Saturday 22 January 2005
Everton away. What was the score? 1-0
Wow, what a fantastic result today. Why the snow was falling outside of my apartment - there has been over a foot in the past 24 hours and it is still coming - the Addicks put in a wonderful display to defeat Everton 1-0 thanks to a 25-yard half volley from Matt Holland, yes you remember him, the quietly effective one.
As expected Curbs opted to revert to the 4-5-1 formation on the road with Konchesky being rewarded for his renewed rigour in recent substitute appearances by starting instead of the Romm who didn't feature at all. Evertonian Bryan Hughes continued in midfield for the 3rd consecutive week.
We dictated play for long periods, crucially at the beginning of the match with the midfield, led by Murphy, showing more initiative than the Graveson-less Everton one. And then the expected deluge of chances for the Toffeemen towards the end of the game were dealt with superbly by a back four hinged by the excellent Dean Kiely.
As a nice bonus, if you ever don't mind Palarse winning then it was today against Spurs and this result combined with Liverpool's defeat earlier and Norwich's amazing comeback at home to Middlesbrough means that we are in 7th place, level on points with our next Premiership opponents Liverpool and Boro. And then there is a nice bit of daylight between us and that awfully big club Spurs below us.
Just over a year ago we also came away from Goodison Park 1-0 victors, this without the "unsettled" Scott Parker and we ended the evening in 4th place, and well you know the rest....
So will it be different this time around? What will Curbs do to stop the players nipping down to the travel agents once 40 points has been reached? Has he got a striker and a defender stuffed up his sleeve that he will deliver us with just over a week of the transfer deadline left? Will anyone leave?
I don't know, but what I do know is that continuing to see us in the upper echelons of the Premiership table says a lot about Alan Curbishley and it says a lot about his early detractors. I cup my hand over my ear as I type.
And finally, happy birthday Sam. I hope you enjoyed it up there.
Reports from those that were there: ITV Sport; Sunday Telegraph; BBC Sport; All Quiet.
¶ 21:11
Wow, what a fantastic result today. Why the snow was falling outside of my apartment - there has been over a foot in the past 24 hours and it is still coming - the Addicks put in a wonderful display to defeat Everton 1-0 thanks to a 25-yard half volley from Matt Holland, yes you remember him, the quietly effective one.
As expected Curbs opted to revert to the 4-5-1 formation on the road with Konchesky being rewarded for his renewed rigour in recent substitute appearances by starting instead of the Romm who didn't feature at all. Evertonian Bryan Hughes continued in midfield for the 3rd consecutive week.
We dictated play for long periods, crucially at the beginning of the match with the midfield, led by Murphy, showing more initiative than the Graveson-less Everton one. And then the expected deluge of chances for the Toffeemen towards the end of the game were dealt with superbly by a back four hinged by the excellent Dean Kiely.
As a nice bonus, if you ever don't mind Palarse winning then it was today against Spurs and this result combined with Liverpool's defeat earlier and Norwich's amazing comeback at home to Middlesbrough means that we are in 7th place, level on points with our next Premiership opponents Liverpool and Boro. And then there is a nice bit of daylight between us and that awfully big club Spurs below us.
Just over a year ago we also came away from Goodison Park 1-0 victors, this without the "unsettled" Scott Parker and we ended the evening in 4th place, and well you know the rest....
So will it be different this time around? What will Curbs do to stop the players nipping down to the travel agents once 40 points has been reached? Has he got a striker and a defender stuffed up his sleeve that he will deliver us with just over a week of the transfer deadline left? Will anyone leave?
I don't know, but what I do know is that continuing to see us in the upper echelons of the Premiership table says a lot about Alan Curbishley and it says a lot about his early detractors. I cup my hand over my ear as I type.
And finally, happy birthday Sam. I hope you enjoyed it up there.
Reports from those that were there: ITV Sport; Sunday Telegraph; BBC Sport; All Quiet.
¶ 21:11
