Everton 0 Boro 0 - Match Report

By Andy Morgan
December 28 2006

With confidence high after their first win in seven years, Middlesbrough travelled over the Pennines to take on an Everton side that had somewhat faltered of late.

Aware of two further games in the next week, manager Gareth Southgate made three changes to the side that beat Charlton on Saturday. He also switched the formation from 4-4-2 to a more defensive 4-5-1, with Viduka dropping to the bench and Yakubu ploughing a lone furrow up front.

Lee Cattermole was reinstated to the centre of midfield alongside George Boateng and Julio Arca. There was a return for 55-year old Gaizka Mendieta on the right. The impressive James Morrison did not feature on the bench due to a calf injury whilst the defence remained unchanged.

Schwarzer, Davies, Woodgate, Pogatetz, Taylor, Mendieta (Viduka 46), Boateng, Cattermole (Parnaby 73), Downing, Arca, Yakubu, Jones, Rochemback, Christie

THE FIRST HALF

Boro came out strong in the opening exchanges, with Stewart Downing launching another quality ball into the box. The ball was behind the full-back but it narrowly eluded Julio Arca. It was a promising start.

But Boro slept in a minute later and it resulted in the home fans baying for a penalty for a tenuous shirt tug. Judging by Boro's penalty luck of late, the away support were expecting the assistant to blow up - which would negate the need for the fireworks display at halftime.

Lee Cattermole got a header in on four but it was comfortably saved by Tim Howard.

On six Mikel Arteta tortured Andrew Davies, showing him a dummy that made the right-back fall over. He drifted past the hapless youngster and took a shot at Schwarzer whilst Davies probably went to pick up a bottle of warm milk from the touchline.

Everton were pressing, forcing Boro into conceding a corner. The Liverpudlian side had evidently just watched Downing's "How To Take Free Kicks" video as it failed to beat the first man, who ironically was Downing.

On ten another desperate penalty claim was hollered in the direction of the referee after some strong Pogatetz defending. But again the referee was having none of it and Everton kindly planted the corner on Downing's head, allowing the Boro Academy player to clear comfortably.

Everton were relentless yet only pressing down the left hand side. On eleven one long ball beat the back four and again Boro were in trouble. They were trying their best to give away a penalty but the referee did not blow.

A minute later and Boro had a penalty appeal, that was not given due to Yakubu tripping rather than being felled. Still, when in Rome do as the Romans do. When in Liverpool steal anything you can lay your hands on whilst writing a somewhat lazy report confirming inaccurate stereotypes.

On fourteen Cattermole ghosted in and from six yards out should have scored. It was from a Downing corner and any touch would have given the away side a goal. But alas he fluffed it and the ball went harmlessly out for a throw-in.

On nineteen it was the same man again, leaping like a horny salmon on a pogo stick to try and connect with the ball. Unfortunately his header was too high and it sailed over the bar.

On twenty-one a week shot from Gaizka Mendieta failed to trouble anyone apart from a couple of daisies on the pitch as it bobbled over. It was however a sign that the Boro were playing strongly and having the majority of the chances.

Confusing the goalposts for a bus stop, a queue formed in Boro's penalty area to await the arrival of the number twenty-one from Osman. Alas it crashed mid-way as it hit Davies' head, falling down a ravine and landing on the corner flag. Nothing resulted from the set play but that didn't stop Everton from having another one and doing nothing with that either.

On twenty-five a Lee Carsley speculative effort from distance caused problems due to a pesky deflection. The ball looped over Schwarzer and landed on the top of his net, the corner being the only advantage that Everton had garnered. Two further corners ensued. That's it.

The next fifteen minutes were end-to-end but with little clear-cut opportunities. Mikel Arteta had a free-kick that the Boro had carelessly conceded on thirty-one but it was comfortably blocked by the Boro wall.

The Boro players were giving blood, sweat and tears. Quite literally as Andrew Davies split his nose open and needed to go for treatment. Draculas everywhere went into orgasmic paroxysms. At least the Boro had bite - which has been so unusual away from home of late.

A flowing move from Johnson was cut shorter than Cattermole's locks as Pogatetz won the ball and tried to set the Boro off on another attack. Downing disguised the ball before launching it into the Everton box by sticking a wig and a fake moustache on it. This didn't confuse the Everton defence though who cleared it before Arca could get anywhere near it.

A minute later Downing had a long range shot in frustration, probably because he was annoyed that his disguise had not worked. Still thankfully it wasn't a picture of Steve McClaren on there otherwise Downing would have blasted it into the Irish Sea.

Towards the end of the half Carsley hit the ball for all he was worth after James McFadden had laid the ball off expertly. It sailed just over the bar thanks to Boateng's desperate sliding, putting the Everton man off.

THE SECOND HALF

Gareth Southgate made an audacious change at halftime - replacing Gaizka Mendieta with Mark Viduka. This altered the formation from 4-5-1 to 4-4-2 and gave Boro a new intent - we were here to take all three points and not just settle for one. Lee Cattermole was shifted to the right-midfield berth to accommodate the change.

The attacking formation almost paid immediate dividends, with Mark Viduka putting the ball into the back of the Everton net. As he was celebrating the offside flag went up, unfortunately curtailing the Australian's euphoria.

But it was not all Boro as Everton had a threatening ball which pinged straight across the Boro box. No one could latch on to it however and Boro struck back. The ball threatened to fall to Yakubu but Joseph Yobo intercepted in the nick of time, beating the Nigerian to the punch (and other alcoholic refreshments).

On fifty-five Arteta danced by Jonathan Woodgate and flopped down in the box like a novelty beanbag just with less personality. The crowd bayed for a penalty but the referee was unmoved, having been stood in the centre circle all game (okay, I'm making that bit up).

Middlesbrough were frustrating their hosts at this stage, their shape proving the better of the Liverpudlian outfit. One sharp challenge to the genitals later (and one that should have resulted in a red card) and the game continued at its break-neck steadiness.

Boro were getting closer without really doing anything. Woodgate nearly got his head on something in the box but that eluded him too and then the Boro were in trouble as Everton streamed forward. The break was four against two which culminated in a woeful shot from James McFadden. The Boro, like the carp their defending was, were let off the hook.

Now it was Everton's turn to attack as our midfield collapsed faster than a flat-pack shelving system on Boxing Day. A McFadden cross was blocked by Woodgate and Boro were starting to hang on. A superb Schwarzer saved followed from another long-distance shot.

On sixty-seven Boro won a free-kick around twenty-five yards out after a penetrative push from their own territory. But like with all pregnancies the end result was inevitably messy as Arca and Downing contrived to execute the poorest free-kick of the day.

And now it was turn to Everton to break, with another McFadden cross blocked by Woodgate. In fact Everton were painting the Boro backline with such play but Woodgate was having none of it, preferring creosote on his hinges as opposed to Dulux.

On seventy-one Viduka tried a low cross-shot from an acute angle. He missed the target when a parried save could have let in Yakubu but things were getting brighter for Santa's favourite team. Let's just hope he would deliver a goal towards the end but with Xavier only on the bench, it wasn't looking likely.

On seventy-three Lee Cattermole was replaced by Stuart Parnaby as the midfielder was struggling on the far right.

On seventy-seven Everton broke with menace, with Andy van der Mayde and Leon Osman leading the way. But all that was won was a corner with which the Boro comfortably dealt.

Yakubu was very close to finding an intelligent run from Downing but he just couldn't thread the ball to him. The attack was still alive however but the Viduka/Yakubu move was snuffed out by the Everton defence.

Everton broke and won a free kick twenty-five yards out, an Arteta charge savagely stopped in its tracks. Nuno Valente hit the shot straight at Schwarzer and danger was averted.

On eighty-six Boro were caught sleeping when Everton took a short corner. The ball was whipped in, the whistle blew, the ball hit the back of the net and the goal didn't stand.

James Beattie threatened on eighty-eight but Woodgate was on to it again, nuzzling the ball softly into Schwarzer's arms. It was a magical moment as Boro were on course for a point, and one that warmed the heart in this season of love and understanding.

Boro survived a scare in stoppage time with Woodgate blasting the ball just beyond his own post. He got in front of Mark Schwarzer and got rid of a dangerous ball for a corner but the game was not over yet and Boro needed to hang on for another two minutes.

Attack was the best form of defence for Boro, albeit attacking that involved getting to know the corner flag more intimately. Apparently it enjoyed waving in the wind and watching football. Who would have thought it?

And with that the final whistle blew. The draw was a fair result - it was a good performance from the Boro but not one that deserved all three. Back to back clean sheets and four points from the last six, things were starting to look brighter for the Boro. Three games against similarly mired teams are next - now is the time to pull away from the drop zone.

FULL TIME FAN REACTION

"I'm satisfied, but we need to start winning away from home though"
Smoggy_In_Oz

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