Season › 2011-12 › News

Blues win on Cruise Control

Everton 2 - 0 West Bromwich Albion

With the euphoria of Tuesday's FA Cup replay triumph subsiding and the semi-final with Liverpool still two weeks away, Everton refocussed on the Premier League and moved above Liverpool with a comfortable win against poor opposition in the form of Roy Hodgson's West Brom side.

Everton started brightly, with Baines and Pienaar getting back in the grove early to set up Gibson for a strike that was only a foot or so high. Gibson got a knock but recovered to take the first corner, won by Cahill. Some poor ball control and atrocious passing allowed WBA to come back into the game a little but things were not clicking until some neat work by Osman and an quick one-two enabled him to score with a deflection.

Everton had a huge escape when Scharner was allowed waltz in and shoot, Howard only able to palm it across goal where the follow-up shot appeared to go behind off an excellent block from Jagielka but in fact hit another West Brom player. At the other end, Everton were getting time and space to play some nice football but the final pass was often going astray.

Pienaar took things into his own hands, running in on the WBA defence and firing a shot just wide. Fellaini reacted angrily to an ankle tap but the free-kick, like most crosses in the first half, was too close to Foster.

David Moyes withdrew goalscorer Osman at the break, bringing Magaye Gueye on to play down the left, with Pienaar crossing to the right wing. Baines picked out Jelavic fora nice header but Foster had it covered at the near post. The Croatian then went in the book for raising an arm and cathcing Ridgewell in the head.

The Blues were flagging a little, having been uninspiring since the break, and the crowd was getting nervous that a goal could go the wrong way... Cahill clipped Ridgewell and went into the ref's book for very little, and was later replaced by Anichebe.

Pienaar's excellent one-two with Anichebe was spoilt by Olsson but Jelavic tried to be a little too clever with his standing chip from the free-kick. Everton nemesis, Paul Scharner was surprisingly replaced on 67 mins hopefully reducing the chance of a gaol against... and it was Victor Anichebe who surely wrapped the game up with an excellent ground shot that beat Foster and went in off the far post. .

Better work by Jelavic and a lovely backheel set up Pienaar for an easy third goal but he took an extra touch and Foster was all over him. Pienaar then set up Jelevaic for an easy sidefoot but his shot was feeble at best and far too easy for Foster.

Jelavic was involved in a lot but his touch was too often poor, and his failure to control the ball or put the right weight on it was at best frustrating, and he was withdrawn for the last few minutes for James McFadden, as Odemwinge got an earful from his teammates!

A comfortable win in the end for a tired and lacklustre Everton side who will need to tighten up their game significantly against more determined opposition.

Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Heitinga, Baines; Gibson, Fellaini, Osman (46' Gueye), Pienaar; Cahill (63' Anichebe); Jelavic (87' McFadden).
Subs: Mucha, Distin, Neville, Stracqualursi. .

Quotes or other material sourced from ToffeeWeb Match Report Page

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