SUNDERLAND VS EVERTON – REVIEW

Everton had to come from behind to draw 1-1 with Sunderland on Sunday afternoon.

Everton dominated possession for large periods of the game but failed to turn it into much attacking threat and were punished when Sebastian Larsson curled a free kick home to put Sunderland 1-0 up. With a quarter of the game remaining, Samuel Eto’o picked out Seamus Coleman and as the Irish full back bore down on goal, Connor Wickham hacked him down in the box. Leighton Baines stepped up and sent his penalty low past Costel Pantilimon. Coleman was denied a clear goal scoring opportunity when Wickham intervened but the Sunderland man somehow wasn’t shown a red card. It was the second time during the match Everton were left feeling aggrieved about a refereeing decision after Jordi Gomez, already on a yellow card wasn’t given his marching orders for simulation. Gomez definitely won’t be in any Evertonian’s good books as he was also involved in the challenge that saw Gareth Barry stretchered off with an ankle injury. The game could have been so different had Sunderland had a personnel handicap but it wasn’t to be and Everton were left with a frustrating draw for the second weekend in a row.

Everton had the majority of the chances with Aiden McGeady’s effort whiskers wide in the first half while Eto’o couldn’t finish after combining beautifully with Romelu Lukaku who himself was denied by Pantimilion a couple of times. Tim Howard didn’t have much to do, a Gomez drive his only major save. James McCarthy cleared a header off the line at the death to maintain the deadlock.

Although Sunderland is a team we should be beating, there are some positives to be taken from the match. We came from a losing position to get a point away from home, we remain in the top half of the table and are now unbeaten in 6 games. McCarthy was fantastic again and Eto’o was supreme playing in the central role behind Lukaku. He once again showed what a great coup it was by Roberto Martinez to sign him.

With the positives come negatives that need to be assessed. Lukaku wasn’t at the races today and for a player we paid 28 million for he needs to step up. He has only managed four goals this season and for a striker of his undoubted talent that figure needs to increase. Even if he isn’t scoring every game, it’s important that he contributes positively to our play by creating chances or holding the ball up.

Darron Gibson came on for Barry and played poorly again. How he is playing ahead of Muhamed Besic is beyond me. He clearly isn’t up to match pace following his return from injury and I think Besic has to play ahead of him. Connor Wickham and Anthony Reveillere gave Seamus Coleman a lot of trouble down the left today and it’s important we get him back to full fitness. Ross Barkley played out wide and wasn’t involved in the game a lot. He is so much better centrally and he needs to be accommodated in that role. We lost Barry to injury and McCarthy finished the game with a hamstring complaint as our injury list begins to grow again. The draws against Swansea and Sunderland are matches we need to be winning. We need to get players back fit over the international break and go into the game against West Ham playing the proper Everton way to claim the three points.

Man of the Match: Samuel Eto’o

Player Ratings

Eoin Leeson.

https://twitter.com/LeesonEoin_EFC