Jelavic Niks it for Everton

By Luke O'Farrell   ::  11/03/2012

Everton 1 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur

This early earning evening kick-off turned into Everton's sternest test, this season. The home side were the better side in a cagey first half but Tottenham were dominant after the break. Everton held out for another impressive home win with Spurs joining Chelsea and Manchester City on the scrap heap. David Moyes was a defender in his playing days and he will have been proud of his defence's resolute performance.

Seamus Coleman, taking the place of the ineligible Steven Pienaar, fired wide; after good build up between Royston Drenthe and Leon Osman. After a mundane start, Everton were beginning to control possession but their passing lacked a spark and chances were hard to come by. Gareth Bale headed into the side netting and Jermaine Defoe wasted a promising position, as Tottenham struggled to find any rhythm. Around the twenty-minute mark, Everton finally fashioned a chance; Marouane Fellaini forcing a low stop from Brad Friedel.

Shortly after Fellaini's effort, Everton took the lead through Nikica Jelavic. Leon Osman showed excellent control to breeze past Younes Kaboul. The midfielder fed Jelavic, in space, and the striker?s early finish beat the sprawling Friedel to nestle in the bottom corner. Friedel held a deflected Drenthe strike as Everton turned up the pressure. Tottenham could not fashion opportunities and resorted to speculative drives from Bale and Luka Modric.

Jelavic almost doubled his tally; Friedel producing a smart save from his well-struck free kick. At the other end, Heitinga made a good block from Sandro after a Bale free kick reached the far post. Everton were good value for their lead at the interval. The teams emerged for the second half and a Tottenham onslaught followed. Defoe drew two saves from Tim Howard as the visitors began the second half in the ascendency.

David Moyes took Drenthe off, for Jack Rodwell, as he tried to stop the Tottenham pressure. Everton?s removal of a creative player, in favour of a more defensive one, appeared to spur Tottenham on. A diagonal ball from Bale found Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Modric blazed his cross over, as the visitors monopolised possession. Spurs continued to press; Kaboul's free kick flew over, Defoe?s effort nearly wrong footed Howard and only Distin?s head kept out Louis Saha.
Osman, on a rare Everton attack, forced a save from Friedel. Tottenham were pressing furiously with Heitinga and the imperious Distin managing to hold firm. Defoe pounced on a Rodwell error to fire beyond Howard; the linesman's offside flag cut short the Tottenham celebrations. Phil Jagielka came on as Everton's tactics switched solely to containment.

Rafael van der Vaart?s deflected effort grazed the bar, as the clock reached 90. Spurs came even closer in injury time with Saha hitting the post from close range. The ball found its way to safety via Howard's knee. That chance signalled the end of the drama and Everton held on for a well-earned victory.

Everton's two centre backs, Distin and Heitinga, continue to prove themselves as Everton's first choice pairing. Baines was his usual self; covering a lot of ground on the left hand side. Seamus Coleman and Phil Neville were ineffective going forward but defensively solid. Leon Osman excelled on his return to the side, making the most interceptions, before tiring late on.

Royston Drenthe was a threat and his defensive discipline is improving. Nikica Jelavic's lack of football showed but he made a promising home début; highlighted by his assured finish for the winner. Marouane Fellaini has had better days in an Everton shirt but even on an average day, he remains better than most.

Everton played some of their best football, this season, in the first half. One particular phase of passing, just before half time, was worthy of gracing any stage. What will trouble David Moyes is Everton?s second half showing. Whilst Everton defended well, they were nonexistent as an attacking force. Moyes? substitutions and instructions were contradictory to each other. Frantically waving your team forward as you bring on an extra centre back, for a midfielder, is a rather big oxymoron.

A trip to Anfield waits in two days with Everton looking for their first win on enemy soil in 13 years. Everton's ability to raise their game for the big occasion has been prominent in recent weeks. That ability will need to be shown, on Tuesday, as David Moyes goes in search of his first win at Anfield.

Ratings:

Howard 7 Neville 6 Heitinga 8 Distin 8* Baines 7 Drenthe 6 Osman 7 Fellaini 7 Coleman 6 Cahill 6 Jelavic 7

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