COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY

From my seat: QPR (A)

By Ken Buckley   ::  04/03/2012 QPR away and with them having a poor record on home soil gave many a Blue thoughts of three points but a disjointed performance saw us grateful to come away with just one point and on a unbeaten eight game run.

After the reserves run out in the week, I thought Rodwell may make the starting line-up; after all, he played a lot of that game... but certainly the bench. The fact he made neither raises a few injury worries in conversations regarding all things Blue. We did however welcome back Osman, Jelavic and Coleman on the bench, all would play some part.

We started well and within minutes we had a shot saved by the keeper and then Cahill hit the bar, the omens looked good... but, after 10mins of domination and some good joined-up stuff, we somehow lost our way and any control we may have had in midfield which led to the back four having to defend with less than usual poise and in quick succession QPR had three good chances, all from free kicks.

Hill, the ex-Tranmere man, first stabbed wide then headed wide from what can only be called less than copybook defending. Howard was next to the rescue when Distin fouled Wright-Phillips, he dived to his right to turn away a good free kick that went straight through all the defenders. We were a tad lucky in that spell and got luckier later.

Back up our end, we had a few corners that Drenthe took but for most of them he was in Arteta mode... but he did get one to swing and dip to the far post which seemed to hit Heitinga and bounce to the keeper. I hope it was the fact he saw it very late and could not react otherwise it was a bad miss. It must have been on his mind as his next involvement was to miss place a pass which gave the ball back to the opposition and ended with the ball being headed just wide.

Fellaini seemed to be a one-man central midfield as he strove to be both creator and destroyer as Neville was no more than doing the best he could in the engine room. Fellaini was then instrumental in our opening goal when he tackled back, won the ball, set off and found Pienaar who in turn played in Drenthe who sped forward and hit one from some 25 yards and found the bottom corner giving the keeper little chance. The noise was such that you would be forgiven for thinking the home team had scored. Drenthe seems to like good low and hard shots into that corner of the net, I think that might be his third in similar vein. Now keep it tight till half-time and we are half-way there and looking at the bench 3 points were certainly achievable.

But this is Everton and we yet again, after going one up, sat back. Why? QPR said thanks and came straight at us and, with being so deep, any free kick we gave away was always going to be in a dangerous area and we sure as hell gave some away. The first one hit the wall and left Howard stranded due to the deflection but luckily just missed the goal. Then within minutes Drenthe showed why he may not be suited to the modern game when he raced back and made a tackle that suggested naivety at best, chopped his man down in an area most are told to stay on their feet and jockey.

The free kick was hard toward the near post and the ball hit the net from the head of Zamora. That was a bit of a downer especially as Howard from my seat seemed rooted to his line when a run and flailing arm may have helped our cause more. I was some way away so I may be doing him a disservice. Drenthe was booked as well and given his tackling abilities his chances of finishing the game took a turn for the worse.

Drenthe was at it again when La Traca, who had been less than sparkling that first half, won a free kick in a good shooting position. Drenthe seemed to demand to take it and surprisingly our players seemed to give in to him. Before he could take it, we had a comic interlude with a squirrel on the pitch. What of the free kick? you say. We should have let the squirrel take it, say I.

Just on the half-time mark, we had a fantastic piece of luck, at the double. Zamora for once was out of Heitinga?s pocket and he laid the ball back for Taarabt to beat Howard but hit a post, the ball went back across goal and found Zamora again who selflessly laid it to a colleague standing alone in front of a free and gaping goal. Somehow he managed to place it with precision against the post and we hacked the ball clear. With luck like that I became confident that we would not lose... not too sure about the winning but we would wait and see what the second half brings.

The second half was at best poor to watch as both teams strived to a) not give anything away and b) open it up and attack. This left the game in a sort of staccato affair and as a spectacle, somewhat devoid of any flowing moves. I was watching the clock for the hour mark as I suspected a change may be made as we were not firing as we should and creating little to thrill the faithful in goalmouth action terms.

Just passed that hour mark and two changes were made. Drenthe and Cahill hooked to be replaced by Osman and Jelavic, the latter getting a rousing reception, such is our thirst to have a proper centre forward. Osman replaced Drenthe on the wing... why not Coleman I thought?

Still Jelavic soon showed us that he has a thunderous shot as he fired home, unfortunately it was well after the whistle went for him being off-side; fortunately he wasn?t booked for his antic. Not a lot changed and the half rumbled on with attacks from both sides that didn?t come too much and a lot of them were orchestrated by mistakes in midfield from both teams. Just a couple of minutes to go plus injury time and Coleman replaced the anonymous La Traca.

Bit of a damp squib rather than a firecracker. I don?t know whether Coleman was not considered fit enough for any longer but in those few last minutes we looked as balanced as we had been all match but we still could not fashion chances in the box. Final whistle and a point away keeping our unbeaten run going. It could have been better but equally it could have been a whole lot worse.

MotM ? Heitinga.

Overall I thought we were missing Gibson and Donovan big style as our midfield never really got to grips with this game. Donovan we can?t have... it is almost cruel just to have him for those few games as he shows us what we desperately need in that position but, due to fiscal problems, can?t have... but at least Gibson will be back and, with more game time and settling in, I think he will help a lot. Jelavic did little really today yet there was just something about him that I liked. After a couple of fleeting appearances it?s impossible to judge ? let?s just say it?s a hunch.

I didn?t think the Baines-Pienaar axis worked at all which took a chunk out of our overall attacking momentum. La Traca, Neville and Cahill were just not at the races yet Hibbert, who gets stick from some quarters had a good solid game and getting forward enough to be encouraged to SHOOOOOT!

Now what about Drenthe? I would not know where to start but he sure is up there with the best of the eccentrics.

I thought that although the manager tried different formations during play it wasn?t the formation that was the problem it looked to me more like not having good enough players in certain positions; if you look at midfield, that is one area that really needs addressing. Let?s hope we win the Euro millions.

Spurs next, always a good game at Goodison and, as no two games are the same, let's hope we get a good performance and 3 points.
UP THE BLUES

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