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Rooney learns a lesson as Everton beat Aston Villa
Wayne Rooney will no doubt find a beach somewhere to relax for a week, knowing he has more than done his bit to start Everton's drive away from the drop out of the Barclaycard Premiership. The England forward got himself booked again - for the ninth time season - but made Everton's first goal for Tomasz Radzinski and had a hand in the build-up for Thomas Gravesen's surging run which produced the second to finish off a very disappointing Aston Villa at Goodison Park on Saturday. Toffees boss David Moyes insists Rooney is learning - and he is just about right. The youngster - who has accumulated more cards than goals in his fledgling career - is only one more booking away from his second suspension of the season. Moyes has given Rooney a week off, and Everton have two weeks before their next match - so the teenager should be more than refreshed for the Premiership run-in and Euro 2004. Whereas a few months ago he would have lashed out or talked himself into a red card, against Villa he just about held his temper to stay in the fray and provide the significant contribution which gave Everton their first win in 10 games. Rooney was kicked, battered and barracked during this clash and had good cause to complain about some of the treatment. But he eventually stopped moaning at referee Matt Messias to let his talents do the talking. Villa deserved what they got from a feeble display which left manager David O'Leary claiming they lacked Everton's "desire and hunger". Moyes, meanwhile, finally had something to smile about. As usual very protective of Rooney, he said: "Wayne is learning. He was very anxious about the situation, but then so were we all." Everton doggedly kept plugging away, while Villa faded pathetically - leaving home defender Alan Stubbs to conclude: "You could sense around the ground that everyone was getting tense the longer it went without us scoring. "Nerves were creeping in, and it is something we were more than aware of. "When you are in the position we are in it is a matter of no frills and being hard to beat. That's how we have to be. "We are doing that now - and we are getting a few breaks. The cross from Wayne took a slight deflection to allow Tomasz to score, and those are things we have not been getting." The timing of Everton's first goal - 12 minutes from time - was a big help, according to Stubbs. "In the end it was comfortable because we scored at just the right time and they could not get back at us," he said. "We can be our own worst enemy at times. Early on we were giving the ball away too cheaply and inviting Villa on to us, rather than them doing it through good play. "But we regrouped at the break; we stuck together, and that is how it has to be. There is no point in having a go at individuals - and that goes for the fans as well - we all have to stick together. In the second half we did that." Villa defender Olof Mellberg took note, meanwhile, of O'Leary's dissatisfaction. "It was a disappointing result and a disappointing performance," he said. "It looked exactly like the boss said - we lacked hunger and desire. "We had our chances in the first half, but over the full 90 minutes it was not good enough to win the game. It was not the way we have been playing, especially the way we have been playing away from home. "We did not really perform as a team, certainly not as we should have. We know it and must improve. "We need to be consistent to stay where we are. We cannot mix good performances with the way we played at Everton - that just will not get us to the position we want. I hope we do not have to say that again." |
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