Fellaini Leads the Way

By Luke O'Farrell   ::  22/12/2011 The game started in low-key fashion. A Seamus Coleman cross flashing across the six yard box was the only action in the first five minutes. As expected, Swansea looked at ease on the ball. The visitors moved the ball around well, but ultimately; their approach was a cautious one. The most noticeable aspect of Swansea's game was their reluctance to commit numbers forward; this may have been due to Everton's stranglehold on the midfield area.

Everton seemed wary of the visitors in the opening exchanges. The home side failed to pressurise the ball with Swansea moving the ball around their own half with ease. Once Everton started to pressurise the visitors, mistakes started to happen. Passes went astray, first touches where looser and decision-making became rushed. Royston Drenthe and Marouane Fellaini started the game well for Everton. Drenthe was full of running in search of an opening with Fellaini dominating the midfield single-handedly.

The opening was cautious with neither side willing to go for the jugular. Both sides were content to stand-off each other; especially Everton. Other than a few dangerous crosses and some poor corners, neither side had anything to show for the first 25 minutes. The first effort of note came, with almost half an hour on the clock, via the head of John Heitinga. The centre back advanced and played a ball down the right side. The Dutchman continued and got on the end of a Tony Hibbert cross, but his header went over the bar.

Everton had to make a change with 30 minutes gone. Seamus Coleman's thigh injury resurfaced and Magaye Gueye came on. The change made the team look more assured as Gueye is more technically sound than Coleman. The change meant Drenthe moving over to the right hand side; where he looks much more threatening.

The change gave Everton impetus as they started to look threatening. Leon Osman was becoming more influential and Louis Saha flashed a header wide from an Osman cross. Osman's defence splitting pass found Baines and his pull back reached Gueye inside the area. The substitute?s low effort was well saved by Vorm. The ball rebounded to Gueye but Vorm and Taylor combined to clear the danger. Another corner led to Phil Jagielka firing wildly over as Everton pressed for a breakthrough.

With five minutes to the break, Everton won a free kick outside the box. Baines' disappointing free kick went comfortably over the bar. Drenthe struck a free kick, on the stroke of half time, from a tighter angle. The winger's well struck effort shot past Vorm's right hand post. Gueye squandered another chance in first half injury time; the offside flag spared his blushes.

Swansea made two changes either side of half time. Injured left back Neil Taylor made way for Angel Rangel and Kemy Agustien came on for Mark Gower. The visitors ended the first half without a single shot. The visitors play attractive football yet are short on incision in the final third; much like Everton. Fellaini, Drenthe, Osman and Baines had been the stand out performers for the home side in the first half.

Hibbert blocked a Wayne Routledge shot and Heitinga blocked another shot as the visitors looked to loosen their shackles. Meanwhile, a tame Osman effort drew a save from Vorm. A driving run by Drenthe lead to Everton taking the lead with an hour gone. Williams blocked Drenthe's cross and Osman rose to nod in the resulting corner.

This was the second home game Everton had scored first in this season. Overall, the Toffees have scored first in just five of their 19 games this season. The next task for the home side was to secure a first home clean sheet of the season. Heitinga blocked a Joe Allen shot as Swansea pressed and Jagielka put a Drenthe corner wide at the other end.

Swansea missed a golden chance to equalise as top scorer Danny Graham headed straight at Tim Howard. Drenthe fired a free kick over the bar and Denis Stracqualursi replaced the ineffective Saha with 20 minutes remaining. Swansea introduced Leroy Lita for the industrious Leon Britton as they switched to a more attacking approach. Tim Cahill replaced the live wire Drenthe as the match entered the final ten minutes.

Stracqualursi missed a chance to put the game beyond doubt. His tame effort, from a Gueye through ball, never troubled Vorm. Jagielka made a good clearance as Everton saw out the game in relative comfort. The Toffees held on for just their 11th home point of the season.

Fellaini bossed the midfield throughout and provided Drenthe and his cohorts with the platform to attack. Heitinga and Hibbert were the pick of the defenders with Baines again tireless down the left flank. Howard and Jagielka had steady games yet their distribution remains questionable. Saha was poor throughout.

Moyes? constant desire to use Phil Neville in midfield is bizarre. The captain offers little and Everton would be better served with a natural midfielder in his place. This game seemed the perfect chance to give Ross Barkley a run out. His lack of involvement frustrates the fans and will no doubt frustrate Barkley.

Overall it was a good, if unspectacular, performance and resulted in a much-needed home win. Its Martin O'Neill's revitalised Sunderland next, on Boxing Day. Everton will travel there with confidence as they are unbeaten in their last 14 meetings with Sunderland. The Mackems last win over Everton came on 22nd Dec 2001.

I hope you've all enjoyed my writing this year, Merry Christmas to all and hopefully Everton give us a happy New Year.

Ratings:

Howard 6 Hibbert 7 Jagielka 6 Heitinga 7 Baines 7 Coleman 5 Fellaini 8 Neville 6 Drenthe 8 Osman 7 Saha 5

Subs: Gueye 6 Stracqualursi 6 Cahill 6

MOTM: Marouane Fellaini

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