Everton FC manager David Moyes
Everton FC juror James Campbell: Nine points out of 12 over festive season was an excellent return
IT was tough on us not to get something from the Chelsea match.
Goals change games, and if either of Jelavic’s efforts which hit the woodwork had found the net instead, we could have been celebrating a great home win. After the defeat, a tough game at Newcastle gave us the perfect chance to bounce back and finish the festive campaign in touch with the top four.
News that Chelsea-bound Demba Ba was not in the starting XI must have given our players a boost.
Once we recovered from conceding the early goal to Toon, we bounced back and scored two brilliant goals. Baines was a threat all night to Newcastle, and no keeper would have stopped that free kick!
Overall, nine points out of 12 over the Christmas and New Year period was an excellent return.
Everton FC juror Sam Carroll: Team spirit there to see against Newcastle United
ALAN PARDEW could be considered the modern day Nostradamus come May.
After his proclamation that Newcastle were “in a different league to Everton” last season, he may well be right; next year, Newcastle could be back in the Championship.
The defeat against Chelsea was made worse by the fact we had displayed all the attributes of a top four side in the opening half-hour, but we faltered later, perhaps unsettled by the inability to get the second goal. In the end, however, we at least merited a draw, and the hard-working Jelavic deserved a goal.
The Newcastle game once more showed the team spirit which has driven so many great Everton performances in the past. This spirit will be needed once more if we are to have another successful FA Cup run, starting with Cheltenham.
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