Stone cold reality
Further evidence, if any was needed that we've been flattering to deceive all season, was again received on Saturday. A storming goal from Lee Bowyer after only three minutes, following excellent work from Steven Taylor, gave us a lead which we should have gone on to compound.
Unfortunately we yet again failed to capitalise when we were playing well, with Kieron Dyer blazing over the bar when he should have done better. Sadly proving that the King of Bling still hasn't learnt to shoot.
With a depressing inevitability, Steve Stone, Pompey's token Geordie, duly took advantage of our inability to finish off the visitors with a well struck shot that deflected off Taylor past the helpless Given to pull them level.
One all at half time, and in the second half, Souness bought the dropped Robert back into the team, but to no avail. In fact, the second half was marked by a truly awful display by Newcastle, with everyone trying to be the one who turned it round, rather than working together for the greater good. Instead it was Portsmouth who had chances to win the game and really put the boot in. Fortunately they failed to take them, otherwise things could look a lot worse.
The thing that has seen Everton do so well this time is what we have been badly lacking of late – a strong team ethic, and a solid defence.
The bottom line is January 1st cannot come quickly enough as our defence currently has more holes than a sieve, and only the acquisition of some quality players will help us to mend our ways and salvage something from what is becoming an increasingly exasperating season.
Otherwise we can expect more of the same: flashy football built on sinking foundations, and a season of mid-table mediocrity with more glances down than up as we bid to secure our Premiership survival, rather than look to conquer Europe.
Unfortunately we yet again failed to capitalise when we were playing well, with Kieron Dyer blazing over the bar when he should have done better. Sadly proving that the King of Bling still hasn't learnt to shoot.
With a depressing inevitability, Steve Stone, Pompey's token Geordie, duly took advantage of our inability to finish off the visitors with a well struck shot that deflected off Taylor past the helpless Given to pull them level.
One all at half time, and in the second half, Souness bought the dropped Robert back into the team, but to no avail. In fact, the second half was marked by a truly awful display by Newcastle, with everyone trying to be the one who turned it round, rather than working together for the greater good. Instead it was Portsmouth who had chances to win the game and really put the boot in. Fortunately they failed to take them, otherwise things could look a lot worse.
The thing that has seen Everton do so well this time is what we have been badly lacking of late – a strong team ethic, and a solid defence.
The bottom line is January 1st cannot come quickly enough as our defence currently has more holes than a sieve, and only the acquisition of some quality players will help us to mend our ways and salvage something from what is becoming an increasingly exasperating season.
Otherwise we can expect more of the same: flashy football built on sinking foundations, and a season of mid-table mediocrity with more glances down than up as we bid to secure our Premiership survival, rather than look to conquer Europe.
posted by Paul at 9:23 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home