World Soccer: Everton Football Club

Barclays Premier League

Tuesday 14 August 2007
Tottenham Hotspur 1 --- Everton 3 (White Hart Lane)
Gardner 25 ----------------- Lescott 2.
-------------------------------- Osman 36.
-------------------------------- Stubbs 45.

Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).
Bookings: Malbranque 11, Jenas 57.

Attendance: 37,716.

Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Yobo, Stubbs, Lescott, Osman , Carsley, Neville, Arteta, Johnson, Anichebe (Jagielka 79). Substitutes Unused: Ruddy, Valente, Pienaar, McFadden.

Tottenham Hotspur: Robinson, Chimbonda, Kaboul (Rocha 17), Gardner, Stalteri (Routledge 66), Zokora, Jenas, Malbranque, Keane, Berbatov, Bent (Defoe 60). Substitutes Unused: Cerny, Huddlestone.

Well, well, well, you wait an hour for a London bus then two turn up at once. Everton until last season had not won at White Hart Lane since Gary Lineker scored the only goal of the game on 26 August 1985. Now the toffees have recorded two straight victories there in successive seasons.

Only two minutes in Jolean Lescott beat Anthony Gardner to head home Mikel Arteta's right wing cross from the edge of the six yard box. On 6 minutes, Darren Bent had the ball in Everton's net but Berbatov was correctly flagged for offside after Robbie Keane delayed too long on his through ball. Bent again was put in behind the Blues defence on 9 minutes, the provider again being Keane and the Bent's square pass should have been dealt with, but both Hibbert and Yobo got in a mix up, resulting in the Nigerian, who seemed to be carrying an injury, denied Berbatov blocking a shot from point blank range.

Mark Halsey produced the first yellow card of the evening for a daft challenge on Arteta from behind on 11 minutes. A minute later, Arteta looked to expose Paul Robinson's left hand post but drilled a right-footed free-kick high, wide and not so handsome from 25 yards. Victor Anichebe superbly killed Andy Johnson's pass instantly, only to fire powerfully straight into Robinson's midrift who claimed the ball at the second attempt.

Martin Jol was forced into making an early change on 18 minutes replacing Younes Kaboul with Ricardo Rocha. Zakora flashed a hopeful 30 yarder well over the top then two minutes later at the opposite end, little Leon Osman beat the much taller Pascal Chimbonda to loop a header over the bar. Berbatov blasted over whilst well placed on 22 following a great piece of skill by Keane who beat Lee Carsley by lifting the ball over his head close to the by-line.

Tottenham started to dominate and on 26 minutes, Anthony Gardner escaped his marker, Lescott, to head the home side level for a Jenas corner for a deserved equaliser from six yards out. The game then entered a lull spell and a sloppy period of play, more so by Everton. Malbranque sprayed a fantastic cross-field ball on 34 aimed for Bent in the penalty area but the ball zipped off the wet surface and went harmlessly out of play. Leon Osman then thumped the Blues into a slightly undeserved 2-1 lead after Arteta's beautiful flighted cross was headed away from Rocha who was under real pressure from Anichebe, the ball fell into the path of Osman who chested the ball down before lashing home expertly with his weaker left foot to score in his 100th start for the club netting his second goal of the season.

Everton then grew in confidence and began to knock the ball around has Spurs had done in the opening 35 minutes and Arteta curled a free-kick narrowly wide of Robinson's left hand angle. In injury time, the Blues silenced White Hart Lane as Alan Stubbs fired in a pile driver of a free-kick that took a huge deflection off Chimbonda and beyond a stranded goalkeeper. The dubious goal panel can surely not take the goal off Stubbs as the initial strike was on target.

The second half began with Keane shooting at Howard in the opening minute of the restart that Howard smothered safely. Then on 47 minutes, Spurs almost pulled an immediate goal back, with a superb Berbatov header that beat Howard all ends up but cannoned off the upright. Everton broke straight away as Johnson picked up Osman's pass, then teased Spurs defence and shot narrowly wide via a slight deflection. Jenas was booked on 57 minutes for a foul on Arteta as Referee Mark Halsey started to get a little whistle happy. Keane whipped a freekick 6 yards wide (60) and a minute later, Defoe replaced Bent. Jermaine Defoe then teased Hibbert but his cross shot was smothered by Tim Howard.

Wayne Routledge replaced Stalteri on the 66 minute mark as Spurs then had a spell of possesion followed by a hopeful 67th minute Defoe strike that was the worst attempt of the evening. Johnson latched onto a fortunate ricochet on 73 shooting right footed that Robinson saved at full stretch. 13 minutes from time, Tim Howard superbly denied Defoe from a Chimbonda cross maintaining Everton's two goal advantage. Phil Jagielka entered the play on 79 minutes to make his Everton debut, replacing Anichebe who had worked his socks off.

Johnson (88) then forced Robinson into another good save then captain Phil Neville attempted a left footed shot that drifted wide of the England goalkeepers goal. Tottenham won seven pre-season games out of seven, whereas Everton had an indifferent Pre-season. Just shows you how much friendlies mean in terms of confidence building. The toffees can hold early bragging rights as they are top of the table. We know it wont last, but still, it is a pleasant feeling while it does last.

Woody's Man of the Match: The whole team worked tirelessly with Alan Stubbs being a rock at the back. Unsung hero Lee Carsley also had a fine game with a series of crucial blocks and protected the back-line superbly, but my vote once again goes to Mikel Arteta whom i can not believe this lad cant make the Spanish national team. On this form, Arteta is as good as anyone in his position, comfortable on the ball, dangerous on dead ball situations and as all the skill in the world.

Match report edited and composed by Stephen Woodside.
(Re-edited to rectify one or two minor mistakes).

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Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

Edited by stephen_woodside (15/08/2007 10:37)

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