What The Papers Say - Jan 15

Sunday's Everton coverage.

The views below are taken from the local and national newspapers and do not necessarily reflect those of Everton. 

 

ASTON VILLA 1 - EVERTON 1: SLICK VICTOR ANICHEBE'S A HOT TOFFEE

VICTOR ANICHEBE earned Everton a deserved point against Aston Villa – but they still felt hard done by.

The 61st-minute substitute pounced eight minutes after coming off the bench, with a fine finish from Landon Donovan’s through-ball.

Darren Bent had lit up Villa Park with the opener but rumours of a move to Liverpool refuse to go away and he did not celebrate wildly.

And despite hailing Anichebe’s equaliser, Everton boss David Moyes was puzzled after his reunion with referee Mark Clattenburg.

More than four years have passed since Clattenburg last officiated Everton – a 2007 Merseyside derby which saw two players sent off and Moyes hauled before the FA.

It was inevitable there would be a contentious call – or the lack of one.

Moyes and his bench howled in disbelief as Clattenburg waved away a penalty claim for what they thought was a pull by Alan Hutton on Louis Saha as he went for Donovan’s cross.

The Everton boss said: “I’ve not seen it again but from the touchline my feeling was it looked like a penalty.

“I was waiting for Louis to head it in to the net. I couldn’t understand why he didn’t.”

It looked like Bent’s eighth of the season – his first at Villa Park since November – would compound Everton’s frustration.

He was in the right place at the right time to turn home Stephen Ireland’s 56th-minute pull-back.

However, Anichebe’s strike was just reward for Everton’s display – after Villa keeper Shay Given kept his side level three times before the opener.

At the other end Tim Howard sealed the point with a superb stop to keep out Bent’s header, seconds after Robbie Keane made his bow following his loan move from LA Galaxy.

Both sides welcomed new signings, although if anything they highlighted their problems. Darron Gibson – a player many Manchester United fans were happy to see the back of – started for Everton following his move.

He was their first paid-for transfer in 29 months but Moyes was again forced to patch up his side.

The absence of Tony Hibbert, Phil Jagielka and Seamus Coleman meant Phil Neville was at right-back and Johnny Heitinga at centre-half, alongside youngster Shane Duffy.

Duffy’s full Premier League debut capped a fightback from a ruptured artery to his liver suffered during a match in Ireland 20 months ago – an injury that could have killed him.

He received 20 units of blood after he lost seven-and-a-half pints in a collision.

It is a wonder Duffy, 20, was anywhere near the field at all.

Moyes said: “You could see where we’re short.

“We had a centre-half who hadn’t played a Premier League game and Darron Gibson hadn’t played for us.”

Moans echoed round Villa Park – where there were rows of empty seats – as Everton stamped their authority on the match and the now familiar boos greeted the final whistle.

Keane showed glimpses of his quality as both sides went for the winner and Villa boss Alex McLeish said: “It was great to see Darren on the scoresheet and Robbie was bright when he came on.

“I didn’t start him because he’s not played for two or three weeks.

“I’m disappointed but the home win will come with performances like that. At least it wasn’t another defeat.”

Anichebe – who earlier sparked concern by collapsing in a heap – brought a late save from Given at his near post.

Moyes said: “Victor’s goal was a great finish. I’m hoping he kicks on now.

“I was worried he may have reinjured himself. We feared the worst when he went down.”

 

 

ASTON VILLA 1 - EVERTON 1: VICTOR ANICHEBE BEATS ROBBIE KEANE IN THE CAMEO STAKES

ROBBIE KEANE was unable to do a Thierry Henry from the bench. It was Everton’s attacking substitute who made all the difference instead.

Victor Anichebe needed only seven minutes on the field to cancel out Darren Bent’s opener and score the disputed equaliser that gave David Moyes’ side a valuable point.

Villa claimed Anichebe was offside as he darted through on to Landon Donovan’s pass. TV replays proved that he wasn’t.

Everton boss Moyes said: “It was a great piece of finishing by Victor. He’s had a bad time with injury but I have high hopes, because he’s a boy with so much going for him’’.

What a bonus that was for Moyes – being the beneficiary of a borderline decision in a match refereed by Mark Clattenburg.

The last time Clattenburg took charge of an Everton game was that notorious Merseyside derby of October 2007 when he sent off Tony Hibbert and Phil Neville, didn’t red card Dirk Kuyt when he should have done, and awarded Liverpool two penalties and denied Moyes’ men a clear spot-kick.

He has been persona non grata in Merseyside’s blue corner ever since. Everton’s fans even set up an online petition to get the FA to ban him for life.

The Everton equaliser aside, Clattenburg’s only big call yesterday came in the first half, when Louis Saha went down under pressure from Alan Hutton as he challenged for a Donovan cross. It was a borderline call. No spot-kick was given.

Moyes said: “I thought we had a good shout for a penalty kick. But the referee can only give what he thinks.”

Even so, Donovan had the last laugh on his LA Galaxy team-mate Keane, both of whom are back in English football on short-term loan deals as they prepare for the new Major League Soccer season.
 
Alex McLeish gave Keane only nine minutes up front. It wasn’t enough Indeed, the Republic of Ireland international who made the biggest difference for Villa was at the other end. Shay Given’s recall after seven matches out with a hamstring injury was arguably a bit harsh on Brad Guzan, who had played superbly as a deputy.

But Given justified McLeish’s decision to bring him back with a series of impressive saves.

Despite the keeper’s impressive work, the first half was a poor advert for the Premier League.

Aston Villa had managed only one goal at home in two months. Everton rarely score early. A goalless opening 45 minutes was little surprise.

Given was in action again soon after the break, pushing out Marouane Fellaini’s header from another Baines set-piece.

Gradually, Villa got a foothold, and Howard made a good save to keep out Bent.

But Bent was not to be denied and the striker netted from close range, after Stephen Ireland set him up.

Villa, though, don’t look comfortable at home and it showed. They came into the game on the back of four straight defeats at Villa Park and a point was the least Everton deserved.

Villa are going to need more than Keane cameos to spark their season back into life and manager Alex McLeish said: “When we got our noses in front, I had a good feeling about the guys seeing it through but credit to Everton.”

 

Kalou prepared to wait and leave for nothing

Salomon Kalou will resist attempts by Chelsea to sell him in the January transfer window and walk out on the Blues for nothing in the summer.

Kalou is with the Ivory Coast preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations and isn’t due to return to Stamford Bridge until next month. But he has dismissed reports of a cut-price move to Arsenal after failing to agree a new contract with Chelsea and up to ten clubs are ready to enter an auction for his signature when he becomes a free agent.

Tottenham, Liverpool, Everton and a host of European clubs including cash-rich French giants PSG are interested.

Although Chelsea have not given up complete hope of convincing him to sign a new deal, the break-down in negotiations have tempted them to sell him at a reduced price this month, with the Gunners early favourites to sign him.

But the 26-year-old’s advisers believe he will be in a far more advantageous position to move at the end of the season when he will no longer command a fee.

It is the lack of first-team football and not money that has led Kalou to turn down Chelsea’s offer of a new £70,000-a-week deal.

 

 

Aston Villa 1 - 1 Everton: Victor Anichebe grabs a point for Moyes' men

LANDON DONOVAN was hailed by David Moyes after the American’s Hollywood pass -allowed Victor Anichebe to snatch a point for Everton.

This game was built up as the battle of two LA Galaxy heroes as Robbie Keane took his place at new club Aston Villa.

Sadly, Keane got only a 10-minute run-out but Donovan was terrific and helped his side fight back from a goal down.

Darren Bent gave Villa the lead, turning in the 98th Premier League goal of his career. But it was always in the script that one of the MLS stars on show would
have a key say.

In November, Keane had set up Donovan for the goal that won LA Galaxy the MLS Cup. This time it was Donovan who provided the assist, timing his pass brilliantly to allow Anichebe to go through on goal – and the Everton substitute striker took his chance gratefully.

Boss Moyes said: “I thought Landon was the best player on the pitch. We have seen players like Thierry Henry and Robbie Keane making comebacks but for Donovan to keep playing 90 minutes at such a high standard is a testimony to his professionalism.

“His running was terrific and, of course, the pass by him was key for Victor to get in and score the ¬equaliser. I’ll have to try to give him a couple of days off now so I don’t burn him out while he’s here.”

It is now two-and-a-half months since Villa recorded a home victory and boss Alex McLeish was obviously disappointed to see his side throw away the lead – but defended his decision not to give Keane more game time.

He explained: “There was no exact plan for how long Robbie would play, it depended on how the game was going. We thought it might be a ¬disruption to the midfield if we had brought him on earlier.

“We’ll manage him in the right way and hopefully he will make an impact here.

“The home win will come with displays like that. At least it wasn’t a defeat.”

Referee Mark Clattenburg was booed by Everton’s travelling fans as he took charge of a Toffees game for the first time in over four years, having been accused of bias and -incompetence for his handling of the Merseyside derby back in October 2007.

Officials have kept him away from Everton games since but Clattenburg entered the field here to a barrage of abuse from the away army, who have not forgotten he should have awarded them a penalty all that time ago.

His first decision at Villa Park was to award a free-kick against debutant Darron Gibson, who could take a few weeks to find his feet in the centre of the field.

But Everton should have been in front by half time. Stiliyan Petrov tested Tim Howard with a long-range free-kick but it was Shay Given who was the busier of the two keepers.

Given was recalled to the side in place of Brad Guzan after a hamstring injury. The American is gutted to have lost his place again but Given proved his worth with a super save to keep out a Louis Saha header on 17 minutes.

And the Irishman was sharp again to spare Stephen Warnock major ¬embarrassment when the left-back almost nodded into his own net.

McLeish resisted the temptation to introduce Keane at half time but his side almost fell behind five minutes into the second period. Marouane Fellaini headed a Leighton Baines cross goalbound but Given blocked.

Villa suddenly clicked into gear on 56 minutes. Everton failed to clear a Marc Albrighton cross from the right flank and, as Stephen Ireland turned the ball back into the six-yard box, it was Bent who pounced quickest.

The goal was his first at Villa Park since his brace in a win over Norwich on November 5.

For the next 10 minutes Villa threatened constantly, but then Donovan brought the visitors back to life.

He dribbled in from the left with a teasing run, then timed his pass to perfection as Anichebe stayed onside to slot coolly beyond Given.

McLeish introduced Keane on 80 minutes to add a new dimension to his attack. It was the moment Villa Park had been waiting for but there was to be no incredible storyline for the Irish hitman.

Bent did come close to stealing the points but his header was punched away acrobatically by Howard.

 

 

Barry Horne joins the board at Wrexham

Barry HORNE lifted the FA Cup with Everton and captained his beloved Wales but now he has gone back to the club where it all started – a man on a mission.

Horne has joined the board at Wrexham as a director and hopes to help breathe new life into the Red Dragons, who are back from the brink of oblivion.

The Blue Square Bet Premier outfit are 90 minutes from their biggest-ever pay day with a tie against Newcastle United in the FA Cup fourth round and a glimpse of the glory days Horne recalls as a player.

If Wrexham can beat Brighton in Tuesday’s replay, they will be strutting their stuff against Alan Pardew’s Premier League thoroughbreds in front of the ESPN cameras on January 28.

Horne, 49, took the call from the supporters trust in their amazing efforts to keep their club on the map – and a throw-back to better days at the Racecourse.

The TV pundit and school teacher said: “I started as a kid at Wrexham and played in the European Cup Winners’ Cup against the likes of Porto, Roma and Zaragoza.

“I got the winner against Porto and was just out of the University of Liverpool when we came up against people like the great Falcao in the Roma team.

“I am still sure we got robbed in the return leg over there.”

Those days seemed a world away as Wrexham slipped out of the Football League and flirted with closure more than once – a sad state that touched Horne from a distance.

He said: “This is my local club. I am a proud Evertonian from an Everton family.

“But Wrexham means a lot to me as a Welshman and former captain of Wales.

”This club gave me my chance. There is a deep connection.

“I was contacted by some of the guys here and asked to help give them a push to get their takeover across the line.

”I spoke to fans at meetings and got involved from there.

“To be honest, I wasn’t aware of how bad things had become – but I quickly found out what efforts have been made.

”The battle has gone on for a number of years. You can’t spend as many years in the game as I have without becoming a bit cynical. But there is a real opportunity to start something from scratch.”

 

 

Substitute Victor Anichebe rescues point for Everton at Aston Villa

Robbie Keane, the happy wanderer, returned to the Premier League, revisiting the scene of the most enjoyable and productive passages of his nomadic career, and was welcomed like a long-lost son by the Aston Villa fans. It might have been only a nine-minute cameo as a late substitute but it brought to life a dull and dreary match on a bitterly cold afternoon.

Perhaps it was not surprising that Keane's introduction, replacing Stephen Warnock, was greeted with such enthusiasm by the home supporters. They have not had much to cheer of late, Villa having lost their previous four league games at Villa Park. They also conceded a 69th-minute equaliser to a similarly out-of-sorts Everton and any potential saviour would have been applauded on to the pitch.

Keane, playing for his 10th club, could not provide that spark. Apart from one blocked shot, he had too little time in which to impress. Still, Alex McLeish, the Villa manager, has seen enough already to expect big things from the 31-year-old Irishman before his seven-week loan spell expires and he returns to LA Galaxy. "It wasn't the plan to give him just 10 minutes," McLeish said. "He could have gone on earlier but I didn't want to disrupt our midfield.

"He hasn't played for two to three weeks and has been travelling across the Big Pond but I thought that he was bright when he came on. He's not going to be 100 per cent after just three days training with us and 10 minutes of play but we will try to manage him in the right way. Hopefully, he will make an impact – not only for on the pitch but also in the dressing room."

With Keane starting on the bench, not the warmest place to be in the Arctic conditions, neither side was able to muster much cohesion in a listless first half. Yet both goalkeepers were on their mettle when sporadically called upon. Tim Howard had to be at his best, as the Everton defence dithered in front of him, with a flying save to keep out a fierce 30-yard free-kick from Stilian Petrov. And Shay Given also had to make acrobatic stops, first from Louis Saha after a Leighton Baines free-kick, then from Warnock, his Villa team-mate, who had inadvertently powered a header goalwards from a Royston Drenthe cross.

Darron Gibson showed little on his Everton debut, the £1million purchase from Manchester United getting through plenty of work in midfield but producing no real end product. Much like many of his colleagues. Yet David Moyes, the Everton manager, was encouraged. "He's a good passer and is comfortable in possession," Moyes said. "He perhaps ran out of steam in the second half but I thought he did well."

It was no great surprise when Villa went ahead in the 56th minute and no great surprise that it was through a scruffy goal, in keeping with most of the match. Stephen Ireland flicked on a Marc Albrighton cross only for Shane Duffy to direct it back to Ireland. The Irishman poked the ball on to Darren Bent, who bundled it over the line for his seventh goal of the season. "Darren deserved that," McLeish said. "He got stronger as the game wore on."

Everton responded well and were level 13 minutes later. Landon Donovan, Keane's Galaxy team-mate, found Victor Anichebe, a substitute, with a slide-rule pass and he beat Given with a well-placed effort. McLeish brought on Keane for the big push – and the Holte End roared its appreciation – but it failed to materialise.

 

 

Aston Villa 1 Everton 1: Donovan outshines Keane to prove he's in another galaxy

We expected the brightest star from the LA Galaxy to be Aston Villa's loan signing, Robbie Keane.
Instead, it was his Californian team-mate Landon Donovan who glittered for Everton and created their equaliser with a pass of brilliant simplicity.

Substitute Victor Anichebe had barely touched the ball when Donovan cut in from the left in the 68th minute and shredded Villa's defence with exquisite timing.

Louis Saha's offside run suddenly meant nothing as Anichebe, back in the limelight after so long out with injury, fired past Shay Given with nonchalant ease.

Keane was restricted to a late cameo and had two chances to steal the glory. He was denied on both occasions by the defiant defending of John Heitinga.

'Robbie looked bright when he came on,' said Villa boss Alex McLeish. 'I never started him because he hasn't been playing for two or three weeks and he has been travelling across the pond.'

Darren Bent took some pressure off his manager simply by being in the right place at the right time after 58 minutes.

Mark Albrighton's cross was missed by Stephen Ireland but bounced off Shane Duffy and straight back to Ireland. This time he supplied Bent swiftly and the striker duly converted.

After four successive drubbings at Villa Park before yesterday's match, McLeish said: 'At least this wasn't a home defeat again. That's a plus - but the expectation is to win here.'

At the other end, new signing Darron Gibson's spectacular pass allowed Tim Cahill a swipe at goal on the volley, though he failed to find enough power to trouble Given.

It was Gibson's highlight in an anonymous debut. Everton should have been awarded a penalty midway through the first half when Donovan crossed and Alan Hutton impeded Saha just before he could head home.

Mark Clattenburg, refereeing his first Everton game for more than four years after making an enemy of the blue half of Merseyside in a 2007 derby, seemed oblivious.

'It was a penalty,' said Everton manager David Moyes. 'Otherwise I couldn't see why Louis wouldn't go and head the ball in the net.

'But it was the cross from Landon and his pass for the goal. He was the best player on the pitch. To run for 90 minutes and not be taken off is a testament to him.

'I'm going to give him a couple of days off so we don't burn him out before he goes back to LA in February.'

 

 

Aston Villa 1 Everton 1: match report

There was no Thierry Henry moment for Robbie Keane, and precious little else to cheer for the dwindling numbers of supporters of these once great clubs, where hard times undermine their great expectations.

Keane made a brief cameo appearance as a late substitute after joining Aston Villa on loan from LA Galaxy in the MLS. But he was unable to emulate Henry, who scored for Arsenal on his return on loan from NY Red Bulls.

It was Keane’s Galaxy team-mate, Landon Donovan, who played a more decisive part, when he set up Victor Anichibe’s equaliser for Everton with a defence-splitting pass, a moment of rare quality in a game that was as grey as Everton’s away kit.

Donovan is also on loan, with Everton manager David Moyes struggling to find the funds to add further transfers to that of Darron Gibson, who made his debut after signing from Manchester United on Friday.

The club’s chief executive Robert Elstone took the unusual step of addressing the club’s problems publicly via a blog, admitting gates are falling and money is tight at Goodison Park. He hinted at organised unrest among supporters, who have become frustrated at the way the club has fallen behind their rivals.

Attendances are also falling at Villa, and there were around 10,000 vacant seats on a day when the two sides ground out their sixth draw in the past seven meetings.

Darren Bent had put Villa ahead early in the second-half, only for Anichibe to equalise, and although Everton felt they should have had a penalty when Alan Hutton appeared to push Louis Saha as he went for a header, a draw was the right result.

“We could have done with a win, but at least we didn’t lose,” said Villa manager Alex McLeish, glad to end a run of four successive home defeats. “But with performances like that, victories will come.”

Moyes, too, was happy enough with his team’s performance but would have preferred two more points.

“I thought we deserved more but I am sure Alex would say the same. We had a good shout for a penalty denied, but I was pleased with the way we played. Henry has gone to Arsenal and Keane to Villa from the MLS, but I thought Donovan was the best player on the pitch.”

Villa were first to threaten a goal when Stilyan Petrov fired in a free-kick from 25 yards that Tim Howard had to punch away, and then Saha’s header was well saved by a fit-again Shay Given, who also had to stop Stephen Warnock heading in a spectacular own-goal.

Bent’s opener came in the 56th minute, the England striker clipping the ball high into the net from close range after being found by a Stephen Ireland cutback.

It was with his first touch of the ball that substitute Anichibe hit back in the 69th minute, when he was put into position to score by an excellent through-pass from Donovan.

Keane was sent on for the final 10 minutes to a roar of approval from the home supporters, and Bent forced Howard to make another fine save. But Given was also in action at the other end, saving well from Anichibe as the game drifted towards its inevitable conclusion.

“The expectations of Villa fans are to win here, but there was much improvement in the performance,” added McLeish.

“We are disappointed not to have got more out of it. Robbie Keane had not played for two or three weeks but he will give us more, both on the pitch and in the dressing room, in the next month or two.”

Donovan stars as Keane has to accept bit part

There was no Thierry Henry moment for Robbie Keane and it would have been hard on Everton if there had been. Ravaged by injuries and playing their fifth game in 12 days, they worked hard for their point and perhaps deserved more, given that referee Mark

Clattenburg failed to award them a first-half penalty that, on review, he would probably have given.

Keane, on a two-month loan from LA Galaxy, waited 81 minutes for his first taste of the Premier League since May last year. There was energy and intent from the Irishman but no real hint of game-changing impact, although it would have been expecting a lot for him to make one, two months since his last competitive action, as had Henry for Arsenal.

In fact, it was his Galaxy teammate, Landon Donovan, back with Everton until the end of February, who had had the benefit of two full games before this one to relocate his sharpness, who had the bigger impact.

The American winger's pass laid on the equaliser with which Victor Anichebe cancelled out Darren Bent's goal for Villa and it was his first-half cross towards Louis Saha that led to Everton's frustrated appeal for a penalty.

Villa full-back Alan Hutton got just enough of a push on Saha to prevent the Frenchman making clean contact with his head and those with the benefit of an action replay could easily support Everton manager David Moyes in his contention that it should have been a penalty. Then again, given Clattenburg's history with Everton – he sent off two of their players in a fiery Merseyside derby when he was last in charge of an Everton match in 2007 – maybe he was expecting no favours.

"I thought Landon was the best player on the pitch," Moyes said. "For him to play the full 90 minutes without being taken off is a tribute to his professionalism. It was a great pass for Victor's goal and a great cross for Louis, when I felt we had a good call for a penalty.

"I'll give him a couple of days off now. I don't want him to go back to LA burned out."

In their present condition, Everton need every fit player Moyes can muster. There were six non-starters who would have been in his XI yesterday had they been fit and he was obliged to give the inexperienced 20-year-old Shane Duffy his first start at centre-back in the absence of Sylvain Distin and Phil Jagielka. A strong, tall player, the youngster looked composed on the ball and made a pleasing impression.

It was no wonder, then, that Moyes was fearful to see Anichebe slump to the ground, with no other player near him. This occurred soon after he had taken his chance from Donovan's fine through ball, 13 minutes after Bent's eighth goal of the season, pushed home from close range on the end of a Stephen Ireland pass, had given Villa the lead.

Anichebe, who came off the bench after an hour, has made only 16 Premier League starts in three seasons because of a succession of injuries and when he appeared to twist his knee trying to keep the ball from going out for a throw-in, Moyes looked to the heavens.

"We feared the worst but thankfully it looks like it was just a scare," he said.

Ireland was Villa's man of the match, adding energy and commitment to his clever touches on the ball that had a home crowd sometimes sceptical about his value to the side singing his name.

Their understated hero, though, was goalkeeper Shay Given, who marked his first appearance for six weeks since pulling a hamstring with two outstanding saves either side of Everton's penalty claim, first from a Saha header and then from one of his own players, when Stephen Warnock's attempted clearance almost turned into an own goal.