Victor an inspiration but Everton have little in reserve
Posted by Ian Marshall's Double in Birmingham, Everton | 21 April 2006
Minor things can become moments of great revelation when encountered for the first time. Margot Fonteyne
Before a look ahead to the Birmingham game, a look back at Leeds v Everton ressies from Wednesday night.
Whenever you read reports it always talks of an inexperienced and young reserve side and this was no exception. Only Iain Turner had seen first team action, about 101 minutes at a guess, and the only other within reach of the first team squad was Victor Anichebe. Turner looked pretty sound all night but our Vic was the star. Feeding on scraps, as Everton strikers tend to do, he showed loads strength and won a large proportions of the headers from the long balls lumped his way. Obviously there was no-one reading the flick-ons but I think that must now be official club policy at all levels by now.
Victor’s strength set up Everton’s only decent chances, with the big man himself forcing 2 good saves from the dirty Leeds keeper. He also earned boat loads of free-kicks as the Leeds defence found his physical strength too much to handle. It says a lot for him that the 400-ish crowd (which included Kevin Blackwell and curiously Mr and Mrs Bates) deemed his nuisance value enough to start booing him. A compliment indeed from the moaning Yorkies in attendance. This is not a bid to get Victor into the first team by the way, the management of the club should have that sussed, but his display suggested there is more to come.
Other bright spots saw John Paul Kissock, who in all honesty started the game looking and playing like a miniature Simon Davies, but later showed occasional Pablo Aimar like moments of intricate passing. Maybe he has got something, but he’s really really little at the moment. Still, time is on his side. Bjarni Vidarrson looks like a footballer, but was a largely peripheral figure. The rest of the side looked pretty workmanlike but no-one stood out as a star of the future. What was disappointing was that there wasn’t a great deal of football played, with centre halves lumping it up to centre forwards at regular intervals.
In fairness Everton battled well against a more experienced side which included Pugh, Walton, Harding and Steve Stone. Dan Harding was a one-time Everton target supposedly, but on Wednesday’s showing was lucky to get a game for Leeds reserves. Stone showed how pleasurable it must be to be a ‘senior pro’. Not a misplaced or badly timed pass from Stoney, because if anything went astray he bitched at his teammates for making the wrong run or at the officials for getting something wrong. He had one or two decent touches but no great shakes.
Oh yeah, the game finished 0-0 if you didn’t know already.
So now to Birmingham at home, a game you’d have fancied us to win anytime from October to March but it doesn’t look too clever now does it? They’re on a good run and will obviously be up for it, but will Everton? It is really hard to see us winning again all season at the moment, and the fact that Carsley’s ban has been upheld, quelle surprise, means we are still ‘short of bodies’.
So Saturday will see the visit of Steve Bruce, (the man responsible for THE funniest moment of the ’95 Cup Final), Emile Heskey, David Dunn and Mikael Forsell, all of whom should evoke a few mixed feelings. Real Life Blues will be keeping an eye on Jermaine Pennant, a player who needs to get himself sorted off the pitch, but will be a tidy signing for someone if Birmingham go back to where they belong, Division 2.
Let’s send them down and start the bidding. Up the Blues.
Comments
I've heard that Pennant and Heskey wont make it, shame about the latter one...
This line: "Obviously there was no-one reading the flick-ons but I think that must now be official club policy at all levels by now." Made me laugh out loud - funny because it's true! You have to laugh, or else you cry.
The prolix prediction is 2-1 Everton.
Cheers Prolix, kind words.
Shame about Emile 'The Real Deal' Heskey and to a greater extent, Jermaine 'The Tag' Pennant.
Seriously hope your prediction is spot on for a multitude of reasons.
IMD
I should probably have stated that predictions have never been a strong point of mine.
Nor mine Prolix.
I am starting to regret saying 'we won't win again all season' after the Spurs game though.
IMD
