A draw was on the cards...

Everton 0 - 0 Swansea City

A draw was on the cards from the outset as, almost every time Katja (my better half) decides to attend the game, she leaves having witnessed a draw... often a goalless one.

A draw was on the cards from the outset as, almost every time Katja (my better half) decides to attend the game, she leaves having witnessed a draw... often a goalless one. The warning signs were there whilst we watched Liverpool stumble again this season, this time away at Newcastle United. It was fun watching them lose in The Brick, the atmosphere rocking. When the referee called time on that game, I said to Ste, "Time for us to mess this up then".

It couldn't be more true as it seems that almost every time we have the opportunity to move above our local rivals we seem to fail. I think it happened earlier in the season when we blew it against Crystal Palace and has happened previously. Somehow it's just typical Everton.

Sue asked if I was going the Wolfsburg game and I explained that I couldn't as I didn't have the holidays for the year as I've recently started a new job and had to put a few days holiday aside to go to Germany with Katja around the end of November so I couldn't make it. We checked the date of the Wolfsburg match in the match programme and it stated Thursday 27 November... I actually fly to Germany the next day. I can't believe I didn't notice this when we booked our flights. Graciously nobody really took the piss out of me for this blunder with exception to Gary: "You stupid prick," he said. Hard to disagree really... I'd best see about changing flights!

We finished our drinks and walked to the ground. I must have set my watch a little wrong upon returning from Lille as Z-Cars was playing and everybody was in a rush through the turnstile... though it was only 2:50pm on my watch. The main talking point was Romelu Lukaku dropping down to the substitutes bench with Samuel Eto'o starting the match. It was difficult to leave Eto'o out after his goals against Burnley. Barkley also started. Distin, importantly as it turned out, was not included on the substitutes bench. Ashley Williams, Jonjo Shelvey and Gylfi Sigurdsson all featured for Swansea. The 'referee' was Kevin Friend.

Goodison Park was sold out as Everton supporters roared the team on from the start. We began quite lively as did Swansea. Eto'o had a good effort saved by Fabianski early on. Down at the other end, Bony got in behind us and, when it looked for all the world like he was going to score, he put it just wide of the post. It looked to me like Howard clipped it round the post with his outstretched foot though regardless it was a good opportunity missed for Swansea... They also should have had a definite penalty when Alcaraz clearly handled inside the penalty area to stop a Shelvey drive. We certainly got lucky with that one.

That was as good as Alcaraz's last action in the game (who knows, maybe for the season). Why Distin was not included on the bench amazes me. Obviously we're not privy to what's gone on behind the doors of Finch Farm but, as manager, Roberto Martinez has to sort this out. Distin has been an outstanding pro his entire career and hardly ever missed a match. I can't imagine whatever he's done is that heinous that you would leave him out when it's a clear detriment to the team but who knows? The reshuffle and unnecessary impact on our team was palpable. The midfield ticks over when Gareth Barry plays. Take Barry out of midfield to drop him back to centre back and replace him with Besic was not a good move and we never re-found our rhythm in midfield after that. A straight swap from Alcaraz to experienced Distin would have been a no-brainer surely.

Anyway, the game continued and it wasn't a lack of effort from Everton, more a combination of defensive excellence from Swansea, poor tactics and selection from Martinez, and erratic refereeing from Friend. They'd really done their homework on us and I don't think we managed to get behind them once.

We need to get Barkley off the wing and make it a fight between Naismith and Barkley for the position just off the striker. I know one of them needs to drop out that way but that's tough... that's competition. To be fair, it does present a quandary of who else to play on the wing as Pienaar probably hasn't got the fitness for 90 minutes anymore; Osman hasn't the legs and Atsu isn't cutting it. The sooner Oviedo and Mirallas are back, the better. On 68 minutes, Martinez did something about this and played his last cards, bringing Pienaar and Lukaku on for McGeady and Naismith.

It always makes me chuckle how players can instantly raise their game when they realize they see a substitute ready to come on. Aiden McGeady and Samuel Eto'o both seemed to step up their game a little bit... McGeady curling one just round the post before he was substituted... Eto'o spared though winged. Jonjo Shelvey was given his marching orders for a second yellow card for obstructing McCarthy (he needn't have bothered, McCarthy would never have got to the ball) though you didn't really feel we would capitalize.

The changes nearly did it. Jagielka somehow failed to make contact on a high looping ball when any sort of touch would have resulted in a goal whilst a Pienaar half-volley at goal was blocked and drifted wide in a separate opportunity. The closest we came was right at the death however when Eto'o low cross was nudged wide by Lukaku's stretching toe (though I've just seen it on Match of the Day and he was offside anyway). That would have been some goal as there were a lot of passes leading up to it. At full-time, you had to say Swansea deserved the draw... and who knows what would have happened had they have won their early penalty.

So a draw, a little disappointing... though not exactly a disaster... certainly nothing we can't put right with two wins next week against Lille and Sunderland. It could be worse... we could be playing Real Madrid and Chelsea.

Player Ratings:

Howard: Not really a lot to do when your opponents don't register a shot on goal all game. I thought he saved Bony's early shot but otherwise he had nothing to do really. 6

Baines: Nothing wrong with his performance other than his set-pieces. We won 11 corners in the game though Baines couldn't get them right and they too often failed to beat the first man. His free kicks didn't do it either. Still, not really something you can criticize Baines for regularly. 6

Jagielka: Did fine. Kept them out comfortably. That goal at Anfield seems to have done wonders for his confidence. 7

Alcaraz: Got away with one handball. I'm not sure about him as a defender. He reads the game OK and distributes it pretty well but can't seem to head the ball. It doesn't really matter anyway. Following his latest injury setback and with his contract expiring at the end of the season, I'll be surprised if we see him play for us again. 5

Coleman: Certainly not at his best. I'm not sure if he's fully fit yet. 5

Barry: Did just fine when dropping back to centre-back though should have been left in midfield. Distin really should have been on the bench. How can you not have a replacement centre -ack on the bench when you've got seven substitutes to pick from? 7

McCarthy: My Man of the Match. Covered so much ground and really has that desire to win. Easily our best player. 8

Barkley: Often over-elaborate and not one of his finer games. He was wasted out on the wing for most of the game. Certainly not at his best but needs more time to get back to full fitness. 5

McGeady: Frustrates. Sometimes remarkable, sometimes baffling. Unlucky with that effort which curled wide before he was substituted. 6

Naismith: Not at his best either. Also not a criticism you can direct at him regularly. 6

Eto'o: He was quite starved of service though got a bit more joy on the wing later on. Kept on going though like most – not at his best. 6

Besic (for Alcaraz): He frustrates. He'll try crazy passes and throw himself into silly tackles... almost as if you're controlling him on Fifa. Needs to learn to be more pragmatic with his play. Hope he can learn as he seems to have the ability. 5

Pienaar (for Naismith): Lively but couldn't eaffect the game. 6

Lukaku (for McGeady): Always wanted the ball and didn't do badly with it but also couldn't influence the game. Was well shackled by Willams and Fernandez. Sure doesn't look a £28m player at the moment. 6

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