SATURDAY 13TH JANUARY, 2000
FA CARLING PREMIERSHIP
EVERTON 0 (0) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0 (0)

Attendance:- 32,290

Referee:- A. D'Urso

Teams:-
Everton (4-4-2):- Myhre; Watson, Weir (Capt) (sub Cleland, 8), Ball, Unsworth; Alexandersson (sub Tal, 77), Pembridge, Hughes, Graveson; Moore (sub Cadamarteri, 77), Campbell

Subs not used:- Simonsen; Gemmill

Booked:- Hughes (foul on Leonhardsen)

Spurs (3-5-2):- Sullivan; Doherty, Perry, Young; Anderton, Sherwood (Capt), King, Leonhardsen (sub Davies, 63), Clemence; Rebrov, Korsten (sub McEwen, 63)

Subs not used:- Walker; Thelwell, Gardner

No bookings

Before this game, Everton paraded some of their Championship winning team of 30 years ago, including Gordon West, Howard Kendall, and Brian Labone, who held aloft the Football League Trophy. How both these sides must have wished they had players of such pedigree in their line-ups today! The bottom line is that this was a mediocre match featuring little in the way of adventurous or entertaining football, contested by two very average sides. Yes, both teams were missing more than the odd one or two key players due to injury, and understandably, George Graham felt the most satisfied with the result, as he had to utilise so many inexperienced players in and out of the team. However, there were many around me who encouraged the likes of Korsten (in particular), Leonhardsen, Anderton and Sherwood to go forth and multiply.

Korsten especially had a dismal day. He is not a target man, and is incredibly lazy and disinterested in off the ball situations. Once Graham inserted McEwen (getting his first competitive football since October) and Davies, we did at least show some interest, and managed to put the home side under a little pressure, without bothering Myhre. Spurs were under the cosh for much of the second half, and Everton will feel they were hard done by. The single point gained leaves them very much involved in the relegation dogfight, whilst Spurs somehow managed to elevate themselves back to the top half of the table.

Kevin Campbell had the ball in the net after 5 minutes, after Pembridge latched onto a poor ball from Sherwood, but he was well offside. Everton then suffered a set-back, as Captain Weir had to be replaced by Alec Cleland. Cleland took maximum advantage of his opportunity, as he got forward down the right many times. Steve Watson switched to a central role comfortably to prove his versatility.

The Spurs back three was always under pressure, and none of them was comfortable. Perry lacked any composure whatsoever, and is becoming so much of a hoof merchant that he might find a place kicking for England in the forthcoming 6 nations tournament. Joe-Max Moore, who scored Everton's last minute equaliser in the corresponding fixture on the same Saturday last year, popped up after 14 minutes when Luke Young failed to fully clear, but shot just wide.

At last Spurs got an attack together but even that was fortuitous. A Sherwood pass intended for Korsten was collected by a defender but then presented to the intended recipient. Korsten obliged by putting his shot over the target. A decent move from Sherwood, Young, and Rebrov led to a free kick when Clemence was brought down on the edge of the box, but the keeper picked up Anderton's free kick easily.

Sullivan made the first of two excellent saves when he diverted an excellent Graveson left foot shot, after the midfielder had been allowed to run right to left across the midfield. Kevin Campbell then found Alexandersson, who managed to beat Young at the second attempt, but Sullivan was equal to his shot. Sullivan made his best save just before half-time when he stretched to his left to push a powerful Campbell header out for a corner.

Whilst Everton came out with a will to win after the interval, Campbell was the only one to really threaten goal when his shot hit the post and rebounded across the goal before Stephen Clemence cleared the danger in front of the line. Campbell did have another effort over the target, and Joe-Max Moore tried a little overhead kick that went straight to Sullivan, but then came the extra stability and composure for Spurs when Leonhardsen and Korsten were taken off.

With four minutes to go, Spurs at last had another shot on goal, as McEwen and King combined well for Ledley to get a shot on target. The big difference McEwen made was that he ran his heart out, and battled for lost causes, which were sometimes won. He really put the lackadaisical Korsten to shame.

Rebrov looked a little out of sorts, and according to Graham, had been ill all week, and really should not have been playing, but Spurs had little choice but to include him. As for Everton, I'm afraid to say, that if they could not beat this outfit, then they are in for a hard remainder of the season.

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