Maple Lions

Check here to see who will face Newcastle and Blackburn, Newcastle and Tottenham in the group stage that will run from October 19 to December 14.

Paul Canniff 

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Quick thoughts after the 2-0 Blues win over Blackburn:

1. With Cech back, the difference is twofold: a better keeper and one who is in real command of the back line.
2. Sixteen members of the Chelsea squad were on World Cup duty: lots of talent but a good deal of it in recovery and trying to mesh in a revamped squad. The corner may have been turned but the real test will be the CL fixture against Barça next month.
3. The Makelele-Savage clash could have gone either way in carding; in truth, it was a bit of a grifters’ convention in mid-field.
4. As the second goal demonstrated, there is real dogged talent beneath Droghba’s irritating field persona.
5. Give Blackburn due credit: they have built a reputation as giant-killers in the EPL and we have not seen the last of them this season. While Rovers did not make a lot of their possession, the big guns should never take that for granted.

Paul Canniff

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Just this week, David Moyes was reminding Tim-mate Cahill that he can’t be wandering forward so much like he did two years ago, that, you know, there’s a four-four-two thing happening now with James and Andy up there, so you gotta hold back and take on more of a mid-field role.

Well, thankfully, Cahill didn’t listen too well as he put on his supersub hat today and rescued a point for Everton against Blackburn. South African and Australian internationals scoring the goals today, with Benni McCarthy and Cahill hitting the score sheet.

Yesterday, I caught the replay of AJ’s Saturday goal at Goodison. More of that, please!! Long forward ball from Pip in the right back position, headed on from Beattie up to AJ, headed back to Beattie, with James making a lovely forward lob pass, springing Johnson thru the defence to score. All lovely. Like I said, more of that, lads!

Mike C.

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It was an interesting Opening Day of the EPL’s 2006-07 campaign.

Hulse’s header was a real cracker to open the season, and Liverpool will be disappointed with their day at Bramhall Lane. The penalty was a crap call, not that Liverpool didn’t deserve to share the points on the day. The Blades really hustled, though, and started their season off well. The announcers commented later in the game that Arne Riise’s ankle injury may not have been that bad ~ surprising to me given the way it looked.

Reading certainly hold “comeback of the season” honours, thus far. Kitson, Sidwell and Kita notched the goals to wipe out Boro’s 2 goal lead. I believe Sidwell was Four Four Two’s ‘best player outside the Prem’ last season, so he’s definitely one ot watch this year.

At Goodison Park, the guy Everton acquired to score the goals actually scored the opener 14 minutes in. (How odd!) Mikel Arteta added a penalty and Everton edged out Watford for their first opening day win in five years. [Later: it seems both Merseyside clubs were beneficiaries of bad penalty calls on Saturday, Everton’s being the more egregious, apparently. Oh well, what can you do?]

So, it was win, draw, loss for the three promoted teams.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day for me was Pompey trashing Blackburn Rovers. They had a 2 goal cushion before Neil went off, and Todd’s sending off happened in the 91st minute (so, I don’t think saying that it was a victory “over nine-man Blackburn” quite tells the tale). Could this big win by ‘arry’s boys have been the biggest statement of the young season?

We’ll let Damian report on the solid start by Roeder’s Magpies.

You gotta think Chelsea and Manchester United are more than pleased with the points left on the field by Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs (though I write in the 82nd minute of that game).

Mike C

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1. Liverpool has suddenly expressed interest in one of the few footballers Don Cherry could love.
2. Man United are on their way to snagging Michael Carrick from Spurs.
3. Ex-Blue and freshly minted Nou Camp tenant Eidur Gudjohnsen rips a page from The Special One’s communications strategy and shares the love.
4. The first set of draws for the Carling Cup, starting with the Championship clubs, takes place tomorrow.

Paul Canniff

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The Rovers’ 1-0 win over Chelsea yesterday (which triggered the inevitable whining from Jose Mourinho) clinched sixth place and a UEFA Cup spot:

Blackburn Rovers took full advantage of Chelsea retaining the title with two matches to spare to secure the victory they needed to bring European football back to Ewood Park next season.

The clinching of sixth place in the Premiership completes a magnificent rebuilding operation at the club by Mark Hughes, who took charge last season with the team fighting to avoid relegation.

[…]

Jose Mourinho, Chelsea’s manager, praised Blackburn for their impressive rise under Hughes but was less gracious in accepting the way they crossed the European finishing line, courtesy of what he regarded to be over-sympathetic officiating by referee Steve Bennett.

“I can laugh about it because I am champion,” said Mourinho. “But I don’t think the people in Newcastle will be laughing,” he added referring to Rovers’ principal rivals for the remaining Uefa Cup place.

“If I had come here needing points for the championship my career in England might have ended tonight because I probably would have been banned forever,” reflected Mourinho on the rejection of three strong penalty appeals.

Note that Blackburn’s remarkable turnaround started only after Graeme Souness left the team.  As for the Geordies, we’ll have to settle for a spot in the Intertoto Cup if we beat Bolton into seventh place.  Newcastle are three points ahead, but Bolton have a game in hand.

Damian P. 

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Heard from Bobby McMahon on Fox Sports Report — regarding Robbie Savage’s first-ever Premiership sending-off following 2 yellows, the second of which for a rather inoccuous hand ball: something to the effect of “it was like Al Capone going down for tax evasion”.

8-)

Mike Campbell

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With Nigel Martyn still injured and Richard Wright having gone and bashed himself up again, Everton started 3rd string ‘keeper Iain Turner, his first League start, in today’s match at Goodison against Rovers. I didn’t see the replay, but it was an apparently innocuous back-pass header from Stubbsy that forced Turner to handle the ball outside the box and earn Everton’s first straight red of the campaign. Off after 9 minutes!

On comes 19 year old Scotsman John Ruddy to replace the 22 year old Turner (with another Scot, striker James McFadden, making way); Ruddy made some key saves during the rest of the game. After 32 minutes, following a Robbie Savage foul, a beautiful Mikel Arteta free kick met James Beattie’s header to put Everton ahead and on the way to another one of their patented 1-0 wins. Beattie received a standing ovation when he came off later in the game in response to his winning goal and tireless work. It took a year, but the guy has started to find his groove. Also nice to see Lee Carsley make another late appearance as he works his way back from injury.

Everton have now climbed their way into the top ten, and could stay there depending on the outcome of Sunday’s match between City and Charlton.

Mike Campbell

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