Going on right now. Currently 1-0 Chelsea in the 36th minute. Goal by Shaun Wright-Phillips. Sounds like woeful defending and he had all the time in the world to pick his spot on the goal.
Also I should note Chelsea are playing with 10 as Mikel was given a red for a studs up challenge about ten minutes ago. Everton have the momentum now.
He hasn't really been tested with shots aside from SWP's goal. I can't remember any real saves, just him gathering the ball a couple times when the D was sloppy and yelling at the defense.
2-1 Chelsea. Think Timmy should have grabbed the ball in the air. Lescott looked like he thought Timmy was going to come for it, SWP heads it in.
Total disaster... SWP with another one in injury time. What in the world was the defense doing??? Once again nothing Timmy could do.
people talk about the job hughes has done at blackburn... for my money, i think moyes has assembled probably the most underrated team in the epl... everton are really good all around edit: just as i type it chelsea takes the lead. nifty
disagree. howard has to come collect that ball. the ball was popped up high in the air inside the 6 yard box, how can he not go get that ball? hell, he didn't even need to collect it, he just needed to go clean lescott and swp out and punch the ball clear; he easily could've done that
Interesting point, I thought he was too far to the post where the ball was being crossed. I wish I could see a replay right now. Your right though it was bad communication cause Lescott probably didnt jump because he thought Timmy was gonna get it.
So I'm guessing the game is over then? Oh well, Timmy isn't by himself or anything. Last year we had two YA clubs (Blackburn Rovers and Watford) in the FA Cup semi's, 2004-2005 Beasley and PSV were minutes away from a spot in the CL final, Beasley and Rangers needed only a draw in their final match at home to secure a knockout round spot in the CL this season. We wouldn't be YA clubs if we didn't almost make it, then lose. And yes I know, this is a two-leg semi-final, but Everton blowing what would have been a perfect opportunity with an own-goal in stoppage time against a ten-man Chelsea doesn't have me looking up toward the return leg.
Tim has this blunderability about his game that still has me baffled. He can look fantastic for 20 games in a row, and then have a 5 game stretch where he looks like an MLS keeper. Both today and the recent Arsenal game he had ametuerish mixups with the defense that cost them goals. I'm not saying that's all his fault, but a world-class keeper comes out and deals with the situation in a forceful manner. The earlier poster is right, Timmy should come out for the ball and knock it the hell out of there regardless if his guy there with a chance to clear. These mixups are what cost him his place with Man United, and they're costing Everton victories right now. Don't get me wrong, I'm being a little nitpicky here. Tim is a very good keeper, but I want him to take that next step to a world class keeper (whatever your definition of that is, he's not there right now).
I actually just rewatched the goal, and it wasn't as much of a gaffe as I earlier described. Sure, in hindsight it would have been nice if he had come out and punched it away. But really, that was a ball the centerback could and should have dealt with. Really, how do you let SWP head in the winning goal? He's a munchkin. Sorry Timmy, my bad.
Decide for yourself. The clip is up: http://watchsocceronline.blogspot.com/ I think it was rather unlucky on Lescott's part as he knew nothing of it which is the problem. Can't blame Timmy in my opinion.
To be fair Beasley was injured for Rangers early in the second half against Stuttgart, so he did not play against Lyon in the critical home match, and he was badly missed .(Because winger Chris Burke was not yet in the team either.) He probably played the best match of his club career away to Lyon in France with a goal, assist, and a secondary assist. Rangers were always punching above their weight in a group with French and German champions AND Barcelona. Your completely right though, it seems like "the Nearly Side" syndrome has struck many YA clubs. Bradley and Heerenveen blew a lead in the UEFA cup this year.
can you blame howard for not punching the ball clear? no. could/should he have gone for it and destroyed lescott and swp and punched it away, absolutely in my mind. the ball was INSIDE the 6 yard box and was in the air for plenty of time for howard to get there, have his legs under him, and make a strong leap and play on the ball. plus, it seems like no one was on the other side of the area, so there was a safe place for him to push the ball towards, even if he couldn't get great contact on the ball with a punch. my first reaction as i was watching live was, "why the f*ck isn't howard getting that ball . . . holy crap why didn't howard get that ball!" and having watched the replay many times hasn't changed my feeling at all.
Wasn't a bad mistake by Howard. The only thing he did wrong IMO was hesitate to run at it. Any way you shape it, Lescott shouldn't have let a shrimp like SWP climb on his back and win that header. One thing that does annoy me abotu Howard is that he's constantly hollering and yelling at the defense like an absolute madman. It has to be getting tiresome.
I'm not bying it. Howard was not at fault. Certainly doesn't qualify as a gaffe, unlike Hilario, who flapped at a cross, leading to Everton's goal.
I agree after seeing the clip, it would have been a big risk for Howard to come out after that ball, especially when the defender was in the right position to deal with it. It was just a bad bounce off of the defender who was in the right position to deal with the cross. A keeper needs to stay on his line in that position.