Just on four weeks ago I walked out of a cold and windy Goodison Park after witnessing one of the most abject Everton performances of recent times. A showing that was nothing more than shambolic and quite frankly embarrassing. Fast forward barely a month and again I was coming out of Goodison on another cold night, even colder than on the 4th of January, seeing as I’d been at the ground helping out with the EDSA collection since 6pm, but the fact I could hardly feel my legs didn’t matter. I couldn’t care less as I’d seen a performance that typifies Everton under Moyes, the kind of performance that made me proud of being an Evertonian again. Everything about Tuesday night was summed up what the real Everton is all about.
Firstly, the fans. The crowd may have been just under 30,000 but for the first time in months, there was a brilliant atmosphere inside the old lady, maybe playing under the lights helped with this, but the crowd really got behind the team and at times in the second half it sounded like there was over 40,000 inside. It made such a difference to be in the ground that felt positive for a change. Whether the performance of the players inspired the crowd, or the positivity of the crowd inspired the players, I don’t know, but it was great to be part of that.
The players who I’d been critical of (and deservedly so) after the Bolton game, played like the players I know that they are. Whilst standing outside the ground, I’d heard that Shane Duffy despite his recent excellent performances at centre-back had been dropped in favour of Tony Hibbert. This decision was causing a lot of mutterings of discontent from fans “what is Moyes playing at” etc. I suppose it was natural reaction to ask these questions, but the over-reaction from some fans was ridiculous, a friend of my brother’s nearly had a row with a lad sitting by him who said we’d lose 5 or 6 nil as a result of this change to the back four. I wonder how this fella felt after watching Heitinga and Hibbert excellently shackle both Aguero and Dzeko. I can hardly remember either of these two, who let’s not forget cost in excess of £60 million having a decent opportunity all game. Heitinga has played really well since moving back into his more recognised centre half position, he is a lot more an accomplished a centre half than I initially gave him credit for.
Special praise needs to go to Hibbert and he actually got it in the national media and on Match of the Day for once. The difference in height between him and Dzeko was ridiculous, but this mattered not as Hibbert kept the £27million striker so quiet, just as Jagielka had done last season at Goodison. Hibbert is never really seen as fans favourite, why I don’t really understand. He is an out and out defender, first and foremost. No one can time a sliding tackle at the club quite like Hibbert can. Yes, his crossing lets him down at times, he’s never going to be a Leighton Baines, but he has improved that area of his game over the years. But the one thing that can never be said of Hibbert is that he doesn’t give his all, no matter what position he’s playing in. He may well be dropped on Saturday despite his outstanding performance against City, if he is, you will not hear any complaints or moaning from him, he will just bide his time, wait till he gets his chance and knowing Tony he will take it again like he did earlier in the season. A lot is said about Phil Neville being the ultimate professional, but to me Tony Hibbert is definitely up there and his “I’ll do anything for Everton” sums everything up about Hibbert and he deserved every accolade he got for his performance on Tuesday night.Another player who deserved all the praise he received was Denis Stracqualursi. He harried, hassled and chased down nearly every City defender; there couldn’t have been a blade of grass he did not cover. He is not the most graceful or skillful of players but his work rate and effort cannot be faulted. He was so unlucky not to have scored early on, but it would have to have been Lescott who cleared his goal bound header off the line. The standing ovation he received when he was substituted, his second in as many home games, just shows how the fans have really taken to him. All fans ever want to see is a player putting in no less than 100% every game, things don’t always go your way, but if a player is giving all they can to the cause, a fan will genuinely appreciate that. A certain other striker who left on Tuesday night would do well to remember that.
Fellaini again was outstanding, he seemed to be everywhere in that midfield. How my brother fails to rate him, I do not know. He and Gibson seem to be developing a decent little midfield partnership. I think having Gibson alongside him is allowing Felli to push on a little bit more and have a little freedom in the middle. But he will still get stuck in when needed and he combined both elements of his game so well on Tuesday.
What can be said about Donovan that hasn’t already been said, think I will sum it up by saying I really wish we could sign him permanently. Again, his work rate cannot be faulted, both attacking wise and defensively, at times he was our right back on Tuesday!! His assists have proved to be vital to us, and even though I was screaming at him to hit it when the ball fell to him, he was composed enough to tee up Gibson.
What this article probably tells you is that I like players who work hard for the cause. Obviously I’d love us to have players and performances that are exciting to watch, full of attacking, free-flowing football, but sometimes performances like Tuesday night are just as brilliant, against a team that cost millions more than ours did, who have the money to probably buy any player in the world, but they couldn’t buy a team spirit and support from the fans like we had on Tuesday night. Nights like that are what being an Evertonian is all about!!!
