Les D
Player Valuation: £500k
Three encounters, fifteen goals, a win a-piece, and today's high scoring draw to end a great trilogy -- Everton & Aston Villa certainly know how to give the paying public a feast of entertainment.
Both upwardly mobile managers' fielded teams with no real surprises and it was no surprise to see Everton take an 18th minute lead.
The peripheral Jo got himself involved on the edge of the Villa penalty box with the ball ending-up running into the path of the energetic Leighton Baines. Baines had a quick look before sliding a peach of a ground-pass toward the Villa back post.
Waiting, like all good lurkers do, was Marouane Fellaini. Felli' watched the ball slip between defenders and goalkeeper Friedel, and had a simple task for his endevours by side-footing the ball into an empty net 0-1.
Seeing as it was Easter Sunday is was apt and refreshing to see Everton begin to play toblerone football. Their passing was crisp and neatly triangular. This dominance led to a second Everton goal on 22 minutes.
After a couple of close efforts by Pienaar & Cahill, Everton were awarded a corner. The delivery was sweet and as per usual, Tim Cahill activated his spring-heeled boots. He rose for the flighted cross, got a connection with his shoulder, the ball hit the underside of Friedel's crossbar, and while most stood static, Cahill followed his effort by homing in on the rebound and heading in goal number two, 0-2.
As with many Premier League games this season, what was to follow became unpredictable and very watchable.
Everton have one blot on their landscape -- the erratic Tim Howard. If a team doesn't have a rock between the sticks all their positive play can flounder in an instant.
Just after the half-hour, Tim Howard had his first taste of pressure and failed to stand tall. Milner delivered a threatening cross, there was a mish-mash of attempts to clear the ball from harms way, and the ball rolled to the feet of Big John Carew.
Carew slapped a low shot at the centre of the Everton goal with Joleon Lescott, unfortunately, getting the last touch as the ball touched the Everton net -- Tim Howard, somehow, had buried himself into the back of the Everton net. How? Only Tim knows the answer to that one, 1-2.
Everton, in all honesty, didn't look like they were particularly perturbed by having their ascendancy halved -- both teams played the half out with the intent of scoring again.
Just before the break, Everton created, possibly, the move of the match. There was maybe five players involved in the build-up culminating with Jo shooting just wide with an angled drive -- except for the finish, it was poetry in motion.
Half time.
By the looks of things, Villa manager Martin O'Neill must have earached his team at halftime -- Villa started the second half with more purpose.
Ashley Young was beginning to turn the screw on Tony Hibbert, and with Hibbert already having a yellow card in his back pocket, he began to allow roadrunner Young to get the upper hand -- another yellow, and Hibbert would miss next Sunday's FA Cup semi-final -- tense times for the robust right-back.
On 52 minutes it looked like game-over for Villa. Everton continued to play triangular stuff with the combative Phil Neville passing the baton to Steven Pienaar. Pienaar, as energenic as ever, ran a few strides and struck a cleverly executed shot around a defender past the unsighted Villa keeper, 1-3.
Before Evertonians could open the champagne, the Villa popped a cork of their own.
Villa were awarded a free kick, 54 minutes, and from 20 plus yards, James Milner rocketed a pearler over the wall and past Tim Howard -- Howard ended up inspecting the netting of his gaol again! 2-2.
Tony Hibbert was replaced by Lars Jacobsen (it had to be done) on 64 minutes, with, for me, Lars playing the last half hour as a decent replacement.
Young continued to weave his wingplay magic being constantly policed by the Scandinavian. On the other side of the pitch however, on 64 minutes, Joleon Lescott attempted to hook a high ball over his shoulder but seemed to catch the ghosting Petrov on the side of the face with a too high boot.
Referee Howard Webb had no hesitation, for him, it was a penalty kick. Gareth Barry placed the ball, faced the Holte End, and smacked the ball right-down-the-middle -- Tim dived to his left, 3-3.
The last 25 minutes had its moments, but personally for me, for someone to have netted a fourth goal would have been somewhat unjust. Jo was replaced by Louis Saha on 80 minutes, very much like-for-like, and when Webb blew the final whistle, both teams appeared content that the spoils were shared.
I would suggest that David Moyes will be slightly annoyed that his team lost a two goal lead twice but, 5th or 6th should be secure and everyone connected with the club should be currently eying the Man.Utd semi-final like a kid in a sweet-toffee factory.
Both upwardly mobile managers' fielded teams with no real surprises and it was no surprise to see Everton take an 18th minute lead.
The peripheral Jo got himself involved on the edge of the Villa penalty box with the ball ending-up running into the path of the energetic Leighton Baines. Baines had a quick look before sliding a peach of a ground-pass toward the Villa back post.
Waiting, like all good lurkers do, was Marouane Fellaini. Felli' watched the ball slip between defenders and goalkeeper Friedel, and had a simple task for his endevours by side-footing the ball into an empty net 0-1.
Seeing as it was Easter Sunday is was apt and refreshing to see Everton begin to play toblerone football. Their passing was crisp and neatly triangular. This dominance led to a second Everton goal on 22 minutes.
After a couple of close efforts by Pienaar & Cahill, Everton were awarded a corner. The delivery was sweet and as per usual, Tim Cahill activated his spring-heeled boots. He rose for the flighted cross, got a connection with his shoulder, the ball hit the underside of Friedel's crossbar, and while most stood static, Cahill followed his effort by homing in on the rebound and heading in goal number two, 0-2.
As with many Premier League games this season, what was to follow became unpredictable and very watchable.
Everton have one blot on their landscape -- the erratic Tim Howard. If a team doesn't have a rock between the sticks all their positive play can flounder in an instant.
Just after the half-hour, Tim Howard had his first taste of pressure and failed to stand tall. Milner delivered a threatening cross, there was a mish-mash of attempts to clear the ball from harms way, and the ball rolled to the feet of Big John Carew.
Carew slapped a low shot at the centre of the Everton goal with Joleon Lescott, unfortunately, getting the last touch as the ball touched the Everton net -- Tim Howard, somehow, had buried himself into the back of the Everton net. How? Only Tim knows the answer to that one, 1-2.
Everton, in all honesty, didn't look like they were particularly perturbed by having their ascendancy halved -- both teams played the half out with the intent of scoring again.
Just before the break, Everton created, possibly, the move of the match. There was maybe five players involved in the build-up culminating with Jo shooting just wide with an angled drive -- except for the finish, it was poetry in motion.
Half time.
By the looks of things, Villa manager Martin O'Neill must have earached his team at halftime -- Villa started the second half with more purpose.
Ashley Young was beginning to turn the screw on Tony Hibbert, and with Hibbert already having a yellow card in his back pocket, he began to allow roadrunner Young to get the upper hand -- another yellow, and Hibbert would miss next Sunday's FA Cup semi-final -- tense times for the robust right-back.
On 52 minutes it looked like game-over for Villa. Everton continued to play triangular stuff with the combative Phil Neville passing the baton to Steven Pienaar. Pienaar, as energenic as ever, ran a few strides and struck a cleverly executed shot around a defender past the unsighted Villa keeper, 1-3.
Before Evertonians could open the champagne, the Villa popped a cork of their own.
Villa were awarded a free kick, 54 minutes, and from 20 plus yards, James Milner rocketed a pearler over the wall and past Tim Howard -- Howard ended up inspecting the netting of his gaol again! 2-2.
Tony Hibbert was replaced by Lars Jacobsen (it had to be done) on 64 minutes, with, for me, Lars playing the last half hour as a decent replacement.
Young continued to weave his wingplay magic being constantly policed by the Scandinavian. On the other side of the pitch however, on 64 minutes, Joleon Lescott attempted to hook a high ball over his shoulder but seemed to catch the ghosting Petrov on the side of the face with a too high boot.
Referee Howard Webb had no hesitation, for him, it was a penalty kick. Gareth Barry placed the ball, faced the Holte End, and smacked the ball right-down-the-middle -- Tim dived to his left, 3-3.
The last 25 minutes had its moments, but personally for me, for someone to have netted a fourth goal would have been somewhat unjust. Jo was replaced by Louis Saha on 80 minutes, very much like-for-like, and when Webb blew the final whistle, both teams appeared content that the spoils were shared.
I would suggest that David Moyes will be slightly annoyed that his team lost a two goal lead twice but, 5th or 6th should be secure and everyone connected with the club should be currently eying the Man.Utd semi-final like a kid in a sweet-toffee factory.
