[Archived] 10 man Everton 1-0 Rovers

[yawnsie]

Note: I did want to get one of my Everton-supporting friends to answer a few questions about next week's game, but I haven't been able to get hold of him. Bah. And since, unlike Colin, I don't have the email address of any celebrity blues handy, I've had to go without. If I get hold of him over the weekend I'll add it to this.

On Saturday, Rovers make the short trip down the M58 to Goodison Park for a game that could well have a large bearing on this season's UEFA Cup qualifiers. Despite the setback against West Brom, Rovers' impressive recent form has taken them to within spitting distance of a return to Europe, and the inevitable hammering by some unknown and unpronounceable team of no-hopers. Everton's win over Manchester City takes their own recent unbeaten run to six league games, and a few more good results will see those excitable bluenoses dreaming of their own assault on the top six.

In the two sides' recent meetings, Rovers come out narrowly on top, but it seems that Rovers and Everton take turns to do the double over one another. In Rovers' first season back in the Premier League, we won 1-0 at Ewood and 2-1 at Goodison. The season after, Kevin Campbell messed up my 20th birthday with the only goal at Ewood, and Everton won 2-1 on Merseyside; despite this, Rovers still edged into 6th place at Everton's expense (Incidentally, before our last game at Tottenham, Spuds boss Glenn Hoddle told his players to prove they wanted to play for him; we won 4-0. Coincidence?!) The season after, Rovers won 2-1 at home and 1-0 away, and last season, Rovers had a late winner disallowed at Ewood and had to make do with a goalless draw; in the return game at Everton, an impressive away performance (in front of a less-than impressive away turnout) saw Rovers triumph 1-0. A certain Jon Stead scored the goal.

Back in December, when the two teams met at Ewood, few would have guessed at the turnaround in both sides' form. Back then, Rovers were inconsistent and floating around in the lower half of the table, and Everton seemed to still be traumatised from both the loss of Thomas Gravesen to Real Madrid (yes, Real Madrid!), and Pierliugi Collina's decision to rob them of a place in the Champions League (yes, the Champion's League!). Rovers started brightly, and if MGP hadn't broken teenage hearts all over Scandanavia by shinning an early chance wide, things may have been different. They weren't, however, and things got worse for Rovers when Ewood was treated to this season's must-have accessory for Premiership matches - a dubious handball decision. In fairness, the ref had a difficult call to make when the ball bounced up and hit Andy Todd's hand; even with the benefit of replays, opinion was divided on the subject, and the only thing that anyone could agree on was that John Terry would have gotten away with it. Unfortunately for us, Toddy was given his marching orders, and Everton went on to record a 2-0 win, with goals from McFadden and Arteta.

That Ewood game was an example of David Moyes' tactics working to perfection - fight for the ball in midfield, get it forward quickly to the strikers, and try to make life hard when it's up there. In their last match against City, Everton packed the midfield with grafters, with an improving James Beattie upfront and Mikeal Arteta (one time Rovers target, the Matalan shoppers' Xabi Alonso) providing skill in midfield. Reid and Savage will need to be on their games to stop the likes of Neville the Younger and Tim Cahill from denying Tugay the time and space to play. Their centre-backs, David Weir and Alan Stubbs, make the Rolling Stones seem fresh and vibrant, and their lack of pace is something that Sinama-Pongolle and (please God!!) Craig Bellamy can hopefully exploit. The interesting thing about Everton is that both sides rarely score in their league games. If Rovers score first, they have a great chance, but the opposite is also true: only Chelsea, arguably, have been better over the past eighteen months at grinding out 1-0 wins. And Chelsea play with two goalkeepers, remember.

So can Rovers bounce back from defeat at the Hawthorns? The recent history of Rovers v Everton suggests that this game could go either way. One of the good things about this season is the way that Sparky has made the team respond to defeat - the two league wins over the New York Mancees, after defeats to Newcastle and West Ham, have stood out in particular. But Everton know how to beat Rovers, as proved at Ewood before Christmas, and they're rediscovering some of the resilience that took them to fourth last season. Because this is a preview and you're meant to be positive, I'll go for 2-0 to Rovers, but it could easily go the other way.

[SAS]

our terrible form started at wba, winless for the next 5

2-1 to everton

beattie double

Edited February 5, 2006 by slater_scott

[ihtd]

3-0 Everton

Are games against Everton are always tough and there are rarely draws between the two sides. I'm sure some smart arse will correct me, yes i know we drew 0-0 last season at home.

Everton are bang in form and i have a feeling Beattie might make us pay for giving him away to Southampton, why did we swap him and Kevin Davies for Egil Ostenstad and a bit of cash?

[Krillin]

I reckon 1-0 to The Rovers, for no other reason than Everton usually provide the means for our players with no luck in hitting the back of the net, to finally poke one home.

Following on from the likes of Georgious Donis, Corrado Grabbi, Jonathan Stead....step forward Robbie Savage !

Edited February 5, 2006 by Krillin

[Nayef]

Alas I fear all of Goodison will be cheering at full time.

Everton 2 Blackburn 1

[philipl]

Everton have gone top of the current form league.

The optimistic side of me says we have a chance but the rational side says 1-0 to the Toffees as we suffer our only double against of the season.

[Rovers_4_life]

We were top of the frm leaague before the game against West Brom so on that basis we should win easy.

3-1 Everton though! Rovers to score first and lead 1-0 at half time then fall apart.

[1864roverite]

I think this game will be harder than when we play Arsenal and Chelsea.

On form are Everton but wo are we, however, it is us that have had a mass of games and are surely tiring.

The Everton strategy will be to get up and at Rovers from the first minute, Rovers have to compete from the first whistle.

Goodison has been good to Rovers over the years, although in the 3-1 Lineker induced cuptie we were certainly robbed.

I think a sneaky 1-0 win is not beyond Rovers

[rover6]

1-1

Dour affair but a point not a bad result against in-form Everton.

[krislu]

Hopefully our starting line up would be:

Friedel

Neill

Nelson

Zurab

Gray

Emo

Reid

Savage

Pedersen

Bentley

Bellamy

Everton 0

Rovers 1

[S15]

I would prefer....

Friedel

Neill Nelsen Zura Gray

Bentley Reid Savage MGP

Pongolle Bellamy

I know it wont be though, no doubt Kuqi and Todd will start, which should ensure another pointless away day...

2-0 Everton.

[pick32]

3-0 everton

[frosty]

1-1

Friedel

Neill

Zurab

Nelsen

Gray

Emerton

Reid

Savage

Pedersen

Bentley

Pongolle (Bellers if fit)

[joey_big_nose]

Hopefully Pongo and bellers will be fit next week.

Why not suprise Everton with a pacy lineup to hurt them on the break?

        Pongo            Bellers

                Bentley

Pedersen    Savage  Reid

Gray    Zurab    Nelsen    Niell

                  Friedel

Subs:  Encks, Todd, Tugay, Emerton, Kuqi

I honestly think that lineup will get a better result than a basic 442

2-1 maybe. A draw would be adecent result.

[USABlue]

As much as I hat eto say it, another loss here, just to discourage the people of Blackburn, just enough for them to think same old Rovers. Europe is a pipe dream it really is. Hughes and his staff and the team have done us proud but we need to remain realistic.

[Ozz]

aww come on USABlue. Thats just falling into the trap, come on dude!

Hows the Superball doing? I reckon the Cheesemumblers are certs for another pennant.

[Napoleon]

A score draw. Everton are much improved but they're even shorter of options than us up-front.

[Presty On Tour]

will be a well hard game fairplay!!!

with bellamy and sinama up front agaisnt the o.a.p's of the toffee's back line if they are fit and hughes plays them then it could be easy than i first thought.

[pleasure]

bellamy is set to be unleashed!

his partner should be pongolle........... TURBO BOOST!

(although bentley was our best player at WBA),

tugay will be replaced by reid. unsure about this. yes reid battles, but he passes to the oposition more than his own team!

i know tugay wasnt good on sat. but who's going to keep possession and provide the service for pongolle and bellamy? savage and reid?

1-0 rovers will do me!

[Bobby G]

Where do you come up with your stuff?

[Mark Atkins' Bald Patch]

Have to be positive about his one as I'm making the trip over the pond for it.

1-0 or 2-1 in favour of Rovers ... but it will be tough.

Any idea how many tickets we've sold?

I was over for this one last season ... brilliant result, poor away following though.

[Neil Weaver]

Any idea how many tickets we've sold?

I was over for this one last season ... brilliant result, poor away following though.

382206[/snapback]

It was a Sunday aft Sky game wasn't it? Should see a difference this year - we usually have a decent following at Goodison. As yawnsie said though, we nearly always do the double over each other (irrespective of league positions) so I'm not terribly optimistic. Never am though.

[USABlue]

tugay will be replaced by reid. unsure about this. yes reid battles, but he passes to the oposition more than his own team!

i know tugay wasnt good on sat. but who's going to keep possession and provide the service for pongolle and bellamy? savage and reid?

1-0 rovers will do me!

382203[/snapback]

Didn't Everton do an excellent job of negating Toogs at Ewood?

[Mark Atkins' Bald Patch]

It was a Sunday aft Sky game wasn't it?  Should see a difference this year - we usually have a decent following at Goodison.  As yawnsie said though, we nearly always do the double over each other (irrespective of league positions) so I'm not terribly optimistic.  Never am though.

382214[/snapback]

That's right .. it was on sky ... I had to buy my flights twice as I'd booked them when it was supposed to be a saturday and had to buy again after it was rearranged.

[DudeAbides]

i dont see a problem beating the scousers at goodison we always do ...

2-0 Reid and Pedersen.