Déjà vu, all over again.
Just like last year, Everton started the season with a
winnable away game, were the better side for most of the game but ultimately
threw two points away through a combination of bad luck and poor defending.
The weekend started badly, with news that Ross Barkley had
torn his medial ligament in training. Reports initially had him out for 6-8
weeks, but Roberto Martinez has suggested it could be anything up to five
months. It’s clearly horrible news, and we can only hope that Barkley doesn’t
end up falling into the same alternate dimension that Arouna Kone has ended up
in. We need him in and around the team as soon as possible.
With his options restricted, Martinez threw Lukaku
straight into the team, with Naismith just behind him. McGeady and Pienaar
played wide, with John Stones starting at right back. Coleman and Mirallas were
both not considered fit enough, with both starting on the bench.
If there is a silver lining to the Barkley cloud, it may be
that Steven Naismith will get a run in the side in the role just off Lukaku.
It’s his best position and, whilst the admirable Scot isn’t the quickest or
most eye-catching player, he’s clever, always showing for the ball and a goal
threat. He was certainly one of Everton’s better players here, and his
partnership with Lukaku may have the makings of something good.
Despite the frustration of the result, there were some
positives for Martinez to take from the game, particularly first half. Everton
were very good in the opening period, dominating possession, restricting
Leicester to barely any chances and scoring two excellent goals. The first,
from Aiden McGeady, was an absolute pearler. It’s a big season for McGeady –
he’s had six months to bed in now, and has to make a starting position his own
in the face of serious competition. He did himself no harm here, being very
lively first half and getting on the end of a few half chances – he could have
had two or three. The one he did get was worth the wait – after Leighton Baines
and Sylvain Distin had shots blocked, McGeady picked the ball up and from a
tight angle bent a cracker into the top corner, past about six defenders on or
around the line. It was the sort of goal you never get tired of watching.
The second goal wasn’t bad either, scored by Naismith but
created by some classic Baines/Pienaar wing play. The Everton left side was
another great positive for Martinez, with Pienaar especially looking fit,
motivated and incisive. He’ll be really important while Barkley recovers and
the likes of Atsu and Mirallas find their fitness – the best we’ve got at
turning defenders and bringing Baines into play. Shortly before half time,
Baines surged down the left, Pienaar’s back heel found him, Baines played the
return and Pienaar slid the ball to Naismith. The finish was another beauty, left-footed,
in off the bar.
That made it 2-1 going into the break, with the only real
negative being one of the dozy bastard defensive errors that cost us last
season. It happened just after McGeady’s goal – Leicester sent in a pretty
regulation corner, no-one from the Everton defence took responsibility to put
a head on it, and the ball dropped in the six yard box. Sylvain DIstin tried to
clear it, off balance, but only succeeded in smashing it into the stomach of
Leicester’s big grock number 9, Ulloa. Howard had no chance with the
half-volley. It was a weak clearance from Distin, but generally Everton need to
be far more dominant on crosses and set pieces. It’s an area we’ve lost goals
from a lot over recent seasons.
At half time Martinez would have been satisfied, and he
probably would have been with most of the second, which was quite a drab,
scrappy affair. Leicester definitely improved and had more of the play. They
put another player out on the left which blunted Pienaar and Baines and, without Seamus Coleman providing an equal
threat, Everton’s attacks suffered. Indeed, they barely managed a credible
effort on target after the break.
Getting the Irishman back will be very important to us
hitting our straps, but ironically it was his introduction which seemed to
unbalance Everton in the closing stages. Martinez’s substitutions were
unusually conservative – Pienaar and McGeady off for Mirallas and Coleman, with
a move to 3-5-2. It seems to be the formation that’s in fashion in the moment,
but every time Everton play it we look like an accident waiting to happen.
Beforehand, Leicester hadn’t created much, aside from Stones
letting the wonderfully named Jeff Schlupp run clear to put a shot into orbit.
Stones is a great young centre-back, but while his attitude is spot on, he’s a
crap right back. He got dragged inside a few times too often – to be expected
for a central player playing out there – and this contributed to Leicester’s
equaliser.
Make no mistake, though, he was not the only one culpable.
Mirallas and a knackered Lukaku (who was in and out of the game and probably
should have gone off rather than Pienaar) lost possession too easily. Baines
and Barry – who was hesitant after a couple of clumsy fouls left him close to a
red card – allowed the Leicester winger, Mahrez, past them without a proper
challenge, and both Jagielka and Stones, because of this, were both dragged too
far in. Jagielka in the end got to his man and made a challenge, but this took
Stones out of the game and the player he was supposed to be marking, Chris Wood
(no, me neither) slotted past Howard. Bollocks.
Two points lost, definitely, although you should never be too sniffy at an away point. How this is viewed will probably depend on whether we beat Arsenal - four points form two game would be a decent start. Hopefully, a more balanced Everton side will deliver.
Everton: Howard, Stones, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, McCarthy,
Barry, McGeady, Naismith, Pienaar, Lukaku. Subs: Robles, Coleman (McGeady 85),
Alcaraz, Besic, Osman, Atsu, Mirallas (Pienaar 81)
.
Goals – McGeady 20, Naismith 45
MOM – Pienaar.
calcioEFC
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| Chris Wood(above) reflecting on his first, and possibly last goal in the Premier League |
18th August 2014
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