Everton and the 2009 FA Cup

It was 5 am when I stirred feverishly in the confines of my king-sized bed. As usual the wife had managed to pull the blankets around just her so I was laying curled up in a ball, feeling the breeze from the fan making the hair on my legs move as he blades swung. Not cold mind you this is Arizona in May and the temperature outside was probably already 75 degrees.
I pulled my self up into a sitting position and hacked up a loogie; sinus problems in a dry heat make one sound like Tony Randall in the Odd Couple every morning. I yawned and stretched. Looking over my shoulder I debated on whether to wake the missus for a little pre-game celebration but decided naw.. let her sleep. She is not a soccer (football for the purists) fan at all.
I got up bent over and fished my blue t-shirt out of the bottom draw. Has the name Ball and 8 on the back in white. Stumbling out to the kitchen I went through the motions of making coffee and then headed back to my office to pull up Facebook and have a natter with my nephew Michael at Uni in Sheffield. He had played on Man U's youth squad at one time and I caught him getting ready to head off down the pub to watch the game on the telly. 2-0 to Chelsea he predicts 2-1 Everton in OT say I.. good luck and he's off.
I went out and switched on the telly so I could here the US commentators drone on about the up coping game, and grabbed a mug off coffee heading back to the computer to read what the Beeb had to say on it's pre-game notes. Everyone seems to agree that Everton is the under-dog and stands no chance; would be out-classed by Chelsea's wonder-men. Typical; no respect. Look who we knocked-off to earn the right to be in this game for the first time in 13 years, Man U, Aston Villa, Liverpool, all teams higher than us in the premier league at the time we faced them. We have a chance I told myself.
7 am and kick off. Thank God I had taken a mug of coffee with me to the sofa instead of getting one in the opening seconds 'cos Saha pops up and scores the fastest goal in FA Cup history. Just like that 28 seconds, he lashes on to Fellani's header and Chelsea are a heavy-weight on the ropes. The noise in Wembley Stadium was so overpowering that I could not hear the commentators clearly for a good five minutes. Othe r than jubilation the only thought I had was it's too early. What a terrible time to score. How the hell are we going to hold them for 90 minutes? If had been the 45 minute I would have been happier.. and then of course 20 minutes later Drogba gets on the end of a cross that Hibbert did not get at fast enough and it was all even.
The resat is history, Lampard pulled out a typical 20 yard screamer and that was all she wrote. My biggest disappointment, other than the actual score line was the way Everton's midfield men disappeared. The must have just wilted in the almost 100 degree heat that London was blessed with that day. Osman and Pienaar were not effective, Hibbert was replaced at the break by Jacobsen, more for his sin of not getting at Malouda faster than anything else, but for the rest of the lads well done. It just wasn't to be but look how far we have come.
Next year we will challenge again, and a top four league spot is open for us to take. Watch Moyes buy us a couple of replacements, get the squad fit and were ready to push Arsenal out of the way next year!