COLUMNIST PAUL TRAILL

There's something seriously wrong here

By Paul Traill   ::  21/08/2011 I, probably like around 35,000 others, was excited about the match all week, having missed out on a trip to the capital last weekend. As is the norm with the start of seemingly every season now, I left with utter dejection as Everton once again failed miserably at getting off to a good start to the season against mediocre opposition. Last season it was Blackburn Rovers, Wolves and Newcastle United who inflicted the most embarrassment at the season start. This term we?ve already been turned over by a very mediocre QPR team.

We were all full of optimism in the pub prior to kick-off, as well we might have expected to be with our first home game against one of the relegation candidates. It was good to see everyone in the pub?not so good to watch Liverpool win at Arsenal mind. Nicely in time for kick-off, we moved on to Goodison in the light rain, through the turnstyle and into our new seats at the Lower Gwladys ? we were only four rows from the front last season and if the sun shined you were pretty snookered and couldn?t see what was going on very well. We?ve moved back 15 rows or so and now have a great view. Job well done off the pitch!

The team news represented one of complete shock when I saw that Fellaini, Arteta and Saha were all missing from the starting line-up. Why on earth Moyes is tinkering so ridiculously with the team on the first game of the season, I just don?t know. OK, OK, I haven?t seen Everton train all summer. I?ve no idea what knocks people have, or how far down the line everyone is with fitness etc... but I was left completely baffled?

• Saha has had a full pre-season and is better than Beckford? and should therefore be starting the game. And no Yakubu anywhere? Bury the hatchet Moyes for the love of God.
• Fellaini. He hasn?t had a full pre-season as we know but he seemed fit enough when he came on. Why he didn?t start the game I?ll never know. I quite like
• Heitinga. He?s a good competitor and a good centre half but he?s not a midfielder. If Moyes really couldn?t start with Fellaini then Neville would have been a better option in the midfield with Hibbert at right back.
• Arteta. OK, Arteta did look rusty when he came on, perhaps he is still a few weeks away? though it seemed pretty obvious to me that Barkley was wasted on the left wing and was at his most effective when he came inside. It didn?t take a genius to work out that he and Osman should have swapped positions. I think Barkley could have ran the show from the centre.
• Anichebe. Hardly anyone?s cup of tea I know but he?s a far better winger than Rodwell. Young Jack is clueless out on the wing and Anichebe could have at least offered a little guile.

It all seemed like sabotage to me. Anyway? we lost the toss and switched ends prior to kick off? Paddy Kenny getting a warm welcome from the Gwladys Street as he took goal. The atmosphere buzzing? the scoreboard switched off with the screens amended to include a constant clock now and more advertising space.

Everton began the game with a bit of purpose which got the crowd going a wee bit though this was soon distinguished by QPR?s steady play. Before long it was the QPR fans who were more vocal? Tommy Smith flashing a neat volley just wide of the post.

At the other end Everton were still huffing and puffing and were denied what seemed quite a clear penalty to me when Matthew Connolly clumsily went into the back of Rodwell inside the box. You see them given every week. I can?t believe it wasn?t given? as they say, anywhere else on the pitch and that?s a foul.

Shortly afterwards, Barkely made a clever run forward and was taken out by a defender resulting in a free kick in a great position tailor-made for Leighton Baines. The England left back duly obliged, clipping his free kick over the wall but back off the underside of the crossbar and out? what rotten luck.

It was perhaps quite a turning point in the game as, following that let-off, QPR put a few things together, including the goal as it turned out. Oh Christ, the goal? you could see it coming a mile away. First Baines not getting much distance on a clearance? the ball back in cleared woefully by Jagielka and only to Buzsacky who ran it into the box. Jagielka was then sucked horribly out of position leaving Tommy Smith completely unmarked. He received a pass and tucked the ball away smartly to put QPR ahead. Gutting? that depressing, sinking feeling.

Everton did raise themselves before the half was out, however, and really should have been level at the break with at least one of our three good headed opportunities ? one which Beckford headed straight at the well-positioned Paddy Kenny, when a downward header might just have done it ? and then two chances for Cahill: one a great one when he dived in quite low to meet a Beckford cross only to head wide of the gaping net; the other when Cahill headed over from a centre from the left? presumably from Baines. At the break? not pretty but Everton really should have scored with at least one of our several chances.

At the interval, I mused with Steve and Sean on why on earth our best team was on the bench as we watched Arteta, Fellaini, Saha, Anichebe, Hibbert, Vellios and Mucha warm up. I felt we had enough to get something from the game and fully expected Everton to rouse in the second half.

This they didn?t? starting the second half very pedestrian as QPR shut up shop early. Rodwell had a good early chance which he tamely hit at Kenny with his left foot. He didn?t last long after that with Arteta on early in the second half to try and liven things up? He didn?t look fit to me and I think Fellaini would have been a more constructive substitute. Instead the giant Belgian came on later as a target man, replacing Beckford ? much to the clear bemusement of seemingly everybody inside Goodison Park?though he did forge an immediate chance for Cahill straight away ? thwarted by Kenny.

So there we were, losing at home to QPR with about 25 minutes on the clock, with not one striker on the pitch. Unbelievable! Even more ridiculously, when we finally got Saha on the pitch, Cahill was asked to do the holding role? though we were struggling for options by this point to be fair. The closest we came were Barkley efforts from distance as the clock ticked down. QPR had unbearably frustrating spells of keep-ball amidst all this. What disappointed me most was our failure to close them down and try and win back position when they did have the ball. Of all the midfielders I?d say only Fellaini and Barkley showed a willingness to do this? it was all very disappointing.

It occurred to me that something is seriously wrong here. Whether it?s a distraction with the recent Bill Kenwright interview with The Blue Union? whether its Moyes? or just bad attitude from the players. I don?t know but something clearly wasn?t right in the second half. We?ve seen many a poor performance under David Moyes but I can?t think of anything as bad as the second half for some time.

Completely stating the obvious I know but some fresh blood is evidently needed. The first game of the season is supposed to be exciting as you get your first real glimpse of the new signings; we haven?t had that feeling for a few years now. Yes, it was nice to see Barkley and he looks some player but I can only predict a long, difficult season ahead. At least we have another game again quickly to try and put things right I suppose.

After the game, we met for a few more beers before I tailed off for a meal with the missus and a decent night out? drinking away the pain. It was good to catch up with Stu after the game. He?s always a good laugh and full of enthusiasm? certainly cheered me up a bit anyway.

Come on, Everton? progress in the cup on Wednesday and a win at Blackburn Rovers next Saturday can make things a lot better before the international break and then we have back-to-back home games against Aston Villa and Wigan Athletic. Let?s be hopeful we can somehow get back on track.

Player Ratings:

Howard: Could have gotten the deck chair out in the second half. I can?t remember a time when he?s had so little to do throughout the game? and we still lost. 6

Baines: QPR did a good job at stopping him from getting forward so he couldn?t have one of his more effective games unfortunately. Very unlucky with that free kick. 6

Distin: My Man of the Match. Dependably solid throughout. 8

Jagielka: Was totally culpable for the goal though solid otherwise. Distribution dreadful throughout however. 5

Neville: Was quite effective getting forward and decent defensively. 6

Heitinga: Didn?t really offer much in the middle but I really think he?s wasted in that position. 5

Osman: Never really got going at all. Cut a frustrated figure for large parts of the game. Can do much better. 5

Barkely: Did very well. Wasted on the wing in my opinion. Should be more in-field. I?ll be shocked if we can keep him past this season. 7

Rodwell: Very poor but also played out of position entirely. 4

Cahill: One of his worst games in a blue shirt I think. 4

Beckford: Very poor. Seemed to spend more time complaining than getting into positions to score goals. 3

Arteta (for Rodwell): Never really got going though doesn?t look fit at the moment. 5

Fellaini (for Beckford): Did well. Why he didn?t start I?ll never know. I?m sure he?ll be straight back in the team on Wednesday and will hopefully kick on from there. 7

Saha (for Heitinga): Didn?t really get into the game. Like Fellaini? more game time on Wednesday and then he?ll hopefully be up and running. 5

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