How good was Fernandes last night?

Portuguese international Manuel Fernandes has made his second debut for Everton last night against Chelsea and he looked fantastic. After completing his second loan move to the club, first from Benfica, now from Valencia, it appears things have been righted and he slotted right in.

The reception he received last night was excellent, and his form looked like he had not left for over half a year. From the get go, he was busy and involved. I thought his passing was particularly good, jabbing balls regularly into the feet of Mikel Arteta, they proved to be the cornerstones of Everton’s best moves.

Everton played well last night but were undone by Chelsea’s quickness. Everton’s back line play well, especially as a unit but pace is lacking and it made Chelsea look more dangerous than they really were.

Manuel Fernandes will help this problem point. He’s quick and has excellent timing and had some excellent defensive moments last night. He was also out of position a few times, but we can probably chalk that up to a lack of time with the team.

Everton’s best spells were early on and midway thru the second half, and coincidentally they came when the ball was being played thru midfield. How many times was a hopeless ball launched at Andy Johnson last night with nobody within 20 yards? When Osmon and Fernandes were on the ball, Arteta and Cahill were fed and Everton looked able to get the goal they needed to even up the aggregate score.

The thing I noted most was the class and confidence Fernandes gave the side last night. I was impressed how well he worked in tandem with his midfield and back line, and I am sure Mikel Arteta is pleased as well. Now if they could just do something about Carsley (I know, I know, but I don’t rate him). Everton lost last night, but looked really good despite it.

Time to make his starting place permanent and complete the loan move as soon as is contractually possible. Manuel Fernandes is as talented as any holding midfielder in world football and could be that little extra that David Moyes claims Everton lack.

Is Fernandes heading back to Everton?

There has been ripe speculation surrounding Everton and Valencia over a potential move for Portuguese international midfielder Manuel Fernandes but reports are contradictory which has sparked comment from David Moyes, and then more speculation and then a run in with Spanish police to boot.

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Fernandes angered Everton supporters over them summer when the then Benfica player grew tired of Everton’s dilly-dallying and decided to sign for Valencia instead. The move has not turned out so well for the talented player and a move back to Everton was apparently awaiting a signature until, it appears, Spanish police have told the player he cannot leave the country while an investigation takes place. He also angered Benfica supporters when he promised he would stay.

Some reports have him stealing a watch, others vomiting in public, others after an argument in a nightclub. If anything, it appears English speaking newspapers should invest in some better translators.

Another report suggests that Fernandes is free without charge, but that no deal is actually in place. And yet another report suggests that no discussions have taken place at all.

What to believe? How about none of it.

The only thing we do know is that Valencia want to sell. Sporting Director Miguel Angel Ruiz has publically commented that he wants to transfer the 12m pound player.

He’s available: that much we know.

Moyes, for his part has rejected the speculation which appears to indicate that it’s the press inventing this, or is it the fans that want the player.

Any way you look at it, he was good, wasn’t? Fernandes made a mistake not being patient and joining Everton. People make mistakes, the fans appear ready to forgive, and he appears ready to sign. Will Moyes and the board agree? The only thing left is the very fickle Everton transfer policies.

Talk of substitution, but how good was he?

Everywhere you read about Liverpool’s weekend derby victory over Everton, you read about Steven Gerrard being substituted. But what about the Liverpool new boy who replaced him? He looked class to me.

Lucas Leiva, recent Liverpool arrival from Brazil was introduced into the Merseyside derby on Saturday midway thru the second half to the look of astonishment not only by Gerrard but throngs of fans mouthing “WTF?” as the camera panned the stands.

Replacing Gerrard was hard enough, but a Derby, and a close one at that? A lot to ask of a youngster, but Lucas, last year’s Brazilian player of the year, showed remarkable composure, ability, and some neat footwork.

He was controlled and passed the ball very well and if it were not for Phil Neville’s goal line cheating, would have been on the score sheet and with the winner to boot. Lucas looked like he could be a regular starter to me. Could I date the unimaginable and suggest he may actually play ahead of Gerrard this season? Too early for anything like that but I can bet you that a few more solid and controlled displays from the youngster might see it actually happen, and you can bet Rafa has the balls to do it.

Reading into it

Considering the strength of the opposition, for Reading to step away from the first three games of the season with 4 points is a fantastic result. For Everton, it was a tale of 2 players and how when they go missing, they lose.

After such an excellent season last year, Mikel Arteta was really off song yesterday. Never a player to beat you with pace, he relies on an excellent sense for the game and great passing to be effective. He was at sea yesterday. He made countless bad passes and bad decisions and was unable to link the midfield up with the strikers to any degree. When the ball did make it forward, Andy Johnson was owned.

Johnson didn’t play badly but couldn’t get a foot into the game because Andre Bikey had a brilliant match in central defense. The Cameroonian made a few crucial tackles but more importantly marked Andy Johnson completely out of the game. You’d think such a gap in quickness would be exposed at least once in the match but it wasn’t. Bikey, and his powerful but clumsy style, of defending was the central figure on the one half of the pitch as was Stephen Hunt on the other.

I must admit, I don’t like Stephen Hunt as a player but I can appreciate his determination. He just always comes across to me as a bit of a dirty player, always willing to stick a foot in or push a moment on the pitch a bit too far, and I am not taking about the Peter Cech injury (but I do feel he should have considered Cech’s safety and pulled out of it) but a pattern of such play. His work rate and ability to create situations for the defense are excellent though, and I think he actually left the game yesterday from exhaustion, having run his boots off the entire game.

Yesterday, I saw two very evenly matched sides and a fairly good game. It was Hunt’s goal that was the difference and on level, it was Reading that deserved the result. Everton started well but couldn’t maintain any pressure on the game after the first 20 minutes. After that, Reading played good football and kept at the Everton defense which eventually gave way before the half.

Reading kept control for most of the second half until that 80th minute controlled panic set in. Why does this happen to most teams that have a single goal lead? A good team, playing well, will just suddenly realize that they might win and start hoofing the ball up field when just 10 minutes earlier they were passing smoothly and keeping control of the play. And too often, I see teams get an equalizer. Do players really think that thru these worthless clearances, giving the opposition the ball in their own half over and over again, that they are more likely to win than by sticking to the tenant that wins games? Keeping possession is the best way to claim your three points, and it was during this controlled panic that James McFadden hit the post (followed by Johnson) and almost cost Reading their result.

Tottenham Flopspur?

Everton looked the stronger side as they made a model display of efficiency to take the win away against a Tottenham side struggling to find their feet in the new season.

The story for the night was set in the first minute as Everton took a very early lead from which Tottenham could not battle back despite an equalizer soon after. Two more goals followed for Everton as they left the pitch for halftime up 3-1 and played out the second in an exercise of how to frustrate an opponent.

Amazingly, Tottenham have 0 points after 2 games. It’s of course too soon to write the team off as pretenders, but they suddenly have a small mountain to climb to get back into the kind of contention to which they were touted. You could see the frustration on the faces of Martin Jol, the players and the fans of the stands.

I think what went wrong yesterday is the same thing that went wrong against Sunderland: no width. I thought Martin Jol would have started with Wayne Routledge but chose instead to use Berbatov and Bent up front with Robbie Keane tucked in behind in a free role. It didn’t quite gel, and was frustrating to watch as the team passed well in midfield but stuttered over and over again when the defense tightened up. Tottenham tried over and over again to poke a hole thru the center and it just doesn’t work unless your opponents respect your width. This is a team desperately missing Aaron Lennon.

Beyond the tactical problems, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of fight in Tottenham. While they are not exactly soft, they aren’t exactly the sort of chew you up and spit you out team which can win ugly -thankfully so in many ways. But what happened to Tottenham last night has been symptomatic of the team for the last few seasons. Look at the personalities: King, Dawson, Bent, Stalteri, Lennon, Routeledge, etc… I mean pass the bong dude, if ever a team needed a Gattuso, it’s this one. A controlled intensity and willingness to grind is missing and while I think Tottenham need to keep their core style they must at least be willing.

Lastly, except for the injuries at left back I don’t buy the argument that Tottenham should be excused for having a makeshift defense. Look around the Premiership and tell me how many teams would welcome Anthony Gardner, Younes Kaboul and Ricardo Rocha in central defense. While they are not household names, they are not slouches. Yes, Gardner went missing on the first goal, yes, Rocha’s a bit out of sync, but these are not bad players, they are all capable of holding a starting place.

Are Suprs a flop? By no means, yet. I said over the weekend that the loss to Sunderland might prove a positive and kick start the team into performing but it hasn’t, it’s looking more and more like a 40m pound bad dream. Tottenham need a left winger before the window closes, Martin Jol needs to decide who his 2 best strikers are and play them, and he also needs to consider a 5 man midfield if the team can’t produce the width.

Everton target refuses to travel with club

Everton target Manuel Fernandes has refused to play for his club side SL Benfica to their home Champions League draw against Danish side FC Copenhagen. Everton have made a formal offer for the player and he looks set to force his departure from the Lisbon giants.

The 21-year-old midfielder’s rights are 50% owned Benfica. Everton would want to buy the player outright to avoid third-party ownership complications which hounded Carlos Tevez.

Everton are still well short of the 12m valuation set by Benfica. As the player is unceremoniously attempting to force a sale, this fee might be set to drop. Fernandes has really angered the local fans, though. Just days ago he announced his happiness at the club and willingness to lead the midfield, a bit unfair to the club to turn around and refuse to play. Well, more than a bit. There are better ways to handle this, refusing to travel, especially as his transfer would make him cup tied. I’ve been extremely high on Fernandes, but this move makes me wonder. Don’t be surprised if an agent is behind it.

Fernandes spent the last half of last season on loan at Goodison Park and was very impressive, scoring one of the goals of the season against Manchester United.

If he does play tomorrow, Fernandes would not be able to play for Everton in the UEFA Cup. Note to Fernandes: push for your transfer earlier stop pissing off the fans.

Everton to bid for pair

Everton are set to test the resolve of Middlesbrough for striker Yakubu in a surprise inquiry as well as lodging an 8m pound bid for Benfica midfielder Manuel Fernandes.

Now that Everton have sold James Beattie to Sheffield United where he also won’t score any goals, that are looking to sign someone that will. Premiership tested Yakubu should fit the bill, but you can be sure there will be much negotiation before a deal could be reached.

Moyes is expected to lodge a bid, which should start around 8m.

I think it would be ridiculous for Middlesbrough to sell Yakubu but rumors say that Southgate wants to firm up other areas of the team. What good is that when you can’t score goals and have already lost Mark Viduka to Newcastle?

Moyes at first balked at the 12m pound price tag slapped on Fernandes by Benfica, but signs are in Lisbon there may be no room for negotiation. In my opinion, Fernandes is top class and is good value at 12m, at 21, a great player with mountains of potential. After a successful loan period at Everton last season, he has proven his worth in England.

One showstopper is Manchester City’s apparent interest in Fernandes who have money to spend. Once again a manager holds out for a better price only to see a nouveau-riche club step in with cash.

Should Everton build the new stadium?

Everton chief executive Keith Wyness sure thinks the stadium, which would see the club move outside the boundaries of Liverpool, is a good idea. "The deal of the century", he calls it. Is it?

We know how Wyness wants things to go but now 33,000 Everton fans will get a vote on the matter.

The stadium deal involves a 50m pound investment from supermarket chain Tesco. The rosy portrait being painted is that the new ground could open by 2010 and will see “minimal” debt being placed on the club. Most of the cash Everton needs to raise for the project would come from the sale of Goodison Park. And to boot, 10m pounds of extra transfer funds every season with the revenue from the extra seats. All sounds great.

No shortage of good salesmanship out there, but is the line being peddled by Everton’s management true or is the rosy a picture a farse?

The proposed stadium will be built on land contributed by Knowsley council and will hold around 55,000 people.

The main problem regarding the deal is the reluctance of many fans to leave Liverpool. As when politicians sell wars, scare tactics are brought in to make sure you do what others want:

"Attendance numbers will go down and then revenue will go down and when that happens, you can't compete. There is no Plan B. There is no other option."

“No other option”, sound familiar?

"Attendance numbers will go down"? Where are the facts to back that up?

“More transfer funds”, where have I heard that.

“Deal of the century”, there is a sucker born every minute.

Could this be a good deal? It might… but by the tone of the salesmanship, I have strong doubts. There are always other options unless you know what you want in advance and don't want to look.

Pair in blue battle it out for bleu

There is a race is on for Juventus midfielder Olivier Kapo with both Steve Bruce at Birmingham City and David Moyes at Everton preparing a bid.

The 26 year old Frenchman is highly regarded in Spain after a season on loan with Levante. Real Betis is trying to sign him and keep him in La Liga next season. It appears that he wants to play in the Premiership though which leaves Everton and Birmingham poised.

The former Auxerre player is owned by Juventus where he has been given very little chance. He’s had a rocky few seasons until the loan spell saw him re-emerge as a viable player for larger clubs. Kapo said he would not consider staying at Levante.

Juventus’s price tag for Kapo is 2m pounds, a fee well within the reach of both Premiership contenders. You can see him in action here scoring against Deportivo De La Coruna: