Criminal incompetence in front of goal costs Everton dear

Everton 0 - 1 Fulham

Everton started the new season at home to Fulham with a quite ridiculous loss after they squandered a plethora of chances to score.

Sean Dyche was without Dwight McNeil, Seamus Coleman, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin who was not risked as his protection continues in an effort to get him fully fit for the rigours of the Premier League. 

Other missing players were Demarai Gray, who may be moving to Fulham, and Jean-Philippe Gbamin, who may be injured.

Potential debutant Arnaut Danjuma was only on the bench along with Jarrad Branthwaite as Dyche eschews any risks that youth may bring and instead decides to stick with experience in the form of the players who were largely responsible for last season's dismal record in the Premier League. 

Fulham kicked off in bright sunshine but gave it away to Maupay who fired wastefully wide.  At the other end, Fulham sliced through the Everton defence to the far post with shocking ease but Caireney volleyed the corner high over the Gwladys Street goal. 

After another scare, Everton broke quickly and Doucouré found himself in an excellent position but fired too close to Leno who stuck out his foot to save. The ref then watched the Fulham keeper blatantly pick up a backpass off a goal kick but just made them retake it rather than award an indirect free-kick to Everton. 

Fulham were like tigers whenever they lost possession, double-teaming poor Garner, whereas Everton were far too casual to keep the ball, Patterson giving it away sloppily. Then a poor ball from Onana surrendered possession. The contrast was shocking.  

Iwobi did well to win the ball and feed Doucouré but he was too easily dispossessed, albeit for a corner that came to nothing. But Everton did break with a great crossfield pass from Onana to Iwobi who ran in on goal but shot into the defender for a corner. Gueye tried to shoot but he was blocked. Maupay shot at goal but he was flagged offside. 

Onana tried a hard pinpoint pass forward to Doucouré that bounced back off him but Maupay found Iwobi and he tried to shoot on goal but it flew wide. Fulham had the lion's share of possession and were playing the ball around like they were the home side, but they were not actually getting all that close to the Everton goal. 

Onana was floored but the referee played advantage which came to nothing for Everton. Maupay had another chance to advance with the ball but hesitated appallingly and Robinson stole the ball off him. Then Willian stood on Garner's foot and rightly saw yellow from Stewart Atwell.  The free-kick was difficult for Tarkowski to do much with at the far post.  

After a spell of Fulham pressure, Iwobi had another great probing run but it all broke down just too easily. But another great ball out to Iwobi was crossed well to Doucoure and fell to Maupay who should have scored but could only bundle it into Leno. 

Leno collected a cross but then dropped it with Tarkowski backing into him as Keane rolled the loose ball into the net but Atwell immediately disallowed it, with no from the VAR. Everton got a free-kick after Garner's shirt was pulled but his free-kick was easily defended by Fulham. 

Iwobi showed some tremendous speed and skill down the left and crossed well to Onana who shot it straight at Leno. Maupay again got a brilliant through ball played to him but could only toe-poke a poor shot straight at Leno. Gana was next to go on a decent run and lay it off to Patterson but his effort at goal was just ridiculous. 

More decent build-up play, this time down the right with Garner who fed Maupay, but he could not get any power into his shot which Leno saved with ease. The first half ended with only 1 minute of added time, and provided a painful testament to Everton's chronic inability to score from a host of chances, Maupay especially profligate. 

The second half started pretty scrappily with a string of throw-ins. Garner did very well to bring the ball out of defence and there was another nice through-ball to Maupay but up went the offside flag again. At the other end, Patterson headed behind under no real pressure. Another corner followed, Lukic shooting well wide.  

A couple of Fulham free-kicks came to nothing but on the next Fulhamm attacj Jiminez hit the post with Pickford well beaten and the rebound then fired well over.  Silva decided on a couple more changes. 

Patterson tried a shot from a distance after a corner but it was well blocked. Some nice football saw Young cross well but it evaded Patterson, the defender just getting a touch. Better forward play won another corner that finally roused the faithful. 

Garner's corner caused havoc but everyone missed it and went out for another when worked around. That was headed clear by Diop, towering above everyone. Mitrovic felt something in the melé and had to go off after just 5 minutes. But then decided perhaps he could carry on and Vinicius sat back down.

Iwobi did well to create space and shoot, forcing a parry from Leno straight to Patterson who shined it straight onto the bar with the goal gapping! A really shocking miss. 

At the other end, a threatening drive by Wilson but he shot over. Bar this rare venture, Everton kept pushing forward now, but the squandered chances were becoming a massive burden. Arnaut Danjuma replaced Neal Maupay to a good crowd response – for one or the other.

But instantly, from a good cross by Reed, Cordova-Reid scored from virtually nothing as the cross evaded Pickford. What an absolute disaster!

Everton tried to respond but Cordova-Reid came very close again with an almost identical move for the goal. The Bues tried to build painfully slowly now down the right, Graner getting fouled.

Gwladys Street screamed for a push in the area but the ball was then moved forward at pace by Fulham, winning a corner. Everton cleared it but the build-up was laboured. Eventually, Onana scooped a weak shot in for Leno to catch. Dobbin came on with 7 minutes plus to go. 

Another incredible chance came with a good cross that Dobbin headed backward and Iwobi could not convert at the far post when confronted by the unbeatable Leno. From the corner, Keane headed the ball straight to him. Danjuma then had a good drive down the left but again Leno grasped the ball. 

Fulham worked the ball to Mitrovic but his low shot was straight at Pickford. From a Fulham corner, a shot was blocked by Tarkowski's elbow but strangely no penalty given – even with the VAR review. At the other end, Doucure tried to drive through, eventually winning a corner.  Gueye tried his usual shot which missed but was slightly deflected, The corner was worked around to Tarkowski whose header flew past the far post. 

Silva was booked for something as 6 minutes of added time went up. Danjiuma was released to run on goal but he couldn't score either, and was then flagged offside. A final free-kick was headed goalward by Keane who was then flagged offside – a fitting end to a really painful exhibition. 

Everton: Pickford, Patterson, Keane, Tarkowski, Young, Gana, Onana, Doucoure, Garner (83' Dobbin), Iwobi, Maupay (72' Danjuma).

Subs not Used: Virginia, Mykolenko, Gomes, Godfrey, Branthwaite, Cannon, Onyango.

Fulham: Leno; Tete [Y:87'], Ream, Diop, Robinson; Reed, Lukic, Wilson, Cairney (58' Pereira), Willian [Y:30'] (46' De Cordova-Reid); Jimenez (58' Mitrovic).

Subs not Used: Rodak, Bassey, Mbabu, Dibley-Dias, Stansfield, Vinicius.

Attendance: 38,940

 

 

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