was Cahill’s turn to curse his luck as his header from Leighton Baines’ cross left Given beaten but bounced back off the woodwork. “Lescott, what’s the score?” chanted the home supporters. This was a sweet triumph. In fact you could say it was priceless.
Everton 2 City 0
January 16, 2010
Manchester Evening News
MANCHESTER City suffered their first defeat under boss Roberto Mancini and dropped out of the top four after a below-par performance against Everton.
Steven Pienaar's free-kick and Louis Saha's penalty put the Toffees two up at the break, and although City showed more spirit in the second half, there was no comeback. To make matters worse for City, Roque Santa Cruz went off injured after nine minutes. He was replaced by Robinho, but the Brazilian was taken off after 60 minutes after an ineffective performance. The margin of defeat could have been even greater with Marouane Fellaini - via a fingertip save from Shay Given - and Tim Cahil hitting the woodwork. The loss is just City's third in the league this season, and they must now refocus quickly ahead of Tuesday's Carling Cup semi-final first leg derby clash against United at Eastlands. The Blues got off to a good start though and Martin Petrov strode forward before delivering a rasping shot that goalkeeper Tim Howard was content to parry to safety. The home side hit back and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov sent a header into Shay Given’s arms following a cross from Landon Donovan on his home debut. Robinho then had a half-chance for City following a flick on from Carlos Tevez but cleared the bar with his effort. Play switched back down the other end and Donovan came close to making the breakthrough in the 20th minute. He clipped the ball beyond Given but narrowly wide of the post after being set up by Saha. Donovan then swung in a corner from the left three minutes later and Marouane Fellaini peeled away from his marker only to deliver a weak header that Given collected comfortably. Everton stepped up the pace and Fellaini cracked a shot wide before Bilyaletdinov saw his close-range effort turned over the top by Given in the 27th minute.
Everton goal
Pienaar made the breakthrough in the 36th minute after Pablo Zabaleta’s challenge on Saha. The South African took the free-kick and from 20 yards curled the ball beyond Given at the goalkeeper’s near post, with Nigel de Jong breaking away from the defensive wall. Everton almost got a second seven minutes later after Bilyaletdinov brushed aside Zabaleta and raced into the box. However, the Russian snatched at his shot and sent it wide of the target. Craig Bellamy went close for City before Everton added a second in first-half stoppage time. Saha scored a cool penalty in the wake of City protests after he had his shirt tugged by Micah Richards. City boss Mancini made a change at half-time, bringing on Benjani Mwaruwari to give Tevez some support with Petrov remaining in the dressing room. The main concern for the former Inter Milan boss was that there was little invention from midfield. City were struggling to get a foothold in the game and Mancini had obviously seen enough from Robinho to know he was not testing the opposition. He decided to replace the ineffective substitute and bring on Shaun Wright-Phillips in the 62nd minute.
It was another setback for Robinho, who had tested the patience of the previous manager Mark Hughes. Everton were keeping their shape well and almost extended their lead after two swift counter-attacks Fellaini got on the end of Pienaar’s corner in the 79th minute but Given reacted superbly to tip his header onto the post. Then a minute later Tim Cahill smacked the bar as the visitors again found themselves on the back foot. City kept pushing forward but to no avail as Everton dealt a blow to their hopes of clinching a Champions League place
Everton 1 Birmingham 2: Full time report
Jan 23 2010 Birmingham Post
Birmingham stretched their unbeaten run to 15 matches as they battled their way into the FA Cup fifth round. The Blues led 2-0 at the break thanks to fine goals from Christian Benitez and Barry Ferguson. But after substitute Leon Osman had hauled Everton back into the match in the second period, the Midlanders were forced to defend for their lives to advance to the next round. James Vaughan came on for Saha as the Everton barrage heightened, and the youngster headed over with virtually his first touch after 75 minutes. With 11 minutes left Arteta appeared on the touchline to rapturous applause, and replaced Donovan. The Spanish midfielder's cross provided a chance for Vaughan to hook over, before Birmingham sent on 18 year-old Jake Jervis for his debut in place of Benitez after 80 minutes. Three minutes later Osman was booked for hauling down former team-mate McFadden, but Birmingham wasted the free-kick after being under so much pressure at the other end. Hart made a stunning save to keep out a Fellaini effort which arrowed towards the top corner from 12-yards, and in added time the Belgian hit the outside of the post. But after four minutes of injury time, Birmingham held on for victory.
Everton FC 1, Birmingham City 2: Benitez and Ferguson thwart Blues' FA Cup hopes
Jan 25 2010 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post
Benitez and Ferguson knock Everton FC out of the FA Cup this time as Birmingham City triumph NEITHER Benitez nor Ferguson could stop Everton on their charge to Wembley last season. On Saturday, however, the pair combined to ensure there would be no instant FA Cup final return for David Moyes’s men. The competition reverted to type under the Goodison manager as his team’s growing momentum was brought to a shuddering and surprising halt as a rollercoaster campaign plummeted to another low. Even though Liverpool and Manchester United, opponents Everton vanquished on the road to the final last year, had already fallen by the wayside, Moyes warned that the money being pumped into the Premier League meant it would be more difficult than ever to lift the famous old trophy. Sadly, his players had clearly not been listening. How else to explain the woeful first-half performance that left Everton too much to do after the interval as, for the fourth time in the last six seasons, Moyes’s side were sent tumbling out of the competition on their own turf? Having comprehensively dismantled top-four aspirants Manchester City here just seven days earlier, confidence was coursing through the veins of an Everton team playing their best football of the season as their lengthy injury list finally begins to ease.
And then this. Moyes always insists the focus for Everton is the Premier League, but the thrilling run to the final last year had engendered a feelgood factor and a renewed sense of belief throughout the club that underlined the value of lengthy cup involvement. It made their approach in the first half on Saturday all the more alarming. Listless, guileless and lacking any sense of urgency, it was the polar opposite of the effervescent, classy display that had helped the same starting line-up see off City. Moyes’s men can’t say they hadn’t been warned. Under Alex McLeish, Birmingham City have become a tough proposition in recent months while demonstrating the kind of qualities that proved the catalyst for Everton’s initial revival under Moyes. Supremely resilient in defence, combative in midfield and sprinkled with genuine attacking talent, the Midlanders fully deserved their first win at Goodison since 1957 and have now gone 15 games without defeat. No wonder the travelling fans sang “we are unbeatable”. And Everton are unlikely to concede two better goals to an away team this season than those netted by Birmingham during their decisive first-half display. The opener on seven minutes came from a counter-attack that was started and finished by Christian Benitez. Gaining possession deep in his own half, Benitez shrugged off a foul challenge by Steven Pienaar – referee Howard Webb playing a good advantage – and fed Barry Ferguson, who instantly switched the play out wide right to Keith Fahey. The winger’s inviting cross then evaded the efforts of Leighton Baines to clear, and Benitez, having continued his run forward, headed beyond Tim Howard at the far post. But if that was good, their second, five minutes before half-time, was genuinely outstanding, another incisive passing move ending with Ferguson dummying Sebastian Larsson’s low cross from the right and running into space on to a clever flick from James McFadden before sidefooting coolly past Howard. Sure, Everton roused themselves for a second-half fightback that, with a little more accuracy in front of goal, could have at least ensured another crack in the replay. But that would have masked the shortcomings of the opening 45 minutes that prompted a spate of jeers at the half-time whistle from the home crowd, a rare encouraging period of pressure that culminated with Baines ballooning a cross into the Gwaldys Street End encapsulating Everton’s first-half stupor. Too many players performed below the standards they had set themselves the previous week. Diniyar Bilyaletdinov may have been hauled off at the interval but he wasn’t alone in not producing; this was a collective failing for which Everton have only themselves to blame. As Moyes stated afterwards, the increased competition places – improved further by the arrival of on-loan Philippe Senderos for the remainder of the season – means he has genuine scope for change ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League visit of Sunderland. And the axe will surely fall after this result. Had Benitez not shot straight at Howard when being put clean through by Larsson shortly after the interval, any hope of an Everton comeback would surely have been dashed. Instead, Bilyaletdinov’s replacement, Leon Osman, brought the home side back into the game on 57 minutes when he curled in a fine finish from 20 yards after being fed by Pienaar.
That was the cue for Moyes’s men to finally step up a gear. However, Louis Saha twice snatched at presentable opportunities before making way for James Vaughan, who fared no better when stretching to direct a header narrowly off target and then firing a volley on the turn just over the crossbar. Even Marouane Fellaini, Everton’s man of the moment, had been dragged down by the first-half malaise, but the Belgian grew in stature after the interval and twice almost drew his side level in the final fine minutes. After being found by Pienaar, Fellaini stepped inside Birmingham centre-back Scott Dann and thrashed a shot that was too close to goalkeeper Joe Hart, who parried the ball clear. And then, after a cross from Phil Neville, Fellaini dug out a shot that flashed inches past the far post. But in truth an equaliser would have been harsh on Birmingham for whom Liverpool-born Dann and Roger Johnson, as in the 1-1 Premier League draw here the previous month, were immense at the heart of defence.
The one positive for Everton was the return to action of Mikel Arteta. The Spanish midfielder had been sorely missed during a spell of almost a year on the sidelined following serious knee ligament damage, his rehabilitation subsequently hampered by two separate setbacks. So it was a mixture of relief and genuine delight that Goodison rose to its feet to applaud Arteta’s appearance as a 76th-minute substitute.
It will take time for the midfielder to rediscover his peak fitness and form – a point Moyes rightly made after the game – but the mere sight of the player back on the pitch was a significant bonus. How frustrating, then, that with Arteta soon to be joined back in contention by Victor Anichebe, Dan Gosling and Jack Rodwell, the cavalry will find only the Europa League to play for. Hamburg is still on, but Wembley will have to wait for another year
Scouser Scott Dann thrilled by Birmingham City's FA Cup win at Everton
Jan 25 2010 Birmingham Post
Birmingham City defender Scott Dann returned to his home city to remind both Everton and Liverpool just what they missed out on. Dann played a key role in the impressive FA Cup fourth-round victory at Everton, as Blues stretched their remarkable unbeaten run to 15 matches. Dann, 23, was missed by both Everton and Liverpool as a youngster and ended up playing Sunday league football before being given a chance as a professional at Walsall. He had loan spells in non-league with Redditch and Hednesford before moving to Coventry, and then a £3.5million switch to Birmingham last summer has seen the Walton-born player make a dramatic rise in the game. Birmingham's 2-1 win at Goodison Park was fully deserved, and built on a rock-like defence as Alex McLeish's side withstood a second-half barrage to reach the fifth round. Christian Benitez and Barry Ferguson scored excellent first-half goals against last season's runners-up, and despite Leon Osman's second-period strike, Everton could not save themselves. Dann stood out like a beacon of defiance as the battle raged all around him, and just what the Merseyside clubs failed to pick up on was all too apparent. He said afterwards: "It was nice to do well in front of Everton fans, particularly because I am from just around the corner. "And we are delighted with the result. Goodison Park is always a tough place to play, and even at 2-0 up we knew they were going to throw everything at us. "At the break they would have had a kick up the backside, and we knew they would come straight at us, and it was an onslaught, but we managed to hang on. "Our plan was to get out of the blocks very quickly because we knew Everton would be on a high after beating Manchester City in their previous match. "We needed to get in front quickly, and a second goal just before half-time really gave us a chance and settled us down." Of his own failure to make the grade in his home city, Dann said: "I was not picked up by either local club, Everton or Liverpool, when I was younger. It meant that I went to Walsall and then Coventry before the move to Birmingham. "I have had to work my way up the divisions, and that has given me a lot of experience and matches. "It has been a good grounding, and now I have reached the Premier League I feel I can handle things because of the way I have had to progress in the game. "I now have a great partnership with Roger Johnson in the centre of defence, and it helps that the manager was also a defender and he is able to give me plenty of advice. "Roger and me have benefited from that. But it is not just about us, it is the whole team. We are working hard for each other and that is bringing the results our way." Everton boss David Moyes was stunned by his own team's inept first-half display. Moyes said: "We just didn't 'turn up' in that first period. The attitude has to be right for every game and it looked as if were well below our best. "We never really got to the pitch of the battle, some of them did not enjoy the (physical) tussle at the start. That set the tone and it was always going to be a struggle. "But Birmingham are above us in the league so maybe people should not be too surprised by the result. "We had played so well recently and raised the bar, so it was a massive drop in standards. It surprised me and it surprised the crowd. We are better than that. "But Birmingham are a better team than people give them credit for. I'm a little surprised that a promoted team can go 15 matches unbeaten and be as high as they are in the league. But the Premier League is not as daunting for new clubs as it has been in the past."
Everton FC 2, Sunderland 0: Cahill's cream has Black Cats wailing
Jan 28 2010 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post
IF Sunderland’s supporters are possibly finding their team hard to watch at the moment, then they are certainly sick of the sight of Tim Cahill. Normally the most loyal and passionate of travelling armies, only 600 Black Cats followers made the trip down from the North East to Goodison last night. And they were probably wondering why they had bothered after Everton produced the perfect response to seeing their road to Wembley halted five days earlier. Not for the first time, Cahill proved Sunderland’s tormentor-in-chief. The Australian sent Everton on their way with the opener in the seventh minute before turning creator shortly afterwards to provide Landon Donovan his first goal since arriving at Goodison earlier this month.
Cahill now has six career goals against Sunderland and it was his strike for Millwall in 2004 that denied the Black Cats a place in the FA Cup final. Everton’s own hopes of an instant return to the showpiece occasion were dashed by Birmingham City at the weekend, but the Premier League is proving more fertile ground of late.
And if ever there was a fixture tailor-made to rebuild momentum, it was this one.
Sunderland had conceded 15 goals in their last four away games – seven coming in their calamitous defeat at Chelsea – and hadn’t won on 10 games on their travels.
And with Everton unbeaten in the past 11 meetings between the sides, everything pointed to a home victory. David Moyes’s side required a late Marouane Fellaini strike to salvage point at the Stadium of Light on Boxing Day, but no such rescue act was necessary last night. Moyes and Wearside counterpart Steve Bruce engaged in some mutual appreciation before the game, but it’s the latter who still has much to learn from his Goodison rival on this evidence. While Sunderland freefall towards the relegation zone, Everton continue to head in the opposite direction. They are now unbeaten in their last eight Premier League games and can take further encouragement from their injury list finally beginning to clear. With new signing Philippe Senderos joining Mikel Arteta, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, James Vaughan and the returning Victor Anichebe among the substitutes, Moyes had a strength available on the bench that has been conspicuous by its absence this season. Competition for places will increase further with both Jack Rodwell and Dan Gosling on the brink of first-team contention and Joseph Yobo and Yakubu due back from the African Cup of Nations next week, leaving only Phil Jagielka as the main injury concern. Leon Osman was rewarded for his goal as substitute on Saturday by replacing Bilyaletdinov in the starting line-up, but otherwise this was the same team that slumped out of the FA Cup in disappointing fashion, Moyes giving his players the chance of redemption. It was taken. Having berated them for their lacklustre start at the weekend, the Goodison manager could have no such complaints here, his team’s bright opening effectively settling the game inside the first quarter. Everton took just seven minutes to expose the soft centre of Sunderland’s defence, with a little help from the visitors and an assistant referee.
After Kieran Richardson had given away possession inside his own half, the ball found its way to Fellaini on the left flank whose cross was glanced into the goal by the unmarked Cahill from eight yards. Television replays suggested there was a hint of offside but the flag remained down, the Australian notching only his third league goal of the campaign. The lead was doubled on 19 minutes with another simple goal. Cahill was the provider, rising above Matthew Kilgallon to head down a long diagonal pass from Leighton Baines into the path of Donovan, the American given the space to steady himself before firing left-footed into the bottom corner beyond Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon. In a matter of weeks, Donovan has already shown greater appetite and application than fellow loan ranger Jo managed in almost six months before the Brazilian was shipped back to Manchester City last week. Employed on the right flank, the American offers a genuine outlet with his pace and close control and his natural goal-scoring instinct marks him out as a danger in the box. And although his deal is initially only for 10 weeks, Donovan is making a compelling case for Moyes to pursue that stay to be extended. With Everton threatening with every attack, Osman tip-toed his way into a similar position to the one from which he scored on Saturday, but Gordon was equal to his curling effort. The keeper was then asked to save down low to his left by a driven Baines free-kick as Everton exerted almost total control, Sunderland offering nothing until substitute Kenwyne Jones – on for the stricken Kieran Richardson – couldn’t connect with a presentable Boudewijn Zenden cross in injury time. Osman skied over from range as Everton began the second half again in the ascendancy, the hopeless Sunderland defence having to resort to kicking and shirt-pulling to keep the marauding home side at bay. Donovan should have had a second on 57 minutes when released by Cahill but, after taking the ball around Gordon, the American’s effort was brilliantly cleared off the line by George McCartney.
Less than a minute later, it was the turn of John Mensah to save Sunderland, the centre-back making an excellent tackle on Louis Saha after the striker had been sent racing clear by Steven Pienaar. Although Everton eased up on their intensity during the final quarter, Sunderland lacked the gumption to take advantage, although Zenden solicited a fine save from Tim Howard with two minutes remaining. A poor effort moments later from Jones prompted Everton’s fans – and then Sunderland’s – to urge Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez to sign him up. Clearly, the smiles are back at Goodison.
January 2010