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Writer: pompeyrug 
Date:Sunday March 2 2008
Time: 6:16PM
UK time is: 06:53:37
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Everton 3 - Pompey 1
Goodison
Sun 02-03-08, 4pm
Attendance: 33938
Everton 3-1 Pompey
A crucial game in our season, maybe not quite a definer but as close as you could be at this stage saw us travel to Goodison this afternoon, overall we were deservingly beaten 3-1.
Only one change was made from the victory over Sunderland last weekend, Milan Baros dropped to the bench in place of Kanu - who made such an impact when he came on in that game.
Yakubu had Everton ahead within a minute, but we managed to go in all level at half time after a Jermain Defoe goal. Goals in the final 20 minutes from Tim Cahill and a 2nd from Yakubu wrapped up their win.
The Match
A poorly given away foul - after we had kicked off - after a couple of seconds gave Everton the first chance with a free kick, and even poorer defending gave Yakubu a free header and he buried it, giving them the lead after less than a minute played, around 8 seconds of actual ball in play time…
After 15 minutes Everton were looking more likely to score, they had another free kick - needlessly given away - and created a good opening which we just managed to clear from Tim Cahill, although Niko Kranjcar did have a good chance after a decent move.
Everton were playing some really nice football, and a fine one touch pass movement move deserved a goal to be honest, but Leon Osman shot wide.
For 35 minutes or so we were shocking, Everton could and maybe should have been more ahead, and did have a decent claim for a penalty but suddenly we were level when Glen Johnson swung in a cross, Jermain Defoe made a run and stuck out a leg, but it is not clear if he did touch it - his run and attempted shot did make the difference between a goal or nor and was claiming it…
The goal sparked us into life and we finished the half strongly, 1-1 at half time did me fine, particularly as we were so poor for a good 37 minutes!
We started the 2nd half brightly too basically carrying on where we left off at the end of the 1st and Kanu almost worked a way through.
It was a good 20-25 minutes at the start of the 2nd half but clear cut chances were few and far between for either, Everton fans were crying out for a penalty - several times - but none were worthy of the calls, although Andy Johnson did have the ball in the net, but it was ruled out for offside.
With 17 minutes to play a good Everton move saw Cahill put them ahead again, personally I felt against the run of play in the 2nd half at that time… 2 players appeared to be free in the box, so it was good movement but it did seem poor defending too?
With 13 minutes to play Harry Redknapp made his first change of the game, Papa Bouba Diop coming off for John Utaka, who did not get into the game at all.
A breakaway goal 8 minutes from time from Yakubu - who turned Sol Campbell inside out, but too easily - settled things, he went off soon after.
Match Summary
Overall the result was a fair one, and the better side won, but we paid the penalty for a poor 1st half - well most of it - and failing to create any openings when we did get on the front foot for a decent period.
Well I think that the champions league dream is most certainly just that now a dream, but the uefa cup is still possible - we can keep this in our own hands if we can do the job at Old Trafford next weekend, or at least keep in the cup with a draw.
PLAY UP POMPEY!
Goals
Everton 3 - Yakubu 1, 82, Tim Cahill 73
Pompey 1 - Jermain Defoe 37
David James
Glen Johnson
Sol Campbell
Sylvain Distin
Hermann Hreidarsson
Sulley Muntari
Papa Bouba Diop (John Utaka 77)
Lassana Diarra
Niko Kranjcar
Jermain Defoe
Kanu
Substitutes Not Used
Jamie Ashdown
Lauren
Milan Baros
Sean Davis
Your Comments
Think the game hinged on two subs. Johnson changed the game, Utaka was anonymous!
pompey4me
true, but we lost the game in midfield P4me. Lucky Johno was playing else we'd had been smacked 4 or 5 nil
ChrisW
But he cost £7 million. Good buy Harry, good bye Harry.
007
What are you on about 007, god do you ever have anything remotely positive to say? And yes Chris, Glen was magnificent.
pompey4me
I did have a little chuckle after the game, towards HR's comments. He says it like you've bossed the game after half an hour and we got lucky. I'd love to see all the chances he claims you created
EvertonMike
007, you need to balance your criticism of HR - today he has really p*ssed me off, but there are days when he is ootw. I only hear negatives comment from you about HR. You have to understand tha it is HR's exceptional abilities that have led us to expect excellence every match and when it doesn't happen we get sore - don't confuse that with lack of support for HR in any form.
ChrisW
I know what, lets go Harry bashing again, thats original. After all, we have a great squad, quarter finals of the fa cup, 9th in the league (when not playing well!!) Yep, he got it wrong today (my opinion) but overall, the guy is fantastic. Yes 007, you dont like him, but lets balance everything eh.
pompey4me
The opening goal was down to Muntari's bad pass to Diarra when Everton pressed our kick off. A silly mistake we had to make a good start and that threw it out the window. In big games like this as the away side you MUST score when you on top and we didn't. Still 6th is still there for the taking if we can move on.
eastneydave
true ED, but do you remember Djimi Traore's comments about the English managers he had worked with when he left for France? He said they didn't practice specifically for the following weekend's match unlike continental coaches - one wonders if a/ we practised this formation in any depth and b/ if we have ever practised the kick off.
ChrisW
Obviously Harry is crap manager & nothing we have achieved is credited to him. That's about your input 007.
Yes the better team won, we had a chance of a draw but got smacked by the Yak. We are adjusting to a new shape, new players & have to be realistic. We came against an Everton team unbeaten in the league this year & are not 4th by luck. Anyway, an easy one next week...
storagematt
Yak was the difference on the day, scored 2, had a big hand in the other, but does no-one do their homework? He got the ball wide left, and cuts in to score, I saw him do it in a pompey shirt often enough so why didn't the players pick up on it?
paultsmouth
Harry Redknapp is a saggy red faced **** and now the Euro dream is gone, back to mid table nothing ness for next year.
GreenGiant13
I'd like to express how I'm feeling this evening about this match but all the words that express it are unpublishable.
tracyc
Everyone outside of Pompey (TV pundits) go on how big we are with all our 6ft+ players. Yet we are cr4p when we have set pieces?
storagematt
ok, i would like to express my feelings on this game. Firstly, i ws so confident that we would conceed 3 goals i had a (friendly) bet with a friend (im not old enough to do it properly) that we would. i didnt see the game, but i am absolutly not surpised that we lost, and although i dont think that was our last chance for europe, it confirms my beleif that a fluke result against man u is our best chance. I know people will disagree about this, but i am statin o agree with 007. Harry is a quite briliant manager, dont getme wrong, and better than anyone else we can manage - BUT, i go into games like this one just knowing we wont get anything out of them. we dont prepare properly, we dont look at the team we are playing, and adjus acordingly, and if we want to mak it big time, we will hav to change the way we aproach game, as the current way just doesnt work.
pompeycarpet
oh, and one other thing... over the last 2 seasons, i have watched a vast proportion of games on tv or live, and have only ever seen pompey loose twice, both against man u. can anyone do better than that for being a lucky mascott???
pompeycarpet
storagematt i feel you are a bit out of order really and comments like that are why i dont so much bother with vital so often, 007 has every right to be frustrated with a manager who has spent and acheived what?. I have just got back from the game and i suspect unlike you i go to pretty much every game HOME AND AWAY..... so think i have the right to comment.. Apparently unlike you i dont think Harry is the messiah at all, i think he has spent a massive amount of money on unbalancing the team and yet again we see he is incapable of beating a team above him when it counts.. i am lead to believe sky even noted this in their pre game chat. You say we are adjusting to a new shape... why's that then? And why should we be realistic and accept defeat? ... could it be because redknapp desperatly wanted Defoe, and like previously with Andy Cole once again sacrificed a team to do it, also i understand commented recently by the footballing press. I will be at the Manu U game and i hope we get pompeycarpet's fluke winbecause the other route does not look good. HR has spoent a lot of money and sold his work rate to other clubs, now we are reaping the whirl wind. I read vital pompey reports about Kanu last week and wondered if people had forgotten we were playing sunderland. Are Utaka, Kanu and Diop really that good? i think not, quite frankly we are abysmal and whilst HR is happy to take the blame for winnning he also should get the flak for losing
, AND i think for the dross that i have paid to watch fo the last 4 games.
russellm
I THINK that is the longets rant i have ever managed
russellm
russ i agree with plenty of what you say - but have to admit mate i think you are totally wrong with with other things you say, the thoughts about going to games giving people 'more right to comment' is something that really winds me up, i can appreciate that you spent a fortune watching us home and away week in week out - as i know you do - but this isnt financially possibly, or feasable for everyone, i dont fully buy into the agument that those that go week in week out have more right than those that dont... weve been crap for the best part of 3-4 months now, and this is really starting to get ***** me off - i will be launching into an article in the coming week, i just need to find time for this - and some people have got to start taking responsability for this, if they wont then 'arry has got to start doing this for them and getting them out of the side, as this blows his 'if players perform they stay in, if they dont others come in' theory out of the water... 'arry, the players, myself, members between us are not untouchable, but surely credit and praise has to be fitting and where it is deserved and you have to balance this criticism, which is not always the case with some that is thrown at people - and i think some, not all, but some - and this isnt saying this aimed at you per say - is totally unwarranted...
pompeyrug
The team didn't play as a team- again. Glen J was good, Defoe worked hard but got little support from the midfield. Kanu should have come off at half time- he needs to be played carefully and wrapped in cotton wool- I seem to remember a comment from HR that went something like that. What happen HR? He went missing in the 2nd half and he still wasn't replaced. His first half was OK. HR's mistake I think. Muntari was poor and he dragged Diarra down. Campbell- well you all know I think he is now too slow. That showed on Yakubu's 2nd goal and his waining captains skill showed in the lack of organisation in the first goal. I said last week Cahill would be a danger man and he and A Johnston were left totally unmarked. Aubey should get a start. Kranjcar did what he has done all season-played well last week and poor this week. He should be good next week against MAN U. 1 good week 1 poor week. During the January transfer window I said we should keep the strikers we had and concentrate on getting true wingers. Few agreed with me but now it seems obvious to me thats what HR should have done. I think Defoe is a good player but he can't do much without the ball coming to him from out wide. If you watched the MAN C/WIGAN game you would have seen Beji had the same problem as their wingmen are out of action. Sorry to you guys who love HR, but I think this game highlighted his shortcomings when he has to think up to the very top level of organisation and team skills.
frattonaussie
Just a comment on RussellM and pompeyrugs reply. I agree that not everyone can go to all matches and, like myself, location also prevents us seeing games. I also agree that comment can be made by anyone and I actually think that those wh watch it on TV get a better overall picture of the game than some people at the game itself. If you rely on newspaper reports or radio then it is ofetn distorted which is why I don't comment on some games if no TV is available. Russells comments about players and HR are justified.I wouldn't have used the same words but Russell is more mild mannered than me. Pompeyrug, you are like the timid punter at the races at times. You try to have a bit each way and hope to come out a winner no matter what. You won't agree with me but thats fairly normal. Keep it up russellm at least you and I are on the same page.
frattonaussie
Can't let this debate pass without having me two penneth can I. The common thing is that we are all feeling pretty *****ed and all sharing our different opinions and face it fellas that what they are and although everybody is entitled to there own the only one that really counts is mine ;
First HR - I like the bloke and am eternally grateful that he took us where we are today (the Prem) I'm also pleased (although wasn't at the time) taht h came back from Scum... but although I think he does have the 'odd' good buy in him some of his purchases have been utter crap.. How much was Utaka?, How much was Nugent ? Muntari ? It's no good saying that 'oh well, Johnson's been a good signing' or 'Distin came on a free' THAT'S IRRELEVANT - The three players inI mention all have different reasons for my critism of Harry... Utaka ... bottom line not worth the money, Nugent ... bottom line not given a chance .. Muntari.. bottom line not living up to his hype.. Is it not Harrys job to sort this situation out ? Frattonaussie mentions that Harry should have brought in wingers in january ... SPOT ON FA I've been saying it for months along with things such as Kanu can not play 90 minutes, Kranjcar shoudln't take another corner until he learns how to lift a ball, Diop is not good enough for midfield, Campbell is too slow, Defoe likes the ball played on the ground (not in the air) to the left ... It just frustrates me that I (we) can see these things but Harry can't or does but does nothing about them.. but the biggest thing that wound me up today was Harry's interview after the game on sky....
Chix
...he said that for the first 15 minutes of the second half he thought we would win the game... but them it started to peter out and it had 1-1 written all over it...Surely if he thought we could win the game and saw it petering out he could have made a sub earlier and maybe we could have won three one....... Don't get me wrong fellas i'm not Harry hater but I am a realist and don't think he is as good a some of you guys think .... What has he ever won at the top level sure he has acheived more than most in terms of getting a team up and estalishing them as a good premiership team.. but Sam did that, Mark Hughes, Errikson, Curbishly & O'Neil are doing similar things, Moyes has had most success .. I can see Keane Southgate, Bruce all being given time to build .. who to say they can't do what Harry has done? So far I'm named (includng HR) 9 Premiershio managers and I haven't even managed the 'big' 4 Harry does a good job... but he aint no Messiah and he certaintly aint the best around .. but I think (and mainly) pleased that he is the best we can currently get... he has his faults and they annoys the fick out of me,, but would I swao him .. probably not.. I've said enough .. time for bed !
Chix
Goodnight Chix. I do agree with you but a few glasses of something strong may be needed before you can sleep.
frattonaussie
I think he has an embarrassment of riches in midfield, Diarra picks himself, but Diop and Muntari are getting picked a bit out of favouritsm, they are great on their day, but they haven't had a day since December. Davis has been squeezed out all of a sudden, and while not spectacular is a consistent and effective performer. Muntari had 1 or 2 good games and started to try and do the impossible, Premiership defenders and midfielders are a sight better than what he faced in Africa for a month. Diop is starting to perform like a lump rather than a destructive force. Upfront Harry has to play Defoe, but in doing so has to play someone upfront with him, forcing him to scrap the formation that Pompey got so many points from, its just a case of finding the right players across the middle to support the strikeforce. It's also a case of being brave enough to drop one of the Africans he rtes so highly.
paultsmouth
Paul, I don't know that the Muntari form issue is so simple - I agree the guy is off the boil but am worried more that he can't play with Diarra - Also Diarra's form has hardly been electric since the Chelsea match, coinciding with Muntari's return. But the main issue for me is that we got to where we are playing 4-5-1 and now when we play 4-4-2, the midfield part of that is letting us down - yesterday we would have struggled to overcome Derby's midfield, let alone Everton.
ChrisW
What a constructive rant, russellm.
007
frattonaussie re your thoughts of basically 'sitting on the fence' thats because in a way i do, but thats because im a genuinely nice guy... i dont like offending people, so i try to do an argument without doing this - its a curse, but its the way i am... it was harder for me, and i wanted to do this even more with my comment to russ as i do consider russ as good friend, granted we have only met up at one game but we keep in very good contact.
pompeyrug
ok, the formation was all wrong. quite why we went to everton playing 4-4-2 i will never know. Defoe, as i have said repeatidly is just the wrong man for the job, a problem highlighted by the fact that we used to have the right man. Harry is trying to build the team around him, but it just isnt working. ok, if you have all summer, then sure change tactics then, but please, not in the middle of the season. In italy or spain, teams are built around one player (just ask lualua, who kept reminding us that) but in england, we play a team game. we need to phocus on playing the right players in the right positions, and when we get that right, we can be dominant. The problem we are having now though is a total lack of consistency - and i cant blame the players for that. What has been standard for them, and getting us the results has sudenly been changed, recently, we have been riding our luck, and that cant continue. the players know it, so morale ha fallen. the loss to everton will not help, and if we come crashing out of the fa cup then we could also be saying goodbye to our top half finish. Harry likes building the players up to something, saying we arnt good enough, playing the underdog tag, as when we loose, it isnt unexpected, but when we should win, when we have an easy run of games, we just cant pick up the points, we cant get inspired, and we just cant win. My one hope for the season now lies ENTIRLEY on the FA cup game. Win it, and confidence sky rockets - we play at wembley, and the team will kick off. loose it, and i come close to giving up hope for even a top half finish. i think we will loose.
pompeycarpet
either way i think the cup game is going to make our season, 'when' we win we are 1 game away from from the cup final, 'if' we lose we know that the league is all we have left so we have to up the anti, win the cup tie and we 'could' sky rocket for the rest of the season... the next 3 games will decide our season tho for me, united, birmingham and villa are the key to what we do...
pompeyrug
i love when harry said what a clever idea they sold yakubu and left me some striker who are not fit enough to clean his booths.
kaybee
rug If you read the words you will see at no point haave i said as i go to games i have more right to comment, my point is that people have the right to express comment and i am fed up with seeing people belittlled because they dont think harry is brilliant. I have always said you take harry for what he is a dishonest lying good manager, who will never accept responsibility for hios errors of which there are plenty. Everybody has the right to comment i think Chix sums up my thought entirely. The man must be judged and 007 has the right like you and i to do that.
russellm
ok russ, not at any point did i think it was diretly aimed at me, but the impression i got was that it was saying you felt you had more right to comment as you go to games - reading 'I have just got back from the game and i suspect unlike you i go to pretty much every game HOME AND AWAY..... so think i have the right to comment..' made me think that is what you were saying, they were thoughts expressed by others several times recently too which made me angry so i must have just taken yours the wrong way, no harm no foul as far as im concerned, sorry for the misunderstanding...
pompeyrug
***** happens Ladies, live and learn.
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