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Tentative Everton still lack cutting edge

Michael Kenrick , 31 August, 0comments  |  Jump to most recent
Cardiff City 0 - 0 Everton

Everton ground out a second successive goalless draw as they again failed to turn impressive dominance into the goals needed to claim their first victory under Roberto Martinez.

They were let down by typically awful refereeing by Anthony Taylor who waved away a stonewall penalty by Gary Medel on Leighton Baines but a lack of incisiveness and directness resulted in just two real chances for Nikica Jelavic who saw a header brilliantly saved by Marshall and a stabbed effort fly over the bar.

Match Summary

Everton's quest for a first Premier League win of the season moves to South Wales and a top-flight clash with Cardiff City for the first time in 52 years. The first-team regulars who watched from the bench or the stands in midweek — Seamus Coleman, Sylvain Distin, Tim Howard, Kevin Mirallas and Steven Pienaar — all return to the starting line-up with Fellaini and Baines on the teamsheet in an unchanged side. Darron Gibson resumed full training but wouldn't be risked after recovering from a knee injury and Victor Anichebe still out of contention. Arouna Kone started on the substitute's bench again leaving Nikica Jelavic trying to break his duck so far this season.

The game started in the now expected fashion, with Everton retaining possession from the kick-off and passing across the back until Jagielka hoofed it upfield and Everton lost possession! But a couple of free-kicks saw them mount the first attack that should have brought a corner. And on the second attack, Jelavic was in an all-too-familiar offside position.

More excruciatingly slow PATB saw possession lost as soon as the ball crossed into Cardiff's half, Bellamy then getting away with a blatant elbow on Baines. But a great move and a brilliant rollback by Pienaar put Barkley in. From the corner, Fellaini got boxed in and then another corner decision was called against Everton, much to the delight of the noisy home crowd.

Cardiff threatened with a couple of excellent corners, Howard clawing out the second whipped in under the Everton bar by Whittingham. Everton then won a corner off a blatant hand-ball, with a few decent crosses played in from the right but all defended away.

Coleman picked up a yellow for a 'professional' foul on Kim, surely his first offence in the game. At least the linesman flagged for a very obvious Campbell offside... Jelavic was fouled as was Kim but no similar punishment; Mirallas headed well over from the free-kick.

An unbelievable sequence with Kim and Barkley evenly vying for a loose ball, Barkley winning it in the end with a superbly executed sliding tackle, saw play stopped by the linesman! and then Barkley booked!!! Then, a blatant trip of Baines inside the box by the animal that is Medel waved away, with Everton not even appealing.

Some more excellent play saw a Jelavic header deflected by Turner and then stopped by Marshall, Jelavic looked to get behind the Cardiff defence but he was offside and still could not finish. A hugely frustrating half with some shockingly one-sided refereeing.

Everton escaped a scare after the break, Kim breaking in to the area and firing across but thankfully no-one could follow up for Cardiff. The ref final;lay booked a Cardiff player for a blatant block on Baines

Barkley played in Jelavic nicely but the Croatian spooned his shot horribly. Fellaini and Campbell then tangled, Fellaini coming across a little too strong but no card. Howard stood strong behind Bellamy's free-kick.

Cardiff upped their work rate, snapping at Everton heels and pushing on but Bellamy was called offside. Everton looked ragged as Bellamy got wide of Howard, but then Everton pushed forward and Barkley tried everything he could to make space for a shot in a tight crowd of red shirts.

Jelavic looked to get played in but his ball control was shocking. An excellent set piece, Barkley drove lamely into the wall. Very poor. Mirallas then won another goo free-kick chance, dinked in by Baines, as Kone replaced the hapless Jelavic but his first touch was to give the ball away.

Some Cardiff pressure won a corner, with Kim elbowing Pienaar in the face, forcing the South African off as the kick was fired in well by Whittingham and headed out by Barkley, then forward but again possession relinquished as Everton were allowing Cardiff to pressurize them. Bout Barkley got in a run and was fouled. However, Everton still struggled to fashion that final ball that again eluded them.

Baines intercepted a Cardiff pass and looked to set up an pen move but Barkley, pulling wide, slipped over in the area and the chance evaporated. Everton had another spell of fantastic possession around the Cardiff area without manufacturing a single shot, as Bellamy was substituted.

Another attack looked to get closer, Baines crossing well and Fellaini getting the ball forward to Kone who had ventured offside. Fellaini then teed up Baines who smacked it just wide with his right foot. Kim, who had been Cardiff's best player, was then replaced by Menard.

Into the last 10 mins, and Everton showing signs of tiredness and running out of ideas, Martinez leaving it terribly late to bring on Gerard Deulofeu, with Mirallas having something of a nightmare game, the Barca lad finally getting just 5 mins for starters in the Premier League. His first contribution was to make space and whip in a shot that was at least on target, but his next poke was poor, passing it back to Marshall in the Cardiff goal.

Connolly blatantly blocked Baines again but of course no second yellow for an identical second offence. Good defending by Jagielka stopped Campbell doing anything. Ronaldoesque work by Deulofeu won an Everton corner that He whipped in, then it came back to him and he put the most amazing ball across the Cardiff goal... where was Kone? Where was ANYBODY?!?! Unbelievable opportunity just thrown away... Just maddening stuff from a toothless Everton attack, with Martinez once again failing to change things up early enough.

Another incredibly frustrating game from Everton, who once again dominated play and once again failed to create or take chances against a Cardiff team playing well beyond themselves, thanks to a very boisterous crowd and a shockingly biased bunch of homer officials.

Everton: Howard; Coleman Y:20', Distin, Jagielka, Baines; Mirallas (86' Deulofeu), Osman, Fellaini, Barkley Y:38', Pienaar; Jelavic (75' Kone).
Subs not used: Robles, Heitinga, Oviedo, Naismith, Stones.

Cardiff City: Marshall, Connolly Y:49', Taylor, Caulker, Turner, Whitts, Medel (88' Mutch), Campbell, Kim (82' Maynard), Gunnarsson, Bellamy (79' Cowie). Subs not used: Lewis, Hudson, Gestede, Noone.

Attendance: 27,344
Referee: Anthony Taylor

 

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