[Archived] Everton 0 V Rovers 1

[MarkB]

One word ..... awesome.

Even Moyes was gracious enough to admit that the best team won. Have to agree with Waggy though that it would be nice to see the team without Dickov for a while. I know it will upset some of you but whilst he is undoubtably a hard worker he has never worked as a team player. Its one of the reasons Stead hasn't scored. For all his faults Andy Cole was superb at linking with the other striker and created the openings or the pass for most of Stead's goals last season. Sadly Dickov doesn't do this.

Anyway to finish on a positive note..... same word ......awesome

[benhben]

Although it was a fantastic result yesterday, possible the best performance of the season, we are not safe yet! With the prospects of 0 points in our next 3 games v Man U, Pool and Arsenal, coupled with another win or so for teams below us we would be right back in it. The key to our survival is going to determine how we do against the teams around us as we still have to play the likes of West Brom, Southampton, Portsmouth, Birmingham etc.

[des]

a great game to watch on sky, and a good show all round

as for stead I was always though he is a good player and has he gets older he will get better and better, a sign of a good forward is the not only the number of goals but the number of important goals that he scores and stead is that dept is up there with the bestm the goals he has scored todate has been vital and for the money paid, chaeap too. do not sell him.

If we spend well in the summer and todate MH has done very well all should be well

[Eddie]

Although it was a fantastic result yesterday, possible the best performance of the season, we are not safe yet! With the prospects of 0 points in our next 3 games v Man U, Pool and Arsenal, coupled with another win or so for teams below us we would be right back in it. The key to our survival is going to determine how we do against the teams around us as we still have to play the likes of West Brom, Southampton, Portsmouth, Birmingham etc.

I'd be surprised if we got 0 points. I'd expect at least a draw in one of those games, but who knows.

[benhben]

Mabye a point against Liverpool but it will be extremely difficult against Man U and Arsenal. But hey if palace can hold out so can we.

[G Somerset Rover]

Great result and performance yesterday, and it should mean that about another 6 points is required-but with many of the bottom guys to play we should be fine. We never let Everton get going, and I think we proved that they're nowhere near as good as 4th place-however as people have said it is true that Arsenal etc would have struggled to beat us yesterday. A few mentions, Nelsen was immense again-what a buy, and Stevie Reid must be given a run in centre mid so that he can establish himself in the first 11. Finally, for the first time since his two year spell on the sidelines I thought that we witnessed some of the Thommo of old. Lets just pray that he goes on from here because if he does weve just saved ourselves a good few million. He should definitely replace Emo for a few games now. Great result, and lets have the same on Sunday!

[rosie]

in my opinion, 3 points at Everton was quite as important as anything from the next few games, as it's dragged other teams into the (potential) relegation battle, improved our confidence, and will have knocked the likes of those sniffing behind us a bit. If we'd lost, or even drawn, things wouldn't feel quite so good and we might be approaching the next couple of games with less belief.

I tip Southampton to make the great escape this time.

Edited March 7, 2005 by rosie

[northernrover]

I would just like to say that pretty much everyone(except phil l i think) has overlooked Flitty.

Did you notice how much ground he actually covered yesterday?! He just seemed to be popping up everywhere and trying to break things up every time Everton thought they might get a bit of time on the ball.

Reid - I agree was probably man of the match. Showed good touches, power, pace and good driving runs forward.

Pre-match I was unconvinced with Mokoena starting. I would have been more inclined to start with Flitty between the defense and midfield and leave Emerton in the starting line-up with the others.

Moko has made me a little nervous on more than one occasion. It seems to be his eagerness rather than his ability that has had me questioning him lately. Although I still thought, at times, he was a little rash, i'm glad he proved me wrong and had a great game simply getting in the way everytime Everton pumped the ball or attempted to run forward with it.

How good is that guy in the air too??

Our 2 centre halfs - nothing more to say really. They were just as impressive as they have been since Nelsen has arrived and played in the centre.

I think some of you still gave Lucas a bit of an unecessary bashing aswell. I thought he was good. Put in lots of effort and looked good getting forward (albeit, not that far up the pitch).

Everyone else I think played well enough and it was just great to see us play with pride, passion and belief.

Last word to Steady though. For all his effort and desire to do well, he really didn't look up to it when he first came on. As someone else mentioned, I could see him being replaced half way through the second half if he hadn't have picked up his game.

A little pep talk from Sparky and Marky at half-time made all the difference i'm sure.

Good running and good control throughout the 2nd half saw him rewarded with a great goal and hopefully get him on a little surge.

Come on Jon, lets make it double figures for the season

All in all, very pleased at seeing a performance like that after the way we played Tuesday.

Come on Rovers, Onwards and Upwards!!!!!

[Lathund]

One thing about Stead that I think was already mentioned, but is worth another mention; He looked so incredibly happy after scoring. Most players do, but it was like he was about to explode, didn't know what to do with all that joy.

[LeChuck]

One thing about Stead that I think was already mentioned, but is worth another mention; He looked so incredibly happy after scoring. Most players do, but it was like he was about to explode, didn't know what to do with all that joy.

I noticed that too.

Talks of a move away in January could have unsettled him but I think he showed how much he wants to be a success here. We have to keep him for a good few years and give him chance to be the player we know he can be because we need players with his attitude around the club.

On a similar note, we don't any Jay Bothroyds.

Edited March 7, 2005 by LeChuck

[BRFC4EVA]

I think that the part of it which pleased me so much, was it such a team performance. We defended well as a unit from front to back, the wingers thommo and MGP included in that. Whilst going forward the full backs got forward a decent amount and we looked a threat on the couter against a miserly everton team throughout. Hughes is really building a solid dependable team which should comfortably pick up enough points to stay up this season. Reid was very good and perhaps we have found a new role for him in centre midfield, always thought he didnt have enough pace or crossing ability to be a proper winger like emerton ! Stead scored a good goal, but was very poor before that. After the goal he looked a different player, looking to have shots on goal, holding the ball up bringing other players into the game and spreading passes around. Just shows the confidence you can take from putting the ball in the onion bag

We have 3 difficult fixtures coming up and im prepared to write-off the united game as thats away. However if we play like we did against everton there i no reason why we cant take a point off L'pool and at least that off arsenal, pending which arsenal turns up of course! C'mon Rovers and a great 3 points, dissapointing away support tho

[andyrovers]

Fantastic performance by the lads. I'd not been to Goodison before and was suprised how poor the ground was.

That horrible away bit certainly puts me off going. The view is awful. Combined with crap parking facilities, recent and future FA cup ties and the general malaise and pessimism running through a large part of the population of the town all contributed to the poor attendance.

I dont think it will work but if the fans spend the money saved in the shop or better still on a bring-a-friend policy for home games and the position will seem so much better.

Two things.......

1. Nice to see a Rovers team play so physically (definitely not dirtily ....something that needs putting on every mboard and web site that can be thought of) and competatively. As GS used to put it "they are proper men" (I bet he is well surprised at how much like his ideal of 'proper man' they have become without him!

I have never seen a team in blue and white be so strong and resiliant in tackles and throughout the game even when faced with a team like Everton. In fact its fair to say, and I'm sure that Moyes will agree that we out 'Evertoned' Everton.

2. When in 4-5-1 formation playing ch behind Mokoena must be the easiest job on the park. Whilst he may be prone to rushes of blood at centre half whenplaying deep midfield he protects the defence as well as anybody that I can remember.

Nothing will put me off going to see Rovers. I had no trouble parking, however it did cost a fiver but I knew my car was safe. I paid £27 to sit at the front bit so I wouldnt have one of them ancient beams in the way. Agreed it is expensive, but it was worth it.

[Ozz]

Viewed the game from the "posh" seats in the main stand, diagonally opposite the Rovers gathering. Pre match meal in the Alex Young suite, with err, Alex Young and Brian Labone.

Sat amongst the Everton fans, as the Brown Brothers Cab Sauv Malbec kicked in I found it harder and harder to keep quiet, leading to a hard punch in my face, just as Stead scored! If you watch the replay , from the camera right near the Rovers fans, you can see the coppers yellow jackets in the stand breaking us up!

As we were dragged down the steps, I put my fingers in the 1-0 mode as I wailed off to get bollocking for being punched.

Got my seat back and no-one else bothered me after that.

[Ozz]

In fact here`s the proof!

When skies are grey

[trueblue]

So was your hooter really 'mashed' then Ozzie? or was it just a little flattened?

[Eddie]

He looked at you and shat himself?

[Ozz]

I little bloodied, but mashed?-purleease

Eddie, I was speaking metaphorically!

[Eddie]

Sure you were...

[Bazzathegreat]

As it was such an excellent gritty performance from Rovers I dont like to moan to much, but the media is realy starting to get me down, they think the reason why rovers won yesterday is because Everton's "bigger" players didn't perform , and that Evertons players are so much better than little old rovers, they talk absolute rubbish , take moyes away from everton and get an average manager in and i would only take cahill and beattie over on any Rovers players. We have been underperforming this season and last because of the mess souness has left us in . trust me our squad on paper is better than most teams outside the top 10 and certainly better than evertons we have had alot of players underperforming at once, but Hughsey will sort us for next season and lets see were rovers and everton finish next seaon

[trueblue]

I little bloodied, but mashed?-purleease

Not my choice of word Ozzie.. it's from that board you posted the link to..

and I quote -

blueboyz Posted on 7/3 0:04 Email this Message | Reply

blackburn in the main

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

some wool in the main took 1 hell of a dig in the kipper for his noise, steward seen what happend waled down, both got taken away , the blackburn guys nose was mashed, 5 mins later he walked back down to his seat , i presume the toff got nicked . if it wasnt for the steward i reckon the BB fella wuda left it

[Ozz]

I know TB, thats whom I was purrleese-ing at!

They reckon only 300 odd Rovers fans yesterday, it certainly looked a low turn out. There were also a lot of empty seats in the home ends too. After the goal our lot were very loud though.

[Ozz]

if it wasnt for the steward i reckon the BB fella wuda left it

What do think this means?

[trueblue]

Not a clue mate... I don't speak thuggy-scouse !

[92er]

Goodison Park has been a happy hunting ground for Rovers over the years.

I remember us winning there 4-2 and 3-2 in successive seasons in the mid 1960s when Everton really were one of the top clubs in the country.

Mind you, we were pretty nifty too with Douglas, Clayton et al in their pomp. Alan Bradshaw scored two goals in one of the victories but failed to achieve much else and left the game to become a schoolteacher.

The hard work on the training ground is really starting to show now and confidence is rising as the players start to believe in themselves. Well done Mark Hughes.

Jim-Alan Bradshaw did have a role at the Rovers later. He was in charge of the Youth System when Mark Patterson and Simon Barker were signed. The rumour was that Saxton didn't rate him. But he failed to improve on him.

[USRoverME]

Dunno if this was mentioned yet or not... but Stead made soccernet.com 's team of the week.

Of course.. if you read the whole text... I'm not sure he should have made it from thier description. I'm sure the didn't drive his first goal of the year past Brad Friedel!!!

soccernet.com's team of the week