Fan Report vs Portsmouth

After a weary start to the season, Everton now climb to ninth with a Louis Saha strike that condemned the home side to a record seventh straight Premier League loss.

Following the two consecutive losses to begin the season, a 6-1 drubbing at the hands of Arsenal and a 1-0 loss to new-comers Burnley, the Toffees have only lost one of their last four Premier League games, making up crucial ground on the leading pack.

Conversely, Pompey remains rooted to the bottom of the table with the worst start to a top-flight season since 1930, an unwanted burden for under-pressure manager Paul Hart.

Frenchman Louis Saha struck his seventh goal of a very productive opening to a season, with a clinical finish to give Everton a first half lead they would never relinquish.

The born-again striker is gaining plaudits with every game he plays and has the full admiration of his manager David Moyes.

“He’s worked really hard, looked after himself over the summer, and his goals are the reward for the effort he’s been putting in.”

The opening period was frantic in nature and generous in goal-scoring opportunities as the game ebbed and flowed from end to end.

There was little evidence from the home side of their struggles this season as their start was both ambitious and incisive, setting an exciting tone which was largely orchestrated by Kevin-Prince Boateng. The German created an early half chance for the impressive Jamie O’Hara and then Tommy Smith, but both players were well thwarted by the Everton rearguard.

The German played another slick pass to Dindane and the Ivory Coast forward, making his Premier League debut, raced into the area only to scuff his shot while under pressure from Heitinga. Showing greater intent in attack, Everton created a tricky chance when Steven Pienaar crossed for Tim Cahill only for the Australian to glance his header over the crossbar. The combative Aussie also had a superb ninth minute left-foot volley kept out by James.

Just as the Toffees seemed to be forcing the issue, Pompey broke free with some rapid passing through midfield. Smith threaded a perfectly-weighted ball into the area where Dindane, under pressure from Sylvain Distin, pulled the trigger, producing a fine save from Everton custodian Tim Howard.

It was then James’ turn to show his reflexes, the England veteran thrusting out a leg to block Fellaini’s header from point-blank range.

The only goal of the game came after 42 minutes, proving a crucial blow just before half time for the spirited endeavours of the home side. A Johnny Heitinga long ball was not dealt with by defender Younes Kaboul, with his French compatriot Saha out-witting him and pouncing on the crumbs to direct a strong finish past keeper David James.

Pompey should have equalised five minutes into the second half but defender Tal Ben-Haim, having slipped free to meet O’Hara’s free-kick, directed his header straight at Howard’s shoulder when the goal was at his mercy.

Midfielder Steven Pienaar was ridiculed by home fans for limping from the pitch following a tackle, returning moments later and then slumping to the floor once again. He was eventually carried off on a stretcher. A report from head physio Mick Rathbone suggests the prognosis is slightly more positive than initially expected with a short-term return in their sites.

“There’s no timescale at the moment but hopefully it will only be something short term,” Rathbone told the club’s official website. “Steven took an almighty knock on the inside of the knee, so he is pretty sore.”

Substitute Diniyar Bilyaletdinov floated a corner to the far post where Fellaini was denied by James and then Smith came to Pompey’s rescue by clearing Cahill’s effort off the line.

Aaron Mokoena rattled the bar as Pompey searched bravely for the equaliser and they appeared to have snatched a point only for Leighton Baines to clear Hassan Yebda’s header off the line. Boateng was denied by Howard four minutes into injury-time as Everton clung onto their lead.

‘”We played tremendously well, creating really good chances in the first half and in the second we should have scored,” said Hart. “But with a spirit and performance like that, I thought the players were fantastic. We can’t keep shooting ourselves in the foot but if we retain that spirit and continue to work like that we’ll turn it around.”

Moyes sympathised with his counterpart claiming Hart is the right man to steer Portsmouth out of relegation trouble.

“Paul is doing a great job,” he said. “His squad was only put together at the last minute and he had a lot of things taken away from him. You could see the attitude of his players – they gave him everything right until the last minute. It’s also good to see how the supporters backed their team today. Portsmouth are only seven games into the season and football changes around very quickly.”

Yet for all the encouragement from Portsmouth’s on-field performance and the Fratton Park faithful, one rather sobering fact remains; it is now more than 100 years since any team has survived in the top-flight after losing their first seven games.

As for Everton their rapid climb into European qualification contention will continue as they host Stoke next week, not before a trip to Belarus to take on BATE Borisov in the Europa League.

By Joshua Kepreotis