[Liverweb] Everton Match Report

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Liverweb Match Report

Everton 1 Liverpool 3

Liverpool : Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Warnock, Gerrard(C), Alonso,
Sissoko, Kewell, Crouch, Cisse

Subs : Morientes for Crouch (76), Riise for Kewell (79), Garcia for Gerrard
(84)

Subs Unused : Dudek, Josemi

Att : 40,158

Ref : G.Poll

The Reds won this derby match over Everton with relative ease. Coming in to
the festive period you worried about the first two games for draining your
energy and possibly your points as well. Now that the games are over we
have played them within ourselves as it turns out. This will go down as one
of the easiest wins over our near Blue neighbours if we are honest. For
once the game went exactly to form.

The Reds were all very focused as they came out at Goodison. Cisse and
Sissoko both started back in the lineup again and got the game underway
attacking the main Everton fans in the first half. Inside the minute Cisse
was motoring down the right wing but was shoved off the ball as he went to
cross and was given a free kick. Cisse then volleyed that free kick just
wide of the target from Gerrard's kick.

On six minutes Everton had their first real effort on goal which was a snap
shot from twenty five yards off Hibbert. Reina got down well but could only
parry the ball out and Beattie reacted quickest but from an offside
position blasted over the bar.

The Reds took the lead on just ten minutes and it was Peter Crouch yet
again who scored. A long kick down field from Reina towards Cisse was won
by the Blues but Sissoko won the next ball in midfield pushing it back
towards the French striker. He laid it off to Gerrard who headed Crouch
through on goal. Crouch took the ball around Martyn and slotted home before
Valente could get back and challenge. Great start and a crowd silencer.
Well apart from the Reds that is!

Two minutes after the goal Cahill went close for Everton but his header was
headed clear from Carragher. Three minutes later and Carragher was again
called in to action. Momo gave a sloppy ball towards Hyypia which Beattie
got to first but as he looked to charge through on goal Carragher came
across and mopped up the danger well.

On seventeen minutes it was 2-0 to the Reds as Gerrard blasted a shot home
from twenty five yards. The move started as Martyn punched clear a free
kick only as far as Hyypia. The move then saw Finnan cross in to the centre
but Cahill headed clear. This time it fell to Gerrard and before any Blue
could close him down he shot home for a two goal lead. It did clip Yobo on
the way but this was a Gerrard goal all the way.

The crowd went deathly silent and the Blues on the pitch started to look
annoyed and lost as to what they could do. They're hardly goalscorers after
all are they. Cahill turned into his usual narky self and on nineteen
minutes got himself a yellow card for a woeful tackle on Alonso. It just
seems typical of Cahill from what I've watched of him when things go
against him.

The Reds were now controlling the important areas of the pitch. Everton
tried to get things going but are a poor side at the moment with no
confidence. They thought they had a goal back on thirty seven minutes when
Beattie headed home past a static Hyypia and Reina. The two Reds had
stopped after the linesman adjudged the ball went out before being crossed
in. Having seen replays later it was just in but we're talking only a tiny
proportion here and at full speed it's easy to give as out. Just four
minutes later and Everton did manage to score. The worst thing about the
goal is that it stopped the marathon run of shut out's from the Reds.
Kilbane won his header over Finnan and Beattie finished off after Davies
had flicked the ball to him.

Half time was reached with the home fans now back in voice again. Only one
goal in the game again and this was now on a knife edge potentially. Only
one thing for it and that was a Reds goal. Just two minutes in to the half
and it came as well thanks to Cisse. Kewell hooked the ball down the left
and Cisse having beaten the offside trap ran towards the area. He got past
Weir before opening his body up and curling a superb effort around Martyn
to the far post. Cisse raced off as the ball hit the back of the net and
that was the game won in truth. Cisse was joined on the side with all the
Reds' fans by the players who knew this could be game over and also the
significance of beating their local rivals.

The crowd was back silent again as Everton tried to come back in to the
game but struggled. Neville picked up a yellow card on fifty five minutes
for a poor challenge on Cisse. That was a challenge he'd later regret. The
Reds now controlled the game with Everton looking poor and devoid of ideas
of how to break us down. It was good though as it meant we could ease off
the pedal a bit.

Kewell picked up a needless booking on sixty four minutes. A free kick was
given against him but he insisted on moaning and eventually Poll just
booked him. Four minutes later and Everton were down to ten as Neville took
Sissoko down with a poor swipe and he can have no complaints. This really
was game over now and the whole game from then went a bit stale.

Crouch picked up a yellow card for dissent which didn't seem much but Poll
just seemed to lose it a little at this point. Beattie followed him in o
the book on seventy two for a reckless tackle on Warnock as it looked like
the cards would just keep appearing. Crouch went off for Morientes with
thirteen to go and a few minutes later Riise replaced Kewell.

Everton did have a glorious chance to make a game of it on eighty three
minutes but when well placed Beattie blazed over the bar. The Reds made
their final switch with five minutes to go as Luis Garcia replaced Steven
Gerrard. Carra as ever took over the armband as a result.

That wasn't the end of the action though as Mikel Arteta would walk as
well. He went for two bookings - the first of which was justified for me.
He continued moaning after a free kick was given against him and then
kicked at thin air. However referee Graham Poll has set his stall down
having booked Kewell and Crouch and duly showed yellow. In the final minute
of injury time there was another booking for Arteta but this one was harsh.
Garcia picked the ball up on the halfway line and as he tried to move in
field he seemed to get caught slightly by Arteta which the ref decided was
deliberate, booked him and that was him off. The rest of the players
followed about a minute later as the final whistle went to end one of the
easiest derby wins the Reds will have.

MotM : Steven Gerrard - dominated the game from start o the 85th minute.
Set up the first and scored he second to round of a good display

Match Stats
Everton - Liverpool
52% Possession 48%
3 Shots On Target 4
6 Shots Off Target 6
3 Blocked Shots 2
6 Corners 2
23 Fouls 20
5 Offsides 3
2 Yellow Cards 2
2 Red Cards 0

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For every first team result ever log on to the Liverweb season archive at
http://www.liverweb.org.uk/archive.htm
Choose from Each season and see all those pre-season friendlies and
testimonials as well as team photos and league and cup results

Whatever Liverpool FC you need it's all there in Liverweb. If it's not
mail me back and ask me.
Liverweb is your one stop site for everything LFC

Get News updates on Liverpool and Liverweb by joining it's mailing list
To join send an email to liverweb-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Liverweb - your one stop site for everything LFC

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