Negative result leaves Moyes on a downer

Aug 20 2007 by David Prentice, Liverpool Echo

DAVID MOYES mounted a full-scale Drog search on Saturday afternoon.

Something expansive and colourful, capable of altering the outlook of a football match.

James McFadden’s inspiring cameo was as close as he got, but ultimately he was left with a post-trip crash.

“Reading were the better team against Chelsea in midweek and it was Chelsea's top quality players who baled them out,” he explained afterwards.

“Drogba lashed one in from 25 yards. Maybe that was the difference today. Chelsea had that real top edge quality to pull the game back.

“We maybe didn't have that today.”

But that didn't stop Moyes from trying.

For clubs with a combined history spanning 265 years, Reading and Everton have faced each other just four times.

But for clubs so unfamiliar with each other, both are remarkably similar in their outlook.

Hard working, resilient and spirited, they rely on one or two individuals for their inspiration.

Everton’s creative catalyst is Mikel Arteta. Reading rely heavily on Irish maverick Stephen Hunt.

On Saturday Hunt enjoyed an excellent afternoon. Arteta didn’t – and that, in essence, was the difference.

The burden of creativity the little Spaniard carries is one the Blues are keenly aware of.

It is why Manuel Fernandes was enlisted at the weekend and why Aiyegbini Yakubu has been targeted to bolster a decimated forward line.

David Moyes tried what other inventive options he had.

Stephen Pienaar was introduced in the 56th minute and showed flashes of promise, then James McFadden came on with 25 minutes left and brightened up Everton’s efforts enormously.

But it was all too little too late and ultimately a wretched goal on the stroke of half-time proved the only difference.

David Moyes had been forced to make his first change of the season when Joseph Yobo failed to shake off a groin strain and Joleon Lescott returned to centre-back duties with Nuno Valente coming in.

But the switches couldn’t be blamed for the kind of goal Zingari League sides would have been embarrassed to concede.

Ulises De La Cruz tossed in a straightforward throw-in. Everton moved in slow motion, as Lescott misread the throw, Kevin Doyle outmuscled Alan Stubbs and Hunt nipped in ahead of Tony Hibbert.

It settled the match, although for 15 minutes Everton looked like carrying on where they had left off at White Hart Lane.

If anything, the Navy Blues (the first appearance of the season of a third kit) looked over-confident.

Mikel Arteta might have shot in the 10th minute but tried to put a chance on a plate for Andy Johnson. The ball got caught in his feet and when he dug out a shot it was blocked for a corner.

Then Arteta was fouled 25 yards from goal but rather than spot the ball for a free-kick opportunity, opted to take a quick kick and keep the ball moving.

It was all very expansive and optimistic, but couldn’t be sustained against Reading’s in your face attitude.

Andy Johnson was the man highlighted as Reading’s pre-match bogeyman, following a remarkable run of eight goals in eight games against the Royals.

But he was restricted to a handful of rushed, long-range strikes until the heartbreaking moment six minutes from time when the same post was struck twice in a few seconds.

Everton had gradually built up a modicum of pressure as Moyes reassessed his options.

Already shorn of the attacking influence of Tim Cahill and James Vaughan, the Blues boss saw Victor Anichebe drop painfully to the turf after kicking the back of Hunt’s boots. He gingerly tried to continue, had another go after treatment, but ultimately had to concede defeat and allow Stephen Pienaar to come on.

The South African was bright in flashes, but it wasn’t until James McFadden followed him into the fray that Everton looked like unpicking Reading’s defensive locks.

McFadden almost rescued a point with six minutes left.

Drifting dangerously in from the right he stepped over the ball once, twice, then curled a delicious left-footed effort goalwards.

Marcus Hahnemann looked up in horror, totally beaten, but the ball bounced back off the post.

Even then there should have been an equaliser. Johnson dug the ball away from De La Cruz, but crashed the ball off the inside of the same post having done the difficult bit.

You could say Everton have done the difficult bit, too, coming through their opening three fixtures – two of them teak tough tests – with six points.

But they can’t breathe out now with Blackburn and Bolton looming.

Both will offer the same kind of physical challenge, and will ask Everton to find creative solutions to points gathering.

They didn’t quite get it right at Reading.