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Drenthe goes from hero to villain

Queens Park Rangers 1 - 1 Everton

Match Summary

No Jack Rodwell but at least Nikica Jelavic and Leon Osman were deemed fit enough to sit on the bench, with Neville and Cahill preferred. Drenthe and Pienaar on the wings to hopefully provide width and creativity as Everton continue without the mercurial inspiration provided by Landon Donovan's all-too-brief visitation.

Tim Cahill smashed one off the bar in the fourth minute, from an excellent header played back by Fellaini at the near post off a Neville throw. Everton had the first corner but it was defended away and the blues had to be alert at the other end as QPR responded with a corner of their own.

A soft Drenthe foul led to a good delivery that was thankfully behind the QPR attacker as the hosts kept getting in behind the Everton defence. Drenthe got to put in a free-kick of his own but it was very poorly executed; however, he won one on the other side that Baines put in well.

Wright-Phillips got clipped and Kevin Friend gave QPR a dangerous free-kick that forced a tremendous save off Buzsaky's curling effort. A far better effort from Drenthe found Heitinga on the far post and it was harder not to score, but the Dutchman failed to wrap his boot around it from 2 feet out, and he then completely wasted a free-kick from the half-way line. Pienaar's deflected cross forced a tip-over from Kenney resulting in a good corner from Baines.

Wright-Phillips got behind a couple of good attempts and failed but Drenthe showed hin how it was done from well outside the area, a tremendous shot from a good layoff by Pienaar, and an excellent Everton goal.

At the other end, danger was only just averted as another dangerous free-kick careened off the wall and seemed headed to the opposite side of Howard's goal and just over.

But it was hero to zero for Drenthe, making a poor tackle that got him booked and gave QPR yet another free-kick which was delivered well and Zamora got the final touch with Howard perhaps standing too far back.

Then Everton won a dangerous kick of their own that was delayed by the antics of a squirrel on the pitch! Enough to put off Drenthe who drove his kick into the wall. Pienaar made a tremendous run and fed Fellaini whose brilliant cut-back El Traca just failed to convert.

QPR then got behind the Everton defence yet again and manged to hit both posts in an attack that incredibly failed to put then ahead, while at the other end Fellaini seemed to conjour a good chance but could not convert. But a pretty entertaining game with lost of goalmouth action at both ends!

Fellaini should have done better when gifted the ball but he looked for a pass rather than pressing the QPR goal. Some good possession football from Everton on occasions but it only led down cul-de-sacs. They failed to get a grip on the game as the hour-mark passed and Howard had to punch away another corner, while the appearance of Nikica Jelavic from the subs' bench was accompanied by Leon Osman, replacing Drenthe and Cahill.

Jelavic looked to get involved at every opportunity but nothing was coming off, while Buzsaky had a poke form 25 yards that went over for QPR, and Taarabt drove across Howard's goal but past the far post. The changes were meant to enliven a flagging Everton side but it was QPR who got the bit between their teeth while the Blues were far too lackadaisical when they did gain possession from the marauding Rangers.

Osman won a dangerous free-kick off Wright-Phillips that Baines swung in but Fellaini was offside in the follow-up. Pienaar and Baines were doing their best down the left but QPR were holding firm and effectively denying them space and usually preventing a telling final ball to the pair of big strikers,Jelavic and El traca, showing signs of starvation in the middle.

Into the final 15 mins and this one could go either way, with both teams fighting and scrapping to gain the ascendancy. A bizarre free-kick from Buzsaky saw him scoop the ball high over Howard's goal from a standing position...

Moyes seemed to call it quits with 2 mins left, swapping Stracqualursi for Coleman in an admission that this attempt at 4-4-2 had failed to yield the required end product in a disappointing second half for Blues fans. Fellaini did get a shot on Kenney but play was pulled back. Jelavic tried to dribble through but couldn't as a late Everton corner came to nothing.

An eight-game unbeaten run for Everton but no revenge for that dreadful opening loss at Goodison Park.

Everton: Howard; Hibbert, Heitinga, Distin, Baines; Drenthe (62' Osman), Neville, Fellaini, Pienaar; Cahill (62' Jelavic); Stracqualursi (88' Coleman).
Subs: Mucha, Jagielka, Gueye, Barkley.

Quotes or other material sourced from ToffeeWeb Match Report Page

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