CARLING CUP: Chelsea 2, Everton 1 - post match analysis

Jan 9 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

AS Evertonians this morning struggle to digest this heartbreaking defeat, they could do worse than look across the other side of Stanley Park to find reasons for encouragement.

After all, recent history suggests that Chelsea have a propensity for blowing first-leg cup advantages on Merseyside.

David Moyes’s side will be forgiven for scratching their heads and wondering how on earth they left Stamford Bridge in arrears after a barnstorming Carling Cup semi-final encounter.

A last-minute own goal from the unfortunate Joleon Lescott means a win is required in the second leg at Goodison Park in a fortnight to ensure a first major final appearance in 13 years.

And while Chelsea represent a formidable obstacle to that Wembley date in late February, Everton have to believe there was enough evidence last night to suggest it can be overcome.

The away goal magnificently dispatched by Yakubu in the 64th minute that equalised a 26th-minute opener from Shaun Wright-Phillips was just reward for the manner in which Everton withstood a Chelsea barrage and then fought their way back into the game.

Yakubu’s parting gift before leaving for the African Cup of Nations came just nine minutes after Chelsea midfielder Jon Obi Mikel was dismissed by referee Peter Walton for a poor challenge on Phil Neville, a decision which tantalisingly gave Everton a glimpse of victory during the final quarter.

How cruel that it should be Lescott, one of the game’s stellar performers, who erred as Moyes’s side once again let a result slip in the final moments against a top-four team. After equalising in the last minute of the league clash at Stamford Bridge in November, the tables were turned.

Wright-Phillips, the smallest man on the field, challenged Lescott, one of the tallest, to a ball at the far post and pressurised the centre-back into inadvertently knocking into his own net.

Moyes claimed Lescott had been fouled, but that was his disappointment speaking more than anything else. Now the Scot must rouse his troops for Goodison Park’s biggest game in almost a decade.

With Joseph Yobo joining Yakubu and the already departed Steven Pienaar in missing the return due to international duty, Moyes’s rebuilt squad will be put to the test, although the trio’s absence will be offset by the return of Mikel Arteta from suspension and possibly Leon Osman from injury.

But whoever turns out, Moyes’s side will be desperate to prove wrong the nagging suspicion that last night may have represented their best opportunity to progress.

This was cup football at its very best, the tackles flying in, tensions heightened and action end to end.

Referee Walton just about kept a grip on proceedings, although Steve Sidwell was fortunate not to follow Mikel down the tunnel after a late stamp on Lee Carsley moments after coming on as substitute.

Despite being cautioned in the eighth minute, Carsley remained a terrier-like presence throughout in a midfield in which skipper Phil Neville excelled.

However, both were outshone by Phil Jagielka, whose stubborn defensive display encapsulated Everton’s resolve during the spells of play when Chelsea showed their class.

Talk around Goodison Park in the build-up to the game pointed to the fact Everton must start gleaning tangible reward from their progress during the past 18 months, a belief brought into sharp focus by the shock FA Cup exit at home to Oldham Athletic at the weekend.

The statistics underlined the size of the task facing Moyes’s side last night. Chelsea were aiming for a 55th consecutive unbeaten game at Stamford Bridge, while Everton had won only two of the previous 29 games between the clubs.

Indeed, Everton have been eliminated by Chelsea on all three previous meetings in the League Cup and had reached this stage of the competition for the first time in 20 years.

Moyes made six changes from Saturday, with injury, suspension and international commitments preventing him from employing the 4-5-1 formation ideally suited to this occasion.

Chelsea, hit by injury problems of their own, were below full strength but could still field a line-up containing 10 full internationals, goalkeeper Henrique Hilario the odd man out.

A survey highlighted in the matchday programme claimed Stamford Bridge was one of the loudest grounds in the country. However, the atmosphere among the home support before the game was, as ever, less than electric, with the only noise coming from the perennially pitiful pitch-side stadium announcer.

The 6,000 Evertonians that took over the Shed End were far more vocal in their backing, and they had plenty to cheer during a first quarter in which the visitors, snappy in the tackle and breaking with purpose, harassed Chelsea out of their stride.

It was infuriating, then, that they fell behind following a total lapse in concentration on 26 minutes.

Non-existent marking allowed Florent Malouda to exchange passes from a Wayne Bridge throw, progress forward and feed Wright-Phillips inside the area. With Everton’s defence still standing off, the England international curled a fine right-foot finish that went in off Howard’s left-hand post.

Everton then had to ride out a Chelsea storm. After a lightning home break ended with Joe Cole impeded by Jagielka right on the edge of the area, Michael Ballack thumped a free-kick inches wide.

Carsley blocked a Wright-Phillips shot moments later, but there were signs before the interval that Moyes’s side had regained their composure, and Andrew Johnson should have done better with a free header from McFadden’s corner.

Wright-Phillips shot at Howard moments after half-time, before the game changed with Mikel’s red card on 55 minutes, the Nigerian dismissed after catching Neville with a lunge that, although one-footed, was made with studs dangerously showing.

To their credit, Chelsea continued to attack and Howard did well to deny Claudio Pizarro after the lively Wright-Phillips had played the striker in.

But Everton equalised in the 64th minute. Johnson was fouled and, from McFadden’s left-wing delivery, Hilario flapped, Yobo hooked the ball back into the danger zone and Yakubu swivelled to volley brilliantly into the top corner from 12 yards.

The visitors were within inches of going ahead five minutes later when a sublime back-heel from Yakubu eliminated two Chelsea players and sent McFadden down the left, the Scotland international then cutting inside and skipping over Ricardo Carvalho’s sliding challenge before firing an angled shot that clipped the far post.

Both teams pressed forward during a frenetic finish, and Chelsea’s 10 men struck in the 90th minute when Wright-Phillips challenged Lescott to Michael Ballack’s looping ball in the box and pressured the Everton man into nodding into his own net.

There was still enough time for Lescott to almost make amends deep in injury time when put clear by McFadden but Hilario atoned for his earlier blunder with a fine smothering save.

Heartbreakingly, Everton had lost. But this tie is far from over.