The Soccer Blog: Everton

Showing posts with label Everton. Show all posts

Saturday, 3 December 2011

Premier League Preview: Everton v Stoke

After making history in Europe, Stoke City travel to Everton on Sunday looking for their first win at Goodison Park in over 30 years.

A 1-1 draw with Dynamo Kiev at Britannia Stadium on Thursday gave Stoke the point they needed to secure progress to the knockout stages of the Europa League from Group E, and they will have their eye on more history on Sunday.

Stoke recorded a 1-0 win at Goodison in April 1981 but have failed to take full points in their next seven visits.

And it will not be easy to break their hoodoo as they face an Everton side beginning to find form after successive victories against Wolves and Bolton.

Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini scored in Everton’s 2-0 win at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday and feels his side are well prepared for the visit of Tony Pulis’ men.

“We’d not got two wins from two games and it was an important victory at Bolton,” Fellaini told the Liverpool Echo.

“It was a good game, we were lucky because they had to play with 10 players but I think it was a red card. It’s a great result. It’s good for the confidence of the team ahead of next week.”

“Stoke have the same sort of style as Bolton but we are playing at home, have confidence and we will hope to win again.”

Fellaini and his team-mates will feel confident of scoring against a Stoke side who have conceded in each of their last eight matches in all competitions.

What is also in Everton’s favour is the fact Stoke have lost all four Premier League matches that have come after Europa League group stage fixtures, conceding 14 goals in the process and scoring just once.

That statistic will motivate Stoke but whether they have enough to defeat a resurgent Everton remains to be seen.

View the original article here

Sunday, 6 November 2011

Premier League: Newcastle 2 Everton 1

Ryan Taylor scored a phenomenal volley to help Newcastle United continue their unbeaten run in the Premier League on Saturday.

Taylor struck in the 29th minute after Everton defender John Heitinga had scored an own goal in the 12th minute.

Jack Rodwell reduced the arrears on the stroke of half-time in a thrilling encounter at St James’ Park.

The first real chance of the game fell to the Merseysiders on 10 minutes, as Royston Drenthe crossed from the left and Louis Saha’s flick on fell to Seamus Coleman at the far post.

The young midfielder should have done better, but hit his shot wide, failing to test Tim Krul.

Newcastle took the lead when right-back Danny Simpson whipped in a dangerous cross from the right wing, and a mis-communication between Heitinga and goalkeeper Tim Howard saw the Dutch centre-back slice the ball into his own net.

Against the run of play, Everton then managed to manufacture three chances in quick succession. The best by far fell to Saha who ran free of the home defence after an aerial ball beat the Toon defence.

However, the Frenchman dwelt on the ball, allowing Steven Taylor to pressure him into squandering his shot.

Moments later, David Moyes’ men were made to rue their missed chances after a failed clearance from a Newcastle throw-in fell to Ryan Taylor on the edge of the area.

The left-back had no right to score, but after Drenthe failed to close him down the he smashed an unstoppable volley, leaving Howard helpless.

Minutes later, the Toffees defence again failed to clear the ball, leaving Danny Guthrie with a chance to volley from the edge of the box.

The ball took a long time to fall for the midfielder, giving Heitinga time to get a block in.

On the stroke of half-time, Everton won their first corner of the match after a strong run down the right flank. Jack Rodwell ran to the front post to meet the ball and nod it past Krul.

Newcastle continued to pile the pressure on Moyes’ men after the interval. The first chance came as the ball fell to Guthrie on the edge of the box, but the midfielder did not have time to settle and shot high and wide.

Moments later, Saha hit a powerful, low shot but Taylor managed to deflect it wide.

On the 60-minute mark the end-to-end nature of the game was perfectly illustrated, with Tim Cahill getting a shot on target which Krul saved comfortably, before Sammy Ameobi smashed high and wide at the other end.

As ever, the Merseysiders refused to give up and were relentless in attacking the Magpies’ goal. But the equaliser failed to materialise, with Louis Saha missing a late chance and Tim Cahill failing to connect with a cross.

View the original article here

Saturday, 7 May 2011

Premier League: Everton 2 Manchester City 1

Everton threw the race for the Champions League wide open with a stunning comeback to beat Manchester City 2-1 at Goodison Park.

City, who have now lost seven of their last eight games against the Toffees, dominated the first half but only had a Yaya Toure goal to show for it.

And Everton stormed back with goals from ex-City defender Sylvain Distin and a delightful header from Leon Osman.

City went close in the 10th minute when David Silva pulled Vincent Kompany’s booming long ball out of the sky and flashed a left foot strike just wide of Tim Howard’s far post.

Two minutes later, they missed a golden chance when Silva laid the ball back for Patrick Vieira but the veteran blasted over from six yards.

The breakthrough came in the 34th minute with Silva again running the Everton defence ragged before teeing up Toure to beat Howard from a tight angle.

The home side had to wait until three minutes before the break for their first meaningful sight of goal, Jack Rodwell heading Phil Neville’s cross just off-target.

Everton brought on Jermaine Beckford at half-time and started brightly, but were almost done on the counter-attack when Toure broke quickly but stumbled as he shot weakly straight at Howard.

Edin Dzeko then went close twice for the visitors with a header that was inches from a top corner and a 25-yard strike that whistle past Howard’s left post.

But Everton pulled level in the 65th minute when Mikel Arteta’s deep free-kick was headed in at the far post by Distin.

And they were ahead seven minutes header when Osman’s header looped over Hart.

And it was almost three moments later when Beckford’s near post flick from Victor Anichebe’s cross was beaten away by Hart.

City piled on the pressure late on but the impressive Everton defence stayed resolute, meaning the gap between Mancini’s side and Tottenham could be as little as four points if Spurs win later on Saturday.

Sat 7 May, 2011