COLUMNIST PAUL TRAILL

Moyes's Tinkering Costs Everton... Almost

Everton 1 -1 Bolton Wanderers

Straight from work for this one. Taking in the delights of the M56, M6 and then M62 before landing in the city centre to pick up Ste, parking up near the ground, grabbing a chippy and meeting up in the pub?I do enjoy the routine of the evening match. Of course they are few and far between this season with no Europa League to play for.

To say we were taken aback by the team news is something of an understatement. Fellaini straight back into the midfield made sense as Heitinga hasn?t laid enough of a claim for the jersey, though taking the Dutchman out of the squad altogether was a surprise. I wonder what?s gone on there? Otherwise, starting with Bilyaletdinov and Saha in place of Coleman and Yakubu smacked on silliness given that Coleman had scored at the weekend and Yakubu has just found a bit of form. Bolton, fresh from a great result at the weekend, began with a muscular strikeforce of Elmander and Davies. Everton attacked the Park End in the first half. Phil Dowd officiated.

Bolton certainly started the better side, getting into our box into the first minute albeit with no end product. The Wanderers did continue to probe and if not for some fantastic tackling by Distan Elmander may have scored.

With Marouane Fellaini pulling the strings in the middle Everton did eventually settle into the game and for a good 15 minutes or so of the first half Everton really pressed Bolton onto the backfoot though failed to make the most of quite a few reasonable openings with confidence more so than ability seemingly the main bugbear.

For the most part of the second half Everton continued to force pressure onto Bolton but despite umpteen corners just couldn?t put the ball home. Better set-piece delivery wouldn?t have gone amiss mind. Just too many corners failed to clear the first man and defending wasn?t as difficult as it should have been for Bolton. We did have a period of real ascendancy around the 65 minute mark but couldn?t take advantage. Once Bolton weathered this they were able to create a few opportunities of their own, Howard making a great save from a Holden header from a corner, and then Taylor clipping the crossbar with his header from another corner.

Still Everton maintained an element of control in the game though were punished when Jagielka carelessly gave the ball away and it was seized by Holden. He played a good ball out to the left hand side for Taylor who crossed for Klasnic to score with ease. Everton now had it all to do.

Hostility lit up the Goodison atmosphere as Everton squirmed to find opportunities, Moyes' last role of the dice was a double change with Neville and Saha (to a few boos) making way for Yakubu and Beckford. Everton?s task was made all the more difficult when Fellaini was red carded following a tangle with Paul Robinson. You knew the giant Belgian was going to be given his marching orders, and he did as well, staying down and feigning injury in hope that Dowd would change his mind. He didn?t. Game over?you kinda felt.

Everton continued to try and play but Bolton were good and disciplined and kept bodies behind the ball. The game seemed to be up when Bolton were wasting time in the corner flag. We won a free kick and eventually (after WAY too much pricking around from Howard and I think Distin) got the ball forward. We got a throw which Cahill took quick and received a return pass from Coleman. With little if anything on Cahill played a hopeful ball into the box left-footed. It looked to have ran away from everyone but Baines wasn?t giving it up and raced after the ball to win it back from Lee. Baines played it to Beckford who held off a defender, swiveled and lofted a lovely curling ball over Jaaskelainen and into the net. Get in! With practically the last kick of the game.

So two points dropped or one rescued? I guess it depends which way you look at it but to score more goals you need better deliveries into the box than we did tonight. Oh, and less unnecessary tinkering with the team please Mr. Moyes.

Player Ratings:
Howard: Looked very nervy and hesitant with coming off his line though was fairly helpless with the goal. 5
Baines: My man of the match. Probed all game, was solid in defense and had a big impact on the winning goal. 9
Distin: Solid. More so than Jagielka. 8
Jagielka: Made a mistake for the goal and struggled a little in the aerial battles with the giant Bolton strikers. 5
Neville: Solid though not the best with distribution. 6
Fellaini: Was pulling the strings before going missing in the game for the second period and then eventually seeing red. A three match ban awaits. Let himself and his teammates down ultimately. 5
Arteta: Nowhere near at his best. Set peace delivery nowhere near up to scratch. 5
Pienaar: Was lively and always showed for the ball. Looked more likely than anyone else to probe a goal tonight. 7
Bilyaletdinov: Lacking confidence really but ceetainly wasn?t the worst player out there. 6
Cahill: Not his best game but never gave in and kept on going as-ever. 6
Saha: Was missing when we needed some inspiration in the second half. Needs to improve. 5

Substitutes:
Coleman (for Bilyaletdinov): Was looking as though he was going to be just the introduction we needed but the goal and then the red card changed things. Regardless he kept on going and isn?t afraid to take the ball. 6
Yakubu (for Neville): Put himself about I suppose. 6
Beckford (for Saha): Looked a bit lost and then?what a goal. Let's hope he can kick on from here. 7

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