Burnley v Everton: Premier League – as it happened
|
http://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2014/oct/26/burnley-v-everton-premier-league-live Version 0 of 1. 3.22pm GMT15:22 FULL-TIME: Burnley 1-3 Everton A composed, competent performance from Everton, who were patient in possession and able to speed things up when the opportunities presented themselves. In particular, Baines was lively down the left, Naismith inventive and energetic in midfield, and Eto’o a menace up front. As for Burnley, well, they weren’t quite good enough to compete, beyond the first-half period in which they scored. Arfield and Igns were dangerous here and there, but otherwise, they couldn’t quite find the intensity that might have made things harder to Everton. Anyway, Everton move up to 9th in the table, Burnley stay second-bottom. Updated at 3.26pm GMT 3.22pm GMT15:22 90+2 min Eto’o should have a hat-trick! Eto’o doesn’t have a hat-trick! From the touchline, Trippier sends a back pass handily into his path, and Heaton is duly rounded. But Duff, defending the line, makes the finish slightly harder - Eto’o rolls it towards the far post, locating its inside - only for the ball to meander along, but not over the line. 3.19pm GMT15:19 90 min There’ll be four added minutes. 3.19pm GMT15:19 89 min Naismith dances into the space between Trippier and Shackell, weaving onto his left foot and clipping a shot into the side-netting. He’s had a really good game. 3.18pm GMT15:18 87 min Barnes sees Ings running across the line, so dabs one into the space between Jagielka and Howard. Ings collects, doing well to step inside and work a shooting opportunity from eight yards out, left of centre. But, falling away, he can’t wrap enough of his foot around the ball, screwing it over the top. 3.13pm GMT15:13 GOAL! Burnley 1-3 Everton (Eto'o, 85) Baines advances down the left and nips a pass inside, for Pienaar to collect. He scurries a yard or two, then finds Eto’o inside him, 25 yards out. Facing goal, and left of centre, he uses Shackell as a shield, and unfurls a rasper of a curlet that whizzes past Heaton and into the far corner. Samuel Eto’o is an absolute boss. Updated at 3.15pm GMT 3.12pm GMT15:12 84 min Sordell replaces Kightly. 3.12pm GMT15:12 83 min Baines and McCarthy get in each other’s way, maybe 40 yards out, and Arfield - whose anticipation is excellent - again seizes the loose ball, again shoots, again wide. 3.10pm GMT15:10 83 min Another Everton change, Pienaar replacing Osman. 3.10pm GMT15:10 81 min Lovely from Boyd, who, in the centre-circle, slides a ball into the path of the onrushing Arfield - who looks his team’s best player. Taking it on the burst, he sways away from Barry and finds Barnes at inside-left, who jinks inside, but isn’t quick enough to lose Alcaraz. 3.08pm GMT15:08 80 min Burnley are stepping this up. First, Trippier tries a cross from the right, and then Kightly does the same from the left, earning a corner that comes to nothing. 3.07pm GMT15:07 79 min It’s not much, but it’s something. Kightly finds possession out on his touchline, and feeds Arfield outside him. The cross is low and hard, but not particularly near any of those who might use it, so hoard deals. 3.05pm GMT15:05 78 min A lull in a lull. 3.04pm GMT15:04 76 min Everton are controlling this game with a good deal of imagination and competence, but we’re reaching a tricky period - do they assume that Burnley don’t have another goal in them, or search for a clincher? 3.03pm GMT15:03 74 min Barnes wriggles away from Naismith on the left touchline, but overruns the ball, so flings himself into Barry in its pursuit. He’s booked, and Barry is down for a fair while. 3.01pm GMT15:01 73 min Everton passed the ball for so long that we’ve only just seen a replay of Arfield’s tackle on Barkley - it was not at all nice, nowhere near the ball and landing studs on metatarsal. That ought really to have been a booking, so a second yellow card. Lucky boy. 2.59pm GMT14:59 71 min Team news from Old Trafford: no Jones, no Falcao for United, no Costa, no Remy for Chelsea. 2.58pm GMT14:58 69 min Baines and Barkley connect down the left, so Arfield blackens the latter’s ankle. But the ball runs to an Evertonian, so the referee lets the game continue, so Everton continue passing. Updated at 3.00pm GMT 2.55pm GMT14:55 67 min Everton are controlling this now, passing and moving - it’s been a while since Burnley have mustered any kind of attack. But Everton haven’t scored again, nor created many chances, so. 2.52pm GMT14:52 65 min Ch-ch-changes. Barkley replaces Lukaku, Barnes replaces Jutkiewicz. Updated at 2.53pm GMT 2.52pm GMT14:52 63 min Coleman is beginning to victimise Ward, beating him again and forcing a foul, for which Ward is booked. From the free-kick, 40 yards out, Baines bends a cross towards the far post, between keeper and defensive line - Heaton can’ do anything until it’s gone past the last man, so needs to be smart in moving to push it away. 2.50pm GMT14:50 62 min Lukaku holds the ball up, five or so yards outside the box, and it makes its way back to Eto’o, via Osman, Eto’o shoots immediately - it’s a decent enough effort, but not one with the venom of direction to trouble Heaton. 2.48pm GMT14:48 61 min Newcastle now lead Spurs 2-1. Spurs are superb. 2.47pm GMT14:47 59 min Pleasant combination play between Eto’o and Lukaku just outside the box and dead centre, Lukaku returning the initial pass to set Eto’o for a shot that scuttles just wide. 2.46pm GMT14:46 58 min Coleman, who’s been relatively quiet today, moseys down the right before suddenly injecting some pace, beating Ward on the outside and cutting back across for McCarthy, on the edge of the box. But the ball’s not quite into his path, so McCarthy checks before ramming a shot into the torso of the diving Shackell. 2.44pm GMT14:44 57 min Ross Barkley is warming up. Updated at 2.44pm GMT 2.44pm GMT14:44 55 min Naismith fiddles some space in centrefield, but, making his way towards the left touchline, can’t quite bring the ball under control. So, when he overruns it and Trippier steps in, he makes sure to shove him to the ground. acknowledging a well-earned booking with a raised hand. 2.42pm GMT14:42 54 min Sammy Ameobi has equalised for Newcastle at White Hart Lane - with a lovely goal, apparently. 2.41pm GMT14:41 52 min Everton spring into attack, Osman nashing past Arfield on halfway, close to the left touchline. This, Arfield cannot have, so he makes sure to shove Osman to the ground, acknowledging a well-earned booking with a raised hand. 2.40pm GMT14:40 51 min More passing and moving from Everton, Eto’o and Lukaku linking to set Baines free on the left. He cuts back low, but can’t find a man, and Burnley then attempt a break - with predictable results. 2.38pm GMT14:38 50 min The away end is on that Cup Final song again. Here’s its inspiration. 2.37pm GMT14:37 48 min Ward slings over an outswinging cross that catches in the win and tempts Alcaraz to knee it into his head. As the ball drops, Jutkiewicz muscles onto the scene, electing to head rather than shoot - but can’t impart requisite power, so Howard saves easily. 2.35pm GMT14:35 46 min Burnley start the second half with greater intensity than the first, earning a corner almost immediately. Kightly’s delivery, though is not great - he aims for the near post, but can’t find one of his own men, so the ball’s headed clear. Again, Arfield picks it up outside the box, but this time can’t arrange a thumping shot that skids just wide. 2.33pm GMT14:33 46 min No changes at half-time, so Burnley kick-off again. When, and why, did teams stop doing so with three players, moving to two? Updated at 2.33pm GMT 2.32pm GMT14:32 Harvey Keitel, in the guise of Mr Wolf, is advertising Direct Line. Yes he is. 2.18pm GMT14:18 HALF-TIME: Burnley 1-2 Everton Good half, that. When Everton get the ball down and pass it, they’re an excellent and entertaining side. But they don’t look especially secure at the back, especially in clearing the high ball. If Burley are brave enough to get a few more men in the box, they might yet retrieve this. Updated at 2.19pm GMT 2.17pm GMT14:17 45+2 min Again, Arfield is first to a ball headed clear to the edge of the box, and he intimates a shot before advancing, ducking to his right and clumping another decent effort just wide of the far post. 2.16pm GMT14:16 45+1 min Credit to Burnley, they’re not hiding at all - if they can refrain from conceding again, there’s a decent chance they’ll score again, because the ball into the box is causing Everton problems. 2.15pm GMT14:15 45 min There shall be two additional minutes. 2.14pm GMT14:14 43 min Eto’o - who’s been excellent so far - jiggles his foot over the ball outside the box, so Trippier lumbers over and cracks him on the shin, just below the guard. It looks a real sair yin, and there’s a delay while treatment is administered. 2.12pm GMT14:12 40 min Very nice again from Everton, lots of passes and Eto’o wriggling some space in the inside-left position, and slotting a through ball for Osman outside him. Under nae pressure, he clips back a cross that meets Naismith’s run, and the ensuing header loops onto the bar, Heaton eventually fumbling the rebound into his grasp. 2.10pm GMT14:10 38 min Jagielka and Barry become confused each leaving the ball to the other. In the end, Jagielka pokes a leg behind him, the consequent slice feeding Ings. Ings then takes on Alcaraz, falling over his leg - it looked a lot like a free-kick, really - but Andre Mariner felt otherwise. 2.07pm GMT14:07 37 min Burnley look relatively dangerous when they snap into challenges and rush Everton. 2.06pm GMT14:06 36 min Everton are passing it, so Burnley are sitting back. Not sure this is much of an idea. Updated at 2.06pm GMT 2.05pm GMT14:05 34 min Jagielka throws his head at long ball, getting behind it to nod clear. But, bursting onto the loose ball is Kightly, an infraction for which he is summarily bundled over by McCarthy. This earns him a booking, but, from the free-kick - a couple of yards outside the box, and pretty central - Jones can only drive into the wall. Updated at 2.05pm GMT 2.04pm GMT14:04 33 min Jutkiewicz does well to back into Alcaraz as they wait for a ball to drop, so that when it does, he’s close enough to turn. Clear on the left of the box, instead of checking while reinforcements arrive, he lashes a shot well wide of the near post. This is not a development well received on the bench. 2.02pm GMT14:02 32 min Elsewhere, Spurs are 1-0-up against Newcastle. 2.02pm GMT14:02 31 min Burnley were excellent after going behind - but, in the end, that goal was a reflection of Everton’s extra class. The move was one of 24 passes, apparently. 1.59pm GMT13:59 GOAL! Burnley 1-2 Everton (Lukaku, 29) Another lovely goal. After a quiet quarter-hour, Everton keep possession for a fair while, then inject some pace through Naismith, who flicks to Eto’o. The return pass meets his run beautifully, and he bursts into space and away from his man, finding Lukaku in the box. He swivels into a shot that’s very well blocked by Duff, but the rebound falls kindly, and a second swivel bundles the ball into the ground, past Heaton, and into the far corner. Messy finish, but what preceded it was very nice indeed. Updated at 2.32pm GMT 1.58pm GMT13:58 27 min “Possession football demands technique and concentration from all 11 players - maybe Mourinho is right”, posits Gary Naylor. Yep, it looks to me a lot like he was right about Lukaku - though not because of that particular error - and also Mata. 1.56pm GMT13:56 26 min Barry sends an astute ball between two men, finding Naismith. Looking right, he finds Lukaku, who crunches a cross miles away from its intended back-post target. The crowd enjoy this very much. 1.55pm GMT13:55 24 min Lukaku, doubtless still smarting after his role in the Burnley goal, leaves a foot up as Boyd dashes past him. There’s not much contact, but there’s enough to send Boyd crashing to the ground, thus earning him a booking. 1.53pm GMT13:53 22 min Burnley are right into this, and when another long ball is headed away, Arfield steps into it, cutting across a low zetz that scooshes just wide of the far post. 1.50pm GMT13:50 GOAL! Burnley 1-1 Everton (Ings, 20) Things of which you don’t seen enough in modern football: roundings of goalkeepers. And there’s one right here. Lukaku plays a careless ball looking for Alcaraz that’s intercepted by Boyd, who looks up and sees Ings running across the line. He slides a pass between Jagielka and Baines, Howards dashes out, so Ings nips around him to the right, and slides into the empty net. Updated at 1.52pm GMT 1.50pm GMT13:50 19 min Everton have been quiet this last bit. Burnley are looking to get the ball into the box, and pile in after it, and it’s working for the now. They’ve had 61% of the possession in the last five minutes. 1.48pm GMT13:48 17 min No sooner mention Kevin Sheedy than receive missive from Gary Naylor. “Kevin Sheedy. Retake the free-kick you say? How about the other corner?” He really was a lovely player - a proper schemer. 1.47pm GMT13:47 15 min Ings wins a corner, drawing a tackle from Jagielka, whose challenge sends the ball behind. Jones takes it from the right, and the wind snatches the delivery, whooshing it into Eto’os forehead. He looks relieved to concede another corner, and this time, it’s not cleared properly, allowing Boyd to send Arfield away down the right. His crosses superbly, on the run - but no one can get across Alcaraz, who nods clear, only to set Ings for a shot. He connects well, but Naismith hurls his corporeal into its path. Better from Burnley, but. 1.43pm GMT13:43 13 min Steven Naismith - who has developed into an excellent player - siezes upon an errant header in centrefield, and releases Lukaku ahead of him. With no support, he tries a zooter from 25 yards, but pulls it wide of the right-hand post. Updated at 1.53pm GMT 1.41pm GMT13:41 11 Trippier hits a long diagonal one for Ings, who’s pulled off Alcaraz. Berbatov-style, he extends a toe and cushions a lovely first touch, then turns and lays back to Kightly. Espying Jutkiewicz at the back post, he tries a chip, but slices across it, so the attack breaks down. But that was better. 1.40pm GMT13:40 11 min The away end is singing Here We Go, Here We Go, Everton’s classic 1985 Cup Final song. Here they are, on Wogan, in tracksuits. 1.38pm GMT13:38 9 min Arfield looks for Trippier, advancing down the right, and instead hoiks into touch. The groans in the crowd are of resignation, rather than anger. 1.38pm GMT13:38 7 min Everton look extremely confident now - Burnley can barely manage a touch of the ball. They’re chasing and all that, but are completely unable to build anything. 1.36pm GMT13:36 5 min That is Eto’o’s first away goal in the Premier League. That is a word with two apostrophes. Updated at 1.36pm GMT 1.33pm GMT13:33 GOAL! Burnley 0-1 Everton (Eto'o 3) This is a lovely goal. Seamus Coleman transfers the ball inside to McCarthy, who immediately moves it inside to Eto’o, who immediately moves it inside to Barry. Barry then finds Osman, who sees Baines barrelling by on the overlap, so slides the ball into his path. From close the by-line, the cross is typically perfect, arriving into a space immediately occupied thereafter by Eto’o’s forehead, which powers a header in off the bar. Updated at 1.42pm GMT 1.32pm GMT13:32 2 min Burnley seem to be sitting deep, allowing Everton time on the ball in their own half. I’m not quite sure I get this - if Everton can work up a rhythm, Burnley will struggle to sneak anything. 1.31pm GMT13:31 1 min Everton knock the ball across the back four, back to Howard, and back across the back four. 1.30pm GMT13:30 1 min Everton get us going, as Turf Moor tries to get itself going. 1.29pm GMT13:29 Sky reckon Eto’o will play behind Lukaku, not entirely easy to understand. You’d have thought that they’d want him in the box, looking to score rather than create. 1.28pm GMT13:28 So, here come the players, marching to halfway for no reason whatsoever. Hands are shaken, gravities of situations are gauged, and, we’re almost ready to go. 1.26pm GMT13:26 Burnley are averaging 16 tackles a game, apparently. Graeme Souness is suitably disgusted. 1.22pm GMT13:22 Apropos of Everton, here’s Kevin Sheedy annihilating a free-kick into the top corner of the Kop net, then celebrating with liberally applied V-sign. 1.15pm GMT13:15 Everton have conceded 16 goals this season, on average two a game - only Sunderland and QPR have a worse defensive record than that. Roberto Martinez has a great tan, though. 1.11pm GMT13:11 So, a change apiece: Burnley replace Mee with Ward, while Everton shove Samuel Eto’o in, and drop Ross Barkley to the bench. Updated at 1.13pm GMT 1.07pm GMT13:07 Let’s have some teams, shall we? Yes we shall. Burnley (4-4-1-1, which is, of course, very different from 4-4-2): Heaton; Trippier, Shackell, Duff, Ward; Kightly, Jones, Arfield, Boyd; Jutkiewicz, Ings. Subs: Mee, Wallace, Sordell, Chalobah, Gilks, Keane, Barnes. Everton (Hard to say): Howard, Coleman, Jagielka, Alcaraz, Baines, McCarthy, Barry, Naismith, Osman, Eto’o, Lukaku. Subs: Robles, Hibbert, Gibson, McGeady, Besic, Barkley, Pienaar. Updated at 1.25pm GMT 12.30pm GMT12:30 Preamble. Everyone likes surprises, even people who seek attention by insisting that they don’t, because, otherwise, what’s the point in it all? More or less, knowing what’s going to happen renders existence a waste of time, nothing more a very long, very boring queue for the dentist. And this is one of the principal reasons we bother liking football. The humdrum of our daily lives is not easy to take, so, we take solace in sport, because, necessarily, things have no choice but to happen, haphazardly. Which means that even though they can’t stay up, Burnley can stay up. It is inconceivable. It is impossible. No it isn’t. Quite how they go about it, though, is another matter. They have scored just four times in eight games, mustered a grand total of no wins, and offered not the merest hint of hope; perhaps football is rather like the aforementioned existence after all. |