Everton 3 Chelsea 6 : Defensive Nightmare Kills Attacking Promise

By @Markthablue

Where do you begin with this? To start with I strangely feel positive about our prospects this season but we have got to learn to defend and judging by the demeanor of our centre backs, most notably Jags, it’s becoming apparent the solution may lay outside of the club.

Watching the madness unfold in a game that resembled basketball more than a football match brought home, if we didn’t know it already, that as a team and individually we are in dire need of a defensive shake up.

With rumours currently linking us to Matija Nastasić, it’s clear we need to be active in the next 24 hours if we are to progress this season.

As lack of fitness continues to dog our side as the opposition found space at will in the last 20 minutes, our midfield and defence looked like they were treading water once again. This has to improve by the time we face West Brom in what is fast becoming a must win game in a fortnight’s time.

Two goals down by the time some blues were still finishing off that ill-timed last pint before kick off and it was seemingly game over by the third minute, our defence looked like they were at a speed dating night.

No communication or understanding whatsoever as goals from Costa and Ivanovic put the visitors out of sight in no time. Ivanovic looked offside but Everton’s defensive positional play was awful to say the least.

The blues had a lucky escape when Howard, who more often than not looks glued to his goal line, suddenly found himself handling the ball outside the area before dragging it back in. Thankfully the officials missed it and a certain red card was avoided. This maintained the hope that we could get back into the game.

Everton responded in spirited fashion. Facing a mountainous challenge we looked to respond in the 16th minute with Distin’s tap in from Lukaku’s header off the bar correctly ruled out for offside. Lukaku for me should have scored.

Chelsea maintained their own threat and Fabregas saw his shot deflected off Distin just wide. Hope arrived on the stroke of half time through a terrific goal from Kevin Mirallas who met Coleman’s inch perfect cross on the run to power a header into the top corner. A goal reminiscent of Leon Osman’s against Man City a few years ago at the same end.

From a position of despair we had entered half time full of hope.

The blues started the second half much like they ended the first with Lukaku sending the ball into orbit following good work from Mirallas It wasn’t long before Chelsea’s ruthless attacks and our hopeless defending combined to give the visitors their two goal cushion and the beginning of a tsunami of goals.

Hazard, remembering he was in a game of football, broke down the left and his by-line cross was turned into his own net by the unlucky Coleman. Diego Costa, showing an Aldridge esq distinct lack of class, goaded Coleman amidst the celebrations which prompted an angry and in my mind justified response from Tim Howard. The American also squared up to Azpilicueta and received a yellow card for his troubles.

Just 120 seconds later and hope had returned – almost cruelly given our defences penchant for bursting our bubble as quickly as we’ve blown it – Steven Naismith with his assassin style instincts in front of goal,picked up McGeady’s perfectly weighted pass to finish clinically, as he always seems to do, leaving Courtois helpless to make it 3-2.

The biggest roar came a few moments later as Goodison gave a rapturous reception to debutant Samuel Eto’o. The Cameroonian looked every inch a world-class player in this stirring cameo, giving credence that we will see a more clinical Everton going forward this season. Defending aside we look fantastic in an attacking sense and once the defence is settled this team will take off, I have no doubt.

So game on….. for all of 2 minutes. As our defensive generosity, the gift that keeps on giving, struck again. Matic converting from the edge of the penalty area having had time to tie his boot laces beforehand. Utterly deflating. 4-2.

Ridiculously we were back in it 2 minutes later, with Samuel Eto’o demonstrating his class just 6 minutes after coming on by brilliantly guiding Baines’ driven free kick past the despairing Courtois to send the Gwladys into ecstasy.

I know this was a gut-wrenching day but as an Evertonian who has watched the likes of Brett Angell, John Spencer and Mo Johnston lead the line, it was incredible to see a world-class talent in Eto’o enter the fray. His presence alone shows how far we progressing under Martinez. One pass to Lukaku that the Belgian couldn’t get on the end of was footballing heaven that deserved a better outcome.

So with hope restored it was only right and proper that our generous defence picked up the tab for another concession. This time allowing Ramires to surge into the box following a 1-2 with the impressive Matic and lift the ball over the onrushing Howard for 5-3. Insanity had become normality.

Everton’s attacking spirit had not relented and they showed how threatening they can be – against the very best of defences – with a school of science move resulting in Courtois making a brilliant save by turning Mirallas’ on the run Volley onto the post.

The game was put to bed, if it wasn’t already, by Diego Costa. In a move which put Jagielka and Distin both on their rear ends, the Spanish-Brazilian picking up Mikel’s back heel to show composure and finishing well with Howard wrong footed. 6-3. Home time.

It is so frustrating we now have to enter a two-week break due to the internationals but it might be just what this shell-shocked defence needs to regain its confidence. Possibly helped by an arrival or two by midnight today, something has to happen. Recalling John Stones may be the answer but isn’t it classic Everton that when we seemed to have solved our goalscoring issues, we now have the defence right back at square one.

I don’t want to jump on a Jagielka bandwagon. He’s been a class act for us for the majority of his time here, but its clear he is not the same player he was. We need leaders on the pitch and Jagielka was noticeably muted in his verbal and body language yesterday. His confidence frankly looks shot to pieces.

The midfield were hardly helping as they failed to break up numerous attacks from Chelsea as the second half turned into a free bar for the West Londeners who were giving us the hot knife through butter treatment whenever they fancied.

The teams fitness has to get better. It is appalling this has become an issue so early in the season, but lads, it’s time to put the work in because our team is suffering badly. We should be sitting on six points, not two.

That is where the negativity ends.

The underlying positive feeling I have, despite this result, comes from our attacking play. We more than layed a glove on title favorites Chelsea and the 6-3 score-line was slightly harsh on us in my opinion.

The interplay from Mirallas, Coleman and later with Eto’o and Lukaku and the increasingly reliable goal threat from Naismith lends itself to a positive outlook as we enter September. Somebody somewhere is in line for the mother of all pastings and West Brom, your next.

A special word for Naismith. He was absolutely wonderful again on Saturday giving a performance of grit and quality in equal measure. His deadly eye for goal is becoming a real asset to us. He was Andy-Gray-like in his approach and I don’t think I’m over stating it by comparing Naismith to our 80s legend.

I can’t find a better description for Naismith’s performance than to say it was classic Everton. Long may your form continue Naisy, you deserve all the plaudits coming your way.

So we move onto Deadline day. Hopefully as exciting as last season and with a centre back seemingly the number one priority, let’s hope we get it right blues. So much hope remains for the season and this is not the end of us by any stretch of the imagination.

“I thought our attacking play was phenomenal and we have to bring that confidence into our defensive play.” Roberto Martinez

That confidence has to be back for West Brom: Time to start learning from these painful lessons at The School of Science.

Sin Miedo

Mark Ellis