[Slater582]

Everton lead 0-1 at the end of the first half.

Cahill set Saha up for the goal.

[Slater582]

Howard

Hibbert - Yobo - Distin - Baines

Gosling - Heitinga - Fellaini - Rodwell - Cahill

Saha

Subs: Nash, Neill, Coleman, Wallace, Yakubu, Agard, Baxter.

Guessing that's the formation.

[spider_kin]

thats not a bad lineup but our bench is shit! i mean yak, ok. neill? mostly ok. the rest? what a joke for a PL club

i'm having trouble getting a stream up, but been busy any way...

COYB

[Slater582]

Yakubu on for a limping Saha.

[Slater582]

Gosling may have won it.

[Slater582]

1-2

Doesn't sound very flattering for Hibbert.

[Slater582]

Everton win 2-1.

Their last away win in the League was against Portsmouth late in September.

I make them 12th right now.

[Rocket]

Nice result.

We've got a tough stretch of games following the international break, so it's great to pick up 3 points while the goings good.

[spider_kin]

Originally Posted by Slater582

Gosling may have won it.

? won what? did he score the 2nd? I couldn't get a stream up and was really busy today, had to run out right after the final score was up... didn't look at details.

Originally Posted by Slater582

1-2

Doesn't sound very flattering for Hibbert.

why not flattering to hibbo?



as an aside. our backline is what, barring jags back (replacing Yobo, sorry), it should be IMO. they had some games together before and did well, then we went to hell in a handbasket with injuries and didn't have the same back line in about 4-5 games, now we have these boys back for two in a row and get 2 improved performances (keeping Benefica to 2-0 is an improvement. not one i am in love with, but one none the less) I don't know how they actually played today - clinging on for dear life or actually controlling the game a good bit? - but a win is a win, and let us hope that the back 4 stays the same now for a while and they start clicking again.

I gave hibbo a lot of stick at one point, and I still do call him on dumbass plays, but when he has a good winger in front of him, he's actually a good lad to play. His one major fault I see written time and again is him going forward and not getting back. I remember last year for a stretch - i think with gosling in there at right wing, or even ossie - they would switch off and he would go fwd and have cover behind. It's the same way with peanut and baines. I love that with him and baines we can sort of make a 3-5-2 (either with 2 fwds or with cahill/felli switching off as the 2nd) They just need to remember one of them has to stay back!

Also, P.nev was very VERY good last year in his quiet understated way of becoming a defender when needed. I think Heitinga can do that, but p.nev has a much bigger "quiet confidence" around him. Heitinga still has to earn that respect. strangely I don't see Rodwell doing that - i see him in much more a controlling midfield/start the attack role - dare I say similar to where arteta got his magic going last year? He hasn't shown the flair Mikky did, but he is a solid outlet for the defense to pass forward. He's going to grow into that large frame of his and become a very tough player to push off a ball... intimidating.

God help us! we need our lads healthy, no more setbacks... Our squad has major star potential, and while I hate whining about injuries cos everyone gets them... having more than a full team out injured (well 2 were cuptied, but still) is ********ing ridiculous. Major props for our boys going out there and doing their best. can't be easy... I will say I'd have liked a bit more intensity and desire to prove themselves from the boys being given chances now... few games i've watched it's been a hit or miss with some of them... they need to take charge of their own fate and make it impossible for moyes to drop them once our injured boys come back!

COYB!!!!

EDIT: just seen the highlights... saha is class. absolute. pure. class. Gosling: great goal, disappointing that his first shot was directly at the keeper, but great the he followed up. Hibbo: I don't know that I agree on calling it an own goal as it was going in anyway, and frankly for him to track back when yobo and distin were nowhere to be seen... they should have been back there. poor hibbo. anyway. 3 points. hopefully some confidence to build on. back four getting better... etc. etc. COYB

[thetoffees]

I didn't expect much yesterday given our recent performances so the points were very welcome. Its something to build on after international break when hopefully a few more of our players back.