Andy Johnson - Everton v Arsenal
Goodison, March 18th 2007
There is something intrinsically beautiful about a last minute winner, of snatching two points when you have probably mentally settled for just one. A few spring to mind from Goodison matches of recent years; Tomasz Radzinski's screamer in a 2-1 win against Southampton and a midweek Leon Osman effort against Portsmouth among them. This Andy Johnson goal came on a Sunday afternoon in the midst of a horrendous hailstorm that had started some fifteen minutes earlier, much to the dismay of various gloved Arsenal players who could not wait for the game to end. Leaving the ground the hail stopped and the sun shone. As it always does on the righteous denizens of the Old Lady....
Saturday, 28 August 2010
Friday, 13 August 2010
Blue Blood - Edward Conlon
A review written for the excellent Everton fansite When Skies are Grey, comfortably the best written and most entertaining site for those of a Goodison-based persuasion.
Random great Everton goals #2
James McFadden - Everton v Charlton Athletic
Goodison, April 15th 2007
Signed from Motherwell as part of a hectic transfer deadline day that also saw Nigel Martyn, Kevin Kilbane and Francis ‘Franny’ Jeffers arrive at the club, James McFadden made an immediate impact with eye catching displays in the League Cup against Stockport and a 4-0 hammering of an awful Leeds sides. However his early promise never materialised into much more than occasional flashes of brilliance, more often than not mixed in with large helpings of frustrating mediocrity. Possibly lacking just the added yard or so of pace that would have given him the burst he needed to get away from defenders, it was no surprise that David Moyes accepted the generous £5m offer made by Birmingham in January 2009. Coming across in media articles as a thoroughly decent individual, the Scot will probably be most fondly remembered for this stunning winning goal, straight after Darren Bent’s equaliser and deep into injury time, which provided a wounding blow to Charlton’s survival hopes and helped Everton toward their final 6th place position.
Goodison, April 15th 2007
Signed from Motherwell as part of a hectic transfer deadline day that also saw Nigel Martyn, Kevin Kilbane and Francis ‘Franny’ Jeffers arrive at the club, James McFadden made an immediate impact with eye catching displays in the League Cup against Stockport and a 4-0 hammering of an awful Leeds sides. However his early promise never materialised into much more than occasional flashes of brilliance, more often than not mixed in with large helpings of frustrating mediocrity. Possibly lacking just the added yard or so of pace that would have given him the burst he needed to get away from defenders, it was no surprise that David Moyes accepted the generous £5m offer made by Birmingham in January 2009. Coming across in media articles as a thoroughly decent individual, the Scot will probably be most fondly remembered for this stunning winning goal, straight after Darren Bent’s equaliser and deep into injury time, which provided a wounding blow to Charlton’s survival hopes and helped Everton toward their final 6th place position.
Monday, 9 August 2010
Random great Everton goals #1
Graeme Sharp – Everton v Tottenham Hotspur
Goodison, January 30th 1982
Although naturally pessimistic and cynical, even I am optimistic looking ahead to the forthcoming season. With a squad containing as many talented individuals as we’ve had for a good few years and boosted by Mikel Arteta’s contract extension, I can’t wait for Saturday’s opener at Ewood Park. When we will no doubt not show up and dip 2-0. In my current good humour then, it’s time for a (probably short) series of great Everton goals from across the ages, that maybe meant little in the grand scheme of the club’s history, but are in their own right little gems
In its own way as good as his far more famous strike at Anfield a couple of years later, this particular effort came in a 1-1 draw. One of the first real indications of Sharp’s talent and promise.
Goodison, January 30th 1982
Although naturally pessimistic and cynical, even I am optimistic looking ahead to the forthcoming season. With a squad containing as many talented individuals as we’ve had for a good few years and boosted by Mikel Arteta’s contract extension, I can’t wait for Saturday’s opener at Ewood Park. When we will no doubt not show up and dip 2-0. In my current good humour then, it’s time for a (probably short) series of great Everton goals from across the ages, that maybe meant little in the grand scheme of the club’s history, but are in their own right little gems
In its own way as good as his far more famous strike at Anfield a couple of years later, this particular effort came in a 1-1 draw. One of the first real indications of Sharp’s talent and promise.
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Genius - No4
Growing up in the mid 80’s there were a rich variety of personalities with differing attributes for the aspiring young goalkeeper to study; Peter Shilton, Jean Marie Pfaff, Bruce Grobbelaar, Harold Schumacher, Pat Jennings and the USSR’s unflappably cool Rinat Dasaev among them. For me, as much as my style actually resembled Liverpool’s aforementioned Zimbabwean on a bad day, there was only one true shining light to follow: Neville Southall. Among the many bargains picked up by Howard Kendall while assembling his great squad of 1984-87, the £150,000 paid to Bury for the Welshman’s services in 1981 must rank as one of the great pieces of business in Everton’s history.
Often dishevelled in appearance and (going by the accounts of those who played in front of him) a constant, moaning presence, he was the one player of their own that Evertonians could claim to be, without accusation of bias, a leading contender for the best in his position in the world. Not overwhelmingly physically imposing in the manner of a David James, his reflexes, athleticism and sheer presence more than compensated to drain centre forwards of belief and made the goal seem five-a-side size.
Just as Kevin Brock’s woefully short backpass is seen as the turning point for Kendall’s struggling young side in the 1983-4 season – culminating in FA Cup success – so Southall’s save from a point blank Mark Falco header at White Hart Lane (at around 3m20 on the video), toward the end of a top of the table clash with Spurs which sealed a 2-1 victory, gave the team the final decisive kick for home and a first title in fifteen years. Football Writers Player of the Year at the conclusion of that season, it is a measure of the confidence he instilled amongst Evertonians that an injury sustained on international duty at Landsdowne Road is often seen as the crucial factor in the team ultimately ending the 1985-6 season potless, despite the perfectly adequate job done by replacement Bobby Mimms.
Eventually appearing 751 times for the club, he is rightly held up as a true Everton ‘legend’ at a time when the term is used far too loosely. Indeed it is probably only his notoriously abrasive, perfectionist personality that has stopped him being employed at a high level as a manager or coach. Although it was probably the characteristic that drove him to the top in the first place. Loved by anyone of a Blue persuasion and, due perhaps to Wales’ failure to qualify for a World Cup and the club’s lower media profile, underappreciated in wider circles, he remains my first and dominant footballing idol.
Often dishevelled in appearance and (going by the accounts of those who played in front of him) a constant, moaning presence, he was the one player of their own that Evertonians could claim to be, without accusation of bias, a leading contender for the best in his position in the world. Not overwhelmingly physically imposing in the manner of a David James, his reflexes, athleticism and sheer presence more than compensated to drain centre forwards of belief and made the goal seem five-a-side size.
Just as Kevin Brock’s woefully short backpass is seen as the turning point for Kendall’s struggling young side in the 1983-4 season – culminating in FA Cup success – so Southall’s save from a point blank Mark Falco header at White Hart Lane (at around 3m20 on the video), toward the end of a top of the table clash with Spurs which sealed a 2-1 victory, gave the team the final decisive kick for home and a first title in fifteen years. Football Writers Player of the Year at the conclusion of that season, it is a measure of the confidence he instilled amongst Evertonians that an injury sustained on international duty at Landsdowne Road is often seen as the crucial factor in the team ultimately ending the 1985-6 season potless, despite the perfectly adequate job done by replacement Bobby Mimms.
Eventually appearing 751 times for the club, he is rightly held up as a true Everton ‘legend’ at a time when the term is used far too loosely. Indeed it is probably only his notoriously abrasive, perfectionist personality that has stopped him being employed at a high level as a manager or coach. Although it was probably the characteristic that drove him to the top in the first place. Loved by anyone of a Blue persuasion and, due perhaps to Wales’ failure to qualify for a World Cup and the club’s lower media profile, underappreciated in wider circles, he remains my first and dominant footballing idol.
Friday, 9 July 2010
Great Summer Records #4
The Coral - 1000 Years
I've seen The Coral live a few times, most memorably headlining a gig involving The Libertines, The Thrills and The Zutons amongst others in a massive tent in New Brighton back in 2003. The sonic vibrancy of their shows has never for me transferred itself to record, bar a handful of exceptions, 'Dreaming of You' and 'Goodbye' among them. Nevertheless, it's always worth hearing what they're up to as there is always something different and interesting. Their new single, '1000 Years' is an instantaneous cracker; maybe more mellow than much of what has gone before, with a dreamy West Coast style to the lyrics and harmonies combined with a fuzzy, distorted feel. The best thing I've heard this year.
"A new day has begun
Now that you're standing in the warmth of the sun"
I've seen The Coral live a few times, most memorably headlining a gig involving The Libertines, The Thrills and The Zutons amongst others in a massive tent in New Brighton back in 2003. The sonic vibrancy of their shows has never for me transferred itself to record, bar a handful of exceptions, 'Dreaming of You' and 'Goodbye' among them. Nevertheless, it's always worth hearing what they're up to as there is always something different and interesting. Their new single, '1000 Years' is an instantaneous cracker; maybe more mellow than much of what has gone before, with a dreamy West Coast style to the lyrics and harmonies combined with a fuzzy, distorted feel. The best thing I've heard this year.
"A new day has begun
Now that you're standing in the warmth of the sun"
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Vineria San Telmo
Paseo de Catalina de Ribera 4, 41004 Sevilla
www.vineriasantelmo.com
Having sought guidance from Trip Advisor and the excellent Sevilla Tapas blog about the best places to go for tapas, the name of Vineria San Telmo loomed large. With a table booked (unnecessarily as it turned out) we turned up full of expectation. We were not to be disappointed.
It was decided that 5 tapas per couple and a large plate to be shared between everyone was reasonable and it turned out to be just about right. To start with, Catherine and I enjoyed Argentinian chorizo full of flavour and a sublime beef carpaccio.
This was followed by an aubergine, goat cheese, tomato and salmon tower and a crab pastel, which provided some level of disagreement.
The general consensus around the table was that the crab pastel was a bit disappointing taste-wise, although as a lone voice I found it soft, creamy and very moreish, altogether subtle rather than bland. The tower was ordered by both parties and while it was considered a success, it was suggested the goat cheese slightly overpowered everything else. There may have been an element of truth to this, but as someone addicted to the stuff my natural bias would not allow me to agree! The other small dish we got was the Argentinian beef with mustard sauce, which my normal excitement when confronted with such a dish meant I started eating instantaneously and forgot to take a picture. Delicate, beautifully cooked and enhanced by the mustard. A triumph. For my money, the only slightly disappointing element of the whole meal was the large dish of fried chicken with potatoes and mustard.
There was absolutely nothing wrong with the chicken at all and it was more than edible, but unfortunately it just didn't hit the heights of the other offerings and for me only just rose above the level of KFC. Nonetheless, the positive reviews I had read for Vineria San Telmo were more than merited and, as with the majority of the places we ate at during our stay, it provided superb value.
www.vineriasantelmo.com
Having sought guidance from Trip Advisor and the excellent Sevilla Tapas blog about the best places to go for tapas, the name of Vineria San Telmo loomed large. With a table booked (unnecessarily as it turned out) we turned up full of expectation. We were not to be disappointed.
It was decided that 5 tapas per couple and a large plate to be shared between everyone was reasonable and it turned out to be just about right. To start with, Catherine and I enjoyed Argentinian chorizo full of flavour and a sublime beef carpaccio.
This was followed by an aubergine, goat cheese, tomato and salmon tower and a crab pastel, which provided some level of disagreement.
The general consensus around the table was that the crab pastel was a bit disappointing taste-wise, although as a lone voice I found it soft, creamy and very moreish, altogether subtle rather than bland. The tower was ordered by both parties and while it was considered a success, it was suggested the goat cheese slightly overpowered everything else. There may have been an element of truth to this, but as someone addicted to the stuff my natural bias would not allow me to agree! The other small dish we got was the Argentinian beef with mustard sauce, which my normal excitement when confronted with such a dish meant I started eating instantaneously and forgot to take a picture. Delicate, beautifully cooked and enhanced by the mustard. A triumph. For my money, the only slightly disappointing element of the whole meal was the large dish of fried chicken with potatoes and mustard.
There was absolutely nothing wrong with the chicken at all and it was more than edible, but unfortunately it just didn't hit the heights of the other offerings and for me only just rose above the level of KFC. Nonetheless, the positive reviews I had read for Vineria San Telmo were more than merited and, as with the majority of the places we ate at during our stay, it provided superb value.
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