Everton 5 Hull 1 – It’s just like watching Brazil

By • Mar 7th, 2010 • Category: Match Reports, News |

Arteta, majestic. Pienaar, sensational. Heitinga, superb. Donovan, fantastic. Yakubu, masterful. Today’s performance at Goodison Park was quite sensational. From start to finish Everton simply played Hull off the park with some wonderful football. If you missed today’s game, make sure you watch a re-run, it was 90 minutes of pure un-rivalled entertainment.

Everton went into the game with a few injury problems, adding to the long-term injury of Marouane Fellaini Louis Saha and Tim Cahill were both absent while Donovan had to settle for a place on the bench. Though there was some good news however, after 11 months Phil Jagielka was back in the starting line up for Everton.

The game started slowly, a tempo that remained throughout the match unlike most Premier League games. Everton should have taken the lead early on as Yakubu found himself with the ball at his feet in the penalty box, the Park End got ready to celebrate the first goal of the day but the Yak’s finishing let him down as the ball struck the post, a frustrating afternoon in-front of goal for the Nigerian was to follow. It took Everton until the 17th minute to break Hull down, a great cross from the Yak from the left found Mikel Arteta un-marked at the far-post to cushion a volley into Boaz Myhill’s goal. A first goal of the season for the Spaniard and a welcome return to form after a long injury.

Everton started to dominate and before the 30 minute mark Lee Mason gifted them the chance to put the game to bed. Kamil Zayette tackled Yakubu to put the ball out for a corner, but the referee inexplicably pointed to the spot. The Yak stepped up to put the Toffees two to the good but his penalty was poor and was saved to Myhill’s right, justice was done.  Hull made Everton pay in fantastic style, just minutes after the penalty the ball fell for 19 year old Tom Cairney and he smashed a left-footed volley from outside the area into the back of Tim Howard’s net. Everton needed a response, and they got one, a goal to savour, Anichebe squared to Pienaar who looked to shoot but instead back-heeled to Arteta who stroked home his second of the game to ensure Everton went in 2-1 up at the break.

Arteta hadn’t scored a hat-trick in his career before, but he’ll be claiming that he’s got one now, though the dubious goals committee may disagree. Not long into the 2nd half Arteta chipped a ball in from the left, it looped over Boaz Myhil and Richard Garcia headed it into the net. The goal will be credited to the Australian but Arteta says he’s claiming the goal as it may have been going in anyway. That goal killed the game as a contest and Everton pushed for a 4th. Landon Donovan came off the bench for what could be his last game at Goodison and made an instant impact, a great ball from the right found Yakubu who would surely get a goal his display deserved, but the Yak blazed the ball over the bar. Donovan took matters into his own hands soon after, Leighton Baines’s cross eluded Jack Rodwell in the penalty area and fell to the American who lashed the ball home into the net, a perfect way to sign off. The rout was completed minutes later when Donovan found himself in a similar position, he could have gone for goal again but he squared for Jack Rodwell who slotted home his second goal in consecutive home games.

A truly magnificent game of football and a great Everton performance, but next week at St Andrews promises to be a difficult test.

Ratings:

Howard – 6

Neville – 7

Jagielka – 7

Distin – 7

Baines – 7

Anichebe – 6

Arteta – 10

Osman – 6

Heitinga – 8

Pienaar – 8

Yakubu – 7

SUBS:

Rodwell – 7

Donovan – 8

Gosling – N/A



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