This was the game that was regarded as the season decider – would we be scrapping it out with the top 7 group for a European place (“AC Milan visit Hull”), or splash fighting in the lower depths of the league? Of course, the away win at Tottenham filled the optimism of every Evertonian that we could also defeat Aston Villa at home. Unfortunately, that didn’t show up in the attendance total: a pretty dire show up compared to the usual support for the lads, although to be fair not many people, including me and my arl’ fella, will want to fork up nearly £40 per ticket 2 weeks before Christmas, to sit in the freezing cold (and no snow, damn Michael Fish) while it’s already on Sky. Nevertheless, anyone who went weren’t withdrawn of action, despite being a bit let down by conceding a goal within 34 bloody seconds.
After some bad control by Arteta from a throw, the Brummies were able to strike with venom, fast passes finding its way to Steve Sidwell, who struck it nicely past Howard. Okay, it’s not the first time we’ve had to fight back into a match, but 34 seconds??? From then on, we had that familiar low confidence, before they were fired up by the fans, mostly after the acrobatics of their players and their wonderful fans singing the “Never get a job” ditty once more – bless, it never gets old. From then on, we played football that seemed so familiar last season, some really positive play saw us overpower O’Neill’s team almost completely. If we had a striker who actually started a game before this one, we would have got the imminent goal a little earlier.
However, good things come to those who wait (well, for us anyway) and our deserved equaliser came around the 30th minute. Laursen, pulling Cahill’s arm like a slot machine, gifted Mikky the free kick, which duly bounced off Leon’s head and onto the boot of Joleon Lescott – we certainly missed his kind of strikeforce. From then on, it was like déjà vu from last season – good passing, solid defence, and Jo’s goals. That is, until one of our players of the season so far – Phil Jagielka – attempted a pass which I can only describe as watching a David James moment in reverse. Villa’s attack got an early Christmas present, which they duly booted into the back of the net. Back to square one.
From then on, Everton dominated again, but were let down time and again by a weak midfield and the worst refereeing this season – I wish we could pipe up more about it, but we were as much at fault as he was. Yet in attack, we were strong, only let down by the great goalkeeping of Brad Friedel and the haircut of Fellaini, who may think fitting in in Merseyside involves looking like Harry Enfield’s scousers on YouTube. Three minutes were added at the end, and we decided to throw the kitchen sink at their goal, which may have been more convincing if we hadn’t took Anichebe off for Baines and Shandy (20 months later). Yet our efforts were very much rewarded, Lescott thundering in a great strike away from the mid-box melee. 2-2, Goodison erupted, and Phil’s blushes were spared. Game finished, right? Unfortunately, Moyes and the players thought the same, unknowing of the ref translating extra time as 3 mins + one more Aston Villa attack. The back four switched off, thinking the point was won, and Villa’s third shot on target (from as far as I can remember) ended up in the back of the net. The next five minutes involved quite a lot of expletives, in between large swigs of Bulmers Cider.
The main thing I pulled from the wreckage of the game is that the skill is there – we’re able to create the same form that saw us 4th for most of last season, yet something’s missing. And it’s the presence of a strong midfielder who can both lead and win the 50/50s and pass the ball around, while making the defenders’ jobs a little more comfortable. But the guy we thought would do this still hasn’t totally fit in with English culture, and Castillo’s still stuck on the bench while Cahill stinks up in yet another match. It’s been a really odd season so far, not much helped by the lack of spending in the market (maybe influenced by playing it safe from Captain Credit Crunch). We’ve had so many season deciders, and it’s not even 2009 yet.
Manchester City next, and I can’t tell whether we’ll play badly and win, or play fantastically and lose. Nevertheless, I think I’ll try Kopparberg when I’m shouting at Phil Neville next time.
Sorry for the absence.
Joe T
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Tags: 07/12/2008, Aston Villa, Everton, Lescott
