Message now is: Don’t underestimate Everton

Nov 9 2007 by Brian Gould, Liverpool Daily Post

MY old nan always says we should never underestimate the Germans.

I think I know why and am sure David Moyes must have said something similar to the players before last night’s match perhaps adding: “I did once but I think I got away with it!”

A perfect result and excellent performance speaks volumes for just how much the manager and players have learned about European football already.

Moyes chose the correct tactics for last year’s Bundesliga Cup winners because we can all appreciate the dangers of underestimating any German side so we had to play out of our skins and we did so.

Being adventurous in measured doses coupled with tenacious defending is always difficult to play against and this had the effect of softening the German attack. Everton’s midfield, with Yakubu and Cahill up front, played cleverly by being creative and dangerous without throwing caution to the wind.

This is a time-honoured European tradition practised expertly by the likes of Man United and Arsenal but for Everton it is a lesson we have learned quickly.

Anichebe’s substitution was the decisive factor but the result only became possible because we’d kept a clean sheet up to that point and our midfield and attack left the Germans unable to afford to gamble until it was too late.

Perhaps nerves caused our defence to experience to wobble in the first half as they presented Nurnberg with a couple of half-chances but the Larissa lessons have been learned and they got nichts for the rest of the night. In the end the game was won by Anichebe’s strength, pace and determination which had their back-line all over the place.

Of course this was possible because of what happened beforehand. Yakubu and Cahill’s work-rate softened up the defence such that Anichebe’s job was much easier by the time he came on.

The Group A table is a wonderful sight to behold and what’s also pleasing is that Everton can get better and now look like the club with the European pedigree we all want after only two games.

The message is clear, never mind the Germans, don’t underestimate Everton.