It is now time to switch to a new Money AM football blog as the world cup is now over and we all look to the future.....World cup 2010 is over, Bravo Espana, and Forlan, once again and bring on the new season !.....I never expected the last thread to be such a success...thanks all.... so this new one might go on for years without the need to edit the title...we shall see...

Mistakes by both parties; Cardiff City appointing an inexperienced manager at the time they did, and OGS taking the job. When I mentioned him re Manchester United it was as a number 2 - toilet humour on the way? - to an experienced manager of good quality; learn, then after 2 or 3 years take control of the team for the League Cup/FA Cup/both as a test. Roy Keane had success with Sunderland then struggled as a manager, he's now assistant manager for Ireland and Aston Villa.

Where is Daehli going?

Cheers,
KidA

Everton FC 4-1 Wolfsburg: Greg O'Keeffe's on-the-whistle match report from Goodison Park





Sep 18, 2014 22:35
By Greg O’Keeffe
0 Comments


Our EFC reporter gives his verdict after the Blues dispatch Wolfsburg in style



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No beer in the ground, and no Z-Cars to accompany Everton FC's players onto the pitch.

But even fussy Uefa regulations won't turn Bluenoses off the Europa League if their team carry on serving up displays like this.

Roberto Martinez's men put themselves firmly in the driving seat in group H against a club sponsored by Volkswagen.

Beforehand the Blues boss said the continental stage is where his team belongs, and they neatly under-lined their manager's confidence with a performance that purred.

Whether it was an all-action Kevin Mirallas bursting forward, Leighton Baines proving too hot to handle down the left, or the sight of a bona-fide champion in Samuel Eto'o coming off the bench to revive their tempo in the second half, Everton laid down a formidable early marker in this competition.

At times the Toffees passing was sublime, and this was against a side which usually competes in the Champions League and won the Bundesliga title five years ago.

Thanks to expensive new floodlights installed over the summer, Goodison was bathed in a luxurious sheen and the opening goal lit-up the Old Lady in suitable style.






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Everton FC Wolfsburg

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The Toffees initially failed to build much final-third attacking momentum, relying instead on their tested formula of establishing a stranglehold on possession with passes across the park.

The idea is to create a mesmeric effect, lulling opponents before eking a sudden opening and it worked perfectly. Eighteen passes were exchanged and suddenly, in one switch of tempo, the ball was in the back of the net.

Baines, who was bright from the start, latched onto James McCarthy's short pass before bursting into the area and wisely electing to cut the ball across goal rather than shoot. Typically Steven Naismith, who also shone in the build-up, had motored into the area and his shot was eventually deflected in off defender Ricardo Rodriguez.

With Wolfsburg reeling the Blues might have doubled their lead moments later, when Romelu Lukaku almost made things worse for Rodriguez only to slip just as he was poised to pull the trigger in the area.

Emboldened the Toffees began to pile on the pressure with some confident attacking, but could not afford to lose focus at the other end where the Germans remained a threat.

Rodriguez delivered a dangerous cross from the left which only just evaded the lurking Ivica Olic, then the lively Kevin De Bruyne nearly seized on a similar delivery.

It was the hosts who maintained the upper-hand as the break approached though, as Lukaku drew a diving save from Diego Benaglio with a 25-yard free-kick.

Indeed they edged ahead on 45 minutes to cement their dominance. For the fourth time this season the Blues struck just before the break, this time Benaglio could only parry a shot from the excellent Mirallas and Baines muscled onto the loose ball and crossed for Seamus Coleman to net another header at the Park End. The right-back's timing was immaculate as was his strength to get across his marker.

Martinez may well have noticed Wolfsburg's penchant to leave gaps in their back four and his side were certainly doing well at exposing them.

If the stroke of half time is a canny moment to score, then two minutes into the second half isn't bad either.

So it went, as Baines played in Aiden McGeady and the winger was fouled on the edge of the area by Robin Knoche. The momentum of McGeady's fall took him into the area and that was enough to convince Italian ref Luca Banti to point to the spot. Baines dispatched the penalty with characteristic cool.

Wolfsburg continued to pose a threat despite being on the ropes. But just as he was at the Hawthorns, Tim Howard was loathe to lose his clean sheet; twice denying the Germans with dramatic stops from Luiz Gustave and then Rodriguez's powerful free-kick.

He was at it again 10 minutes later to beat away Maximilian Arnold's fierce drive as Wolfsburg began to assert some control of their own.

In response Martinez brought on Eto'o and the striker instantly helped tip the balance back. His turn away from De Bruyne in midfield oozed class, bettered only by a 20-yard pass that Naismith nearly capitalised on.

It was no surprise when the Cameroon international delivered the pass which played Mirallas in for a deserved goal to put an added sheen on the scoreline.

Even a late consolatory free kick from Rodriguez wasn't enough to remove the convincing manner of Everton's victory.

As opening nights back on the European stage go, Martinez could not have wished for better.

Merseyside was in the grip of a disaster last night, albeit a staged one to test emergency services in the region, but at Goodison everything fell perfectly into place.

STAR MAN: Leighton Baines was unplayable in the first half and caused Wolfsburg no end of problems, with a hand in three of Everton's goals.

EVERTON: (4-2-3-1) Howard, Baines, Jagielka (Capt), Stones, Coleman (Osman, 90), McCarthy, Barry, McGeady, Naismith (Gibson, 82) Mirallas, Lukaku (Eto'o, 69).

Subs not used: Robles, Besic, Atsu, Osman, Alcaraz.Bookings: Naismith, Mirallas.

Goals: Rodriguez (15, OG), Coleman (45), Baines (47, pen), Mirallas (90).

WOLFSBURG: (4-2-3-1) Benaglio (Capt), Rodriguez, Naldo, Knoche, Jung, Gustavo (Guilavogui, 77) Malanda (Hunt, 45) Caliguri (Bendtner, 61), Arnold, De Bruyne, Olic.

Subs not used: Grun, Schafer, Klose, Kilch.Bookings: Knoche

Goals: Rodriguez (94)

Referee: Luca Banti.

I thought Everton were lucky, at least 3 of thier goals were offside.

Sooner tecnology is brought in the better.

Sorry gf I missed Uniteds score, who were they playing in Europe tonight? :0)

Get to bed.

I'm working (use the term loosely), what's your excuse?

Watching the Yes No vote.

Think ill have to have a mid day kip tomorrow.

You on shifts then Chris?

Just nights, 3 on 5 off, keeps me out the pub. Problem is those Health and Safety jobsworths, lone worker telephone call every hour means I can only doze of in- between.

ohhhhh my mate had that very same problem.

Said it was a pain in the ass.

Oi Martini , heard we gonna nick one of our ex coaches back off you ... Burton.

Dave Jones ... Director of Football , someone as Manager (Kevin wtf Cooper) and Burton coach.

Totally underwhelmed.

Two semis and the Euro final in 2020 at Wembley.....not bad from the FA.....the only problem is that bidding for the World cup in 2026 might come too soon in peoples mind and that might go to Argentina ..or even Canada....can't see the USA getting that one or Mexico...so perhaps 2030 ?.....thing is, can England get to the Euro semis in 2020 ?.....difficult, but not impossible....

Yeah fecking marvellous rf but congrats to Scotland and Ireland.

Thought the idea was to host in smaller countries too small to host a full tournament and then they go and award games to England , Germany , Spain and Italy !!!

Same old corrupt EUFA guess we didn't bung them as much as you lot did.

And just when you think it can't get any worse ... who the feck is Russell Slade ????

Brilliant result for Leicester played the Mancs off the park! Fabulous, say cheese gf LOL!!!!

And I thought we had problems :-)

And what a dangerous side Crystal Palace is.....and it just had to be Frank Lampard.....the thing about FL is that his style of play (and this is true about quite a few British players) is more suited to the Premiership and Champions League than the National side and the World Cup/Euro.....where a slow...slow...very quick...and then slow pace is required....some players are more suited to the premiership/european club battles.....all in all...what a super player Frank Lampard is and still is !...

Oi GF . Ole's available and would suit your type of play .... clueless :-)

My Man U mate blamed the ref , "worst penalty decision ever and turned the game" ... haven't seen it but apparently it was dodgy.

Oh the irony , Man U fans complaining about penalty decisions :-)

PS My other mates said they were getting outplayed at 3-1 up !

What do Richard 111 and Man U have in common ?

They both got buried in Leicester :-)