Bolton V Everton

Everton's victory over Bolton on Saturday was completely overshadowed the day after by the sad news about Gary Speed.

Speed, a boyhood Evertonian, was signed from Leeds in the summer of 1996 by Joe Royle. He was an instant hit, scoring ten goals in his first season as Everton looked like genuine contenders for a while, before the team faded badly around the time of Royle's departure. The next season, under new boss Howard Kendall, Speed was made captain. His departure that winter was, to say the least, acrimonious and shrouded in secrecy. If the rumour mill is to be believed, Speed could have had a lot to say about the club and more celebrated ex-employees. Tellingly, he has never criticised Everton in the press, however - quite the opposite. The man was clearly a blue.

Here's 5 Gary Speed things:

1. Linking up brilliantly with Ferguson on his debut against Newcastle, and capping it with a trademark goal;

2. Scoring a late headed equaliser at the Kop end, complete with comedy David James dive;

3. Bagging a hat-trick in the 7-1 demolition of Southampton, one of the best Everton performances I've ever seen;

4. A flashing header to win a vital game against Spurs later that season, after Royle's departure;

5. Converting a nerveless penalty in the most pressured of situations the following year, injury time away at Leicester City for a 1-0 win.

RIP to a fellow Evertonian.

 

Bolton Wanderers 0-2 Everton

Turning to Saturday's game, and Everton put together back to back wins for the first time this season by seeing off the truly awful Bolton Wanderers. There was one change from the Wolves line-up, with Diniyar Bilyaletdinov replacing the injured Royston Drenthe. Distin, Rodwell and Neville were also unfit, so it was really 'bare bones' on the bench - but in the end the Blues never even had to get out of third gear.

The early stages were slightly cagey but Everton were well on top - Coleman looked very lively again and was the first to test Jussi Jaaskelainen after skinning Paul Robinson, before the Bolton keeper also saved well from Phil Jagielka's header. Bolton's sole riposte - amidst the continual hoofed balls to the still horrible Kevin Davies, was a 20 yard drive from Ivan Klasnic which Howard saved well.

Then the game changer - On 20 minutes, Bilyaletdinov, who enjoyed a much improved performance, seized on David Wheater's big grock touch and got clattered by his big grock lunge. It looked a bad one at the time, and TV replays later showed that the referee, Michael Oliver, was spot on in sending Wheater off. Bolton down to ten - advantage Toffeemen, surely.

The remainder of the first half was almost total Everton pressure, but the Blues were guilty of snatching at chances and a bit of impatience in front of goal. Saha, Cahill and Bilyaletdinov all had half chances, and David Moyes noted after the game that he wanted to get them in at half time to change a few things about the approach - presumably a bit more composure and patience in possession. This was clearly evident in the second half, as Everton were much more happy to switch play and move Bolton around - with John Heitinga, who had his best game in a long while, playing a key role with crisp passing from the back to the wings. Everton just looked a bit more 'at it', and a goal soon followed.

It started out on the right - Coleman whipped a peach of a cross in towards Tim Cahill, who was only denied by a fantastic clearing header by his namesake, Gary. Everton quickly switched the play, and some neat interplay between Osman and Baines released Bilyaletdinov. The Russian fizzed in a fantastic low cross and Marouane Fellaini - head and shoulders the best player on the park - slid in to convert. Get in.

Everton continued to push, and apart from a mad 60 seconds where Klasnic had a half chance saved well by Howard, it was more a question of when the second goal came. Saha shot too close to Jaaskelainen after being brilliantly released by Cahill, Osman and Coleman both had deflected shots saved, Cahill went close with a header and there should have been a penalty when Davies - who was also lucky to be on the pitch after a two-footer on Bilyaletdinov in the first half - handled. Maybe a change was needed, and Moyes's switch of Saha for Vellios did the trick.

Another switch of play led to Fellaini finding Baines in space. He sent a beautiful serving delivery to the back post, which the tireless Tim Cahill did brilliantly to cut back, straight onto Vellios's left foot. The young Greek - who you've got to love, he looks completely star struck by it all and his interview about coaching sessions with Big Dunc couldn't fail to raise a smile - made no mistake. There was just time for a lively cameo by Ross Barkley - but in effect that was game over.

Yes, Bolton are awful. Yes, they were down to 10 men. In those circumstances though, all you ask is for Everton to be professional and do the job. This they did, comfortably, and secured another three points. It would be churlish to criticise, but we have to expect a much tougher test when that other set of horrible grocks, Stoke City, visit next week.

COYB

calcioEFC

Everton - Howard, Hibbert, Baines, Jagielka, Heitinga, Coleman, Osman, Fellaini, BilyaletdinovCahill, Saha.

Subs - Mucha, Mustafi, McAleny, Barkley, Vellios, Stracqualursi, Gueye

Goals - Fellaini (49), Vellios (78)

MOTM - Fellaini.