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| Fellaini salvages a point, but Blues blow chance to push on for Champions League spot. |
Both sides looked at this game with the intentions of it propelling their seasons when entering the business end of the season. Speaking of business, the transfer window closed during the week and both teams added players, Everton brought in highly rated young full back John Stones from Barnsley while Villa brought in Yacouba Sylla from Clermont Foot in France. Both sides played during the week, Everton beating West Brom 2-1 in a professional performance and Villa being beaten at home to Newcastle which added extra pressure onto the shoulders of Paul Lambert’s side as they look to escape the relegation zone.
Villa started the game the better of the two sides as Christian Benteke outmuscled John Heitinga, who had an afternoon to forget and stroked home past Everton keeper Tim Howard. Benteke, who used his intelligence all afternoon gave John Heitinga a torrid time, constantly pulling him out of position which begged the question, why didn’t John Heitinga leave the Belgian to Sylvain Distin who seemingly would have been able to utilise his pace and strength to battle every chance with Benteke.
After the goal came, Everton got the ball from Villa and started to play all different types of passes, short to feet and long to Fellaini, but Villa combated this by putting 3 men onto Fellaini to deny him much of a leap and closed Everton down quickly, pushing them back and cutting off any passes. This sparked Everton into getting the ball into the feet of Kevin Mirallas, who could use his pace and flair against Villa full back Joe Bennett. This gave Everton the impetus to push on and try to exploit the defensive frailties of Villa’s young back four.
Villa have been exposed via set pieces this season and constantly gave away corners and free kicks to Everton who, in all honesty should of tried to use the arial strengths of Phil Jagielka, Marouane Fellaini and Sylvain Distin a lot earlier than they did. Everton struck back through Victor Anichebe who scored a goal of the highest quality, backing into Villa centre back Ciaran Clark, spinning away from him and firing low into Brad Guzan’s goal.
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| Anichebe with his now known trademark turn and shot in to the far corner |
Everton didn’t stay on level terms for long as Villa got up the field 3 minutes later and as Everton failed to clear a corner correctly, a second chance cross was swung in from Ashley Westwood and Gabriel Agbonlahor headed home a free header as he was allowed too much space by John Heitinga.
For the next 20 minutes until Half Time, Everton were the better team, constantly pushing and probing for another equaliser, Leon Osman, Phil Jagielka and Darron Gibson all had shots blocked by Villa captain Ron Vlaar. Everton who haven’t beaten Villa at home since March 2006 went into half time the disappointed of the two sides and this reverberated with some Everton fans who booed the side off.
The sides reemerged after the break and Everton carried on in the way they ended the first, playing good football and trying to get back level. When Villa were on the ball they looked to play it long to Christian Benteke and hoping he knocked it down and creating chances from there. This became evident when John Heitinga failed to clear an easy header and Andreas Weimann ran in behind but fired to convert his chance. Heitinga, who will want to see the back of this game then went to clear a Villa goal kick which Phil Jagielka seemingly had controlled and jumped on his captain allowing another Villa chance which was stopped by referee Mike Jones for an offside that his linesmen didn’t see but he had seen earlier. As usual Everton’s play was coming through the left side of Pienaar and Baines but both players seemed tired and Villa quickly doubled up and nulled any attack until Darron Gibson and Marouane Fellaini offered support.
Villa who have been lambasted for poor defending recently took apart Everton near the midway point of the half. Andreas Weimann and Matthew Lowton exchanged passes until Weimann played the ball to the overlapping Joe Bennett who swung a cross into a corridor of uncertainty between Heitinga and Howard and Benteke attacked the ball and nodded Villa into a 3-1 lead. Everton defended Zonally all day and Villa tried to expose this by throwing constant crosses towards Benteke.
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| Fine header from Benteke who gave Heitinga the run around all afternoon |
This increase in Villa’s lead only added to the frustrations of Everton fans as, in the 64th minute, David Moyes brought off Kevin Mirallas for Nikica Jelavic to a chorus of boo’s as the change brought off Everton out ball option and pace against a poor Villa back four. He also brought off John Heitinga who also walked off to boo’s as his presence on the pitch lasted 19 minutes too long for Bryan Oviedo as Phil Jagielka shifted to centre half and Oviedo to right full back.
These changes had an impact as 5 minutes later, an Everton throw-in deep in the Villa half fell to Victor Anichebe who played a one-two with Marouane Fellaini. The Belgian rounded Joe Bennett and shot low into Brad Guzan’s net. Everton from here on went from strength to strength in the search for an equalizer. The Toffees bombarded Villa with long balls, crosses and short passes looking to unlock the Clarets defence.
Villa’s failure to defend set pieces cost them late on as an Everton corner was swung towards Marouane Fellaini and the towering Belgian only had to nod the ball home to give Everton an unlikely point.
Everton Lined up:
Howard
Baines Distin Heitinga Jagielka
Pienaar Gibson Osman Mirallas
Fellaini
Anichebe
Villa lined up:
Guzan
Vlaar Clark Bennett
Lowton El Ahmadi
N’Zogbia Westwood Agbonlahor
Benteke Weimann
Everton Subs: Mucha, Jelavic (65), Oviedo (65), Naismith (90), Hitzlsperger, Neville, Duffy
Villa Subs: Given, Bent, Holman (82), Sylla (79), Bowery, Dawkins, Baker (90)
Everton Man Of The Match : Phil Jagielka - The defender played out of position at right back and dealt with Gabriel Agbonlahor fairly well. When moved to centre back he stopped Christian Benteke where John Heitinga could not, nullifying the Belgians effectiveness.
Villa Man Of The Match : Christian Benteke - The Belgian did well and bagged a brace until he came up against Phil Jagielka where his effectiveness died down. He used his tactical awareness to pull away from Sylvain Distin and bully John Heitinga while he was on the pitch.
Stats.
Possession: Everton 64% Villa 36%
Cards: Everton - Osman. Villa - Lowton, Sylla, Agbonlahor, Benteke.
Corners: Everton 17 Villa 2
Shots: Everton 21 Villa 8
Fouls: Everton 7 Villa 23
Attendance: 38,121
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