Speaking following Evertons 2-1 win over Bolton, Dave gives his opinion on a 'brand new Everton'.
A new Everton. Thats the feeling I got watching into the first few minutes against Bolton. If you look at last week, when the only outlet out of the defence is a square Yobo ball to Hibbert, who proceeds to look up and whack it as far as he can. This time, just watch how many times the ball went from left back to right back and vice versa, and how many times Baines was in space shouting for the ball. The long ball was kept in the cupboard for clearances.
Today was another leap in the evolution of our club. It may have been falsely attributed to the introduction of Gravesen, but that friends, is selling the whole team short. In the first half there was cohesion. Its a new word or us, that we have just re-invented. Or Moyes has.
Today I firmly believe you got a glimpse of 'Future Everton'. Today we got a goal early, and survived the retaliation, until the break of course, and then it was only a matter of time as Bolton, at home, came flying out of the blocks.
But lets look at the first goal. Johnson in the channel, carving up the turf to get a sublime touch away from Cid. Its still a two on two, with Yakubu keeping pace. Johnson drifts in, and so does Yakubu, before the latter checks his run and widens his berth, allowing Johnson to play the ball between the two defenders. Giving himself the easiest of side foots. Now I guarantee that if we hadn't signed Yakubu, Anichebe wouldn't have scored that goal. For the simple fact that that only experience can teach you the best place to be when attacking in this situation.
The pairing of Johnson with Yakubu could be the best piece of business we've done. Although Yakubu is prone to lapses, it the pairing with Johnson that mixes Yin with Yang. You can tell Johnson is a nice guy. He's always sticking his thumb up while ruing chances, when he should be berating the slack, or over hit pass. While close to half time and Yakubu tiring, it was Johnson eating up the defensive forward meters. But in the second half, you could see the workmanlike Johnson beginning to rub off on Yakubu. Soon, even though he isn't 100%, Yakubu started to do the same, and rallying Johnson to keep working.
I think this is the dynamic we've been missing. Johnson is quick and smart, but hasn't a ruthless bone in his body. pairing him with an experienced head, one who really can hold up the ball and give that bullet pass into wide space. He did it at least three times in the first half, and I caught myself thinking...who is this team in blue?
Pienaar will only get better. From my view, he worked hard, and he really got up himself when he made a mistake. He has the look of a man navigating a rocky crop in his career. He lacks confidence, but as the game wore on, he started looking decidedly more comfortable. Over cautious touches and a fear of the goal gave way to flicks, step overs and prodding passes. Another 'out of left field' transfer that left us scratching our heads, but now we realise has the potential to live up to his Ajax tag.
The goal they scored was more down to our team upgrade. They were pressing, and Diouf found himself in a two on one, standing with the ball at his feet deep on the left. Rather than the customary run, he stepped inside and crossed. Yobo's ball, but there was Jagielka, who managed to get in his way. Now a louder defender would have called, and cleared. But as is the hidden pace and energy in Jagielkas movement, he was already there on the cross. That he had to adjust his position to get there, had Yobo probably thinking he was the only one in the mix for it. But, there was Jagielka. A better defender would have screamed it was his. Not taking anything away from Joey, but now he has better players around him than before. He has to boss the game, and start bossing his own back four.
I think Lescott is overlooked by England, because at times he can seem unassured. A little confidence there, and a little ruthlessness will settle that. Not in the header, or the clearance, or indeed the cover, which he tracks excellently. Its more the clean-ups, the keeper passes, the movement out of defence. Its just the tidying up, and he will get much better with experience.
Baines is a real gem. You cant tell me he was the reason Anelka scored. That rocket would have gone against any team, even the 1970 Brazil team. Unstoppable. Baines efforts are phenomenal for mine. He's such an attacker, a great crosser of the ball. Its a pity game we were playing wasn't about crosses. It was get it wide and cut it back in. Looping around the midfield, then sprinting back when the play breaks down. Much the same when Bolton lofted the cross field ball, there was Jags keeping pace, sticking a boot on it without the fouls. Baines should never have been carded. It was time wasting while throwing in, and it was a bad call by the ref, who'd let the crowd into his decision making. At times, Anelka and Diouf threatened to run riot. You put them one on one and usually they will win. There just that skillful. But when faced with them, Baines and Jags did brilliantly well. Standing up, jockeying until the timing was right, and sticking a foot in. If you noticed, they also made sure there was a challenge in when Anelka had his back to goal, which was an excellent ploy. He is so dangerous on the turn.
Arteta has been off the pace for a couple of weeks now. I dont think he's very well. I think theres something personal there, or Im not sure. While his skill at ball retention is down slightly, his dead ball prowess has deserted him. With Baines now hovering over the free kicks, is it putting him off? One blasted set piece over the bar and the rest wasted into nowhere. The fact that he will grab onto the ball when challenged and goes down, is not a good thing to do. He'll end up getting carded for it. It leaves the ref no option and the minute a ref will go with the defender, he'll end up looking daft holding onto the ball.
Howard looked solid as usual. I like the basketball style he has. Its flair and fitness, and he pulls off some fantastic stops. Alonso in truth would have hit the bar, as he did with a thumping strike. Nolan really should have scored. That was a sitter, and one of the rare occasions Anelka was left unchecked. I feel that Howard has to keep playing well, because I have a funny feeling, that Wessels is just as good, if not better. Its looking good between the sticks anyway.
The substitutions were in the end, perfect. Gravesen looking oh so familiar, wanting the ball at his feet, and looking for intelligent runs. I for one took my hat off to him when he left. He played for five years in a terrible side, and when we started picking up and got an offer for Real, I patted him on the back and said to myself, now Real are looking at our players. It was another shift in gear for our club. A rap for the management. He did okay in the Galacticos before moving to Celtic, where in all honesty, they beat Man U in the Champions league, got as far as they had ever got and won the league. Even if wasnt pulling the strings, as a squad player you cant do much better than have Tommy G in the trenches with you.
After the game, which was end to end, enthralling, and a great advertisement for the league, I was left elated with all three points. We cruised, got the goal, got pegged back as we traditionally do at Bolton, and had the steel, and the sheer depth to alter the game, and to force an outcome in the past ten years, we haven't had the resources to do to such effect.
Quite simply put, the wheel has turned again. Today we passed and chased, double teamed and tracked, and had fifteen players all with individual strengths and team spirit. So much so picking the best eleven will get tougher from here on in. It was the first time I had ever heard a commentator call us (well in a hell of a long time anyway) a great team, but now a great team with some great individuals.
Dave. (McBain on the forums)
A new Everton. Thats the feeling I got watching into the first few minutes against Bolton. If you look at last week, when the only outlet out of the defence is a square Yobo ball to Hibbert, who proceeds to look up and whack it as far as he can. This time, just watch how many times the ball went from left back to right back and vice versa, and how many times Baines was in space shouting for the ball. The long ball was kept in the cupboard for clearances.
Today was another leap in the evolution of our club. It may have been falsely attributed to the introduction of Gravesen, but that friends, is selling the whole team short. In the first half there was cohesion. Its a new word or us, that we have just re-invented. Or Moyes has.
Today I firmly believe you got a glimpse of 'Future Everton'. Today we got a goal early, and survived the retaliation, until the break of course, and then it was only a matter of time as Bolton, at home, came flying out of the blocks.
But lets look at the first goal. Johnson in the channel, carving up the turf to get a sublime touch away from Cid. Its still a two on two, with Yakubu keeping pace. Johnson drifts in, and so does Yakubu, before the latter checks his run and widens his berth, allowing Johnson to play the ball between the two defenders. Giving himself the easiest of side foots. Now I guarantee that if we hadn't signed Yakubu, Anichebe wouldn't have scored that goal. For the simple fact that that only experience can teach you the best place to be when attacking in this situation.
The pairing of Johnson with Yakubu could be the best piece of business we've done. Although Yakubu is prone to lapses, it the pairing with Johnson that mixes Yin with Yang. You can tell Johnson is a nice guy. He's always sticking his thumb up while ruing chances, when he should be berating the slack, or over hit pass. While close to half time and Yakubu tiring, it was Johnson eating up the defensive forward meters. But in the second half, you could see the workmanlike Johnson beginning to rub off on Yakubu. Soon, even though he isn't 100%, Yakubu started to do the same, and rallying Johnson to keep working.
I think this is the dynamic we've been missing. Johnson is quick and smart, but hasn't a ruthless bone in his body. pairing him with an experienced head, one who really can hold up the ball and give that bullet pass into wide space. He did it at least three times in the first half, and I caught myself thinking...who is this team in blue?
Pienaar will only get better. From my view, he worked hard, and he really got up himself when he made a mistake. He has the look of a man navigating a rocky crop in his career. He lacks confidence, but as the game wore on, he started looking decidedly more comfortable. Over cautious touches and a fear of the goal gave way to flicks, step overs and prodding passes. Another 'out of left field' transfer that left us scratching our heads, but now we realise has the potential to live up to his Ajax tag.
The goal they scored was more down to our team upgrade. They were pressing, and Diouf found himself in a two on one, standing with the ball at his feet deep on the left. Rather than the customary run, he stepped inside and crossed. Yobo's ball, but there was Jagielka, who managed to get in his way. Now a louder defender would have called, and cleared. But as is the hidden pace and energy in Jagielkas movement, he was already there on the cross. That he had to adjust his position to get there, had Yobo probably thinking he was the only one in the mix for it. But, there was Jagielka. A better defender would have screamed it was his. Not taking anything away from Joey, but now he has better players around him than before. He has to boss the game, and start bossing his own back four.
I think Lescott is overlooked by England, because at times he can seem unassured. A little confidence there, and a little ruthlessness will settle that. Not in the header, or the clearance, or indeed the cover, which he tracks excellently. Its more the clean-ups, the keeper passes, the movement out of defence. Its just the tidying up, and he will get much better with experience.
Baines is a real gem. You cant tell me he was the reason Anelka scored. That rocket would have gone against any team, even the 1970 Brazil team. Unstoppable. Baines efforts are phenomenal for mine. He's such an attacker, a great crosser of the ball. Its a pity game we were playing wasn't about crosses. It was get it wide and cut it back in. Looping around the midfield, then sprinting back when the play breaks down. Much the same when Bolton lofted the cross field ball, there was Jags keeping pace, sticking a boot on it without the fouls. Baines should never have been carded. It was time wasting while throwing in, and it was a bad call by the ref, who'd let the crowd into his decision making. At times, Anelka and Diouf threatened to run riot. You put them one on one and usually they will win. There just that skillful. But when faced with them, Baines and Jags did brilliantly well. Standing up, jockeying until the timing was right, and sticking a foot in. If you noticed, they also made sure there was a challenge in when Anelka had his back to goal, which was an excellent ploy. He is so dangerous on the turn.
Arteta has been off the pace for a couple of weeks now. I dont think he's very well. I think theres something personal there, or Im not sure. While his skill at ball retention is down slightly, his dead ball prowess has deserted him. With Baines now hovering over the free kicks, is it putting him off? One blasted set piece over the bar and the rest wasted into nowhere. The fact that he will grab onto the ball when challenged and goes down, is not a good thing to do. He'll end up getting carded for it. It leaves the ref no option and the minute a ref will go with the defender, he'll end up looking daft holding onto the ball.
Howard looked solid as usual. I like the basketball style he has. Its flair and fitness, and he pulls off some fantastic stops. Alonso in truth would have hit the bar, as he did with a thumping strike. Nolan really should have scored. That was a sitter, and one of the rare occasions Anelka was left unchecked. I feel that Howard has to keep playing well, because I have a funny feeling, that Wessels is just as good, if not better. Its looking good between the sticks anyway.
The substitutions were in the end, perfect. Gravesen looking oh so familiar, wanting the ball at his feet, and looking for intelligent runs. I for one took my hat off to him when he left. He played for five years in a terrible side, and when we started picking up and got an offer for Real, I patted him on the back and said to myself, now Real are looking at our players. It was another shift in gear for our club. A rap for the management. He did okay in the Galacticos before moving to Celtic, where in all honesty, they beat Man U in the Champions league, got as far as they had ever got and won the league. Even if wasnt pulling the strings, as a squad player you cant do much better than have Tommy G in the trenches with you.
After the game, which was end to end, enthralling, and a great advertisement for the league, I was left elated with all three points. We cruised, got the goal, got pegged back as we traditionally do at Bolton, and had the steel, and the sheer depth to alter the game, and to force an outcome in the past ten years, we haven't had the resources to do to such effect.
Quite simply put, the wheel has turned again. Today we passed and chased, double teamed and tracked, and had fifteen players all with individual strengths and team spirit. So much so picking the best eleven will get tougher from here on in. It was the first time I had ever heard a commentator call us (well in a hell of a long time anyway) a great team, but now a great team with some great individuals.
Dave. (McBain on the forums)
