Everton FC News: Everton add to their own ordeal

Oct 26 2009 by Philip Kirkbride, Liverpool Daily Post

Everton FC News: THEY say what does not kill you, only makes you stronger – but Everton are still someway off making a full recovery.

Thursday’s 5-0 drubbing in Benfica, in mitigating circumstances, could have been a near fatal blow in one of the most testing, yet pivotal, weeks in Everton’s season.

Three games in six days, which commenced in the Estadio da Luz, and an injury problem that can comfortably be referred to as a crisis, is the ultimate test of strength for David Moyes’ squad.

Although the Europa League result will be one filed under ‘character building’, yesterday’s defeat at Bolton Wanderers will be looked on as a missed opportunity to revive a wounded squad.

Sunday’s 3-2 loss at the Reebok Stadium offered Moyes evidence of the shoots of recovery he will have craved, but it was a result in which self inflicted errors kicked them while they are down.

Having clawed back a two goal deficit, Everton levelled in the second half with Marouane Fellaini’s solo goal but threw away all they had worked so hard to achieve.

Everton were worthy of a point, their second half showing deserved as much, but the Premier League is an unforgiving world and mistakes will be punished.

A lack of fighting spirit is something which can never be levelled at Everton under Moyes, the Benfica loss proved as much, however the trip to Lisbon also hammered home poor defensive errors will cost you.

Though injuries meant yet another reshuffle of Everton’s back four, the experienced personnel should not have suffered from the early defensive jitters they did, giving Bolton a two goal head start and their winning goal.

Only two minutes had elapsed when Tamir Cohen was left unmarked at the back post from Jlloyd Samuel’s cross, fortunately for Everton he planted the ball wide of Howard’s post.

Another free headed chance went begging moments later as Kevin Davies leapt free to narrowly glance Matt Taylor’s in-swinging free-kick wide.

For the centre back pairing of Sylvain Distin and Johnny Heitinga, picked together for only the second time this season at the core of Everton’s defence, it was an unsteady start and one which threatened to end Everton’s record of having not conceded in the opening 25 minutes in the Premier League this term. It came as little surprise when the run ended after 16 minutes after Lee Chung-Yong profited from Sam Rickett’s average cross into the area to slot Bolton into a 1-0 lead – an absence of a marker was glaring for all to see.

At the other end, Everton were proving to be equally generous in the opening exchanges as the ball was gifted to the home side on countless occasions, wasting the few promising forays Everton mustered.

With striker Yakubu absent because of a heel injury, manager Moyes was once again blighted by the absence of his most experienced players in this most trying of times.

A lack of available wide men also forced Moyes’ hand in playing stand-in captain Tim Cahill on the left wing and wherever you stand on the debate over his best position, on the flank surely must come low on your list.

Moreover, against opposition who pack the midfield with five players, his presence would be missed, in the first half especially.

Indeed Louis Saha had to take it upon himself to breathe life into his side, a sublime slalom past Zat Knight and Chung-Yong fashioned half an opening and it gave the Goodison Park outfit a fillip, albeit a brief one.

Just as the Goodison Park side were stirring from their slumber Fellaini was penalised for a foul on Davies. It was a decision which left Moyes glaring at official Phil Dowd but the ease at which Gary Cahill glanced home Taylor’s free-kick in the 26th minute will have left him fuming.

Routine, direct and effective, it was everything Bolton are, summarised in one, all too predictable move, but of late it has been the undoing of Everton – luckily Saha was taking notes.

For his endeavour finally reaped rewards on 31 minutes when Lucas Neill played a ball to his feet, which took Muamba out of the game, and with a drop of the shoulder, Saha engineered himself the room to fire past Jaaskelainen from 25 yards into the top corner. A delightful strike which maintained Bolton’s undesirable run of having not kept a clean sheet in the league this term.

Words from Moyes at half-time had the desired affect as Neill’s second pin point pass of the afternoon brought about Everton’s equalising goal, albeit from an unlikely source in untypical manner on 55 minutes.

Fellaini found himself just inside the area with Cahill his marker; after an unconvincing first few touches, the Belgian international manoeuvred some room before lashing the ball past the Bolton goalkeeper – Fellaini’s afternoon up to and after that point was somewhat lacking but the ease with which he glided past Cahill made a mockery of the home chants calling for the defender to be given an England place.

In fact it was his namesake Tim, who had the most telling contribution in the second half revival and it came as no surprise as the Australian began linking up with Saha and Jo upfront, Moyes’ men were far more potent.

Unfortunately for all Cahill’s improvements, which allowed Jack Rodwell and Gosling more time and space in an increasingly open game, Jo and Saha failed to match the midfield’s gains with any threatening attempts on goal.

As Bolton weathered the Everton storm, they mounted one final attack on Howard’s goal and with the introduction of Ivan Klasnic, they went for the win.

The cruel irony which has plagued Everton of late, struck once more as Heitinga, who improved significantly after the horror of the first two goals, had to be substituted.

One would hope his presence on the edge of the Everton area would have aided the clearance of another set-piece Bolton ball when Croatian Klasnic smashed home from 15 yards to give Bolton their first home Premier League victory of the season.

Marking Wanderers manager Gary Megson’s second year in charge of the club, Klasnic also did his level best to make it a few days to forget for Everton.