It was a last minute deal and one Thelwell and Ferguson were keen to get over the line with seconds to go. Jamie Vardy at the age of 38 has decided to finish his career playing for Everton in the Premier League. It's a bold move but one Ferguson is hopeful can pay off as his side look short on that killer instinct at times. Vardy was out of favour at Leicester but Ferguson knows what the talisman is capable of and will come in handy as an impact player for the rest of the season.
After being recalled from loan, the Spanish winger has only featured twice for Everton but it's evident there is something special and to take the Young Player of the Month award makes a huge statement in the Premier League
Slaven Bilic was a guest for the 12:30 kick off between West Ham and Everton. Various topics of discussion came up prior to kick off. West Ham's season so far under David Moyes and how The Hammers were aiming for a European return with Bilic stating Champions League football was still a possibility. Diego Lopez was the only signing for The Hammer in the January window. Bilic was frustrated at how Everton were underperforming for a team with one of the League's top scorers and the creative genius of James Rodriguez. He has no doubt The Toffees will move away from the danger zone with ease after the acquisition of Jamie Vardy and despite his age, he still knows where the net is. Bilic believes Vardy will be the best signing of the window taking into what is at stake and how desperate Everton are for wins.
West Ham United vs Everton
1st February 2025
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New signing Jamie Vardy didn't make the trip to the London Stadium as ther transfer went through the night before so it was Beto up top and Konate on the bench. James Garner was selected in midfield with Gueye and Rodriguez and Roony kept his place with Okoronkwo and Cham still only training lightly after injuries. 7 minutes on the clock, Johnson took the throw to Bowen near the Everton corner flag, Gueye knocked Bowen off the ball but Johnson managed to take it and cross in to the far post, Paqueta backed off from Garner and headed across Pickford to make it 1-0. Too easy for West Ham. Everton were allowing West Ham to double up down the right and the crosses were coming in, Pickford done well to tip over for a corner on 16 minutes. Ward-Prowse played a direct cross to the near post and Zouma glanced the header beating Pickford and making it 2-0. Two minutes later Arana played it to Moleiro who turned nicely outside the 18 yard box and smashed it low towards the bottom corner, taking a touch from Walker-Peters on the way in, 2-1! Everton quickly get back into the game! West Ham were in total control over a non-existent Everton side, it could have easily been 3 or 4 to West Ham but Pickford and the Everton defence have defended well. Beto had a good chance before the break but Areola was alert getting across goal to tip it away. Everton made a double change on 64 minutes to try and freshen things up, Doucoure came on for Rodriguez and McNeil came on for Moleiro. The changes worked and Everton looked more urgent, McNeil linked up well with Roony and West Ham were sitting back to defend, Roony won the corner and the Evertonians were right behind them. Zouma powered the header away but Everton kept the pressure on, Gueye took it in space and played it to Arana who's strike seemed to be finding the bottom left corner but Areola got over to tip it away. It was another two changes for Everton with 14 minutes to go, Mykolenko came on for Arana and Konate came on for Gueye, he went up top with Beto and Doucoure and Garner went to a two man midfield. The game went on and the Everton supporters started to leave, Maffeo played a hopeful long ball upfield towards McNeil and the keeper but Areola came out on top. West Ham were fully deserved winners and the Hammers keep in the race for Champions League but Everton really need to look at themselves as the poor performances cannot continue.
PLAYER RATINGS
Everton vs Peterborough United
F.A Cup Fourth Round Replay
5th February 2024
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An improvement was needed after the last display and an opportunity to build the confidence under the lights at Goodison in an F.A Cup game. Francis Okoronkwo was back from injury and named on the bench, as was Muhammed Cham. McNeil and Dobbin started for Everton on the flanks supported by Onana, Doucoure and Garner in midfield. Patterson came in at right back and Karim Konate led the Everton attack. Jamie Vardy was cup tied but was in attendance at the game, he was brought out prior to kick-off to be greeted by the Evertonians. Mothersille proved to be a handful for Everton last time and it was no surprise when McNeil was beaten and he left out a leg to take him down on 2 minutes inside the box, penalty awarded. Lemperle put the ball down, hands on his hips and looked calm, Pickford took a quick look at the water bottle but the powerful penalty beat him into the bottom left corner, Everton trail after 3 minutes. On 18 minutes Dobbin passed to Garner, he played it back to him as he moved towards the box and played it on the edge of the box for Doucoure to strike from 18 yards into the bottom left corner, 1-1! McNeil took the ball down the left on 28 minutes and found Garner in acres of space on the edge of the box, urged to shoot by supporters his first touch let him down but it created the angle for the shot and he made it 2-1! Everton in front! Everton were playing with flair and the movement down the flanks was a joy to watch, Patterson and Dobbin both excelling and creating opportunities, the midfield knocking it around with confidence, this is what they need to do in the league. Everton had many corners in the first 15 minutes of the second half but beating the first man was a consistent problem. Ferguson made two changes with 18 minutes to go and it was with minutes in mind for a returning Cham and Okoronkwo who replaced Garner and Dobbin. McNeil used his skill to go past Ngouyamsa and crossed to the far post and Okoronkwo's first piece of action was a header over the bar. The Everton corner on 85 minutes was cleared and Mothersille came forward, Doucoure done well to track back and make the tackle. Mothersille took the ball down from a long range pass, he played it to the supporting Lemperle and he played it to Collins who toe poked it past a committed Pickford to level on 87 minutes. The equaliser came at the right time and it earned Peterborough United an additional 30 minutes of Extra Time. No further changes were made as both sides came out, Everton must put this to bed to avoid any fan pressure on the manager. The first half was coming to an end, Patterson played it forward down the right for Okoronkwo who was near the byline, he saw Konate at the near post making space and he fed it through for him to tap in, 3-2! Last 5 minutes and nothing was certain, Cham went for goal from the free-kick 20 yards out and the keeper couldn't hold it, Okoronkwo gathered it and tried for goal but the keeper pushed it behind. Three minutes to go and Ferguson told his team to be cautious. Lemperle got the ball forward to Collins who took it in his stride in the area and he played it into the six yard box for the tap in from Jones, 3-3 once again! It's a late goal for Peterborough and they have taken this tie to penalties. Their never say die attitude has earnt them a shootout. Tarkowski was up first at the Park End and he made no mistake into the right corner. Tshimanga stepped up for Peterborough, he sent Pickford the wrong way going left. Cham was next for Everton and he calmly slotted into the left side of the goal, 2-1. Lemperle who had a good game made no mistake from the spot sending Pickford the wrong way for a second time. Amadou Onana stepped up confidently and he sent Bilokapic the wrong way, going right. 3-2. Jones was next, who came on for Peterborough and changed the game, but Pickford saved! It was a poor pen and Pickford went the right way! Karim Konate to make it 4-2 but his was also saved! Collins to level for Peterborough on the fourth kick......with ease, going left. 3-3 with one left each. Doucoure for Everton, nicely into the bottom right! Knight for Peterborough.........and he sends Pickford the wrong way and slots to the left. Sudden death and McNeil for Everton, it's saved! He went to the right corner and the keeper had an easy stop. Mills against Pickford, he hits the bar! Everton still in this! Ben Godfrey stepped up for the seventh kick. with power into the bottom left! Pickford to send Everton through against Tetek. He went to the right and Pickford didn't even move, 5-5. Nathan Patterson was next up for Everton. He sends the keeper the wrong way and tucks it in the left corner! Burrows was next for Peterborough, he went to the right and Pickford got across to push it away! Everton are through! It's been a dramatic two legs and Everton will be glad to close the door on this one.
Duncan, that was tense. What a game, not just tonight but the whole fixture. You go through but not convincingly. What are your thoughts?
DF: Darren Ferguson should be so proud, he's a good manager and he had us on the ropes. Over two legs they fought and got two decent results taking the game to penalties in the end, it could have went either way and I'm just happy to move forward from this because it's additional fatigue we don't need but we have to see it as a positive.
PLAYER RATINGS
Everton vs Brentford
8th February 2025
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Everton were pleased to have Jarrad Branthwaite back and James Rodriguez in the middle. Beto started in attack for Everton and new signing Jamie Vardy was on the bench. Roony was recovering from a minor hamstring injury and was out for this one. Mykolenko made sure we won the ball back from Mbueno with a great tackle and set off down the left, he crossed into the box and Moleiro's header was well saved by Raya, good chance for Everton. Mbueno had to be watched closely as he was getting too much space down the left as the first half went on. Onana intercepted the ball on 24 minutes and passed to Rodriguez, he looped his foot around it and got it into the box inch perfect for Moleiro who put it on a plate for Beto but Raya done very well to tip it away. Three minutes later Patterson took the Everton throw near the Brentford corner flag, Onana passed it back to him and he put in a great cross for Beto to climb high and nod it in! Beto put Everton in front! Brentford looked to come back and had a chance from the corner, Jensen played it in and Toney's shot was saved by Pickford, it fell to Ajer at the post and Pickford got over to save it with his chest, fantastic stuff from England's number one! After a quiet first half Ivan Toney was taken off and replaced by Kouame. Everton came straight out for the second half and searched for the second, McNeil took it in space on the right side, cut in and tried to find the top left corner but Raya saved and clutched the ball to his chest. Two minutes later Everton won a free kick around 25 yards out and Rodriguez took it, he got it up and over the wall and it hit the inside of the post ran across the line and hit the other post and came back out, James Garner followed it through and was there to tap it home just in case it didn't cross the line! The replay showed it didn't cross the line so it's a goal for James Garner! The ball went out wide to Mykolenko, Beto was moving inside the box and pointing to where he wanted it, Mykolenko crossed beautifully for Beto and his header beat Raya going into the top left corner, Beto cannot be stopped! With 20 minutes to go, Everton made a double change. McNeil went off for Okoronkwo and Beto was replaced to a standing ovation to make way for the debut of Jamie Vardy. Brentford tried to get something from this but Everton were defending brilliantly, Arana saved one off the line from Kouame and Tarkowski was solid marshalling the defence. Everton controlled the game well into stoppage time and it was a complete performance from The Toffees!
DF: Much better in defence and in attack. It was the result we've been craving and we finally saw what we can do. Beto was incredible in front of goal, he's got 17 league goals this season and I think that puts him back on top, he's having a great season and is looking deadly in front of goal. The delivery into key areas was also something we've looked at this week in training and it was nice to see some fabolous crossing.