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Ali's Big Match Preview - Everton v Boro
By Alastair Brownlee
September 29 2007
Its time to put aside Carling Cup disappointment and look to lift the spirits with a three point display at Everton. That has to be the message after the 2-0 defeat at Spurs on Wednesday. Yet again the value of the academy shone out as at one stage at White Hart Lane eight of the players on the pitch were graduates of the highly praised Boro youth system


and I think that Tom Craddock, with his hard work in the second half, has certainly shown enough to be worth another look at this level.

Nevertheless the injuries to key players, and a highly controversial decision by the officials not to rule out the opening goal for offside, were major factors in the cup exit and it will be good to have Mido and Tuncay back in the squad for Sunday's trip to Everton.

Also back on Sunday will be Gary O’Neil who made such a big impression on his home debut and was, of course, cup tied for the match at Spurs.

Many fans I have spoken to have remarked that the introduction of O’Neil on the right flank to complement Downing on the left provides our midfield with a good balance, together with creating chances for the strikers.

A common theme so far this season has been the chances created and a more open style of football but Gareth was keen to stress to me after the Spurs setback that whilst praise for playing good football is nice, it's winning matches that counts.

The manager does not want plaudits for entertaining football if the team are not picking up points and so I wonder if the challenging fixtures to come, Everton, Manchester City and Manchester United all away with only one home game with Chelsea sandwiched in between City and United, might see an introduction of steel to go with the flair.

Everton sit in ninth place in the Premier League and come into the game on the back of Carling Cup progress, as two goals from James McFadden and one from Yakubu, saw off Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

Their Premier League form has, though, been patchy recently with back-to-back defeats as first Manchester United left it late to win 1-0 at Goodison and then Aston Villa saw off The Toffees 2-0 at Villa Park last weekend.

Most of the attention will, naturally, be on Yakubu going head to head with Boro for the first time since his £11.25 million pounds move in August.

Boro made a big profit on the Nigerian international as they purchased him for £7-5 million from Portsmouth but he does have the undoubted ability to score goals and that is a highly prized asset in the Premier League.

Yakubu scored 25 goals in 67 Premier League appearances for Boro but he did suffer from goal scoring droughts. A good example of this was towards the end of last season when his goal in February against Reading was his final goal of the campaign.

Looking back over his Riverside career two games stand out for me and one of his best performances had to be in the 3-0 win over Chelsea on 11 February 2006.

Remember this match came just seven days after a fan had thrown his season ticket at Steve McClaren during the heavy home defeat by Aston Villa.

Yakubu tormented the Chelsea defence and rounded off a great display with the final goal.

The next highlight was in the UEFA Cup tie with Roma in early March 2006.

Boro were awarded an early penalty and Yakubu settled all the nerves with a trademark spot kick. Power was never his style with penalties; it was all about holding your nerve and rolling the ball in the opposite side to the dive of the despairing goalkeeper. Yak was usually spot on.

They are the moments I prefer to remember and not his abject display at Wigan earlier this season when he let everyone at the club down with an awful display that clearly showed that his mind was elsewhere.

Let's hope that Yak is in Woody’s pocket on Sunday and Boro get a rare win at Goodison.

One of my best visits to Everton came on 14 September 1996. Boro had just recorded back-to-back home wins of 4-1 against West Ham and 4-0 over Coventry City. The next match would be a 7-0 triumph over Hereford and this was Emerson, Juninho and Ravanelli at their most entertaining.

Boro bounced back at Goodison from the blow of an early goal against when Nick Barmby's delightful lob was followed by Juninho's late shot to give Boro the points.

The Century man of the match was, however, goalkeeper Alan Miller.

Miller had pulled off a string of fine saves but after I interviewed him at the end of the match all I could offer in congratulations was an empty bottle of champagne.

Back then, Malcolm Allison was our summariser and early in the second half he had located the bottle of champagne under my seat.

Silently, whilst I was yelling away Big Mal opened the bottle and started to pour the contents into his plastic cup.

I was focused on the game and did not notice that what I thought was a cup of water was actually providing Mal with his second half sparkle!

Alan Miller took it all in good fun and came up to the press box to ask for Mal's autograph on the empty bottle.

Don’t forget to join Bernie and I for Simply Red Sunday on Century FM on Sunday from 11.00 until 1.00pm.

We will have all the build up to the match at Everton and catch up with some stars of the past including the fabulous winger from the Clough and Peacock era, Billy Day, and one of my favourite full backs John Craggs.

There will be all the usual features including a chance to win Sunday Lunch for two at the Bluebell Hotel, Middlesbrough.

So give a call to join in the fun on 08450021100 or text 85102.



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Ali's Big Match Preview - Everton v Boro
Posted by: ComeOnBoro (IP Logged)
Date: 29/09/2007 08:48

Ali's Big Match Preview - Everton v Boro

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