[Archived] 10 man Everton 1-0 Rovers

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

Everton, having been in the top flight for all but four seasons in their history, have accumulated more points in the top division than any other English team.

I doubt though whether Everton have ever previously had to rely on a fourth-choice teenage keeper alongside nine team-mates for the vast majority of the match, and yet were still able to pick up all the points against a side so utterly inept and devoid of ideas as ourselves.

This was a shameful performance. We could have easily lost this match 4-0 - against a team with only ten men FFS!

We started the game yesterday lacking passion, fight and commitment - attributes that are needed against a rumbustious side like Everton.

Andy Todd is starting to worry me. He's making regular mistakes now in successive matches. In the 4-3 win over Man United, he was certainly at fault for one of the Van Nistelrooy goals. Against West Brom he was caught out of position with Kevin Campbell's header and he had a poor game against Everton yesterday. James Beattie had acres of space to direct his header into the net. To get caught out from a simple set-piece like that is hugely disappointing.

In the second half of last season our defending was a great strength. I think only Chelsea conceded fewer goals in the second half of last season than us after Hughes tightened up the defence. This season though, even Newcastle - with the comedy pairing of Boumsong and Bramble - have conceded fewer goals in the league than Rovers.

Ten days ago Robbie Savage said Rovers were on target to qualify for the Champions League! What planet is this guy on? The last two horrendously inept performances from us against West Brom and Everton have surely dispelled that notion from even someone as dim as Mr Savage.

There may be those who'll say: "What's wrong with Robbie being positive - it makes a change from Souey's 'survival is the main aim' mantra?" - but I think if players are going to talk to the media (which Robbie certainly has a habit of doing) then it would beneficial if they mentioned realistic targets. Otherwise the player ends up looking like a fool.

Aiming for a top six place is one thing, but to start talking about qualifying for the Champions League strikes me as being a tad premature to say the least. Savage, together with the rest of the midfield, were poor yesterday. Don Howe always used to preach that defending isn't just about the back four. The midfield have got to be doing their jobs properly, and we didn't do that against Everton.

We are simply not scoring enough in away matches!

That's true. We seem to find it particularly hard to unlock teams like West Brom and Everton who get men behind the ball and defend stoutly. We're missing the type of player in midfield with a bit of magic who can conjur up a defence-splitting pass. An Eyal Berkovic type or a younger version of Tugay.

There was one good counter-attacking chance in the first half yesterday when Bellamy attacked with pace and crossed the ball for Pongole who should have done better with his shot. At Liverpool I thought Pongole looked a good player. Yesterday the Frenchman with the dreadlocks played crap.

Goodison Park, known by some as the 'Grand Old Lady' of English football and the only club ground to host a World Cup semi-final in this country, has staged more top-flight games than any other stadium in England. No doubt there have been many atrocious performances from various teams down the years on the famous ground. But, as I said earlier, probably none previously involving Everton playing with ten men and a rookie fourth-choice keeper for 80 minutes of the match, with the away side failing to trouble the keeper with a single decent shot for the vast majority of the game.

Back to the drawing board for Mark Hughes & co.

A couple of weeks ago Hughes spoke of his desire to take Rovers to the "next level". I'd suggest that this "next level" requires either serious financial investment from the board (funds which unfortunately we don't appear to have) Or alternatively the players backsides need to be suitably kicked into shape. They need to be reminded of their responsibilities to the supporters. It's not enough to turn up when they feel like it against Man United and to shirk their responsibilites in the following two games against West Brom and Everton.

And as Roversmum said, I'd question whether rewarding these highly paid players with a sunshine holiday to Dubai is the right thing to do after the two diabolical away performances we've just seen.

There I was sitting in a decrepit wooden stand watching crap football with a group of neanderthals who seemed to have an obsession with the word 'paki'.

I'm not condoning what those supporters said, but I suspect given our politically correct policing at the moment, that those who incite murder and wave placards calling for the beheading of non-muslims, are inclined to be ignored by the police - while a few rather over-exuberant young lads at a football match mentioning the word 'paki' would feel the full force of the law if the police were standing next to them.

I take it ES that you are similarly outraged by football chants of "We hate the French". Or is "We hate muslims" worse?

Everton worked like blacks and got the result they deserved.

That's the PC version Gordon!

I think the old-fashioned phrase that was once used in this country (and one I naturally wouldn't condone) involved the word Ron Atkinson used....

[Jim J]

Andy Todd is starting to worry me. He's making regular mistakes now in successive matches. In the 4-3 win over Man United, he was certainly at fault for one of the Van Nistelrooy goals. Against West Brom he was caught out of position with Kevin Campbell's header and he had a poor game against Everton yesterday. James Beattie had acres of space to direct his header into the net. To get caught out from a simple set-piece like that is hugely disappointing.

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I think it was Neill who started to mark Beattie, but just seemed to let him go when he made his run.

[Wolverine]

Hughes admits we were well beaten...

link

Everton will now surely ooze confidence as they enter the final stages of the season, while we could make or break. On the strength of our performance or lack of, the management should think twice about any squad break.

On the other hand, would it do them good?

paul mcgarry, if you would like to start a topic in icbinf then go ahead, but i will not join in if you insist on insulting people for no good reason.

Edited February 12, 2006 by ffberryb77

[roversWASmylife]

We weren't good enough simple as.

Like last week, we were second best to everything.

There just wasn't one area we were bad, generally we were poor. We're going through a bad patch at the moment and we've got to get through it.

[Neil Weaver]

A few random thoughts about the game yesterday.

Why has our central defence seemingly forgotten how to deal with a hopeful punt forward by the opposition? For the first 20 mins it was a devastating tactic for Everton. It wasn't even as though they were aimed for Beattie's head, so drawing Todd or Nelsen into a challenge. If we're going to leave a gap between the back four and Brad we should know how to deal with a long high ball behind the centre backs. We were lucky not to be 2 down before they scored. McFadden hitting the bar - how similar was that 'move' to his goal at Ewood? Coincidence?

How was Cahill offside for that disallowed goal? Wasn't he behind Beattie? If it was Beattie who was off, why was he not flagged when he got the ball (a couple of seconds before it was passed to Cahill)?

Them going down to 10 hardly made any difference to their tactics - get everyone except Beattie behind the ball.

Timewasting - I'm used to it now on the pitch, but yesterday it even spread to the ball boys and stewards (doubt it changed the result but bloody annoying). The lad retrieving the ball behind the goal at the Stanley Park (?) end must have been on a win bonus - he was on a go slow in the 2nd half, wandering around with the haste of a three toed sloth : at one point he gave the ball to the Everton goalie only to have it thrown back to him! And near the end we got a corner (in the corner in front of us Rovers fans) only for the steward to keep the ball then throw it up the touchline when Sergio Peter went over to him. Time for some action from the FA/powers that be?

And just on the 'racism' point - I was sat towards the front in the corner and never heard any racist singing. Maybe I'm going deaf in my old age.

[roversmum]

Arteta also managed two dives which would have done El Hadji Diouff justice...........

[Bing]

I was sat in the lower section towards the corner flag and didn't hear anything that's been said here. Not doubting at all that it was sung but it must have been a very small number of cretins.

A point about the Everton fans in the Park Stand to the left. At most away games you can have a good bit of banter with the home fans. At Goodison though its a lot more hateful and vicious. A number of people round me moved because of the constant stream of abuse. I'm up for having a laugh and trading banter but you can do without stuff being thrown from the top tier and having neandertholic chavs offering to fight you outside the ground.

[Blue blood]

West Brom i could just about accept but this is absolutly isgraceful. If we are to be a top 8 team we need to be winning matches like this, and winning well. 80 minutes with a man advantage in which we couldn't find a goal is seriously worrying.

A couple of key factors, already touched upon:

1) Flair players, there's not many players who can produce something from nothing except MGP, and Tugs. Tugay is getting a bit too inconsistent and imo Pederson was badly missed today. Another flair player is needed badly.

2) Competition for places. There isn't enough. If Gray could be dropped for poor performances, or some of our midfielders, then I'm sure that the effort - be it lack or badly applied - would smarten up. Most teams around us seem to have slightly bigger squads with a higher quality level, something I feel we need for bringing on when things aren't working/to change it around, and give players the kick up the backside.

3) On this note, one place we can rotate is centre back/right back. Zurab should be in to give the others a kick up the backside (probably at the expense of Todd) what with our recent defensive record.

I realise funds are tight and we are a small team but if we are to proceed I firmly believe that more investment is needed. Even if funds aren't excessive, what with Hughes eye for a bargain, I'm sure the money will go far.

We've become a midtable team - it's official - great one week crap the next. On the positive side I suppose that's better than relegation candidates and that progress takes time, sigh.

Edited February 12, 2006 by Blue blood

[den]

I must be seeing with blue and white eyes - I don't think the display was as bad as most on here are saying.

However, if I had to pick out one point from our recent away games, - we have become too cavalier in our play. We've been playing as the home team and tried to force the play too much, therefore leaving loads of room for the home side to hit us on the break. That suited West Brom down to the ground. Everton was slightly different because being that they were down to ten men, we had to committ players forward. That suited them to bits though.

[Bing]

I too didn't think the performance was that bad and I wouldn't say there was a lack of effort from anyone. We kept possession well and probed away without being able to break down their 8-0-1 formation. I thought Tugay should have been introduced earlier.

Kuqi could also have possibly been brought on earlier. Everton always sit very deep because of their lack of pace in defence so there was absolutely no space in behind for Bellamy or Pongolle to run into. With them being so deep, route one into Kuqi with people looking for knockdowns would have been our best chance of scoring.

[den]

We kept possession well and probed away without being able to break down their 8-0-1 formation.

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A bit of credit to Everton for the way they defended. It wasn't a one off - them keeping a clean sheet.

[OJRovers]

Yeah agreed that Tugay shoud've come on earlier.

Maybe Hughes shouldve sacrificed a defender - I mean, they finished with NO STRIKERS on the pitch yet we had 4 defenders. Brad couldve stayed up front.

Everton are the worst team in the league (bar Sunderland). I thought that when they beat us at Ewood and still believe it after seeing the game on sat. I can remember them putting more than 3 passes together.

The pitch is hard and cut really short to maximise the bobble for teams like rovers who try to pass it on the floor.

Artete is a cheat.

[roversmum]

Spot on editorial, Alan75

I really felt that Hughes had sorted out lack-lustre performances.

The worst thing is that Everton were able to beat us easily when we were down to 10 men at Ewood, neither could we break down Bolton in similar circumstances.

And yet we still succumb to Everton when they are down to 10 men.

Incidentally, I note that The Times are running an anti-diving campaign. I guess Moyes hadn't had time to put the poster up in the dressing room for Arteta to read .

[Exiled_Rover]

Spot on editorial, Alan75

I really felt that Hughes had sorted out lack-lustre performances.

The worst thing is that Everton were able to beat us easily when we were down to 10 men at Ewood, neither could we break down Bolton in similar circumstances.

And yet we still succumb to Everton when they are down to 10 men. 

Incidentally, I note that The Times are running an anti-diving campaign.  I guess Moyes hadn't had time to put the poster up in the dressing room for Arteta to read  .

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Moyes is too busy crying about the FA and it's leniency towards other clubs, apparently. His whine about whether they'd allow him a loophole to bring in another keeper made me want to slap him - "Well maybe the FA would for other clubs, but not for Everton", or words to that effect. Twit

[Krillin]

Spot on editorial, Alan75

Incidentally, I note that The Times are running an anti-diving campaign.  I guess Moyes hadn't had time to put the poster up in the dressing room for Arteta to read  .

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Less hypocritically perhaps, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea have not joined in the campaign.

[Scotty]

First of all we need to give Everton tremendous credit. They were magnificent from the first minute to the last and fully deserved the points. They worked tirelessly, defended superbly, and broke well whenever thay were given the opportunity. They passed the ball far better than we did and were always a threat at set-pieces. And in Beattie they had easily the best player on the pitch. He won everything - in the air, on the ground - and he worked his socks off all afternoon.

However, Everton were helped enormously by playing a team that put in as poor an individual and collective display as I can remember since Hughes took over.

Our defence was a shambles. Both Todd and Nelsen failed to cope physically with Beattie, there was a continual lack of communication and understanding between Friedel and his defence, and both full backs offered nothing in either defence or attack.

Our midfield wasn't much better either. Savage was totally anonymous (other than giving the free-kick away that led to the goal), Bentley and Emerton hardly created anything, and only Reid really emerged with any credit, but even he didn't show much quality.

Up front Bellamy lacked his usual sharpness and Pongolle was just awful. No first touch, no dribbling ability, no physical prescence. I know it's early days for him but he's going to have to improve quickly.

Again, I have to question Hughes's tactics. We needed Tugay on sooner once Everton's keeper was sent off, and I'd have also brought Kuqi on earlier. It was clearly not working from an attacking point of view and we needed the extra options that Kuqi can give us.

I can only remember us getting behind Everton's defence once in the whole match and, more damningly, we seemed strangely reluctant to shoot even though their keeper was only about 12.

Sunderland on Wednesday has now become a huge game. We just need to win it, I don't care how, and hopefully the forthcoming break will be enough to recharge our batteries and get back to the sort of form we were showing a month ago. We're still in a decent position, we could go 6th if we win on Wednesday, but we've no chance of staying there if we keep playing like we have done in the last two games.

[rover6]

We have taken a huge step backwards since we beat United a couple of weeks ago.

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Don't know about that. Forget Ferguson's drivel about us not playing football but it's true that we weren't exactly exceptional to beat a defensively calamitous United team. We did what we had to do, as well as doing a fair job of imitating Man U's comedic talents at the back at times.

Is it a step back or is it around about our current performance levels when you consider the West Ham FA cup defeat?

If Bellamy can get back to full match sharpness, we will get better without doubt. Also, if Pedersen's not going to play, surely Sergio Peter must come in for his debut sooner rather than later. We are crying out for a flair player.

I think the fundamental problem is finding an effective central midfield pairing. The current personel can't do it so it will have to be the summer before Hughes can rectify the problems. And no, giving Tugay a new deal is not going to be much help. At some stage we have to find an adequate replacement.

[CAPT KAYOS]

we needed the extra options that Kuqi can give us.

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Which are??

For such a big guy he doesn't exactly win alot of headers- yes he challenges for them in a fashion but very rarely do they connect with his head unless he is unmarked. I said when we signed him he wasn't a Premiership player but lets see what he can do - well as much as we all like the guy and want him to do well the 'do' bit has not materialised and IMO needs shipping out at the end of the season.

Personally, I wasn't surprised - our midfield is nothing much without Tugay and MGP hasn't really offered much lately except for his free kicks and still appears to have the inability to take on players.

To say the team has the work ethic and is set up to play counter attacking football, we sure make it difficult for ourselves by what I term 'pissballing' about with the ball too much instead of going forward ie we seem to take so long to make decisions - couple that with the basic errors and 'daydreaming' (why do we always make it look easy for teams to score against us - yet have to work for ours or create 20 chances to score 1) is it any wonder.

As somebody mentioned previously - midtable team is exactly what we are and we don't have the cream to rise to that next level.

[Presty On Tour]

i'm well dissapointed with saturdays result.

with everton going down to 10 men so early i thought as soon as we got the first the flood gates would open and there was a hat full to be had.

everton defended well whatever, but we should of taken them apart!!

sparks must of been sparking in that dressing room at 5pm!!!

[den]

everton defended well whatever, but we should of taken them apart!!

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Why - because they had 10 men? Football is littered with teams who lost to 10 men. In cases like that, you are usually faced with more defenders, not less.

[Presty On Tour]

Why - because they had 10 men?  Football is littered with teams who lost to 10 men. In cases like that, you are usually faced with more defenders, not less.

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what i'm trying to say den mate is that they had a reserve goalkeeper in goal, apparently 4th choice at the club, playing premiership football with a defence he has never played with before. communication, nerves and abilty should of been questioned on a persistant(sp) basis.

fairpaly to weir and stubbs, the o.a.p's played deep and protected him. with everton scoring first gave them something to hang on to and we wern't up to breaking them down with an extra man which in my view is gutted.

[OnePost]

Just a few belated observations on Saturday's poor display.

Emerton chased down the ball that forced their keeper into making his error, other than that he provided little threat. On reflection I wish the keeper hadn't handled because maybe the ball would have broken for Emerton to put it into the empty net. Then again we would have been relying on Emerton to do it (remember free header at Craven Cottage)

It looked like we were employing zonal defending up to Beattie's goal then went to man marking immediately after. Everton were canny enough to exploit this for the goal as Neil was expecting Beattie to run into an offside position. As Cahill (showing all of his Millwall Championship team class) had done on the two previous occasions.

Although Freidel is undeniably going through a dip in form, he was not at fault for any of the "goals". For the McFadden missed opportunity I think he was.

Watching 45mins of the second half where Rovers let Everton retreat into their own half on losing the ball, then lumping a cross in to no-one in particular was absolutely infuriating. There didn't seem to be any sense of urgency, we seemed to be playing with all of the swagger and none of the quality of the top teams. In all honestly we're not that good yet.

Bringing Kuqi on was the wrong move, because the threat that he poses is bread and butter to experienced physical central defenders like Weir and Stubbs.

We were naive up front. The teams at the top of the division look for free kick's in and around the box and have players that can convert more often than not. Towards the end of the game we had 4 players on who are fast AND good with the ball at their feet (Bellamy,Bentley,Pongolle,Peter) but we never seemed to have a run at their defenders looking for the free-kick or even penalty.

Most of the other stuff, like the lack of communication at the back and bellamy going deep, has already been said.

Nervous again about Wednesday after that performance. Hopefully Sunderland will maintain their nothing-to-lose attitude and come out at us, and we can play in a "one more than you" style. Odds on for Stead's first goal?

Edited February 13, 2006 by OnePost

[den]

Although Freidel is undeniably going through a dip in form, 

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undeniably? You mean except for the world class displays against Man utd of course.

[The Gull]

Was absolutely appaled at the rubbish I paid to watch on Saturday.

We just didn't seem to know what to do when faced with ten men and a team that didn't want to get beat and were prepared to put every last ounce of energy into the game for that cause.

I apologise if I'm repeating what others have said earlier but haven't got time to scroll through all the posts on here and needed to get this off my chest.

What made the game worse for me, and quite frankly means I won't be attending anymore away games in the near future, was the fact that I had a bunch of racist idiots sat behind me that disgusted me.

It was only a minority, but they made my day worse by not singing one song that wasn't insulting some race, or ethnic background.

I'm white and from a lancashire town and was brought up with some small minded people like this, but it is a very long time since I have heard such things as on Saturday anywhere, let alone at a football match.

I really thought we had all grown up and moved on from this, and to think the number of times people have asked why we can't attract the asian population of the area to a football match.

A bad day, was made worse by these idiots. Thankyou.

Oh, and Chelsea let me down on an accumulator bet!

[pleasure]

I think the fundamental problem is finding an effective central midfield pairing. The current personel can't do it so it will have to be the summer before Hughes can rectify the problems. And no, giving Tugay a new deal is not going to be much help. At some stage we have to find an adequate replacement.

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i think i'm going to faint! at last someone who agrees with me. emo, reid, sav. not good enough!

it amazes me the vocal support "reidy" and sav get from our fans and bellamy gets hardly none!

the only good thing reid did on saturday-threaten to hammer that steward, when he was time wasting.

savage should play kabbadi (pakistani british bulldogs), he aint a footballer.

give the axe a chance, did okay at west ham in the cup, i saw him with my own eyes.

hope the young girl who had her head split open by a coin, at goodison is okay,

Edited February 13, 2006 by den