Boxing Day: Everton v. Manchester City 12/26/04 [R]

[sarabella]

Man City up next. Last time around, we beat them 1-0 on a goal by Tim Cahill. This time we're home, which may cause us some problems as we have a better away record.

It should be a close one, but I'm hoping Citeh will be off their game with all that crap happening with Barton.

This one isn't televised. I'm hoping to be around to do my usual agonizing commenting.

[TrooperBari]

Playing at home is a problem?

This really is a wacky season.

[Tony Dellbird]

It will be close, seeing as we're at home, it should hopefully be a win. Man City are a tricky team for us but i'd say it'll be either 1-0 again or 1-1.
Fingers-crossed. Also as Sara isn't watching this one we may have a return to form after last weeks....blip. ;)

[Rocket]

Actually, I think it's fair to say we've played equally well at home and on the road:

............W......D.......L......Pts

Home.....6.......1.......2.......19
Away.....5.......3.......1.......18


At Goodison:

Wins vs: West Brom, Middlesbrough, Southampton, Fulham, Bolton, Liverpool
Draw vs: Aston Villa
Losses vs: Arsenal, Tottenham


Away:

Wins at: Crystal Palace, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Norwich, Birmingham
Draws at: Manchester Utd, Newcastle, Blackburn
Loss at: Chelsea

[sarabella]

Thanks for correcting me. I could have sworn I read differently, but you are right!

[Rocket]

I could have sworn I read differently, but you are right!
Well, you're right in a way too.

Everton has the 3rd best away record (after Arsenal & Chelsea), and the 5th best home record (after Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd, & Liverpool).

So in that respect, Everton are stronger on the road than they are at home.

[Scouse]

also, our home form started off quite slowly, both in terms of results and performances...whereas our away form was on-track from day one.

we've sorted it out now tho :)

Osman's apparently a major doubt for this one, so we may see something like this:
----------martyn
hibbert-weir-stubbs-pistone
cahill-gravesen-carsley-kilbane
------ferguson-bent

right now tho, kilbane looks knackered to me...i wouldn't mind giving him a further few days rest and giving Mcfadden a game on the left.

or we could bring Watson into the middle and have Big Dunc on the bench

i'll leave it to moysey....

[toffeman]

1-0 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) :)

[sarabella]

Ya can't give us a score without saying who got the goal!

[sarabella]

Looks like it's 1-1 at HT

Everton goal from Cahill, Robbie Fowler scored for Citeh. Sorry, I'm not able to listen live for updates... I'm still at my stupid parents' house. Speaking of that, it's about time for me to start the 4-hour trek home...

[afgrijselijkheid]

FT 2-1, bent grabs the second half winner

just another 1-goal victory to stay with the rest of the top 4, who all also won

[Tony Dellbird]

I'm still puzzled why Fowler got booked even though he is a fat berk! Who seems to get fatter and uglier every season, but that's no reason to book the lad! I heard the reason was he left the field of play? Which is a bit silly because most player's do but i suppose it may depend on the nature of the celebration and duration of absence from the field but still a bloody stupid rule.
Also about the sending off of Neroubai, if that's his name i'm speaking from a very hazy memory, it was a bad challenge but no malice or intent just a booking in my books. No pun intended.
But all well another win and the mighty toffees go marching on.

[sarabella]

Here are the highlights for ya:

http://gjesp.net/everton-city.avi

[Scouse]

Gravesen was once again the MoM. we need to get his signature down on paper sharpish!!

[TrooperBari]

Anyone else get a little queasy when Bent had to go off after Negouai's challenge? With Osman out and now that, the last thing we need is for people to start falling apart.

40 points and it's not even 2005 yet ... wow. Hopefully the squad can do like Moyes said and play like they're starting at 0 points all over again.