Paper Talk: Reaction to the Everton win
Last updated : 26 September 2005 By Paul Farrington
The Guardian
Francis finish plunges Everton into deeper trouble
Premiership new boys Wigan Athletic compounded Everton's miserable start to the season by inflicting a sixth consecutive competitive defeat on David Moyes' team; and to make matters even worse, they probably just about deserved it.
Having soaked up a lot of pressure in the first half, Wigan struck soon after the restart, might have increased their advantage and despite more Everton pressure late in the second half, the visitors held on to make it 10 points from 12.
In a bid to halt Everton's goal drought, Moyes dropped Marcus Bent to the bench, kept Duncan Ferguson there with him, and opted to play James McFadden, with just one goal to his name in 50 Premiership appearances, as the sole striker.
Paul Jewell, the Wigan manager, replaced goalkeeper Mike Pollitt with the experienced John Filan, fit again after a double hernia operation, while there was also a start for Henri Camera, who came off the bench to score in the draw with Middlesbrough.
Both sides went close early on from corners. Kevin Kilbane's glancing header from Tim Cahill's delivery clipped the top of the crossbar before Pascal Chimbonda thundered Jimmy Bullard's corner goal-wards, but Nuno Valente cleared off the line.
Chimbonda's last-ditch interception when Leon Osman broke into the box triggered a loud penalty appeal from the Everton fans but play was waved on and Chimbonda was again on hand to clear after a scramble.
Simon Davies then chipped just over from twenty yards as Everton began to dominate. Osman won a free-kick when he tried to squeeze past Arjan De Zeeuw and Leighton Baines on the edge of the box, but Mikel Arteta wasted the chance. Davies then missed a great opportunity, firing wide from fifteen yards just before the break, having been set up by McFadden's superb reverse pass.
Camara went close from long range, but Wigan's best other chance of a lively first half came when Chimbonda made space on the right and crossed dangerously, only Philip Neville's interception at the far post preventing Lee McCulloch from sliding the ball home with Nigel Martyn beaten.
The visitors made a mockery of all Everton's first half possession just over a minute after the restart. McCulloch dispossessed Neville down Wigan's left, fed Camara, whose instant cross only found its way to the opposite wing but Chimbonda was first to react and cross for Jason Roberts. He threaded the ball to Camara inside the six yard box, who shot on the turn. Martyn made a good parry but Damien Francis poked it in from close range.
The goal stunned both Everton and Goodison Park as the visitors took charge and belied their lack of experience at this level. Roberts could have doubled the advantage but failed to connect with Francis' cross, then a Camara cross on the break again just eluded him.
Everton responded by bringing on Bent and Ferguson and playing with three strikers. Bent could have scored but just failed to reach McFadden's low cross at the far post as Everton started regaining the initiative.
Everton's aerial onslaught predictably followed and Bent had a goal disallowed after 78 minutes after Cahill was judged to have pushed Chimbonda in the back to reach Arteta's cross. Then Filan pulled off a remarkable point blank save to deny Bent's flick from McFadden's cross.
Filan was also on hand to tip over another cross by McFadden as Everton struggled to create any other clear-cut openings.
The final whistle blew at a discontented Goodison, apart from the sizeable visiting support. Everton's home record this season in all competitions reads played four, lost four, scored one.They have a chance to make amends on Thursday against Dinamo Bucharest in the Uefa Cup - but already trail 5-1 from the first leg.
Man of the match: Pascal Chimbonda - outstanding at both ends of the pitch.
The Telegraph
Damien Francis added to the sense of despair around a ground that witnessed championship-winning teams while Wigan Athletic were languishing in non-League football.
Everton supporters are yet to see their side pick up a point or score a goal at home this season and they rarely threatened to end either of those unhappy records yesterday.
Substitute Marcus Bent had a goal disallowed near the end, but this was a team bearing no resemblance to the one that spent so much of last season in the top four.
Both teams played with two strikers, but first-half opportunites were rare apart from Kevin Kilbane's 15th-minute header which hit the Wigan bar.
There was a splendid chance in first-half stoppage time for Everton's Simon Davies, who had time to steady himself after an intelligent pass from James McFadden, but still sliced his shot wide.
It would have given Everton a lead they possibly deserved at the end of a half in which Tim Cahill's mobility in midfield gave them the edge over Wigan's organised endeavour.
Cahill was responsible for Everton's first threat when he was off target with an inventive overhead kick in the 10th minute, while Davies was also narrowly wide with a curled 25th-minute attempt.
Wigan's response was hampered by the propensity of front men Jason Roberts and Henri Camara to wander offside, but Pascal Chimbonda's header forced Nuno Valente to clear off the line in the 17th minute.
Jimmy Bullard and Camara also delivered two off-target attempts from range, but there was nothing to suggest Wigan posed a genuine goal threat.
That theory was destroyed within 45 seconds of the restart when both their strikers were involved in the build-up to a goal from Damien Francis. Roberts' cross set up Camara whose shot was not held by Nigel Martyn. Francis reacted quicker than Gary Neville to put Wigan ahead.
It was the start of an awkward spell for Everton, who tested the patience of their supporters as Roberts missed an opportunity in front of goal and also chose to dummy Camara's cross in the mistaken belief that Lee McCullock was behind him.
Moyes shuffled his line-up in pursuit of that elusive first Goodison goal, with Bent replacing Kilbane and Duncan Ferguson taking over from Davies.
It left Everton with four strikers stretched across the pitch in a ploy that smacked of desperation - yet it almost paid off. Bent narrowly failed to touch in a cross from McFadden in front of goal while John Filan, so hesitant earlier, twice saved sharply from McFadden.
When they did eventually put the ball in the net, Bent's 79th-minute effort was disallowed by the referee, Rob Styles, for a foul by Cahill that was unseen by most of the crowd.
The Independent
Air turns blue over Everton freefall
At the final whistle, they expelled their fury. Some on referee Rob Styles, who had disallowed a second-half "equaliser" for the home side. But mostly on their players. "Disgrace to the f****** shirt, Bill," bellowed one character in the general direction of Everton chairman Kenwright. "All the f****** lot of them." Not the most articulate of sentiments, but you suspect he spoke for many of those who were still around. They started departing with a quarter of an hour remaining.
The misery is unrelenting. Having attempted to "strangle the life out of Arsenal" and failed, here they swallowed their own suicide pill. A "crazy five minutes after half-time", according to the manager David Moyes, when they capitulated to Damien Francis's winner. Another blank sheet, and most of what there was to admire in this contest emanated from the visitors.
All very curious. Everton are somehow a year out of synchronisation. This was what we had all erroneously anticipated last year, wasn't it? Except this is even worse. And the nadir could be reached today. Should Sunderland surprise us all and defeat their North-east neighbours Middlesbrough, Everton will replace them as bottom club.
"The [disallowed] goal should have stood but we shouldn't be relying on referees' decisions," said Moyes. "We were worth a point, but it's disappointing to find myself saying that when we should be winning games."
Paul Jewell, once on Liverpool's books as a player and the recipient of much banter from behind the dug-out because of it, has fashioned a balanced team, blessed with commitment, a staunch back-line, and no little quality in attack. Everton struck the bar and also mustered a number of chances, with James McFadden's raking crosses twice just eluding the advancing feet of his team-mates, but they gave goalkeeper John Filan, who had been brought in for Mike Pollitt - "the hardest decision I've made in football", according to Jewell - a far more comfortable game than he should have envisaged. They looked a side denuded of confidence.
There had been a world-weariness about those entering the stadium. One goal in the Premiership, and one victory and four defeats, tends to do that to the most stoic Evertonian. And don't even mention Europe. How many will be returning on Thursday for the Uefa Cup return against Dinamo Bucharest, with a four-goal deficit to make up?
In the match-day programme, Moyes had expressed his faith in the club's personnel. "The talent the players have got is unquestionable, and it's something you just don't lose overnight." He could scarcely suggest otherwise, of course, although the players concerned did not exactly vindicate that stance.
If Everton believed that Wigan were ripe for them to harvest their first home League triumph, they were wrong. The visitors defended well against an attack featuring McFadden and Leon Osman, but were always positive in possession. Jimmy Bullard went close with a drive, while Lee McCulloch unleashed an attempt that Nigel Martyn deflected to safety. In between, Everton threatened with an overhead kick from Mikel Arteta and later Kevin Kilbane's header which rebounded off the top of the bar.
But Jewell's men, exhorted by their vociferous supporters, were a persistent menace on the break and from a Bullard corner which followed one such foray, Nuno Valente cleared Pascal Chimbonda's header off the line. Then Henri Camara attempted an audacious chip at the same end, which brought no reward. He clasped his hands in prayer. As the half closed, so did the home faithful.
They were nearly rewarded in added time, when McFadden found Simon Davies advancing on goal, but the former Spurs man was wayward with his finish.
Jewell opined that his side were "rubbish" before the break. A harsh verdict but nevertheless he could not repeat the criticism after it. They established a lead within two minutes of the restart. Jason Roberts culminated a fine move by cutting the ball back for Camara, unmarked in front of goal. Martyn saved but the ball fell to Francis who converted his first goal since moving from Norwich.
Finally, with just over half an hour remaining, Marcus Bent was thrown on. To no avail. When the home side finally believed they had equalised, as Bent forced the ball home in a goalmouth mêlée, their celebrations were halted byStyles, who had spotted a foul.
Wigan held on, and are now eighth, only a point behind Manchester United. "Bet they're terrified," jested Jewell. Of course they're not, but the Wigan manager knows who's more content at the moment. Meanwhile, a bemused Moyes can only dream about such luxury.
The Times
Francis keeps heat on Everton
THE Goodison Park faithful’s jeers rang out damningly loud after supine Everton suffered their sixth straight defeat while Wigan are walking in wonderland in their first Premiership campaign.
David Moyes’ men have have won just one game and scored one League goal. Should they fail to overturn a four-goal deficit against Dinamo Bucharest on Thursday, they will be ousted from their second European tournament of the season.
Worse still, should Sunderland prise three points from Middlesbrough this afternoon, Everton — already suffering their worst home start for 47 seasons — will be bottom of the Premiership.
No wonder they were bereft of belief, on-field leadership and that Merseyside had no response to the away fans’ mischievous but ominous “going down” chant. How long ago the heady days of Champions League qualification seem and how last season’s heroics look like a mirage rather than a platform for greater things.
Moyes lamented: “We were worth a point but I should be winning games, not talking about scraping a draw.”
Wigan abounded with pluck and were not without guile. Jimmy Bullard was at the heart of most of their better work and Everton were anxious, even after Kevin Kilbane headed Mikel Arteta’s 16th-minute corner on to the nervy John Filan’s bar.
In response, Wigan earned their own corner, which Bullard planted on the head of Pascal Chimbonda and, with Nigel Martyn beaten, Nuno Valente headed off the line.
Valente’s agility spurred the hosts and, if they were never free-flowing, there were glimpses of chances for Simon Davies and Leon Osman.
A mere 45 seconds after the restart, Wigan won it after working the ball to the impressive Jason Roberts on the right. His low cross was met first time by Henri Camara and, when Martyn spilled the shot, Damien Francis was on hand to tap in.
Wigan manager Paul Jewell said: “We were rubbish in the first half and I couldn’t wait to get among my players at half- time. We grew in confidence after the goal and had the better chances but there’s room for improvement.”
The restless home support soon turned sour, players’ heads dropped and Wigan began to turn the screw as Roberts and Camara both went close to increasing the lead.
Everton lumbered forward without conviction and what was once merely ragged became almost incoherent. Even when Marcus Bent cunningly dummied James McFadden’s curling low cross, Filan transcended his earlier wobbles to paw the ball away.
By added time, the yellow shirts of Wigan were playing keep ball. It wasn’t quite like Brazil but it was much too bravura for Everton.
