Scott Murray's Blog, page 194
September 28, 2014
Ryder Cup 2014: Europe v USA day three live! | Scott Murray
10.46am BST
A case for the Americans, then. Theres historical precedent. Theyve turned around a 10-6 deficit before, at Brookline in 1999. That was on their own turf, but theres proof that it can be done away from home: Medinah, of course. Of most relevance, however, is the fact that theyve won both fourball sessions this week by 2½ points to 1½. With players playing their own ball, that discipline is by definition closer to the singles experience. And historically the USA have more often than not bettered (and sometimes battered) the Europeans in the singles. If the new boys Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, who have both contributed 2½ points this week, put some early red on the board, a few ripples may be felt down the order. Thats exactly how Europe turned things round two years ago. Seeds of doubt. They can be planted. It can be done. There is hope.
Just not loads of it.
10.30am BST
The fourballs and foursomes of the 2014 Ryder Cup have provided a narrative as rich as any in the tournaments history. Consider what weve already witnessed. A fast American start. A comprehensive European recovery. The hot debutant stylings of Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed. The hot debutant stylings of Victor Dubuisson and Jamie Donaldson. One magnificent comeback staged by Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler. Two magnificent comebacks staged against Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler. Dubuisson and Walker nearly trading hole-in-ones at 10. Reed missing from Doug Sanders Country at 16. The metronomic brilliance of Justin Rose, and a better ball partnership which rattled off ten birdies in a row. Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia slowly finding their groove. Ice-cool brilliance under the most outrageous pressure. That very same pressure forcing the best players in the world into hacks which would embarrass a 26-handicapper. And of course more eye-popping heroics from Ian Poulter, despite the fact the man only showed up at hole 15 on Saturday afternoon.
Ah, the first two days have offered one more thing: the chance for the United States of America to gain instant redemption for the Miracle of Medinah. Look, there it is for them, on a plate. The scoreline going into the Sunday singles: 10-6. Ring any bells?
Continue reading...
September 26, 2014
Ryder Cup 2014: Europe v USA day two live! | Scott Murray
7.40am BST
A lovely montage on Sky, with a few of the chaps revealing the piece of music they always listen to before heading out to play. Bubba Watson, predictably but rather poetically, opts for Wild Thing by the Troggs. Keegan Bradley enjoys a bit of Metallica. Justin Rose always spins popular Eminem platter Lose Yourself, singing the moment, you own it, you better never let it go in the modern rap style, every morning, in the shower. Sergio likes Youll Never Walk Alone; as a Real Madrid fan, its hard to escape the feeling that hes simply baiting Liverpool ahead of their upcoming Champions League matches. Ian Poulter and Jim Furyk crank up a little Eye of the Tiger. Jamie Donaldson offers the most esoteric choice, Adagio for Strings by Tiesto. And Henrik Stenson? Caring not a jot what anyone thinks, he selects Dancing Queen by Abba. Much amusement in the Sky commentary box regarding this pick, the macho, macho men, but lets face it boys, hes put on the best song of the lot there.
Anyway, here comes Disco Henrik and Rose, to wild cheers on the first tee. Bubba, the Wild Thing, and Matt Kuchar follow them. Its time, folks. Its the moment. You own it. You better never let it go. Wouldnt it be beautiful if legendary Open announcer Ivor Robson came out with that, and nothing else? But he doesnt. Its all representing the United States of America, representing Europe, on the tee Matt Kuchar, the usual. Actually, itd be nice to hear Eminem wrap his tongue around that. America whistle two drives down the fairway; Rose finds the rough down the left while Stensons in a bunker down the right. A slightly jittery start by Europe. Perhaps theyd have been better off listening to Jamie Donaldsons trance.
7.15am BST
Another beautiful morning at Gleneagles. Its always a beautiful morning at Gleneagles.
7.00am BST
What an opening day that was! Who was the star turn? The world number one Rory McIlroy for that putt on 17? Sergio Garcia for that astonishing wood from the rough down the right of 18? How about swaggering debutants Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth, Victor Dubuisson and Jamie Donaldson? Or Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson, pictures of perfection who brought it all back home? The super scrambler Jimmy Walker, all soft hands around the greens?
Ian Poulter?
Take your pick.
It was a hugely entertaining and dramatic first day, and Europe hold a 5-3 lead going into the second. If just half as many players turn up with their gamefaces on today, well all be doing just fine. Heres the line-up for the Saturday morning fourballs:
Continue reading...September 25, 2014
Ryder Cup 2014: opening ceremony as it happened | Scott Murray
5.06pm BST
So thats that for today. The opening salvos have been fired, but the real action begins in the morning. Ill be here from 7am BST, which is silly oclock over in the States. But what the heck, set your alarms anyway, because this is going to be something special. The 2014 Ryder Cup is on!
5.03pm BST
And now Captain Watson. The Furyks and Kuchars will probably be played in the afternoon. The morning fourball is a good place for the rookies to get their feet wet. I have all the confidence in the world in them doing very well. The match that everyones looking at is the last one, that ought to be a barn-burner. You cant play all 12, youve got to mix and match. Its a contest. Now its starting! The mood in our team room is loose, but committed. Theyve got a certain swagger, and theyre thinking about 2012. From a European perspective, he looks staggeringly, frighteningly in control of himself. But then did anyone expect anything else from the statesmanlike Tom Watson. What a figurehead he is.
4.58pm BST
Heres one man who will be up for it from the get-go. I could have come up with so many different permutations, admits Paul McGinley. Were strong, but this is a very strong American team, and were not going to underestimate them. Ive not assessed their pairings yet, but Im more concerned about what we do. Theyre strong. Well be ready to come out of the blocks tomorrow morning.
4.56pm BST
So as the teams troop out to the strains of that wonderfully pompous Ryder Cup theme, heres the line-up for the morning fourballs:
7.35am: Watson/Simpson v Rose/Stenson
7.50am: Fowler/Walker v Bjorn/Kaymer
8.05am: Spieth/Reed v Gallacher/Poulter
8.20am: Bradley/Mickelson v Garcia/McIlroy
4.49pm BST
And finally, Watson sends in Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson. Some pairing they are! McGinley responds in kind, with a megastar duo of his own in Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy. Wow. What a showdown! What a morning this is going to be!
4.47pm BST
Match three, and heres a pick and a half for the US: Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed. And theyll be up against Stephen Gallacher and Ian Poulter. Three debutants and Mr Ryder Cup! What a match that promises to be!
4.46pm BST
The US picks for match two: Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker. Theyll play Thomas Bjorn and Martin Kaymer!
4.45pm BST
That should mean Bubba will take the opening tee shot of the 2014 Ryder Cup. You couldnt have picked anyone better, could you?
4.45pm BST
So, then, the bit weve all been waiting for: the pairings for the opening fourballs tomorrow morning. Europe! Europe! Europe! scream the throng. The captains advance to the podium. Tom Watsons picks for match one: Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson. And theyll play Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson!
4.43pm BST
And now its the turn of European captain Paul McGinley. Turn that bloody phone off! Give me it! he doesnt begin. Nope, hes proud to be standing where he is now, just as Watson was before him. To each and every one of you, I know you will be energetic, passionate, loud and proud, but I also know you will be considerate, courteous, and gracious to our opponents. This is what makes the Ryder Cup unique. A beautiful sentiment, as is the one directed to his wife Ally. I accept Im not the captain of our house, he quips in the gentle 1970s sitcom style, before bigging up the caddies sitting the audience, much to their rowdy pleasure. He runs through his team, much like Watson did before him, only the cheering is of course louder. Particular blasts of white noise for Victor Dubuisson, home favourite Stephen Gallacher, Sergio of course, surreptitious uploader McIlroy, and needless to say Ian Poulter. Its on! And then the raising of the European flag, the separate flags of each players country, and a blast of the
Rhodesian
European anthem, Ode to Joy from Beethovens Ninth.
4.33pm BST
So heres that selfie!
Pre opening ceremony selfie!! #EUROPE pic.twitter.com/RsaW1iETOi
4.30pm BST
Were getting to the meat of it now, because heres Tom Watson! The crowd rise and give the living legend one hell of a welcome. Youll not hear a louder roar when the winning putt drops. The great people of Scotland, he begins, working the crowd like an old trooper. What privilege it is to stand here before you in a land thats been my second home ... Just as Scotland is the heart and soul of golf, so the Ryder Cup is the pinnacle ... this beautiful land. What an old charmer. Theyre eating out of his hand. The next 72 hours are a date with destiny ... its my sincere hope that the Ryder Cup continues to inspire the young ... Captain McGinley, you have embodied true class in the game all your golfing life ... we began these matches on a note of friendship, and we will end the same way. And then the Star Spangled Banner, another spine-bothering moment. What a class act Watson is.
4.22pm BST
The singer-songwriter Amy Macdonald belts out an acoustic number about the pride I feel in coming from such a beautiful country. A nice touch. I stumbled across a preposterous article earlier today in one right-wing rag which wasnt far away from suggesting that Macdonald shouldnt be allowed to perform because she campaigned for a yes vote in the recent Scottish independence referendum. Apparently her presence today represents some sort of political statement. Eh? Is she to be banned indefinitely from doing her job, for the audacity of expressing an opinion? Dear lord. And now here comes first minister Alex Salmond! Oh hoo hoo hee thats not going to go down well with that ludicrous columnist. Welcome to Gleneagles, welcome to Scotland, is the main thrust of his speech. And then a saltires wheeched up a pole as the pipers play Flower of Scotland. Youd need a heart of stone not to feel a shiver down the spine.
4.10pm BST
A montage oMedinah. It never gets old, does it. Europe, Europe, Europe, chant the crowd. Dougherty eventually calms everyone down, and calls the captains and players to the stage. The skirl of a pipe band as they walk down the blue carpet, naturally. Americas suits are of a darker tartan than Europes light blue. Theyre better. Though thats not saying a whole lot. G-Mac is sharing a joke with Hunter Mahan. Theres nice. Lets see if everyones still pals come Sunday evening. Of course they will be. Of course.
4.05pm BST
The 12 men good and true of Europe are fannying around backstage, taking a group selfie with someones iPhone. Is nothing sacred? Apple have ruined every aspect of life. But here we go! The ceremonys about to start, with compere Di Dougherty taking the stage. Welcome to the Ryder Cup ... todays opening ceremony will be a glittering showcase of everything that is great about golf, and Scotland, who gave this great game to the world. Playing to the gallery there. And of course theyre lapping it up. A consummate professional.
4.00pm BST
Anticipation rises. The Red Hot Chilli Pipers have performed ahead of the Opening Ceremony ...
3.52pm BST
A huge crowd gathering at the big stage now, by the lake near the hotel. A real sense that, finally, this is happening. This is just the opening pow-wow! Tomorrow mornings going to be something else. Meanwhile a little more on the fun amateurs can have on the PGA Centenary course, despite its length and difficulty. Heres a fine piece by Paul Peachey of the Independent, who had the misfortune of witnessing my golfing nervous breakdown at Gleneagles. Hes a decent player, I must have put him off.
3.43pm BST
Just under 20 minutes until the opening ceremony begins, and the audience are in place, buzzing in front of the big stage. I hope theyve brought some puzzle books to pass the time. Or a vial of fine Speyside malt. A nice gentle Tomintoul, maybe. You HAVE to play Kings, begins Jack Cunningham, who has convinced me already. Never mind high handicap or not. I am one of that clan, and I had the most sensationally fun, emotional and spellbinding of golf experience of my life there. Its painfully expensive, but when the sun comes out, you have the kind words of the start in your ear, theres a breeze tickling and a sausage roll at the half-way hut. You will treasure the memory and long to go back. Thats me sold. Not least because the only other James Braid course Ive played is Basingstoke, and the nearby M3 is not quite so windswept and romantic as the Ochil Hills. A fun course, mind. Anyone fancy a round?
Heres a bit on James Braid and Gleneagles, so this entry isnt a complete waste of everyones time.
3.17pm BST
Sky are currently having a quick rummage through the European accommodation at Gleneagles Hotel. The team are staying in Braid House, and the whole place has been kitted out in Europes colours of blue and yellow. Itd have looked great in 1985. You have to give Paul McGinley, who insisted on the decor, full marks for attention to detail: theres a tank full of blue and yellow fish! Plenty of blue tartan. And a large sign which reads: If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it. Were nicking Americas maxims! That cant be considered sporting, surely.
3.02pm BST
Still plenty of time to kill before the ceremony - the captains are scheduled to reveal their picks for the opening fourballs at 4.40pm - so why not drift off into a reverie by staring at this:
2.44pm BST
An interesting snippet from Colin Montgomerie in the post-round interview. The course is playing long, its damp, and the balls not running much. And the winds are going to be up for the first couple of days. The roughs a tangled nightmare, too. The PGA Centenary Course is one hell of a test, then. On the plus side, the players will be glad to hear that the greens are only running at 11 on the stimp - they were 13 at Medinah - and theyre not the most testing in terms of wild undulations. So if they make it to the putting surface safely, there should be plenty of birdies. A big if, but nevertheless, opportunity knocks.
Its certainly a course that punishes bad play but rewards good shots. I can vouch for this, having been extremely fortunate to play it a month or two ago. After suffering a thundering golfing nervous breakdown, topping the ball all the way up 11 and 12 in a manner which made Maurice Flitcroft look like Jack Nicklaus, I managed to shake out of it by 15, creaming a drive down the middle then getting up and down from a swale at the right-hand side of the green for par on the hardest hole on the back nine. I relate this tale not to boast - and lets face it, its not much to boast about - but merely to show that if even a high-handicap klutz like me can take a memory home for keeps, its a course all amateurs should put on their bucket list. God knows what would have happened if theyd let me loose on the Kings, mind.
2.25pm BST
Theres been a bit of pro-celebrity fun ahead of the ceremony. Corey Pavin and Alan Hansen have beaten Colin Montgomerie and Gavin Hastings 4&2, while Ian Woosnam and Kenny Dalglish saw off Mark James and Jamie Redknapp 3&1. Pro-celebrity events can polarise opinion, but look at it this way, at least Ant and Dec werent involved. Or Bradley Walsh. Anyway, a lot of fun was had by all, which is the main thing, though of course it didnt quite have the charm of the old Peter Alliss programmes. How could it?
2.00pm BST
The 40th Ryder Cup Matches are nearly with us. Its on! A fever is raging! Someone please call the emergency services and hook up a hotline to Dr Golf!
Goodness knows what state well all be in tomorrow at 7.35am, when the first tee shot of the morning fourballs is whistled down the rather welcoming opening hole of the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles. Lets cross that bridge when we come to it. Deep breaths. For now, its merely time for the Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Ryder Cup, which will see captains Paul McGinley and Tom Watson make their welcome speeches, introduce their teams, and announce the pairings for tomorrows fourballs.
Continue reading...Ryder Cup 2014: How players and punters should behave at Gleneagles
From not jigging on the 17th green to keeping military fatigues out of sight, the etiquette rules for everyone to follow
Animated fly-through of Gleneagles course
The Ryder Cup has, since its inception in 1927, been contested by four different teams: Great Britain, Great Britain and Ireland, Europe, and of course the United States of America. A strange hodgepodge of countries, kingdoms, continents and federal republics the USA alone is made up of 50 independently functioning sections, much like Jim Furyks backswing and yet despite their disparate cultural make-ups, theres been no doubting the passion these teams have generated over the years.
But sometimes this passion boils over into unacceptable confrontations or, depending on how you see them, highly amusing childish fiascos. Either way, all best avoided. So to swerve any unnecessary unpleasantness this upcoming week - which, for the record, will see the debut of another new team in what appears to be some sort of sun-drenched collective from Texas, Florida & California weve cobbled together a simple etiquette guide designed to guarantee a weekend of adult, stramash-free golf at Gleneagles.
Continue reading...September 20, 2014
Ryder Cup 2014: Gleneagles will be a worthy setting to produce drama
For the duration of the 40th Ryder Cup, the cream of European and American golf will have the run of the Gleneagles Hotel. It is a fitting place for first-class sporting talent to be holed up: a luxurious five-star pile in verdant Perthshire countryside, elegant suites, roaring fires, a restaurant with two Michelin stars, fine wines, holistic spa, rare single malts, corridors as wide as fairways, carpets as thick as rough. It has been good enough in the past for prime ministers, presidents, chancellors and Jackie Stewart. A study in opulence.
It has not always been like this. Back in June 1921, the brand new Kings Course at Gleneagles hosted a lucrative new event, the One Thousand Guineas Tournament. The unprecedented purse drew all the top professionals to Scotland, and seeing everyone who was anyone in the world of golf would be there, it was suggested the week should begin with an international face-off between the visiting Americans and the best of British.
Continue reading...West Ham United v Liverpool: Premier League - as it happened | Scott Murray
West Ham were brilliant and Liverpool bereft of inspiration on a highly charged evening at Upton Park
7.26pm BST
West Ham make off with their first home points of the season. Three of them, each and every one well deserved. They were brilliant today, from the back to the front, while Liverpool were nothing short of a ragged shambles. The recent history between these two sides counted for exactly nothing, nix, nada. West Ham leapfrog Liverpool into eighth place, their season up and running. Liverpools is in danger of falling apart already. Next weeks Merseyside derby looms large, and its not a test theyll be relishing. As for West Ham, just a trip to Manchester United next!
7.25pm BST
90 min +3: Sterling makes off at full pace down the right and is upended. Free kick, 25 yards from goal. A chance to swing the ball into the area, but the delivery doesnt even beat the first man. Resolute West Ham defending, sterile Liverpool attacking. Pretty much sums up this second half.
7.23pm BST
90 min +2: Liverpool cant string two passes together. Like thats news today. West Hams fans are in full celebration mode.
7.22pm BST
90 min +1: There will be four added minutes of this. On the touchline, Brendan Rodgers has a face on, as well he might.
7.21pm BST
90 min: Liverpool cant get the ball. West Ham are stroking it around the back like, well, 1980s Liverpool.
7.20pm BST
Mamadou Sakho, under no pressure down the Liverpool left, heads a blind header infield. Downing picks up the loose ball, advances on the area, then feeds Amalfitanio down the left. One touch, and the balls prodded into the bottom-right corner. West Ham will be thoroughly deserved victors of this game, but Liverpool have yet again shot themselves in the foot.
7.18pm BST
87 min: Skrtel attempts a shot from 30 yards. You dont really need me to describe it, do you.
7.18pm BST
86 min: West Ham are sitting back. Theyre sitting comfortably. This has been a very disciplined second-half display by the home side.
7.16pm BST
84 min: More Sakho-on-Sakho action. Mamadou and Diafra go up for a header. The former lands on the latters leg as the pair land. No intent, no serious damage, but West Ham quite understandably take their opportunity to run down the clock some more.
7.14pm BST
82 min: Amalfitano slides through the back of Skrtel. It should probably be a booking, but isnt. The referees had a good game, on the whole: its threatened to boil over once or twice, but each time Craig Pawson has quickly put a lid on it.
7.13pm BST
79 min: West Ham are playing five at the back now. Liverpool barely suggested the ability to break through West Hams back four, so shutting up shop has every chance of success. Kouyate is down with that jiggered groin again. After a couple of minutes pause, hes off then immediately back on. You cant blame West Ham for grifting their opponents; three points are very much theirs for the taking here.
7.08pm BST
76 min: The corner is a messy nonsense, a load of tangled limbs in the middle. Mamadou Sakho rises above Reid at the far post, but doesnt get much on the ball, and Adrian gathers.
7.07pm BST
75 min: Sterling twists and turns to win a corner down the left. Before its taken, Borini is hooked in favour of Lambert. The Italian was desperate to stay on, motioning that he wanted to take the corner, but hes told to follow orders. Collins meanwhile comes on for Valencia.
7.06pm BST
73 min: Lallana twists and turns down the right to win a corner, but Reid lumps the set piece clear. Then hes sent racing towards the West Ham box by a lovely Balotelli flick. He thinks about shooting a couple of times, but decides to slide the ball left to Moreno, and that doesnt work out. If you dont buy a ticket, etc. But Lallana has been at the heart of most of Liverpools attacking moves in this second half. Perhaps this performance will jump-start a cold opening to his Liverpool career.
7.02pm BST
70 min: Balotelli has been very quiet, but he suddenly bursts into life, chasing after a long Sakho hoof down the left, cutting inside, and battering a marvellous effort towards the bottom-left corner. Adrian does incredibly well to turn the ball around the post, and the resulting corner is easily dealt with.
7.01pm BST
69 min: Diafra Sakho, to the left of the Liverpool D, latches onto a clumsy Skrtel touch, spins, and nearly floats another chip into the top-right corner! Mignolet wasnt getting that if it was on target. But it sails over the bar.
7.00pm BST
68 min: The West Ham full debutant Song is replaced by another newcomer in Amalfitano.
6.59pm BST
67 min: Another correct decision involving Borini, who is needlessly flipped into the air by Jenkinson near the centre circle. The West Ham sub goes into the book.
6.58pm BST
65 min: Borini takes a lash at the ball from 25 yards down the right channel. Adrian parries clumsily, but gathers the loose ball. Only just, mind, and in the process of claiming the ball, slides in with his leg up. Borini runs into it and falls to the floor, but the referees not having any talk of a penalty. Quite right, too.
6.56pm BST
63 min: Sterling burns past Noble and Cresswell down the right, and reaches the byline. Its a stunning run, all power, pace and skill, if you allow me to channel my inner Hansen. But his dinked cross inside for Gerrard is too timid, and easily cleared by Reid.
6.54pm BST
62 min: A change for West Ham, as Demel is switched for Jenkinson.
6.53pm BST
60 min: Moreno glides in from the left and feeds Lallana, who falls over just outside the box. He claims a penalty kick, but its not even a foul. The ball breaks to Borini, who attempts a curler into the top right. Not a bad effort, but just wide and high.
6.51pm BST
59 min: This is a game of blistering pace. Balotelli cuts in from the left and looks to curl one into the top right, but his effort sails into the arms of Adrian.
6.49pm BST
57 min: So much for taking heat out of the game. Lovren claims to have been elbowed on his sore noggin by Kouyate as the pair jump for a ball. Kouyate of course is already on a booking. But theres nowt in that, and the pair slap friendly hands after they both calm down.
6.48pm BST
56 min: Sterling presses well down the right and wins a corner, which is wasted. West Ham have been under some light pressure of late, and are thankful for Morenos clumsy tackle on Kouyate in the centre circle. The foul allows West Ham to reorganise and take a little heat out of the game.
6.47pm BST
54 min: Gerrard fires a low pass down the inside-left channel for Balotelli, who turns and sends Borini into space down the right side. Borini makes it into the area, and I suppose as a striker is within his rights to shoot. However the better option would have been a square ball for Moreno, who had run half the length of the pitch with a view to tapping home. Instead, Borinis shot towards the bottom right is gathered easily by Adrian. Thats much better from Liverpool, though. Theyre now injecting a bit of pace into their attacks. Shades of last season, only Borini is, eh, not quite on You Know Whos level.
6.44pm BST
52 min: Lallana earns a very cheap free kick down by the right-hand corner flag, Cresswell doing ... well, not much really. This is effectively a corner. And its easily cleared by West Ham, who tear upfield on the attack. Noble sends Valencia into space down the left. His cross into the centre is larruped clear by Sterling. Itll be something of a shock if this ends without further addition to the scoresheet.
6.42pm BST
49 min: Sterling robs Song in the middle of the park and feeds Borini, who advances towards the area. The balls shuttled wide left, where Moreno lobs in the general direction of Sterling. The move peters out, but this is at least a little better from the visitors, who have looked blunt up front all day. Well, all season, really, that Spurs game the exception. Daniel Sturridge cant come back for them too soon.
6.40pm BST
47 min: Lallanas first touch is a good one, a defensive interception as Kouyate attempted to lay off after taking down a high ball in the Liverpool area. And his second is not bad either, a dink inside from the right to set Sterling on his way towards the West Ham box. Sterling looks to manufacture some space for a shot, and just about manages it, but screws a harmless effort wide right of goal, Adrian covering it all the way.
6.38pm BST
46 min: A very clean-shaven Lallana, incidentally. The beards gone.
6.37pm BST
Were off again! A change for Liverpool, with Lucas going off and Lallana coming on. The visitors get the ball rolling again. Credit to West Ham, theyve taken the initiative but Liverpools midfield is non-existent, opines Chris Healy. Liverpool need someone more mobile than Gerrard to anchor the midfield, Lucas had a nightmare as well. This league is such a fast one and Gerrard seems at least a yard of the pace this season. He was outplayed in the middle against Villa and City as well. Even Stewart Downing is winning 50:50s against him and that says it all for me.
6.35pm BST
Half-time entertainment postponed due to jiggered website. Sorry if youve been experiencing delays in updates. Were having technical issues. Oh dearie me. Now we know how Liverpool feel.
6.24pm BST
And thats that for the first half. Well, that was quite entertaining. Oh to be a fly on the wall in the Liverpool dressing room at half time. Theyve been a risible shower, and have done very well to stay within a goal of a rampant West Ham, whose brilliance shouldnt be obscured by the sorry state of their opponents.
6.22pm BST
45 min +5: Mignolet fists clear. But Liverpool are struggling to get out from their own area. Diafra Sakho, down the left channel, shoots, but his effort is deflected. It looks like going out for a corner, and Liverpool stop, but Reid doesnt, gathers the loose ball before it goes out, and lifts a cross to the far post. Luckily for the stranded Mignolet, his Sakho is there to nod the ball clear.
6.20pm BST
45 min +4: The free kick isnt very good. But West Ham do earn themselves a corner down the right.
6.20pm BST
45 min +3: Some Sakho on Sakho action. Diafra looks to nudge the ball past Mamadou down the inside-right channel. He does so, but with his hand. But the referee gives West Ham the free kick, 25 yards from goal! The post-match press conferences could be quite interesting if Liverpool concede a third here.
6.18pm BST
45 min +2: Gerrard whips it towards Balotelli by the far post. Diafra Sakho heads clear. West Ham look to break upfield but Liverpool swarm back at speed to mop up the danger.
6.17pm BST
45 min +1: There will be six added minutes of this. The first sees Sterling embark on a run down the right. Hes bundled over by Song. A free kick for Liverpool near the corner flag.
6.16pm BST
45 min: Downing in space down the left. Thankfully for the visitors its the Liverpool Downing rather than the 16th -minute Downing. He hesitates, allowing Skrtel to nick the ball off his toe. He had options in the middle.
6.14pm BST
43 min: Liverpool are once again at sixes and sevens at the back. Diafra Sakho takes a whack from just inside the area, forcing Mignolet to parry. Kouyate goes down in the area while on a baroque ramble, but no penalty. Cresswell loops a cross into the area from the left, forcing the patched-up Lovren to eyebrow the ball out for a corner on the right, just as Sakho was winding up behind him to Keith Houchen a spectacular diving header into the net. Liverpool eventually clear. This is farcical nonsense on the part of Liverpool, but West Ham United are playing very well indeed, forcing them into this state.
6.11pm BST
41 min: Diafra Sakho executes a lovely Cruyff Turn down the right to bamboozle Moreno, but his resulting cross doesnt do a Konchesky this time. Meanwhile Lovrens jiggered noggin has been wrapped in many bandages, and hes back on.
6.09pm BST
39 min: The stretchers on for Lovren, but its not required. Hes up on his feet again, but walking to the touchline very gingerly indeed. Its not yet clear whether hell be able to continue. While hes off getting assessed, Liverpool have gone to four at the back again with Sterling in the right-back role.
6.07pm BST
36 min: A couple of clatters within a minute. First Moreno hoicks a fine cross into the West Ham box from the left. With Balotelli lurking, Adrian punches clear, at much cost to poor Reid. But hes soon up and about. Then down the other end, Lovren and Mamadou Sakho go up for the same ball. After a Glaswegian coming together, Lovren is face down on the turf, out cold. Its fair to say this match isnt going exactly to plan for the visitors.
6.05pm BST
33 min: A free kick for West Ham, 30 yards out down the left. Valencia sends a stunning bouncing bomb towards the bottom right. Mignolet is forced to tip round the post. The corner comes to nothing, and is easily dealt with, an immeasurable improvement for Liverpool.
6.04pm BST
31 min: Kouyate down with a jiggered groin. Looks like hes coming off. Ah hold on, hes back on! Theres three minutes we wont be getting back. 63% possession though, notes LFC fan Niall Mullen, in what may be the driest email ever sent to the MBM.
6.00pm BST
28 min: A goals not going to make Liverpool look any better at the back, though. Sakho is in space to the left of the Liverpool six-yard area, and flicks a gorgeous and clever backheel through the danger zone. Kouyate rushes in to convert from close range, but scythes Moreno down instead. Hes rightly booked. That was nearly a third, though.
5.58pm BST
Could this be a game changer? Liverpool have done nothing up front so far, but heres one back for them. Henderson lifts a ball into the West Ham area from the left. Balotelli, his back to goal, takes the ball down and twists, before battering a shot straight at Cresswell. The ball breaks back outside the area to Sterling, who from a position down the inside right, blooters a stunning first-time effort into the left-hand side of goal. Game on!
5.56pm BST
23 min: A Liverpool corner sees Reid and Skrtel wrestle in the area. Skrtel goes down, claiming a penalty. He might have a point, but West Ham may argue that theres a little karmic retribution for a player who infamously likes to get hands on with attackers while down the other end.
5.54pm BST
21 min: Rodgers hooks Manquillo, putting Sakho on and shoving Skrtel out to the right in what appears to be a back three with Moreno pushing up on the other wing.
5.53pm BST
19 min: Liverpool really are an embarrassing shambles at the back. Manquillo is bullied by Cresswell into conceding another corner. Balotelli shanks a clearance into the sky, though its eventually hacked clear. Liverpool cant continue like this, and it looks like Brendan Rodgers is already preparing a tactical substitution!
5.49pm BST
17 min: Balotelli and Adrian are both booked for a pointless nose-to-nose row. Balotelli slid in on the keeper late clumsily, a certain foul, but there was little intent, and Adrian over-reacted, straddling the prone striker and engaging him in a full and frank exchange of views. The referee gives them both a bollocking, flashing yellow. Grown men, the pair of them.
5.47pm BST
16 min: Downing goes on a 50-yard run down the middle of the pitch. A decent shot from 20 yards is deflected up and into Mignolets hands. Where was this Downing during his days at Anfield, you have to wonder? Ive never been a fan of Martin Skrtel, despite the managers faith, begins Paul Devlin. I dont think it is coincidence that Liverpool conceded one goal in 180 minutes without him, and two in seven minutes on his return.
5.45pm BST
13 min: Valencia has the jump on Manquillo as the pair contest a high ball down the West Ham left. He gets in ahead of the full back and faces down Mignolet, but doesnt get anything on the ball, which floats harmlessly into the keepers hands.
5.43pm BST
12 min: Cresswell, 25 yards out down the left, sends a swerving, dipping effort towards the bottom-right corner. Its a marvellous effort, and Mignolet is forced to fingertip round the post at full stretch. The corners cleared by Balotelli. Perhaps they should start playing the big Italian at centre back. Theyll need to do something, because this is shambolic.
5.42pm BST
10 min: Liverpool are all over the place! Manquillo tries to send Sterling free into the West Ham area down the right, and its not a bad ball, but Cresswell is in place to intercept with ease. What a start, though. Given how Liverpool have played against Southampton, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Ludogorets, and now in the first ten minutes here, you have to wonder what on earth Tottenham Hotspur were up to back there.
5.39pm BST
West Ham have flown out of the blocks! Theyre doing to Liverpool what Liverpool did to so many teams last season. Downing, showing more desire than he did in all his time at Anfield, robs Gerrard down the left. He cant find anyone with the cross, but the balls recycled down the other wing, where Sakho chips to the far post for Valencia. Mignolet is wandering around in no mans land, and is beaten all ends up. Valencia doesnt need to head home, because Sakhos floating chip drops straight in. Amazing!
5.36pm BST
5 min: Liverpool look shocked by that early blow. Theyre struggling to string more than a couple of passes together. They look very skittish. West Ham, by comparison, are stroking it around nicely. Song slips a ball down the right for Sakho, who lifts a high ball inot the centre for Valencia. Mignolet is off his line to claim.
5.34pm BST
3 min: Reids had an eventful start to the game. He slides through the back of Borini, leaving the referee with no option but to flash a yellow card in his face. A blistering atmosphere in Upton Park now, as youd expect with this scoreline!
5.33pm BST
... he swings it to the back post. Tomkins rises high to head it back across into the six-yard box, where Reid nuts home from a couple of yards! What a start by the home side! What a defence Liverpool are lumbered with. That took all of 80 seconds.
5.31pm BST
And were off! West Ham get the ball rolling, and theyre kicking towards Upton Park tube station, back down Green Street. A bit of head tennis to begin with. Then the Hammers quickly on the attack, pressing Liverpool back, and winning a free kick down the right. A chance for Downing to whip a cross into the area, and ...
5.27pm BST
The teams are out! Its a visual treat tonight, as West Ham United are wearing their famous claret and blue ...
4.45pm BST
Alex Song makes his first Premier League start for West Ham United: Adrian, Demel, Reid, Tomkins, Cresswell, Noble, Kouyate, Song, Downing, Sakho, Valencia.
Subs: Zarate, Vaz Te, Jenkinson, Collins, Amalfitano, Jaaskelainen, Cole.
Fabio Borini starts a league match for Liverpool for the first time in exactly two years, give or take three days (Manchester United at Anfield, since you ask): Mignolet, Manquillo, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno, Gerrard, Henderson, Lucas, Sterling, Borini, Balotelli.
Subs: Brad Jones, Jose Enrique, Toure, Lambert, Sakho, Lallana, Markovic.
4.30pm BST
If history counts for anything, Liverpool are likely to leave the Boleyn Ground with all three points this evening. Heres the back-of-envelope working out: Liverpool did the double over the Hammers last season; theyve won on four of their last five visits to Upton Park; West Ham have only beaten Liverpool twice since the teams met in the 2006 FA Cup final, while the Reds have won 10 of the other 12 matches; West Ham have lost four of their last five home Premier League games; Liverpool have scored 33 goals on the road in the league this calendar year, at a rate of three per game; West Ham have failed to keep a clean sheet in 15 of their last 16 Premier League matches, and have lost seven of the last eight 5.30pm Saturday showdowns theyve contested.
But history doesnt count for everything. Liverpool are in transition right now, packed to the brim with new players and as unpredictable as a team can get. Theyve been spectacular against Spurs; woeful against Aston Villa and Ludogorets. Theyve yet to lock into last years silky attacking groove, while their defence remains notoriously shaky: the exciting young Spaniards Javi Moreno and Javier Manquillo are as progressive as full backs come, but the centre is still squidgy-soft, with Dejan Lovrens early performances a strange mix of the authoritative and the awful, although admittedly hes been played out of position. Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho could be forgiven for rubbing their hands in anticipatory glee. West Ham, with only one win in five matches this season, need to turn a corner soon. Matt Jarvis, Andy Carroll and Kevin Nolan might still be missing, but how about turning that corner today, against stuttering opponents?
Continue reading...QPR v Stoke City: Premier League - as it happened | Scott Murray
Rangers refused to lie down at Loftus Road, coming back twice in an entertaining lunchtime encounter
2.38pm BST
And thats that. Stoke really should be going home with all three points, but QPR battled well towards the end, and Kranjcars stunning free kick earned a valuable point. A fine game of football. QPR now have four points on the board, Stoke are a wee bit further up the table with five.
2.36pm BST
90 min +3: Crouch and Henry battle by the centre circle. Henry grabs a handful of Crouchs shirt. Thats a free kick. Stoke will be happy enough with that, having been under pressure for quite a while now. They looked like winning this game, but now they just need to see it out for a draw.
2.34pm BST
90 min +2: Kranjcar sends a pea-roller into Begovics arms from Austin Country.
2.33pm BST
90 min +1: There will be four added minutes of this. Austin batters the ball goalwards from the left-hand corner of the Stoke box, but its blocked the second it leaves his boot.
2.33pm BST
90 min: Nzonzi isnt taking this lying down, and he bustles away in the QPR box. Reaching the byline, he pulls a low cross back into the area. Theres a brief game of pinball, the ball finally clanking off Sidwells knee and into the grateful arms of Green.
2.32pm BST
Its a dangerous position all right! Kranjcar, who has been kicked around like an old sock, pays Stoke back by curling an unstoppable free kick over the QPR wall and into the top right! Begovic had no chance! Thats a beautiful strike! Shawcross and Sidwell may like to think about what theyve done.
2.30pm BST
87 min: Sidwell is booked for a clumsy lunge on the increasingly unfortunate Kranjcar. Thisll be a free kick in a very dangerous position, just in front of the Stoke D, a tad right of centre.
2.29pm BST
85 min: Fer is booked for letting his mouth run away from him in the wake of that tackle. He then gets on the end of a free kick floated into the area by Henry, heading weakly goalwards by the right-hand post. Begovic claws the ball out for a corner, and the set piece passes without much incident.
2.27pm BST
83 min: Wahey! It all kicks off for ten seconds or so as Shawcross lunges in clumsily on Kranjcar. After a bit of shoving and nipples-out posturing, it all calms down and a yellow card is shown. Shawcross is fortunate to get away with that, because he scissored Kranjcars standing leg from behind; another day, with Kranjcar putting more weight on his leg, and that could have been a bit more serious than it was.
2.24pm BST
81 min: A yellow card for Diouf, who clumsily tap-dances on Fers tootsies. Theres no real malice in it, but neither can Diouf complain at the decision.
2.21pm BST
79 min: Arnautovic replaces Moses, who has had a very decent game.
2.21pm BST
78 min: Kranjcar performs an ersatz Cruyff Turn 25 yards from goal, but doesnt get hold of his shot. Its deflected, though. Corner. From the set piece, Phillips has a dig from similar distance, but it bobbles miles left of goal.
2.19pm BST
76 min: Moses embarks on a skitter down the left and is cynically clipped by Caulker. The defender escapes censure. From the resulting free kick, Diouf chases a Crouch flick on down the inside-right. He claims to have been bundled over in the box by Traore, but there was little in that, and the referee isnt having a bar of it.
2.16pm BST
74 min: Its Traore versus Diouf again, but this time the defender hangs a leg out as the Stoke man looks to burst clear down the right wing. Thats a foul, and a deserved yellow card for the QPR full back. Free kick in a dangerous area. Moses whips it in, but Fer heads clear.
2.15pm BST
71 min: Shawcross lumps a ball forwards down the right. Diouf isnt too far away from bursting clear, but Traore holds his ground well as the last man, and sweeps up. Just for a second, it looked like Stoke had split the hosts in two with the greatest of ease.
2.12pm BST
70 min: Both teams make a change. Zamora comes on for Vargas, while Sidwell replaces Adam.
2.10pm BST
68 min: Phillips larrups a wild shot miles left from 25 yards down the inside-right channel. Again with the silence.
2.09pm BST
65 min: Phillips hoicks a high ball into the area from the right. Vargas cant meet the dropping ball cleanly with a volley. The ball loops up again, allowing Begovic to claim. Or the keeper would have done, were he not nudged out of the way mid-jump. Foul. QPR are at least asking questions.
2.05pm BST
62 min: Diouf chases a lost cause down the inside-right channel, and hooks a ball back from the byline for Crouch, who challenges Green in the centre. The keeper eventually smothers the ball after a couple of aborted efforts to catch the thing, plus two fresh-air swipes by the striker. Nobody knew what was going on; a stramash of glorious ineptitude.
2.03pm BST
60 min: Kranjcar, from a central position, drops a shoulder to the left and looks to curl a low effort into the bottom left. Its just wide of the post, but had it been on target itd have been a goal, because Begovic was unsighted and not getting there in time. Much better from Rangers, who arrived to contest the second half a mere 13 minutes late.
2.02pm BST
58 min: A decent response by Rangers here. First they win a corner down the right. The set piece is cleared, but only after Shawcross wrestles with Henry, causing many thousands to claim a penalty kick. Youve seen them given. Then Austin has a dig from 20 yards. Its heading into the top left, then deflected. But theyre not given the corner.
2.00pm BST
56 min: Stoke Should Have Had A Third Goal part II. Nzonzi slides a lovely ball down the inside left to release Adam into the area. Adam cuts the ball back to Nzonzi, who has continued his run to the edge of the area, level with the right-hand post. With no defenders in the way, Nzonzi powerfully sidefoots towards the top left, but overcooks it. That had goal written all over it. Stoke look in good nick here.
1.58pm BST
55 min: Stoke should have a third goal. Moses wedges a chip down the inside-left. The ball bounces in the area. Isla should clear, but takes a dismal swipe at the ball, allowing Pieters to make for the goal. But the full back panics and snatches at his shot with only Green to beat. What a chance! Isla has had a shocker since the restart.
1.56pm BST
53 min: Kranjcar cuts in from the left and tries to feed Austin into the box, but his pass is cut out. Hes trying to get his team going, though, and is soon coming back at Stoke down the inside-right, twisting left, turning right, and taking a shot towards the top right. Its deflected out for a corner, which is easily claimed from the heavens by Begovic.
1.54pm BST
What a finish! Moses makes good down the left, having pinched the ball off a dozy Isla. He reaches the byline and pulls a low ball back towards Crouch. The big striker, standing on the penalty spot, sweeps a first-time shot into the top left. What a smooth, clean strike! A brilliant finish, but more woeful defending by Rangers.
1.52pm BST
50 min: Another hamstring injury befalls a QPR player. Mutch goes down, then goes off, jiggered. Henry comes on to replace him. What are QPR doing in training?
1.51pm BST
48 min: Phillips races down the right and whips a head-height cross through the Stoke area. Austin surely should have met that, ten yards out, and planted one home. But he doesnt extend his neck, and the chance is gone. What a magnificent cross that was!
1.50pm BST
47 min: Adam robs Kranjcar with ease, and Stoke flood upfield. Nzonzi is sent into acres down the right. His low ball into the middle should be met by either Crouch or Adam, but both men fanny about instead of bombing into the box with purpose, and the cross sails out of play to the left of goal. QPR were awfully short at the back there.
1.48pm BST
And were off again! Mark Hughes still has a face like thunder. His men get the ball rolling for the second period. Its still absurdly quiet. So much for the Loftus Roadrunners.
1.46pm BST
The karmic comeuppance of Peter Crouch. Half-time gives us an opportunity to look at both goals again. Crouch definitely had hands on Ferdinands shoulders as he set up Dioufs opener, so QPR are within their rights to be livid at the lack of a foul, even though their men didnt claim for one. But down the other end, Adam would probably have hacked Caulkers header clear, were it not for Crouch getting there first and slicing it into his own net. So hes paid Rangers back there. And the break also affords us the chance to reassess Mark Hughess livid face. Hughes wore that expression for most of his reign at QPR, reports Roy Allen. It never improved the team.
1.35pm BST
Half-time atmosphere enhancer, courtesy of the bloke who used to play bass guitar in Elvis Costello and the Attractions:
1.33pm BST
The home side will be happy enough with this scoreline, having looked pretty shaky on occasion during the first 45 minutes. Mark Hughes ... well, we know what Mark Hughes will be thinking. He storms off down the tunnel with a face on. Expect Stoke to come out for the second half with renewed purpose after a full and frank exchange of views in the dressing room.
1.31pm BST
45 min: Pieters is booked for deliberately knocking the ball down the left with his hand as he attempts to nip past Isla.
1.29pm BST
Its not so quiet now! QPR win a corner down the left. Kranjcar loops the set piece to the far post, where Caulker heads down and into the net. So simple, though Stoke will wonder how Crouch helped the ball into the net as opposed to hacking it clear. That all happened in slow-motion. Terrible defending by Stoke, and Mark Hughes reacts with frustration in the dugout.
1.27pm BST
41 min: Almost total silence at Loftus Road. The away support do their best to create a little bedlam, cheering and applauding as Adam nearly slides Diouf free down the inside-left channel. But its pretty damn quiet right now.
1.24pm BST
39 min: Corner for Stoke down the left after Diouf makes a nuisance of himself. The balls sent deep, Crouch again easily beating Ferdinand, who appears to have retired. Crouchs header is aimed towards the top right, but theres little pace on it, and its easily plucked from the air by Green.
1.22pm BST
37 min: Bartons hamstring isnt the only thing thats gone. The atmosphere has fallen pretty flat, too. But the new boy Phillips has earned a free kick down the right. Perhaps this will get the crowd going? Nope, the set piece from Kranjcar doesnt beat the first man, Wilson heading away.
1.21pm BST
35 min: Bartons hamstring twangs. He hobbles down the tunnel with head slung low. Phillips comes on in his stead.
1.19pm BST
33 min: And this was so close to an equaliser. Kranjcar is 30 yards out down the inside-left channel. He cuts across the front of the ball, and sends a stunning heatseeker towards the top right. For a second, it looks like nestling into the corner, with Begovic totally beaten. But it fades to the right at the very last nanosecond. Such a shame, because that would have been a picture-book goal. Magnificent effort!
1.17pm BST
32 min: This is much better from Moses, who tears down the left, turns Isla inside and out, and slides the ball inside for Crouch, who takes a whack from the edge of the area. His shot flies inches wide of the right-hand post, with Green beaten. So close to a second.
1.16pm BST
29 min: Attempting to make a clearance, Moses kicks the ball into his own startled coupon. Harry Kewell once did that, while playing for Liverpool against Crystal Palace if memory serves. Anyway, QPR claim a penalty, but come off it. Maybe you have inside intelligence on the matter, but Charlie Adam looks a Naw to me, opines Peter Edwards. I suppose he did once play for the Rangers.
1.12pm BST
26 min: Traore wins another corner for Rangers down the left. Kraranjcar hits it long. Vargas heads down for Austin, who attempts to blooter a Mark Hughesesque bicycle kick into the net from ten yards. Its a decent effort, but Wilson gets his noggin in the way. Hes a brave man, as that was travelling. Another corner, this time on the right, but nothing comes of it. Better from the hosts. This is an entertaining game.
1.11pm BST
24 min: A free kick for the Rs down the right. Barton whips it into the area, but Wilson clears fairly easily. The hosts are enjoying plenty of the ball, but it keeps breaking down on the edge of the box, and Stoke are constantly threatening to zip up the other end with extreme prejudice.
1.09pm BST
21 min: QPR are a shambles. They win a corner, but its easily cleared. Diouf, on the edge of his own area, takes a fresh-air swipe, but Rangers ludicrously give him enough time to take a second whack at the ball. Suddenly Stoke are on the break, and the bustling Diouf soon finds himself zooming towards the Rangers box with Adam in acres, free on the left. He doesnt slide his team-mate in, though, looking to dance across the front of the box instead with a view to taking a glory shot. Hes bundled off the ball. Adam, on the left, does a little jig, with some steam coming out of his ears. He was dreaming of scoring, Ill be bound, though obviously I cant be certain of his thought patterns. Perhaps hes still not got over the No vote.
1.06pm BST
20 min: Moses, in the midfield, cuts in from the left and then looks to return the ball out to the flank for Pieters. Unfortunately for Stoke, its a dismal pass, with way too much weight on it. Had he played it simply, Pieters would have been clear on goal.
1.03pm BST
17 min: Traore is looking lively. He takes a poor shot, but hes soon coming back at Stoke, romping down the left and winning a corner off Traore. The set piece is average, though, Adam heading purposefully clear. A suggestion that Crouch had been climbing all over Ferdinand for the goal, by the way. He did have hands on Rios shoulders, but not enough to stop the defender jumping, and in any case a complaint wasnt made.
1.01pm BST
14 min: Pity poor Nzonzi, who slides in to steal the ball off Barton, but takes one in the trouser arrangement. Totally accidental, unlike the crafty cuff Barton gives Nzonzi around the lug as the Stoke player slides across the turf. A minute later, the pair are battling away again, tugging at each others shirts. This could be an entertaining duel, and a chance for Martin Atkinson to take centre stage.
1.00pm BST
12.58pm BST
12 min: Stoke have their tails up now, and Moses - who spent last season asleep on Merseyside - drops a shoulder down the left before whizzing a low effort towards the bottom left. Green gathers, but not without fuss.
12.57pm BST
A fine goal, this. Nzonzi sends Moses away down the left. Moses twists and turns, then loops a cross into the middle. Crouch rises to head down, and Diouf stoops to head home from a couple of yards into the left-hand side of the net. A lovely move.
12.55pm BST
10 min: Isla finds a yard down the right and whistles a low ball into the area. Begovic is out quickly to smother on the edge of his six-yard box, and gets a clump from the inrushing Vargas for his trouble.
12.54pm BST
8 min: Crouch is sent into acres down the right after Diouf impressively robs Traore and sends a long pass up the flank. Diouf keeps up with the play, making a run into the box, but Crouch cant find him with a deep cross that flies into the stand behind the goal. Thats better from Stoke, though. The visitors have been second best in the opening exchanges, QPR enjoying most of the possession.
12.51pm BST
5 min: Crouch hares after a Bardsley throw down the right, and nearly gets the better of Ferdinand, but the defender gets a toe in and wanders off with the ball. QPR slide upfield, and Barton looks for the top right from 25 yards. Nope! A breezy enough start by the home side, though.
12.48pm BST
3 min: Its high-speed stuff at the moment. Not many passes sticking. Both sides doing their best to give all of their players a feel of the ball early on, but its a struggle.
12.47pm BST
A rare old atmosphere at Loftus Road! Its on! And were off! QPR get the ball rolling, kicking towards White City tube station. Sort of. I think. Theyre soon on the move forward, Barton feeding Vargas down the inside-right channel. Vargas takes a shot from the right-hand edge of the D towards the bottom right corner, but hes not beating Begovic with the pea-roller he sends in.
12.42pm BST
The teams are out! Its a very pretty, traditional scene, with QPR in their famous blue-and-white hoops, and Stoke sporting their red-and-white stripes. Lines are formed, hands are shaken, mascots are ushered hither and yon. Well be off in a minute!
12.41pm BST
This inexplicable modern habit of presenters and pundits doing their pre-match thing pitchside, then. Whats the point? Its just asking for trouble. BT Sport anchor Jake Humphrey nearly has his head whipped clean off his shoulders by a loose ball. He fingers Rio Ferdinand, suggesting the QPR defender had whistled a shot towards them deliberately, for the purposes of amusement. Humphrey smiles. Seems its a great joke. Ferdinand appears fairly pleased too. Both of these men, these grown men, are 35 years old, dear reader.
11.57am BST
QPR make four changes from the side skelped at Old Trafford last weekend, with Joey Barton and Jordon Mutch back in the starting XI: Green, Isla, Caulker, Ferdinand, Traore, Mutch, Barton, Fer, Kranjcar, Austin, Vargas.
Subs: Phillips, McCarthy, Onuoha, Henry, Dunne, Hoilett, Zamora.
Stoke City welcome back Charlie Adam, who scored a winner against Rangers at the Britannia back in November 2012, and Mame Diouf: Begovic, Bardsley, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters, Nzonzi, Whelan, Diouf, Adam, Moses, Crouch.
Subs: Huth, Muniesa, Arnautovic, Sidwell, Assaidi, Bojan, Sorensen.
11.45am BST
Queens Park Rangers versus Stoke City. Its not exactly the quintessential Premier League rivalry. But then again neither is Manchester City versus Chelsea, and look at the noise everyones making about that. And in any case, this is an intriguing match-up. QPR have started slowly this season, losing three of their first four league fixtures, two by the scoreline of 4-0, and getting themselves knocked out of the League Cup by Burton Albion. Stoke meanwhile are something of a curates egg: dismal home defeats to Aston Villa and Leicester City balanced out by a win at champions Manchester City. Both sides have something to prove. Theres also the subplot of Mark Hughes: hes not happy that Rangers sacked him a couple of years ago, and comes back to Loftus Road with righteous vengeance uppermost in mind.
As for any interesting historical match-ups between the two sides, well, how about a 3-3 draw in September 1973, a match in which both Geoff Hurst and Terry Venables found the net? QPRs 6-0 win in January 1984? Stokes double over Rangers two seasons ago? Or Eusebio taking penalties in a Rs shirt against Stoke keeper Gordon Banks at Loftus Road in the early 1970s in some promotional stunt for a popular brand of cheroot? Ill level with you, my researching chops arent up this morning. But hot damn the photos are good:
Continue reading...September 5, 2014
The Fiver: Mr Roys lid begins to rattle | Scott Murray
Poor old Mr Roy. Hes worked hard to get where he is today. Using methods which have translated from Halmstads to Malmo to Orebro to Neuchatel Xamax to the Swiss national team, hes managed 20 sides in a 38-year coaching career, and won major titles with three of them. In the Nordic countries. Thats a decent 15% return! Not only that, he took Fulham to a Euro Vase final, a stellar achievement sort of like Steve McClarens at Middlesbrough only without having already led the club to their first-ever cup. And he gave it a brave go against formidable Northampton Town when boss of little Liverpool. Good old Mr Roy! Now hes finally got the job he deserves, the England gig, and in two years hes CLANG won two competitive games in CLANG seven matches at CLANG two finals while CLANG the side are CLANG no better than they were under Fabio CLANG Capello CLANG pranged the company car CLANG flooded the executive washroom CLANG CLANG CLANG a tail of toilet paper sticking out the back of his trousers CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANK PING CLANG.
Continue reading...September 3, 2014
England v Norway as it happened | Scott Murray
Wayne Rooney scored, Raheem Sterling starred, but otherwise it was an undistinguished night at less-than-half-full Wembley
9.54pm BST
And thats that. Raheem Sterling, Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck, the matchwinner Wayne Rooney, and Roy Hodgson will be pleased with themselves tonight. But not as pleased as the 49,819 people who stayed away.
9.53pm BST
90 min +3: Lambert nearly hooks a ball down the left to release Welbeck, who has been very lively since hes come on. Nothing doing, though. You know its a boring game when even ITVs Andy Townsend has nothing insightful to say, writes Ben Wilkie, offering the best late-night satire, ladies and gentlemen, since the BBC took TW3 off the airwaves.
9.51pm BST
90 min +2: The impressive Sterling wins a corner down the left. Bainess set piece is met by Lambert, who heads back across goal, but theres nobody there to bundle home.
9.51pm BST
90 min +1: There will be four added minutes of this. The first minute feels like four minutes, just like so many before it.
9.50pm BST
90 min: Sturridge is replaced by Lambert.
9.49pm BST
89 min: Flo wins a corner down the left. England clear a piss-poor set piece. Welbeck feeds Sterling down the right. Milner is in acres in the middle. Sterling finds him with a crossfield pass. Milners shot is deflected wide left, giving England the opportunity to work a piss-poor corner of their own. That should have been 2-0.
9.47pm BST
87 min: Former Blackburn star Morten Gamst Pedersen comes on for Jenssen. As a fan of Borussia Moenchengladbach, begins Carl Foulkes, I am pleased to see Håvard Nordtveit, our third-choice defensive midfielder, giving an accomplished display at centre back against such top quality attacking talent.
9.44pm BST
84 min: Cahill is replaced by Jagielka. Time for the armband to move on once again. This means the new England captain is
the bloke who cleans the Wembley toilets
Joe Hart.
9.42pm BST
82 min: Jones concedes a corner down the left, under pressure from Kamara. Ah hold on, the referees given a very generous free kick to England. It doesnt really matter, though, does it. A total silence descends on Wembley.
9.40pm BST
81 min: Another substitution, another debut:Chambers comes on for Stones. Meanwhile Ben Culling is of the opinion that, should they lose, Norway have a ready-made excuse: Norway will shortly be changing their kit as they cant make each other out against the seats.
9.37pm BST
78 min: Welbeck and Sturridge bustle away down the right. Sterling pulls the ball back for Henderson, who connects on the edge of the D and scores three in rugby. Norway make another change: Tarik Elyounoussi is replaced by Kamara.
9.36pm BST
77 min: Stones wins a corner down the right. Before the set piece can be taken, Norway replace King with Nielsen. The corners then taken, and Jones sends a lame header well wide right. He runs off wearing one of his trademark grimaces that has Internet Meme written all over it.
9.35pm BST
76 min: Sturridge, on the edge of the Norway box, slides a clever pass down the inside-left channel to release the livewire Welbeck. The new Arsenal striker lashes a low cross through the six-yard box. Theres nobody there to poke home.
9.34pm BST
75 min: Cahill is now Englands captain, by the way. For what thats worth.
9.33pm BST
73 min: A reasonably instant impact by Welbeck, who powers down the inside-right channel, takes a touch to the right as he enters the area, and lashes a shot towards the top right. Nyland, the effort travelling at pace and on target, does well to parry clear.
9.32pm BST
72 min: That was a timely goal for England, because the home side were labouring to such an extent that they were making the retired Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, much maligned in their active years, look like Jozsef Bozsik and Nandor Hidegkuti.
9.30pm BST
70 min: Thats Rooneys last contribution tonight. Hes replaced by Welbeck, while Oxlade-Chamberlain and Wilshere are traded for Milner and Delph, the latter making his debut. Norway also make a switch, Skjelbred swapped for Mohamed Elyounoussi. (The one already on the field is his cousin Tarik.)
9.27pm BST
The England captain lashes the ball into the top left. Nyland isnt saving that. A fine penalty!
9.26pm BST
67 min: Sterling takes the ball into the Norway area down the left. He toe-pokes the ball forward and zips past Elabdellaoui, who panics, lunges in, and takes the winger down!
9.25pm BST
64 min: Forren clatters into Sturridge as the two challenge for a high ball. Thats opened up a cut on the back of the strikers noggin. Spray, plus vaseline, stems the flow of claret. Hell be fine to continue.
9.22pm BST
63 min: Ah hold on, there were some more numbers. Tonights attendance is 40,181. Thats not much better, is it?
9.21pm BST
62 min: Tonights attendance is 40.
9.21pm BST
60 min: Sturridge, from a standing start, attempts to burst past Nordtveit and into the Norwegian area down the left. He doesnt speed off with any conviction, though, and tries to win either a corner or a penalty, going down near the byline under pressure from the defender, who has recovered and is behind him. He wins neither.
9.19pm BST
59 min: Hodgson comes to the touchline to do a bit more frowning. But hes taken his hand off his mouth (52 mins) and is now shouting quite a lot. Oxlade-Chamberlain makes good down the right and wins a corner, which is wasted. Baby steps, though, and thats a bit better from England.
9.18pm BST
58 min: King chases after a Drillo-style hoick down the middle, and very nearly gets a toe to the ball before Hart comes to the edge of his box to claim. England are a complete shambles right now!
9.16pm BST
56 min: Daehli goes down, his studs catching in the turf and twisting his knee as he chases after Sterling. It doesnt look as though the lad will be able to continue. Ice packs are being applied. Hell be loaded onto a stretcher. That looks very unpleasant. God speed young Mats Møller. Hes replaced by Konradsen.
9.14pm BST
53 min: Cahill gets himself in all sorts of bother down the Norway left, falling over as he attempts a backpass. King tears off towards the area with the ball. He zips past Jones, and on the left-hand edge of the six-yard box, tries to chip Hart instead of pulling back to Daehli for a tap-in. Hart parries. Lucky England.
9.12pm BST
52 min: England have yet to come out for the half. Hodgson is sitting on the bench frowning, with a hand covering his mouth. He looks highly depressed. Positive energy, Roy, send it out.
9.10pm BST
50 min: Yep, its slow all right. Jenssen flicks the free kick into the area from the right. Henderson is forced to eyebrow the ball over the bar. From the set piece on the left, King meets the ball with his head, six yards out, and batters a header towards the top right. Its going in, but Hart fingertips brilliantly away for another corner, from which nothing comes. A fine header, and a superlative save.
9.08pm BST
48 min: Elabdellaoui powers down the right wing and nearly feeds Daehli on the overlap. Then another phase of play, and Daehli is upended by Baines as he looks to cut inside from a wide position. A free kick just to the right of Englands area. A slow start to the half by the hosts, this.
9.06pm BST
And were off again! No changes, which is slightly surprising given this is a friendly. Switzerland and Italy loom large in the qualifiers for these two, I suppose. Norway get the ball rolling again. And theyre quickly on the attack, Daehli dropping a shoulder and skinning Baines, before wheeching a low cross into the six-yard box. Hart smothers.
8.54pm BST
Half-time entertainment:
8.49pm BST
Hmm. Look on the bright side, at least not too many folk are wasting their hard-earned on this.
8.49pm BST
45 min +1: Skjelbred in a bit of space down the right. He skelps a fairly aimless cross into the box. Hart makes a nine-course tasting menu of gathering the high ball, which floats near his crossbar, and nearly fumbles it into the goal! He finally claims after some dangerous Harlem Globetrotters style ball-spinning, and has the audacity to remain poker faced after distributing the ball upfield. A puff of the cheeks or a roll of the eyes was the bare minimum requirement there.
8.45pm BST
44 min: Sturridge, Sterling and Rooney get involved in some over-elaborate nonsense on the left-hand edge of the Norwegian box. For a second the ball looks like breaking to Sterling, affording him time for a shot. But Norway hack clear. Theyre looking fairly comfortable at the back, for all Englands probing.
8.43pm BST
41 min: Wilshere is having a very impressive game. First his pass from the centre circle straight down the middle nearly sends Sturridge racing clear, but Forren comes across just in time to clear. Then, as England launch another attack, he breaks into the Norway area and falls nipples first to the turf, chasing the ball. He goes over the prone Nordtveit, who has slid in early. No contact, and no penalty. Dangerous looking forward burst, though.
8.40pm BST
39 min: King spins Cahill brilliantly down the left wing, zips inside, and slides a ball into the England area for Daehli. Baines has been tracking his man, though, and gets in the way, ushering the ball back to Hart. England were very nearly opened up there. Ive often thought that transferring the Barmy Army from cricket to football would be win-win, suggests Marie Meyer.
8.38pm BST
36 min: England are enjoying a drinks break. The habits they picked up in Manaus! Ah, hold on, heres why plays stopped: Linnes looks like hes injured. Hell be replaced by Diego Forlan lookalike Per Egil Flo, the latest member of the clan to make the international grade, after Havard, Jostein and Tore Andre.
8.34pm BST
33 min: A little bit of noise now as Stones makes good down the right and sends a fast-paced looper towards the far post. Sturridge and then Sterling nearly manage to control, but the pass is simply too hot. Goal kick, out on the left of goal. The right idea by Stones, though.
8.33pm BST
32 min: Its almost completely silent at Wembley.
8.32pm BST
31 min: Linnes whips a fine ball into the England area from the left. Cahill once again deals with the problem, though this time there were opponents lurking. Better from Norway, though its not much for them to write home about.
8.31pm BST
29 min: Elyounoussi stands on Bainess foot as the pair slide towards a ball down the Norway right. It could have been a booking, but its just a free kick. Baines nearly gets immediate revenge by cutting into the Norway box from the left and having a dig towards the bottom right. But Nordtveit slides in to cushion the shot, rather bravely, with his legs splayed open and his fruitbowl seriously at risk. Thats got to hurt. Corner. Cahill clumps a poor effort wide left from the resulting set piece.
8.28pm BST
27 min: Jenssen is in a little bit of space down the left. He teases a low cross into the England area, but theres no red shirts thataway, and Cahill blooters clear with confidence. Norway are showing very little as an attacking force.
8.26pm BST
25 min: Sterling is an astonishingly good footballer. Hes on the halfway line, to the left of the centre circle, and sprays a delightful diagonal pass upfield to release Sturridge into the area down the channel on the right. Nyland comes out to make life awkward. Sturridge meets the bouncing ball and attempts to lob home, but the effort rests on the top of the goal netting. Nowhere near going in, really, but what a pass.
8.25pm BST
24 min: Wilshere releases Baines down the left twice in 15 seconds or so. From the first pass, Baines finds Sturridge just inside the box on the left. He hits a snapshot thats easily blocked. From the second pass, a dismal cross thats blocked by Elabdellaoui. Lovely playmaking by Wilshere.
8.22pm BST
22 min: Norway launch it long, the spirit of Egil Olsen very much alive. Jones heads clear weakly, and from a position 25 yards out down the inside left, Elyounoussi attempts to stroke a curling volley into the bottom-right corner. Hart smothers with ease, there being little pace on the ball.
8.21pm BST
20 min: Norway are finding it difficult to retain possession. England are in charge, though it should be noted that Nyland hasnt actually had to make any saves yet. Couldnt the FA and their broadcast partners insert computer-generated fans in the empty seats as convincingly as they overlay those annoying Vauxhall ads next to the goals? wonders Aram Gyan, who for all I know works in the marketing department of a major automotive manufacturer based in Dagenham.
8.17pm BST
17 min: Wilshere lifts a fine pass down the inside-right channel, nearly releasing Oxlade-Chamberlain into the area. Jenssen tracks back to concede a corner. From the set piece, Jones flashes a header wide right of goal from a position 12 yards out, level with the left-hand post. Decent enough, all of that. England are on top here.
8.16pm BST
15 min: A lovely little backheel by Sterling, on the right-hand edge of the Norway box, sends Sturridge into space. The striker takes a touch inside and looks to curl one into the bottom left, but his effort is quickly blocked. Shame. That was a lovely move.
8.14pm BST
12 min: Henderson rakes a ball down the inside right for Rooney, who battles with Nordtveit and plants his forearm on the Norwegians jaw. Or was it his nose? Im watching in 108dpi low definition. Thank God the England band got tickets at least, eh? asks Elliot Carr-Barnsley. Yes, hooray for the England band. Were 60,000 middle-aged spreads down tonight, so theres nothing to soak up the sound. Its like an echo chamber. Theyre twice as loud and ten times as annoying, according to the reading on the Guardians official vuvuzelaometer.
8.11pm BST
10 min: Crosses into the area at both ends, both from the right wing. Daehli for Norway first, then Oxlade-Chamberlain for the hosts. King and Rooney try to get their heads on the ball, respectively, but theres no real danger.
8.10pm BST
7 min: Elyounoussi runs at Stones down the left. Cahill comes across to cover. England fly up the other end. Sterling thinks about skittering down the left, and is stopped pretty much at source.
8.06pm BST
5 min: Sturridge glides in from the right and has a shot from the edge of the area thats blocked. From the loose ball, Henderson is clapped to the floor 25 yards out, in a central position. Baines goes for the top-left corner, and scores three rugby points. I hope thats not gone into the top tier of the stand, it might take hours to fish out the ball from the void.
8.04pm BST
3 min: A little sashay by Sterling, and he feeds Oxlade-Chamberlain down the inside right. Jenssen clips him in full flight. The free kick, in the middle of the Norway half, is passed backwards. Sticking a big centre back into a full back position where small fast wingers have plenty of space to get some pace up and run at them is a great way to ruin their confidence and set them back a few years, opines Ben Wilkinson. Im very glad weve stopped doing that with Phil Jones. Sadly it seems were starting it up with John Stones. Does the career of Jamie Carragher prove or disprove this argument? I cant work it out.
8.02pm BST
2 min: Scrub that about the atmosphere, it was a rogue pre-match roar. Perhaps someone was coming down the stairs carrying coffees for everyone. England knock it around a bit, getting a feel for the ball.
8.01pm BST
To be fair to the few brave souls who have bothered to turn up, there was a rare old roar after the anthems were respectfully observed. As atmospheres go, its not exactly Brazil versus Uruguay at the 1950 World Cup, but its better than perhaps could be expected. And were off! England get the ball rolling.
7.56pm BST
The teams are out! England in their famous white, Norway in beautiful red. Time for a blast of the de facto Norwegian national anthem, Yes We Love This Country.
7.32pm BST
England, who give Everton defender John Stones his first start: Hart, Stones, Jones, Cahill, Baines, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Henderson, Wilshere, Sterling, Rooney, Sturridge.
Subs: Forster, Rose, Jagielka, Chambers, Milner, Delph, Townsend, Welbeck, Lambert.
7.15pm BST
Roy is right, of course: the days of England thrashing Norway have long since passed. England won the first encounter between the two countries, at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo in May 1937, resoundingly. They came away with a 6-0 victory, though slightly piqued at the absence of the King of Norway and the Crown Prince. It was the first Norway international with no royal in attendance. That they couldnt be bothered was fair enough: the prince was gadding around in London, while the king was on the razz in Denmark, where their kings silver jubilee celebrations were in full swing. The chance to see Wilf Copping strut his stuff had little comparative appeal.
That was followed by a 4-0 win at Newcastle Uniteds St James Park in 1938, a 4-1 win at the Ullevaal in 1949, and a famous 6-1 in Oslo in 1966, Jimmy Greaves scoring four ahead of what would no doubt be another personal triumph at the World Cup. England won 4-0 at Wembley in 1980 in the qualifiers for España 82, but events at the Ullevaal the following September changed the relationship entirely. Norway beat England for the first time in six attempts, 2-1, and Bjørge Lillelien came out with some famous commentary that has subsequently taken one hell of a milking. File alongside Sgt Pepper, the dead parrot sketch, David Brents dance, and Kind of Blue: brilliant, but oh so played.
7.00pm BST
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results Albert Einstein (or Rita Mae Brown, or Benjamin Disraeli, or Roy Keane, take your pick).
Your aim has got to be: Were going to plan well, were going to work well, were going to set up well, were going to give the players as much confidence as we can give them, and were in this tournament to win it. Unfortunately, thats how we approached the World Cup and it didnt get us very far. But lets hope, next time, itll get us further, because our plans and our procedure and our aims wont change Roy Hodgson.
Its Englands first match of a new international cycle, the Euro 2016 qualifiers looming large, and its fair to say the country isnt consumed by football fever. Understandable, since Englands showing at the World Cup just gone was their worst since 1958, and fans these days are being asked to celebrate goalless draws with Costa Rica. Our boys will go out against Norway and no matter how well prepared we get them and however keen they are to do well, they wont find it easy, promises the England manager. Will we go out and thrash Norway? No I dont think we will. What a showman. Hes almost certainly right, of course, but paying punters should be allowed to keep hold of their dreams of being lavishly entertained, no matter how pie-in-the-sky, at least until kick off and the full horror of the real world begins to unfold. At least give them that. Youve spotted a possible cause-and-effect dynamic here, havent you.
Continue reading...August 30, 2014
Everton v Chelsea: Premier League as it happened | Scott Murray
Chelsea were rampant from the kick-off at Goodison, though Everton kept them on their toes throughout in a nine-goal thriller
7.25pm BST
The managers shake hands, Martinez smiling more than Mourinho, which probably says a lot. Meanwhile Costa makes up with Howard, which is lovely to see. Chelsea celebrate a stunning win, as they leap to the top of the table. Everton, meanwhile... Im not sure what Everton can take from that. Its been a frustrating start to the season at Goodison all right!
7.23pm BST
90 min +5: Were gonna win the league, chant the Chelsea travelling support. You cant blame them for their early confidence, can you.
7.22pm BST
90 min +3: Terry was clocked in the mush as Courtois claimed that ball. The physios on, and everyone takes a breather. No doubt thats what happened with Costa, admits Johnny Rose, but Coleman was pretty clearly needling Costa at corners and trying to get him to lash out. If you dish it out expect to be given some back.
7.20pm BST
90 min +2: There will be five added minutes. The first goes by without incident. The second sees Drogba miscontrol in midfield, allowing Etoo to tear towards the area. Hes got the goal in his sights, and shoots, but Terry slides across to block. The resulting set piece is claimed, after a fashion, by Courtois.
7.19pm BST
Oh dear, poor Besic. Hes making his debut, and with his first touch is robbed by Ramires in the centre circle. Chelsea stream forward. The balls slid to Costa on the left. He takes a touch to set himself, and batters a low shot under Howard and into the net.
7.17pm BST
89 min: A change apiece. Fabregas is replaced by Drogba, while Lukaku makes way for Besic.
7.16pm BST
87 min: Etoo curls a pass down the inside-right channel, and hes not far from finding Lukaku, rushing in, ten yards out. Everton need something like this to come off very quickly if this astonishing rollercoaster is going to take another left-turn. What was it Mourinho said about that Tottenham-Arsenal match that ended 4-5? wonders Nasser Abourahme. Not football but a hockey score. Im glad hes come around. He taught Brendan Rodgers all he knows.
7.13pm BST
85 min: But theyre not soaking it up particularly well. A free kicks conceded near the right-hand corner flag. More pressure. Can Everton get back into this match yet again? Nope: Mirallass delivery is woeful, and Chelsea can waste time upfield.
7.12pm BST
84 min: Its all Everton right now in terms of possession, but Chelsea are concentrating on seeing this one out now. They seem happy enough to sit back and soak it up. Howard seemed to take exception to Costa clearly appearing to goad Coleman after the unlucky deflection that resulted in Chelseas third goal, reports Simon McMahon. Adopts pundit voice and climbs on high horse - that showed a lack of class from the front man.
7.11pm BST
82 min: Fabregas is booked for a clip on Etoo. The resulting free kick, to the right of the Chelsea box, is easily dealt with by the visitors. Hazard is sacrificed for Filipe Luis.
7.10pm BST
81 min: Courtois throws out poorly. The balls shuttled in from the right wing, breaking to Mirallas in the middle. Hes slightly ahead of the ball, but manufactures a flick towards the right-hand side of goal. Its flying in, but Courtois redeems himself by tipping onto the right-hand post! This is an astonishing match!
7.08pm BST
80 min: A cross wheeched into the Chelsea area from the left. Terry twists his body into the shape of a treble clef to turn it out for a corner with Lukaku lurking, six yards out. The set piece comes to nothing, but the balls soon coming back at Chelsea, Etoo heading lamely at Courtois from ten yards. This counts as a lull!
7.07pm BST
78 min: No goal is scored in the 78th minute.
7.06pm BST
Costa and Hazard take turns to zip around in circles down the inside-right channel. Eventually the ball is slid out right to Ramires, who strides into the area and launches a gorgeous shot into the bottom left withe the outside of his boot!
7.05pm BST
A free kick for Everton down the left. Its lifted into the heart of the Chelsea area. Etoo, on the penalty spot, winds his neck back and powers an astonishing header into the top left, Courtois at full stretch and left with no chance!
7.03pm BST
75 min: Chelsea look to lock this down, replacing Willian with Mikel.
7.03pm BST
This is getting daft now. Chelsea pass it across the front of the Everton area, back and forth, back and forth. Eventually Matic, just to the right of the D, is afforded too much time and space. Hes not closed down by Distin, and takes a whack towards the bottom right. The ball pings off the base of the post and into the net, Howard rooted to the spot.
7.00pm BST
72 min: Willian drops a shoulder and tears off at great speed down the right. He pulls a low ball back for Fabregas, on the edge of the box. But the Chelsea midfielder cant get a shot away, and Jagielka is given the opportunity to blooter clear.
6.59pm BST
70 min: Etoo comes on for his Everton debut, as if everyone wasnt already excited enough! He replaces McGeady.
6.58pm BST
Theres a pause before the restart, as Howard has taken Costa by the throat while Chelsea celebrate their goal! Hes booked. Haw. Then when the action begins again, McCarthy glides in from the right wing, swans into the middle, then slides a pass down the inside-left channel for Naismith, who takes a step into the area and slots a confident finish under Courtois. What an astonishing, brilliant game this is!
6.56pm BST
This came from nothing. Hazard suddenly turned on the burners, along the left. He reached the byline, drew Howard, and crosses. But the ball takes an immediate deflection off Coleman, making a challenge from behind, and pings to the left of the wrong-footed Howard, across the face of goal, off the right-hand post and into the back into the net.
6.54pm BST
65 min: Naismith loops a ball over the Chelsea back line. For a second it looks like Lukaku is free on goal, but Cahill slides to intercept. Adding insult to injury, the linesmans flag goes up for offside. Nobody appears particularly convinced by that decision. This linesman is having a shocker. Seconds later, Ramires is booked for a clip on Naismith, as the Everton man made off down the inside-left. This will be a free kick in a dangerous position, 25 yards from goal, just to the left. But the free kick is an overworked nonsense. Everton cant be passing up opportunities to pile pressure on Chelsea.
6.50pm BST
62 min: Everton have had 73% of possession since the restart! Naismith and Lukaku combine down the left, a couple of nice little one-twos, and so nearly unlock Chelsea, but Cahill sticks a leg out to break up the play just as Everton reach the edge of the area.
6.48pm BST
59 min: A free kick for Everton out on the right. Baines swings it to the far post, where Ramires heads behind carefully, conceding a corner. Mirallas hits the set piece long, to the far post. Courtois plucks the ball out of the sky - then gives the ball back to Everton with a hellish throw! Everton win themselves another corner. Mirallas again wastes it, this time failing to clear the first man. Good luck in calling the outcome of this match, because both teams are making mistakes, and both are attacking in the most manic of fashions.
6.46pm BST
58 min: This is absolutely non-stop. Costa bustles down the inside-right channel and feeds Ivanovic on the outside. Ivanovic wangs a wild shot wide right from the edge of the area. That was half a chance.
6.45pm BST
57 min: Everton take a quick free kick, launching long down the left wing and releasing Naismith on goal! But the referee calls the play back, as the ball was rolling. Now thats not going to calm everyone down, is it.
6.44pm BST
56 min: Costa and Coleman exchange some petulant shoves. Costa loses the head first, and is booked for one childish swipe too many. Goodison is febrile! Wonderful.
6.43pm BST
54 min: Another shot at goal down the left channel by Costa. This one is gathered by Howard at his near post. Its a wonderfully entertaining game. On the touchline, Mourinho and Martinez share a joke. This is a manic atmosphere. Its like someones filled the stadium with poppers.
6.41pm BST
53 min: Fabregas flicks a pass down the inside-left channel to release Costa into the Everton box. Hes one on one with Howard. He aims for the bottom right, but the keeper sticks out a leg and deflects brilliantly for a corner. From the set piece, Terry whistles a header straight at Howard.
6.40pm BST
51 min: Everton have started this half very brightly. Mirallas is brought down by Matic as he romps down the left. A free kick 40 yards from goal. Its whipped into the box. Distin rises highest and sees his header deflected wide left of goal. But hes not going to get the corner, because the flag goes up for offside. Its a correct decision, but only by a millimetre or two. Everton fans can be forgiven if they raise an eyebrow.
6.38pm BST
49 min: Meanwhile theres a football match going on. Barry wins a corner down the left, but nothing happens at the set piece, other than a boot accidentally flying into Ivanovics startled boat.
6.36pm BST
47 min: News filtering through that Chelsea have signed QPR striker Loic Remy for £8m.
6.35pm BST
46 min: Nearly a Chelseaesque start to the half by Everton. Lukaku rakes a ball down the inside-left for Naismith, who for a second is clear, but he doesnt have the pace. The balls flipped to the left for Mirallas, who pulls the ball back into the centre for Lukaku, advancing towards the area. The big striker batters a poor first-time effort miles over the bar. But thats got the crowd going again. Like they needed much encouragement.
6.33pm BST
And were off again! Everton are kicking towards the Gwladys Street Stand in this second half, and theyll be hoping the superstition brings them a little luck. Theyll also be hoping Chelsea, who were clearly buoyed before the start by Manchester Citys shock loss at home to Stoke City, dont come flying out in such a determined fashion this time round. The linesman who has made the contentious decisions has an apt name for being at Goodison, suggests Duncan Smith. Ron Ganfield. Say it loud, say it quickly.
6.19pm BST
Half-time newsreel:
6.18pm BST
Absolutely breathless, brilliant entertainment. Lets hope half time whistles by.
6.16pm BST
Coleman is sent scampering down the right wing. He reaches the byline and whips a ball into the area. Mirallas, level with the right-hand post, 12 yards out, guides a brilliant header into the top left. Thats a stunning goal! And the entire picture changes!
6.15pm BST
43 min: Jagielka steps on the ball in the centre circle. Matic whips the ball off him, and slides forward down the inside-left for Costa. Distin steps up, and the flag goes up for offside. Its another dreadful decision by the linesman, because Costa is onside. As it turned out, once Costa rounded Howard on the edge of the area down the left, his shot towards the empty net hit the right-hand post and stayed out. But the whistle had gone, and it was a bit of a waft. Hed have put that away had the whistle not gone, youd have thought. If Chelseas second goal was a shade offside, this linesman has paid Everton back with the Howard decision and now this.
6.12pm BST
40 min: Lukaku is a wee bit lazy walking back upfield, for he might have been able to spin and run after a first-time Naismith prod down the inside-left channel. But hes a couple of yards off as he turns to scamper after it. Chelsea were vulnerable for a second there.
6.10pm BST
39 min: Everton are enjoying a fair bit of possession right now. Theyre not doing a whole lot with it, but Chelsea are quiet, and that for now may be enough. Baby steps.
6.07pm BST
36 min: McGeady in space down the right. Courtois comes off his line to pluck the resulting cross out of the skies with supreme confidence. Hes the real deal. I guess you have to be to dislodge Petr Cech.
6.06pm BST
34 min: And yet if Everton score next, well have a game. The consistently excellent Mirallas cuts in from the left and tries to curl one into the top right from 25 yards. He doesnt get quite enough on the ball, but it was a decent enough effort that Courtois did well to claim.
6.05pm BST
33 min: Twice in the space of 30 seconds, Hazard is nearly sprung clear down the inside-right channel. But first Willian hesitates before attempting the killer pass, and then Fabregas gets his angles wrong. In between both passages of play, Matic stole the ball away from McCarthy with ease. Everton will be in trouble if they keep playing like this.
6.01pm BST
30 min: Fabregas, 20 yards out, has a low whack at goal. Hes aiming for the bottom left, but the ball clanks off Distin and flies an inch wide of the right-hand post. Howard had been sent the other way, hed never have got there. From the corner, theres a mild kerfuffle, and Ivanovic has a snapshot from the penalty spot. Its immediately blocked. Everton, after a fashion, clear. This game could still be on if Everton get the next goal, but if theyre the ones who concede, it could get ugly for the home side.
5.59pm BST
28 min: Mirallas takes a shot from 25 yards down the inside-right channel. It deflects off Ivanovic for another corner thats wasted. Meanwhile replays of the second Chelsea goal suggest Ivanovic may have been a touch offside when the ball got through to him. I can see why the goal was given though: he had his back to goal, and most of his body was onside, except a trailing leg and perhaps the tips of his well-toned buttocks. And by the time hed spun around very quickly, he was onside. Its hardly the worst error a linesman could make, though Everton fans may understandably not see it that way. Whod be an official, huh?
5.57pm BST
26 min: Coleman is very close to breaking clear into the Chelsea area down the right, but Hazard tracks back and pokes out for a corner. The set piece causes minor bedlam in the area. The dangers over when Lukaku, attempting an overhead kick, batters poor Ivanovic in the coupon.
5.55pm BST
23 min: Costa passes inside from the left, a loose ball which Willian is never getting. Barry slides in to intercept and set Naismith and McCarthy on a romp upfield with Chelsea short at the back. But the referee punishes Barry for a foul, as the beaten Willian was clattered to the floor. A generous decision. Fabregas floats a free kick from 40 yards out on the left towards the right-hand post. Howard claims. This is breathless stuff.
5.51pm BST
20 min: Everton appear to have cleared their heads, if nothing else. Thats no mean feat, because they were totally befuddled by Chelseas astonishing start. Naismith combines with Coleman down the right and has another whack at goal, but his low effort is blocked.
5.48pm BST
18 min: And so it continues. Naismith drops a shoulder and makes off down the inside-right channel with purpose, before fizzing a low shot inches wide of the right-hand post. Not 100 percent sure Courtois was getting to that, had it been on target.
5.47pm BST
16 min: And this is much better. A corner for Everton down the right. Lukaku meets it, leaping miles above Terry, and battering a brilliant header off the crossbar. It rebounds onto Distin, who manages to deflect the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net. But its no goal: the flag goes up, as Distin was, quite rightly, called offside when Lukaku connected with his header. What a crazy start to this match!
5.45pm BST
14 min: Everton are trying their best to get a foothold into this match. Mirallas makes a good run down the inside-right channel, screaming for a ball from Lukaku, in the middle of Chelseas half. Its a simple enough pass, but Lukaku snatches at it and concedes possession. Looking on the bright side: thats a little better.
5.42pm BST
11 min: Everton are totally stunned, a complete mess right now, their heads gone. Ramires slaloms down the middle of the park. Hes got options with the Everton defence running round in a baroque panic. A misplaced pass lets the hosts off the hook. Theyre not at the races at all!
5.41pm BST
8 min: Fabregas, on the halfway line to the right of the centre circle, rakes a gorgeous ball down the middle of the park. Hazard is after it, and looks like getting there first, ahead of the final defender. Howard comes out of his area and collects the ball outside the area. The referee and linesman, perhaps feeling a little sorry for Everton, pretend it never happened. Astonishing! That was definitely outside the area. Everton should have a free kick inside the D, and Howard should be walking.
5.37pm BST
5 min: McGeady attempts to get something going for Everton, as a few frustrated boos ring around the stadium. Eh? He looks to thread Naismith into space down the inside right, and manages it, though his team-mate is offside. Or is he? Turns out Fabregas had poked that one back. Everton a little unlucky there, but theyre not permitted to play on.
5.35pm BST
Everton are in total shock. After 2 mins 50 seconds, Ivanovic takes his turn to slide a ball under the desperate Howard. The ball had been worked in from the left wing, Ramires having set the move in motion with a lovely raking pass to Hazard. Ramires followed up, exchanging passes with Hazard on the edge of the D and slipping Ivanovic free. Jagielka was again at fault, playing the defender onside. A nightmare start for Everton, but Chelsea have flown out of the blocks here!
5.32pm BST
What a start! And so simple. Fabregas slips a ball down the inside-right channel. Baines and Jagielka have gone walkabout, and Costa is free! He swings a leg and blooters the ball under Howard, who is frantically trying to close him down. A crisp finish. Fernando will not be missed.
5.31pm BST
And were off! Chelsea get the ball rolling, and will be kicking towards the Gwladys Street Stand in the first half. Everton doing that in the second, just as they like it. Both teams are wearing black armbands in honour of Lord Richard Attenborough, the Life President of Chelsea who died earlier this week.
5.27pm BST
The teams are out! The theme to Z Cars blaring out of the PA, one of the most evocative pieces of music in football. A rare old atmosphere at Goodison. Everton are playing in their all-blue shirts ...
4.32pm BST
Everton: Howard, Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, McCarthy, Barry, Mirallas, Naismith, McGeady, Lukaku.
Subs: Robles, Gibson, Etoo, Besic, Osman, Stones, Alcaraz.
Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Ramires, Matic, Willian, Fabregas, Hazard, Costa.
Subs: Cech, Luis, Zouma, Drogba, Mikel, Schurrle, Salah.
4.30pm BST
Its been a frustrating start to the season for Everton. A late equaliser conceded at Leicester City on the opening day was bad enough. But letting a two-goal lead slip at the end of an otherwise dominant performance against Arsenal at Goodison last weekend really hurt. Two points from two games is a distinctly average return, and yet the performances have nevertheless been impressive. Romelu Lukaku, Seamus Coleman and Aiden McGeady have all caught the eye, though the relentless and unsung Steven Naismith has perhaps been the star. Sparkling in attack, brittle in defence, whod think that Roberto Martinez was their manager?
Chelsea meanwhile have started their campaign in determined fashion. Despite conceding an early goal at Burnley and being forced to wait for an opener against Leicester, relatively comfortable wins were eventually secured. The big new signings, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, have slotted in seamlessly, swaggering about imperiously from the get-go. A relentless winning machine, occasional splashes of brilliance, whod think that Jose Mourinho was their manager?
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