Rollercoaster of Wembley highs to crippling lows - the Everton year in pictures

31 December 2009 02:00
IT has been a year of dazzling highs - from a Wembley cup final via a dramatic derby success, to frustrating lows as injuries bit deep into Everton's squad. As ever, there was never a dull moment. If supporters weren't plotting a way to get to places like Borisov and Athens, they were learning the various ways a player's cruciate knee ligament can go wrong. Here Everton writer Greg O'Keeffe picks his favourite images which illustrated the Blues' 2009...[LNB] PHIL Jagielka wheels away in a victory lap propelled by relief and delight in equal measures, after tucking away the penalty which saw Everton overcome Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final on April 19.[LNB]The Blues had a worrying start to the shoot-out with Tim Cahill blasting his kick over the bar, but Tim Howard saved Dimitar Berbatov's tame effort to give them hope.[LNB]Then conversions from Phil Neville against his old club and James Vaughan steadied nerves before Jags' big moment. [LNB]The centre-back had been immense all season, but perhaps recalled his saved penalty against Fiorentina which contributed to Everton bowing out of the UEFA Cup the season before.[LNB]Yet from the moment he planted the ball purposefully on the spot, there was ice-water flowing through the Yorkshireman's veins. Jags made sure with a faultless spot-kick.[LNB]Cue mayhem in the stands and massive grins amid the euphoria when the theme from Z Cars blared out over the Wembley PA.[LNB]It was a flitting, happy moment for the England centre-half before missing the final through injury. That he hasn't played since, adds a poignant edge.[LNB] AT FIRST it seemed so innocuous. Mikel Arteta took a gentle tumble without an opposition player in sight as the Blues fought out a draw against Newcastle United on Tyneside.[LNB]But then the look on his face. Sheer, searing agony as the Spaniard grasped for his knee unaware then that the fall and twist had shredded his cruciate knee ligament.[LNB]It was the injury no professional footballer would wish on another. One which has haunted Michael Owen and a host of other big names.[LNB]That it should befall Everton's star player and creative heart-beat was enough to depress supporters. That it should then deprive them of their inspirational centre-back Phil Jagielka too, was beyond frustrating.[LNB]Arteta's recovery has been fraught with set-backs and he approaches 10 months out of the game next month.[LNB]How supporters long to see the sparkling skills of the player they call the best little Spaniard they know light-up the Premier League again.

Source: Liverpool_Echo