Everton Tough Task For Sam's Battered Troops!

Last updated : 02 October 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor

Saturday December 30th 2006
EVERTON 3 NEWCASTLE UTD 0

EVERTON: Howard, Neville, Yobo, Lescott, Nuno Valente, Osman, Carsley, Arteta, Van der Meyde (Davies 78), Johnson (Beattie 71), Anichebe (McFadden 71).
Subs Not Used: Wright, Weir.

NEWCASTLE: Given, Solano, Ramage (Sibierski 37), Taylor, Huntington, Milner, Butt, Parker, Emre, Dyer (Pattison 78), Martins.
Subs Not Used: Srnicek, Rossi, Edgar.

Att: 38,682

After a dreadful end to 2006, Newcastle again find themselves dragged into the relegation dogfight. And as the media talk about Peter Crouch and Joey Barton, the defence HAS to be priority.

Newcastle looked vulnerable defending every dead-ball kick, and it was hardly surprising 18-year-old Victor Anichebe grabbed himself two goals to upstage compatriot Obafemi Martins as Everton destroyed the Geordies at Goodison Park.

He scored either side of the break to put Everton 2-0 ahead, but Martins missed from the spot to put Newcastle back into the game. Everton captain Phil Neville wrapped up an emphatic victory with his first goal for the club.

Shay Given returned to replace Pavel Srnicek, while Emre and Nolberto Solano came in for Antoine Sibierski and David Edgar.

Everton found themselves ahead after starting the brighter of the sides, and some neat interplay between Mikel Arteta, Johnson and Anichebe forced a corner. Arteta played the ball short to Neville, and his whipped cross was met by Everton defender Joseph Yobo. The clearance from Paul Huntington just landed at the feet of Anichebe who fired a low, left-foot shot into the corner from six yards.

Emre and Huntington picked up yellow cards for strong tackles and Peter Ramage picked up an injury seven minutes before the break and striker/midfielder Sibierski was drafted into the backline.

Two minutes before the break, Newcastle had an opportunity to draw level when Leon Osman hauled down Dyer, and Emre (who was already on a yellow card) got involved in the tussle that could have seen him sent off.

Martins failed to make the spot-kick count as he blasted it well high and wide.

In the 58th minute, another right-wing corner and another mess in the Toon defence. Arteta cross was met by Johnson, onto Anichebe who hit the bar but he scored from the rebound from inside the six-yard box.

Four minutes later, Goodison Park erupted as Neville hit Arteta's low free-kick first time with a mis-hit, dipping effort from 20 yards which flew over Given and into the far corner.

The January transfer window cannot come early enough for Glenn Roeder.

Sunday September 24th 2006
NEWCASTLE UTD 1 EVERTON 1

NEWCASTLE: Harper, Carr, Bramble, Moore, Ramage, Milner, Parker, Emre, N'Zogbia, Martins (Rossi 81), Ameobi (Sibierski 24).
Subs Not Used: Krul, Butt, Taylor.

EVERTON: Howard, Hibbert, Yobo, Lescott, Naysmith (Nuno Valente 45), Osman, Neville, Carsley, Arteta (Beattie 90), Cahill, Johnson.
Subs Not Used: Wright, Weir, Davies.

Quite exactly in what frame of mind the referee was in this particular match, whether his wife had ran off with the milkman or someone had knicked his wallet before the match, God only knows. But he was intent on showing cards left right and centre, and some of his decisions simply defied belief.

I cannot remember a match when BOTH sets of supporters felt so badly done by. Yet a draw was probably the right result, despite the huge interfierence from the man in black.

Tim Cahill preserved Everton's unbeaten run when he powered home a 40th-minute header to cancel out Shola Ameobi's 14th-minute opener.

But the player who had the most influence was £10million striker Obafemi Martins was left to rue a series of missed opportunities to claim his first goal at St James' Park. He could blame poor service at Villa and Anfield, not this time. Four times he had the goal at his mercy, perhaps the best of them on 71 minutes when he held off Joleon Lescott, but shot straight at Tim Howard.

Glenn Roeder has still not address the major problem that has dogged the club since the Fairs Cup win in 1969 - the continuing fragility in defence. The club is famous for it, and that has been the main reason we haven't lifted a cup since Bob Moncur - himself a fabulous defender - picked up the trophy in Budapest.

Ameobi's 14th-minute strike was aided by a linesman who obviously didn't know what "offside" was, but none of the 50,000 Toon Army held an inquest.

But, having worked hard to keep Andrew Johnson at bay, the home defence wilted on 40 minutes.

Craig Moore sliced a clearance out for a corner under pressure from the in-form Everton striker and, although his side cleared the initial cross, Mikel Arteta was allowed to feed the ball back in and the Australian rose unopposed at the far post to head home.

Both sides were reduced to 10 men within two eventful minutes when first Bramble was sent off for a foul on Osman, his second bookable offence, and then Hibbert followed him down the tunnel when, after being cautioned for a foul on Parker, he repeated the dose on substitute Antoine Sibierski.