Europe here we come

May 12 2008 by Ian Doyle, Daily Post

THE millionth fan to watch Everton this season was awarded a trip to Thailand yesterday. But for everyone else at Goodison, Europe remains the destination of choice.

Fifth place and a second successive Uefa Cup qualification were ensured as David Moyes’ side signed off their campaign in emphatic style.

The wobbles of recent weeks were banished from memory as a resounding victory over Newcastle United showcased exactly why Everton can rightly claim the title of being “best of the rest”.

It may have not have quite been the Champions League place that was reward for victory the last time the teams met in an end-of-season encounter three years ago.

But the manner in which Everton achieved their goal of a first consecutive European qualification in 30 years encapsulated another encouraging 12 months for the Goodison Park outfit.

The celebrations in the stands after the final whistle spoke volumes – with extended runs in the League and Uefa Cups, this has been a season of smiles for Evertonians.

Moyes will now head into talks with chairman Bill Kenwright later this week armed with tangible evidence of further progress in the form of an improved league finish and a highest-ever Premier League points tally.

However, both are acutely aware Everton are standing at a crossroads.

Having guided his team to three top-six finishes in the last four years, Moyes knows major spending is required if the club are to realistically make that huge step towards shatter the top four’s stranglehold.

Guaranteed European football will no doubt act as a significant lure for new arrivals – particularly with the summer recruitment drive concentrated overseas – but the fear is that once again the Goodison manager will spend much of the transfer window working under tight financial constraints.

Last year, of course, there was the surprise late deal to smash the club transfer record on Ayegbeni Yakubu; and how the Nigerian’s subsequent impact has justified that significant outlay.

Having been stuck on 19 goals since March, the Nigerian finally became the first Everton player since Peter Beardsley in 1991-92 to score 20 with the opener on 28 minutes.

Yakubu’s second was as notable a landmark, it coming from the spot with Moyes’ side forced to wait until eight minutes from the end of the season to be awarded a first Premier League penalty. Better late than never.

It was somehow apt that Yakubu and Joleon Lescott, Everton’s top scorer and player of the season respectively, should be on the mark yesterday.

Yakubu’s brace sandwiched a 10th goal of the season for Lescott, the defender achieving the target set by Moyes to underline the importance he has assumed in two years at the club. A series of injections to treat his troublesome right knee await; Lescott, though, will be back.

Even the brief setback of Michael Owen’s 47th-minute equaliser could not deter Everton, who were by far the more vibrant throughout and were committed to ending on a high note, even though nearest rivals Aston Villa’s failure to win at West Ham United ultimately made the outcome academic.

Moyes’ squad rebuilding has already begun. Thomas Gravesen, Anthony Gardner and Stefan Wessels are definitely leaving while the futures of Manuel Fernandes and Lee Carsley remain uncertain.

The ovation to Carsley by both fans and team-mates on his late substitution hints the midfielder may have played his last in a blue shirt, while Fernandes’ improvement over the last fortnight may not be enough to warrant a third spell at Goodison Park.

But given the impact of their absence at various periods during the past two months, it’s clear the creative burden must be eased on Mikel Arteta, Steven Pienaar and, to a lesser extent, Leon Osman.

The loss of the inspirational Tim Cahill, a driving force who perfectly complements the 4-5-1 formation favoured by Moyes, was another savage blow, robbing Everton of the surprise, attacking element from an otherwise steady if often unspectacular central midfield.

That poor fortune with injury continued at the weekend, Tony Hibbert and Andrew Johnson the latest to miss out and allow recalls for Yakubu and Victor Anichebe.

And the strike pairing were so heavily involved in the action that Everton should have been well out of sight by half-time.

Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan, who later expressed his desire for his club to follow the successful example set by Moyes’ side, decried the Premier League this week as being “boring” but it’s never dull for the home fans when the Magpies come to visit.

Yakubu had already signalled his intent with a 20-yard shot just wide following a clever shimmy away from Nicky Butt and Alan Smith when he made the breakthrough on 28 minutes.

Damien Duff was cautioned for blatantly impeding Pienaar and from the subsequent free-kick on the right Yakubu lost the attention of young Andrew Carroll to powerfully head home Fernandes’ delivery.

The Nigerian was then denied a second minutes later after Joleon Lescott was contentiously flagged offside when heading back for Yakubu to head home as Everton battered the visitors.

Fernandes drew a save from Steve Harper after being released by an outrageous backheel from Anichebe, who then saw the Newcastle goalkeeper almost fumble his tame shot into the net before Joseph Yobo wastefully headed over Phil Neville’s fine cross.

It was a shock, then, when Newcastle equalised moments into the second half. Charles N’Zogbia’s direct, forceful run through the heart of the Everton defence was eventually ended by Yobo’s foul inside the area and Owen slotted home under the body of the diving Tim Howard, denying the goalkeeper the chance to equal Neville Southall’s club record of 15 clean sheets in a Premier League season.

The pattern of play, however, remained unchanged, Everton’s desire undimmed as Harper twice did well to repel dangerous free-kicks from Fernandes.

Anichebe then capitalised on a total misjudgement from Newcastle substitute Claudio Cacapa, but his cross was too strong for Yakubu to reach before Everton eased the growing nerves inside Goodison by retaking the lead 20 minutes from time.

After Owen fouled Carsley on the right, the Everton man quickly fed Fernandes to deliver a cross into the box that Steven Taylor succeeded only in glancing to the feet of Lescott, who made no mistake with his effort from the far post.

Harper then saved brilliantly from Anichebe after Yakubu’s through-ball with the latter then grabbing his second eight minutes from time from the spot after the hapless Taylor upended Osman.

That lucky fan can now look forward to Bangkok. For everyone else, the likes of Bremen and Bratislava will do.