Rinse, Wash, Repeat: Everton 2 - Manchester United 0

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Failing to be entertained by the football, I composed several haikus to honor the way David Moyes and his staff have managed to hamper Shinji Kagawa this season -- among other criminal acts he's committed against our club:

Uninspired game plans

"Trying" to "stop" opponents

We've become Everton

*****

Slow and uninspired

Like molasses on the ball

How's it come to this?

*****

Can't beat his old club

Not City nor Liverpool

Show him the door, please

*****

Danny and Ryan fret

For our beloved club's future

While "Top Reds" stay firm

*****

Our "Chosen One" is

So far over his head it's 

Not even funny

Where's the Plan? Some Brief Thoughts on the Premier League Season

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Ed has been reading up on all the action:

 

The BPL seems tumultuous this year, but is it?  The top four are Arsenal, Chelsea, City, Liverpool – not exactly an impoverished bunch.  Behind them is Everton, a dark horse but certainly one that’s inhabited this position before, and then Spurs.  Thus the only real surprise is United way down in 9^th behind Newcastle, who just beat them, and Southampton, who have been playing very will this year but are still only a point up on the Red Devils.
 

Which makes me wonder what is worse for Moyes: All the losses at United, or is it Martinez making his Everton team look as good as or better than the league leading Gunners?  Everton definitely has more talent than Moyes had – Barkley is a year wiser and seems one of the best midfielders in the BPL at times – and Lukaku is a fairly recent addition.  But still, the style of Everton even without Leighton Baines makes United look lost in the early 1990s.  Plus Martinez’s additions such as McCarthy and Deulofeu, seem far better than the $28MM Felaini that can barely get time in a weak United midfield.  So query, did Sir Alex fail his club in his last act?  Was he blinded by a Scottish bias?  Only time will tell, but right now it would be hard to believe the United board might not be thinking they just made a terrible mistake.

 

 

Meanwhile, over in Spurs-land, AVB has guided the Spurs to two somewhat rocky wins over Fulham and then Sunderland, two basement dwellers.  At least these were wins, as there should be no shame in beating the teams you are supposed to beat.  However, the service to the center remains poor, and AVB seems to still be trying to figure out his best center and wing combinations.  Personally, I would try Paulinho and Sandro behind Dembele, but it turns out AVB doesn’t care what I think.  Regardless, Spurs seem miles apart from the Everton and Arsenal teams that battled it out last weekend.  They have difficulty connecting passes and have no rhythm to their attack.  Not sure what the plans is yet, and less sure it will work.

Cut Adrift: Manchester United 0 - Everton 1 -- Game Recap and Player Ratings

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Everton finally overcame Manchester United at Old Trafford and David Moyes was around to see it; unfortunately for the Scot, he viewed it from the home team's bench, as the Toffees out hustled, outplayed, and most importantly outscored the Red Devils in a midweek Barclay's Premier League match on Wednesday night. The result left United 12 points adrift of Arsenal at the top of the table and virtually out of contention for the title after only 14 games -- this occurring in the season immediately after they galloped over the rest of the field and coasted to the wire 11 points ahead of their closest rival.

Marouane Fellaini once again drew the ire of  the home fans, although truth be told the blame could easily have been spread much further -- from the players on the pitch right on down to the entirety of the United coaching staff. Once again, the home side played an especially narrow brand of football, and missing their talisman Robin Van Persie, turned in another listless performance that left the home supporters fit to be tied. 

Herewith, the individual player ratings for what can best be described as a disastrous result for the Red Devils:

De Gea: Denied Kevin Mirallas before the break and creatively used his knees to stop another Everton shot.  Came up big to blank Gerard Deulofeu from point blank range in the second half. Finally beaten with five minutes to go -- not a fair result for the Spaniard, who deserved a better fate. 6.0

Rafael: Appeared more than a bit rusty after his lengthy time off. Failed to impact the game in any material way. 5.0

Smalling: Pulled off a crucial block on a Lukaku cross and denied another shot by the Belgian with his head. Will not be happy with Valencia for putting him under pressure on the late concession. 4.5

Vidic (C): His typical commanding self in the air but was outmuscled on the ground by Lukaku on several occasions before the break. 5.0

Evra: Energetic presence and strong defending on the left. Required a great Howard save to keep him off the scoresheet. 5.5

Valencia: Appeared more reluctant to take on Everton when he had the ball, perhaps because of increased defensive responsibilities. Rash challenge on Seamus Coleman almost led to an Everton goal, and then totally switched off while at right back for Coleman's winning tally. 4.0

Fellaini: On the plus side, he moved the ball quicker and helped out defensively on a number of occasions. On the minus side,  remind us why United paid £27 million for him? The Belgian ould easily have been red carded for his late game challenge on James McCarthy.. 4.5

You're So Special

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Ed is back -- twice in one week! -- to wax lyrically about the Special One, new (or is it old?) Chelsea bossman Jose Mourinho:

 

Ever since the pinching incident, I've been a little weary of the Special One and have mixed emotions regarding his return to the BPL.  Chelsea may very well benefit from him, and his certain reorganization of the team will be interesting to see.  Rumors are that Juan Mata and Fernando Torres will be sold to make room and money for new talents.  I get Torres, but Mata?  Well, hard to blame him for something he hasn't done yet.
 

Mourinho's return coincides with Sir Alex Ferguson's departure.  We can be certain that Mourinho was hopeful he would have a chance at the United job, and we can be equally certain that he's going to be very motivated to beat United in his return to Old Trafford with Chelsea.  David Moyes is no weakling, and he certainly knows how to put a team together.  That said, I expect the matchup to be a fun one, but I'd warn Jose not to try anything so ginger as a pinch with Moyes -- if I recall he was ready to deck Roberto Mancini for throwing a ball his way not that long ago.

 

 

And now we will also have the opportunity to see what Roberto Martinez can do at Everton.  The Toffees have a long proven track record of success; fighting for relegation is not something they were familiar with under Moyes.  It's been said that Martinez's defenses at Wigan have been poor -- the opposite of Moyes rigid defenses at Everton.  Will Martinez have success due to that defensive coaching residue?  Will he struggle trying to adapt the players to a new system?  Fans will not have much patience with him; it will be as tough a job as any he's had.

 

 

Manchester City also looks to be adding a new Italian coach.  I've always been a bit suspect of the Italian coaches, believing that they are caught in the defensive counter attack system that took shape years ago and is largely unentertaining to watch.  Something may have changed my mind, though, and that is Dortmund's uber-coach Jurgen Klopp stating how he learned from the Italian coaches just how talent can be outdone by good tactics.  Seeing his teams play is believing; perhaps the Italians have more to offer the modern game than I thought.

Where are We Now? (Some Thoughts After Round 32 of the BPL)

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Ed Never Asks for Directions, Even When Lost in the Woods:

I found myself listening to David Bowie's ethereal new hit "Where Are We Now?" the other day, and my thoughts wandered to the twilight of this year's BPL season:

United: The Worst Best Team in Recent Memory

With RVP gone cold, United is ending the season by limping across the finish line. (Wait, who was it that said United would be mid-table if not for RVP?  That's right, everyone other than their supporters).  Their point total is impressive, especially considering their lack of central midfield players or defenders.  It was exposed, of course, on Monday, when City made them look every much the B-team of Manchester.  It's possible that the plan was to counter them.  However, it says something that they just acquiesced control to the Citizens even if that was the plan.  They don't exactly do that to Arsenal or Chelsea.  It also cannot be concluded that the plan was to allow City to dominate them, which they did.  Giggs on Toure was a mismatch of the highest order.  Rooney was feckless as he has been for much of the season.  United were fortunate to be even close in that game.  It's possibly the worst they've looked in some time.  Yet . . . yet . . . they are so far ahead of City the league's been done for months.  Go figure.

Spurs

Now barely two points ahead of Arsenal, it looks to be happening again.  I would say there's at least even odds that Arsenal will pass Spurs into fourth place this season.  That result will be familiar but catastrophic for Spurs.  It's also sickening that Arsenal is continually able to do this despite constantly being the most disappointing team in the league.  No, more than disappointing -- somehow the team just seems pathetic at times.  I mean, imagine relying on Laurent Koscielny to keep the center of the defense tough:  Eeek.

Even so, with Bale out and a tough game against Manchester's A-team to follow, it's not going to easy for Spurs.  Plus, even Gervinho is hot right now for the Gunners.  Unbelievable, considering his lack of talent. The question is, is AVB really that much better than Uncle Harry was last year?  If you just tally the points, the answer is no so far, despite his so-called tactical advantage.  Well, here's to hoping they pull it out.  Otherwise, Bale is definitely gone as will be others.

Workmanlike: Manchester United 2 - Everton 0

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It's the home side with the early pressure, as Manchester United welcome a quality Everton side to Old Trafford. Sunday's contest was likely one Sir Alex circled on his personal calendar on the day the schedules were drawn after last year's disastrous 4-4 draw cost the Reds their 20th top flight title. United is energized in the game's early going, neatly personified by old boy Ryan Giggs sprinting down the touchline and young gun Phil Jones busily man-marking the ever dangerous Marouane Fellaini.

Unsurprisingly, it's the Reds with the game's first real opportunity: Robin Van Persie fluffs his opening lines, however, denting the post after faking Tim Howard out of his jock in a move that left the goalmouth begging. But the score does not remain level for more than a few more minutes: RVP makes up for his uncharacteristic miss by squaring the ball to a wide open Ryan Giggs, who batters the post himself but gets a kinder rebound than his Dutch teammate was treated to. The game's opener marks the Welshman's first goal of the Premier League campaign, a statistic that means Giggs has now scored in every single season of the Premier League's existence -- a record that can never be broken.

Although United look dangerous on almost every foray forward, Everton offer stubborn resistance, with midfielder Kevin Mirallas generating several early corner kicks through a show of sheer grit and determination. The Toffees seek to use their height and physicality as weapons to strike the Reds, but in particular Jones, Nemanja Vidic and Jonny Evans appear well up for the challenge.

The visitors seize the initiative after the home side's opener, and Leon Osman offers David De Gea his first real test of the afternoon.  The Spaniard's outstretched arms are equal to the test, however, and Vidic's sacrificial block puts an end to the threat. Everton amps up the pressure after the half hour mark, and it takes a timely intervention from right back Rafael to steer the ball away from the bruising Victor Anichebe and out of harm's way.

United change to more of a counter-attacking style to see out the first half, although RVP is repeatedly flagged for being offside -- until he no longer is. Philip Neville's deep lying position means the Flying Dutchman is onside near stoppage time, and despite valiant efforts by both Everton 'keeper Tim Howard and Center Back Johnny Heitinga, the League's leading scorer is not to be denied, and United's lead bulges along with the back of the net to two goals just before the half.

Wearing a Yankees Cap: Week 13 in the BPL

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o The West Brom run continues: Steve Clarke's boys comfortably dispatched Sunderland at the Stadium of Shite on Saturday, and after winning four in a row the question needs to be asked: is this a team that can challenge for a European spot this season?  Devoid of any true "big name" stars, the Baggies are succeeding by being a team in the truest sense of the word.

o One of the secrets to success in English football commentary appears to be screaming a player's surname every time he's about to shoot, hoping that you'll look like a genius for predicting a goal before the ball even ruffles the back of the net.  Although you'd think another lesson they'd teach at Announcing School these days would be that shouting "Torres!" when 'Nando's got the ball in the box is an utter waste of breath.

o It's a good thing Spanish is Rafa Benitez' first language, as Roman Abramovitch may now have a far easier time convincing the Blues' new boss that the Booing sounds which reverberated around Stamford Bridge as he walked onto the pitch are actually a particularly English form of affection.

o Chelsea and City played one of the more uninspired games of the recent Premier League era in their nil-nil draw on Sunday, a disjointed affair that featured zero goals and just about the same number of chances.  If we didn't know better we could easily have been convinced that this was a battle between two relegated teams marking time until the season's end -- there was little sign of passion or even the barest hint of a rivalry between the two clubs.  If this is the dawn of the Rafa era at Chelsea, Roman had better equip the seats at Stamford bridge with sleeping bags.

o Sighting of the week: The Drog.  At the Bridge.  In the rain.  With a Yankees Cap on, sitting in the stands.  What a difference a year makes....

Derby Day

Correspondent Scott likes his hats on Derby Day
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Scott checks in with the lowdown on Liverpool:

Some jobs are easy – like being a night guard at a museum - simply watching the security monitors for anything moving, especially things wearing a mask. Or being a babysitter for kids who are already asleep for the night when you arrive. Now, being a linesman (sorry, assistant referee) in soccer isn't quite as easy as either of those jobs but, in the case of certain situations, such as a free kick, it is really quite simple - practically speaking, your only task at that point is to just make sure that when the ball is played forward by the attacking team no red jerseys are beyond the blue jerseys (assuming the goalie has not gone rogue). So how is it that these calls are consistently blown? In the case of Liverpool's game, the wrong call robbed them of two points (and me of fantasy points!). In the case of Manchester United, the wrong call gifted Darth Ferguson and the evil empire those two points.

Of course, if truth be told, I begrudge the United call less than the Liverpool call because I would rather err on the side of offense. Unless you are really sure, you don't disallow a winning goal in extra time and later proclaim something along the lines of "I think so" when asked if you are certain. Nor was that missed call the only of the game. Immediately after kickoff, a blatantly missed offside call nearly led to something very dangerous for Everton. Time to watch some televison monitors or sleeping kids, Mr. “Assistant Referee.”

Of course, as with any game, not all the blame can be put on a single call since, invariably, the players have made numerous miscues along the way. For example, in merely the second minute of the game, if the newly-shorn Jose Enrique had possessed anything remotely resembling a right foot, he could have played the breaking Raheem Sterling through on goal. And while the Spaniard acquitted himself nicely in the runup to Liverpool’s first goal by virtue of a nice touch back and then cross, his ball-watching and lax defending in the 35^th minute allowed the men in blue to equalize.

I suppose it seems apropos that a Liverpool derby should reek of highs and lows, for there were plenty of both. Brad Jones seemed to be grabbing Pepe Reina’s crown when he fingertipped away a dangerous cross and lunged to boot away a corner-bound backpass. But his poor punch clearance in the 22nd minute went straight to Leon Osman in a wide-open position at the top of the box and directly led to Everton getting back in the game, seriously jeopardized his bid to dethrone the Spaniard. Then there was Sterling who was running dangerously at Everton, winning free kicks and manufacturing a 1v1 situation with his speed, before absolutely muffing said 1v1 and making yet another forced, bad pass.

Letting it Flow: Week Five in the Barclay's Premier League

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o Two things we learned while watching Everton tear Swansea apart limb-by-limb on Saturday: 1) The bloom may be off the rose for Manager Michael Laudrup and his boys from Wales -- the Swans' second loss in a row has seriously stalled their momentum and called into question just how strong the squad actually is; and 2) No such questions are being asked of David Moyes and Everton. Liverpool's top club looked fantastic once again this season at the Liberty Stadium, and only poor refereeing has managed to stop the Toffees from reaching 12 points after their first five games. So much for Everton's traditional slow start....

o Chelsea appear to be morphing into a La Liga side before our very eyes. Pretty to the eye -- except if you're Roman Abramovich, who appeared as if he was watching paint dry from his customary seat at Stamford Bridge -- but lacking a certain directness that is a hallmark of the English game, Chelsea step-overed and back-heeled it with best of them on Saturday but were less successful at finding goal -- only second half substitute Victor Moses seemed the least bit intent on blazing a path toward net for the Blues. On a bright note, however, along with their slim 1-nil victory over Stoke, Chelsea appear to have mastered the art of the Spanish flop, with Branislav Ivanovich and Oscar displaying perfect form in their attempts to con the referee.

o Note to future opponents: please make certain to mark Javi Garcia on set plays. I've lost count of the number of headers the City newcomer has managed to put on-target over the past three outings, and he just may be the most dangerous set piece player in the game right now.

o Like the turning of the leaves, one true sign of the nascent fall season was spotted this weekend as Le Professor broke out the sideline puffer jacket for the Gooners' game at Eastlands on Sunday. If only his counterpart Roberto Mancini had deemed the weather cool enough for his natty blue and white scarf, we could have officially declared the new season to be in full swing.

o Kudos to American Clint Dempsey for his first start in front of the home fans at Whitehart Lane on Sunday. Our view was that the midfielder looked energetic and dangerous against QPR, but may have been trying just a bit too hard to find the net. Here's some advice, Clint: relax and let it flow. The goals will come.

o While we appreciate that Hatem Ben Arfa and the rest of the boys at Newcastle were attempting to restore Papiss Cisse's confidence by letting him take a penalty at home against Norwich City on Sunday, man oh man, we wonder how far the resulting miss may have set back the Senegalese striker. While Cisse may have made the Geordies wonder if his fellow countryman Demba Ba was expendable with his form in the latter half of last season, the shoe is now firmly on the other foot. And that's the same foot that brought about a moonshot of a penalty that should be passing by the International Space Station any day now....

Week 2 in the BPL: In Which Even a Tropical Storm Can't Stop Us

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Tropical Storm Isaac may have glanced South Florida this weekend, but after enduring yet another media-hyped non-event, we're betting that it rained more on Wearside Friday night than it did here on Sunday.  Yet unlike Sunderland, at farlieonfootie the show must go on....

o We would have paid good money to hear what West Ham Manager Big Sam Allardyce had to say to Jussi Jaaskelainen and James Collins on Saturday.  That is, if you could have heard him over the half time head smacks and whimpering....

o While everyone was focused pre-season on Manchester City's title defense and Manchester United's acquisition of RVP, Chelsea look as dangerous going forward as they have in several seasons, in large part due to the direct play of Eden Hazard and the re-discovery of Fernando Torres' scoring boots. The big question in our mind is whether the Blues can keep up this kind of torrid form for the majority of the season.  Chelsea always begin the season sharply, and they continued their hot streak on Saturday with a 2-0 beat down of Newcastle -- it's the middle of the season in which they seem to swoon in recent years.

o It took a little rain to weigh down and stretch out his hair to remind us of exactly who David Luiz looks like: a blue kited Kenny G. Then again, after his 81st minute headwrap job on Saturday afternoon, it's fair to say that Luiz  looked a bit more like John McEnroe, circa 1980.



Saxophone player or Chelsea defender?  You decide.
Photo by Sandra Alphonse on Flickr

o Did Nike copy Manchester United's away kit from last year when they created Arsenal's visiting garb for this season?  We can already hear the discussion: "Let's make the stripes just a tiny bit thinner, and add a red strip around the bottom of the sleeves and no one will notice the similarity."  Weak.

o Arsenal fans, you were correct: you won't miss Robin Van Persie's goal production. He's injury prone and while he may had a great season last year, he'll never repeat that form, and you've already made him irrelevant with the addition of Santi Cazorla, Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud to your squad. And in totally unrelated news, after Sunday's goalless draw with Stoke City, Arsenal have now gone 180-plus minutes without finding their way into the back of the opponent's net.

o Rumors are rampant that UNICEF is contemplating sponsoring Liverpool this season after witnessing Martin Skrtel's magnanimous act of charity on Sunday that handed Manchester City a 2-all draw. Showcasing the definition of selflessness, Skrtel gave a scar-ridden child from the Argentine ghetto a ball and two points that his side may desperately need later in the season.

Waiting for Van Persie: Manchester United 0 - Everton 1

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Q. So, did Robin Van Persie start against Everton on Monday?

A. This is the real world and not a movie. Of course he didn't start. The guy played about 30 minutes in total this pre-season, and with his injury history, you can expect Fergie to bring him along slowly.

Q. Ok then, did Shinji Kagawa at least get the nod?

A. Yes, in a squad that featured no less than eight offensive players, United's shiny new midfielder saw his first League start.

Q. Did it help?

A. Not really.  Kagawa played some nice through balls, but overall the offense looked slow, unjointed, and in largely the same form that we saw for much of the pre-season.

Q. Did anyone from United have a good game?

A. Yes, David De Gea was at his spectacular best in the first half, and kept the Reds in the match, when they could have easily been 2-nil or 3-nil down.

Q. Were there any images from the game that stand out?

A. Why, yes, there were.  Marouanne Fellaini winning virtually everything in the air, for one.  The Belgian looked about eight feet tall as he repeatedly towered over both Nemanja Vidic and makeshift center back Michael Carrick, unfortunately.  Fellaini was a beast, almost unplayable on Monday.

Q. Anything else?

A. Yes: Nani's consistent failure to take a corner that cleared the first defender. It's a miracle that Fergie left him on for 70 minutes.

Q. Could United have done anything to stop Fellaini?

A. Sure.  We could have bought him in the off-season, along with Van Persie and Kagawa.

Standup Comedy: Round 37 in the BPL

o So where are all the critics hounding Wojciech Sczcesny?  Impersonating his teammate Lukasz Flappy Handski, the Pole was entirely unconvincing against Norwich on Saturday, waving wildly at the first ball into his box and then kindly showing the second the quickest route to goal, much like a crossing guard making sure his charges make their way safely to the other side of the street. The southern dominated media in England were only too happy to hop on David De Gea for the slightest mistake, yet they continue to extol the virtues of the young Arsenal 'keeper. Can you say 'double standard?'

o Referee Anthony Taylor must be a huge fan of the World Wrestling Federation, as he saw nothing wrong when Laurent Koscielny took down Norwich defender Russell Martin in the box like he was in a no holds barred cage match. Meantime, fourth official Lee Probert laughed hysterically on the sideline, treating Paul Lambert's protest as if he was watching the latest routine from standup comedian Jerry Seinfeld.

o No worries, Taylor made it up to Norwich in the second half. Continuing a completely forgettable 90 minutes in charge, the referee somehow also overlooked Kyle Naughton's mugging of Super-Goon Robin Van Persie as time momentarily ran down on Arsenal's grip on third place. Memo to Taylor: evening out your missed calls does not mean you had a good game.

o Sign o' the Times: For the first time this season, I didn't watch the United game live when I had the opportunity to do so. Instead, I watched the Manchester City vs. Newcastle game on tape (I had missed the live broadcast due to a family obligation), such were the season-defining ramifications of the Toonside contest.

o As it was, the title could end up swinging on the width of Gael Clichy's foot. The former Arsenal man came up with a huge block when Newcastle's best opportunity fell in the box to Demba Ba late in first half. If only the ball had fallen to the Demba Ba who played for Newcastle from August through January rather than the significantly paler imitation of the striker who has worn the number ten shirt for the Magpies for the last four months.

o On the other hand, you've goth to hand it to Roberto Mancini. His team was well prepared for their encounter at Newcastle, didn't panic, and played the kind of defense that never allowed Newcastle -- the in-form team in the League -- any clean cut opportunities in front of goal -- virtually the second week in a row that the City defense held their opponents to nothing. And all this occurred at the home of a side which could have moved into a Champions League spot had they won, a team which featured Papiss Cisse, Hatem Ben Arfa, and Yohan Cabaye, and a side which had only lost only one time in their last eight matches - no easy feat that.

o And who more fitting to take the winning opportunity than Player of the Week Ya Ya Toure. The heart and soul of the City engine room, the big man pushed on for City all season long, popping up time and again at key moments for the Sky Blues and seemingly singlehandedly willing them to victory on more than one occasion. All arms and legs akimbo when he runs, the game changed when Toure moved further forward for City after the hour mark. It's likely no coincidence that Toure is also one of the few battle tested men on the City squad -- having previously won a La Liga title at Barcelona.

Coming Unstuck: Manchester United 4 - Everton 4

Everton begin the game on the front foot, denying United easy possession in their own end, and pressing the ball as if they are impersonating a certain team from Catalonia. United respond with a catalog of errors and miscues, surrendering the ball time and again, which leads to a number of chances for the visitors in the contest's opening ten minutes.

Nani appears one of the few Reds awake for the early Sunday kick off, cutting in from his left hand position to test Everton 'keeper Tim Howard. Paul Scholes offers a long-range bomb that misses the mark as the home side finally engages the opposition after fifteen minutes has passed.

Half way to the interval and the statistics show United with 54 percent of the possession -- but statistics can lie. Everton have had the majority of the game's true opportunities and United have been wasteful with the ball. Danny Welbeck bears the brunt of much of the early frustration, dribbling into crowded situations and reliably popping up at the post opposite from the one at which crosses are being directed.

Nikica Jelavic opens the scoring for the visitors, directing his header off Tony Hibbert's cross well beyond David De Gea's grasp for a deserved opener for the visitors, and the flat home side have no one to blame but themselves.  Paul Scholes' impression of Darren Gibson nearly equalizes minutes later, tipped by three bodies during its trip through the box, but Tim Howard's extended foot keeps the ball from hitting the back of the net. It's none other than Wayne Rooney who does equalize five minutes before the break, nodding Nani's cross past Howard to haul the Champions back to level terms.

In truth, United are fortunate to head to the locker room tied at one, and the only person who's had as poor a half as the home team is the man in charge of the proceedings, Referee Mike Jones -- failing to recognize an ankle stamp on Evans, a clear foul on Rafael in the box and much more on his way to dishing out only a solitary yellow card.

¡Viva Liverpool!

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The dream is still alive for Columnist Scott:

The length and complete silence of the tribute paid to the victims of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, prior to Saturday's FA Cup Semi-Final game between Liverpool and Everton, was poignant and admirably respected by every single one of the over 87,000 fans in attendance. My condolences to the families of the victims and my respect to the fans.

The game itself, however, was far from silent, which is not surprising given the rivalry of these two Liverpool teams.  This was the 5th Merseyside derby at Wembley Stadium and proved to be a thriller, with the Reds coming out on top with a bit of luck.

That bit of luck was needed after the previous fortnight of Liverpool goalkeeping problems.  First, there was Pepe Reina being dismissed from the Newcastle game for a forehead brush deemed a headbutt.  Then there was his replacement, Alexander Doni, being dismissed from the Blackburn game after being forced, compliments of John Flanagan's horrendous back pass, into a lunging effort that floored Junior Hoillet.  His replacement in that game, Brad Jones, for whom the erring Flanagan was sacrificed, then proceeded to see a yellow card that could have been red when he tumbled Yakubu Aiyegbeni while attempting to recover his bumbled catch.  Andy Carroll scored the winner at Ewood Park that day to foreshadow the events that would unfold at Wembley.

Back to the game at hand - a curious starting lineup was put forth by the under-fire Kenny Dalglish.  Jose Enrique was absent ,as were Dirk Kuyt and scoring-machine Maxi Rodriguez.  At the back, Daniel Agger was out wide on the left with Glen Johnson on the right to bookend Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtl.  Andy Carroll got the starting nod along with Luis Suarez up front, while they were supported in midfield by Jordan Henderson, Stuart Downing, Jay Spearing and Steven Gerrard.  Brad Jones, by default and only after Alexander Doni's red card appeal failed, manned the goal.

The game turned out to be a tale of two halves - the first half with more back and forth but with Everton looking the more dangerous and the second half in which Liverpool dominated from start to finish.

BPL Round 23: Shooooooooooooooooot!

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Joleon Lescott cleared a ball off the line at Goodison Park on Tuesday to prevent an undermanned Everton from leaping out to an early lead over Manchester City.  The central defender used his forehead to stop the ball from crossing the goal line, but while the clearance may have saved his team and 'keeper, it left a dirt mark in the center of his forehead, just below the hairline -- an unfortunate space for Lescott that didn't need to be emphasized any more than it already is....

o With four golazos -- all from the spot, mind you -- Everton defender Leighton Baines is the club's leading scorer this season. That statistic says all you need to know about the Toffee's struggles on the offensive side of the ball.

o Who said Darren Gibson can't shoot...?  It certainly wasn't the throngs of Manchester United fans who celebrated the Irishman's winning goal on Tuesday night, a goal that tied his former club with Manchester City at the top of the League table.  That is, unless you count those same United fans who previously hounded Gibbo off Twitter, and greeted his every playing opportunity with a dread bordering on psycopathic....  Shoot, Gibbo, shoooooooooooooot!


o As much for his cannon-like leg as his game-winning goal, Darren Gibson is our Player of the Week.
o The question on everyone's mind is what's wrong with Manchester City?  I wrote about this previously, but my sense two or three months ago was that City players were going to tire as a long season slogged on, due to Roberto Mancini's lack of regular rotation -- especially in midfield. David Silva looks the player most off his early season form right now.

o Andy Carroll scored for Liverpool this week, thus recording his first League goal for the club since October, so he should be good for the next six months or so....  Your move, Fernando.

The Humdrum of the Cup

photo by jaygooby	via PhotoRee

Not the most thrilling week of action outside of the Liverpool - Manchester United game. I caught a bit of Tottenham beating Watford -- and think his may now be Spurs' cup to lose. When you can play that poorly and still win, it's often a sign that something special is in process.

o I also caught a small portion of the battle for the hearts and minds of North America, as Clint Dempsey and Fulham took on Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and Everton. I guess you'd say advantage Donovan and Howard as the LA Galaxy man had a couple assists to lead the Liverpudlians to victory. Although honestly, the advantage is ultra slim, as I don't think that many people in North America really care much about either team.

o Switching to Saturday's action, it was great to see the FA foregoing years of tradition by foresaking the handshake before the Chelsea - QPR game. Great way to set an example for the youth of the world, gentlemen.

o And tongue firmly in cheek, it was refreshing to see Chelsea destroy another weak team this season.  Their lone goal from the spot looked especially free flowing.

Deuce and the Hat: Round 22 in the BPL

photo by badjonni	via PhotoRee

Some questions and observations from all the latest action in the Barclay's Premier League:


o Chelsea captain John Terry said late last week that the Blues can still win the title. Win the title?  Is he joking...?  What title was he talking about?  The League's biggest underperformers....?!

o Chelsea's offense looks strangely impotent this season. They may have brought in Gary Cahill last week, but as bad as the Blues' defense has been, it's not their biggest problem.  Not only is Chelsea not scoring much, they're not even threatening goal.  The problems are myriad: there's never anyone in front of goal to receive a cross,  Sturridge and Torres shouldn't play together, Torres' confidence is shot -- excuse after excuse, and no goals to speak of....

o Our favorite chant of the Weekend came from the Norwich City fans to Fernando Torres: "What a waste of money." How true....

o What a turnaround for Fulham against Newcastle on Saturday....  Down a goal and seemingly completely out of the game at the interval, the Cottagers' comeback began with a debatable penalty, but only came into full fruition through the feet of a certain American forward.  When Clint Dempsey banged in his third goal of the day in the 89th minute to top off Fulham's five goal second half bonanza, Martin Jol was so happy he straightened his frown.  Needless to say, with his second three-goal-outburst in his last three contests, the Texan was the only player we seriously considered for our prestigious Player of the Week honors.

o It was unfortunate that Fox Soccer missed Dempsey's third goal, as the programming switched mid-game to the Premier Week Preview Show for several minutes before coming back to live action. Although goals by Americans in the BPL are becoming more common, hat tricks are so rare they have to be celebrated. 

o And speaking of Deuce, his scores on Saturday were the 50th, 51st and 52nd time the American has found the back of the net for Fulham. In combination with Landon Donovan at Everton, the two Americans are really enjoying their football this season, which leads me to a question: When was the last time two Americans were among the very best players on their respective BPL teams...?  I'd venture to say never. And although Fulham and Everton aren't exactly Man United and Arsenal, it's a start, boys and girls. It's a start.

To Dare is to Do

photo by inkiboo	via PhotoRee

Yesterday against Everton, Benoit Assou-Ekotto's thumper into the right corner of the net put an exclamation point on Spurs' remakable run.  Unbelievably, after 20 games, Spurs are tied with United for second place in the League.  But what's more, they look the more impressive side.

United's most recent endeavor against City showed that the Red Devils still have some teeth, but the near disaster that resulted in the second half from a City team down to ten men had to put a scare in United's fan base.  Plus the introduction of Paul Scholes to team up with Giggs -- a player almost as old as FOF -- shows some good bit of desperation from Fergie.  This is especially true in light of the fact that good ole Paul completed more passes in his short stint in this post-testimonial match than any other player on the pitch.  Surely the boss-man will spin this as proof that he's as good as new;  unfortunately, the reality is that it reflects very poorly on the side that was out there for the rest of the game.

There's been some talk that Fergie put in the old man just to underscore the desperation of United to its owners.  As a plea, if you will, for more money for a new midfielder.  I think this is overthinking it a bit.  Fergie certainly craves about 40MM pounds to drop on another player (who doesn't?), but bringing Scholes in wasn't for show, it was because Fergie knows Scholes is the best he's got.  As I believe some astute observer of this site wrote in:  "For the first time, United is understanding what it's like to be a team like Spurs."  Hurts a bit, doesn't it?

But back to Spurs, it's remarkable how well they've done assembling a team of talented players.  And against Everton today, they also seemed to have invented some depth in the squad.  Just when the disposable duo of Ledley King and William Gallas go down to injury, in pops Michael Dawson, and he picks up pretty much where he ended up before he was hurt so long ago.

Speaking Elvish: Week 16 in the EPL

photo by 50 Watts (formerly A Journey Round My Skull)	via PhotoRee

Not much happening in the English Premier League on the penultimate Saturday prior to Christmas: only five games on tap yesterday, and it would be misleading to label most of the action I saw as 'scintillating.' Furthermore, Chelsea was the only one of the "big six" teams in action, making for a rather humdrum day of footie watching. Nevertheless, we push onward and upward, as the show must go on....

o Has there been a defender who's cleared more balls off the line this season than Russell Martin of Norwich City?  He did it again vs. Everton on Saturday and prevented another goal, which was crucial in helping Norwich to a point at Goodison Park.  This many clearances should also help Martin receive an honorary goalkeeper card at the end of the season. 

o There were lots of empty seats at the DW for Chelsea's visit on Saturday. You can't really blame the fans given Wigan's form this season, but they missed a helluva performance by their team on Saturday. Once again, Wigan showed a spirited fight to continue the upward trend they've been on for last few weeks, and they looked the more likely winner as time wound down on the game. Can Roberto Martinez pull yet another rabbit out of the Wigan hat to keep his boys up for one more season?  It's still too early to say, but I no longer think Wigan is nailed on for relegation. 

o Just a quick question: You think there's any way that Juan Mata speaks Elvish...?

Three Points Gained: United 1 - Everton 0

Photo by Hub on Flickr

It's time for the annual column-up-in-smoke trick today, in which my complete blog entry is deleted after I've written it, but before I've had the opportunity to post it.  I don't know whether to blame the miscue on the new iPhone and my lack of familiarity with the "keyboard," or instead whether I should blame it on watching the game on my laptop via WatchESPN.com, while simultaneously juggling the laptop and earphones (for the game), the iPhone (for my column notes), the iPad (for Twitter), and the television (for the circus that was Arsenal vs. Chelsea).

Nevermind, the result is still the same: a fully written blog over and done before it ever had time to see the light of day.  So here's the re-boot:

o Yesterday's win was an impressive one -- don't fool yourself.  Sure, it was the tale of two halves, but I can't remember many opportunities -- even in the second half -- in which Everton really looked like scoring.  It was United's first away win at Goodison Park in a number of years -- since 2007, I believe; it also meant that the Reds captured four points on Merseyside this campaign, versus the solo job they grabbed last season.

o United looked better offensively yesterday, at least in the first half.  The free flowing offense was back, and the movement both on and off the ball looked much more creative.  They also got back to the style of football they played early on this season, pressing the ball and creating turnovers high up the pitch.  Is it just a coincidence that yesterday was Tom Cleverly's first game in about 6 weeks?  I don't want to put too much pressure on the kid, and I also don't want to make him into the next coming of Wesley Sneijder (at least not yet), but it's undeniable that the team plays a completely different style of ball when Clev is on the pitch.  It was with some serious relief that I learned after the game that the injury which forced Cleverly off just after the interval appears to be nothing too serious -- this kid holds the keys to the United midfield this season.