Hoof it! Head it! Smash it!
Blackburn and Sam Allardyce are a team of derision for most football fans due to their direct approach. On the opening day of the season Blackburn were not too quick to dispel football fans thoughts. Everton could not find a shape to counter Blackburn’s style of play; Louis Saha was isolated and had one attempt from 15 yards which he skied.
Blackburn’s main success in the game was not allowing Mario Fellani to dictate the pace of the game, constantly under pressure from N’Zonzi (who replaced an injured David Dunn in the 8th minute) and El Hadji Diouf. Only in the second half did Stephan Pienaar and Tim Cahill come out of their shell and start to remotely threaten Christopher Samba and Ryan Nelson in defence.
Phil Jones. Michael Salgado and El Hadji Diouf were certainly Blackburn’s strongest players, Jones cutting up every Everton attack, Salgado playing well placed and intelligent passes to the midfield area which started interesting attacks and Diouf creating time and space on the right flank. Jermaine Beckford’s Premier League debut was unspectacular, a miss hit over head kick in the 89 minute which went straight into the hands of Paul Robinson.
Robinson had little to do throughout the game, but made 2 key saves when he was called upon, but throughout the majority of the game he was playing panto with Blackburn fans who were shouting ‘England’s number one’, but replying that he was in fact Blackburn’s number one. Sorry James Brown.
Everton lacked attacking options and were unable to break down Blackburn, a main problem was due to the lack of overlapping wingers, Baines made no impact all the way through the game and Neville spent the majority of his side just lurking on the right wing, with little movement and delivering weak passes into the box.
Finally, the 14th minute goal by Klasnic will not be in Andy Gray’s Xmas 100 Greatest Goals alongside Teddy Sheringham’s 1992 Nottingham Forest strike against Luton Town, but it was still a sound finish. Howard made a bizarre mistake, considering he was under no immediate pressure. Klasnic’s replacement M.B. Diouf certainly looks one to watch for the league, he intimidated Distin and held the ball beautifully and should be a handful when he builds confidence to communicate with team mates.
Official Man of the Match: Mortem Gamst Pederson
Heath’s Man of the Match: Miguel Salgado
