DAVID MOYES must be sick of the sight of West Bromwich Albion. The side who in November inflicted the heaviest defeat of Everton’s season have now completed their first league double over the Toffees since 1978-79.
But whilst the Baggies could celebrate securing Premier League survival for another season, and did so amid a carnival atmosphere at the Hawthorns, for Everton the final away game of the season – and the subsequent journey home – was an angry one.
Youssuf Mulumbu’s 10th minute strike condemned the Toffees to a tenth defeat of the season, and puts paid to any lingering hopes that a stuttering Spurs could be overhauled in sixth place before the campaign’s end.
Moyes’ side should be safe in seventh, although Stoke could bypass them with victory in their final two fixtures. It would represent an improvement upon last season’s finish, but still the cries around the west Midlands were of missed opportunities, irritating inconsistency and the need for subtle, yet significant changes.
To be fair, it was not just the supporters who felt the frustration. Phil Neville’s reaction to being substituted late on was as telling as it was out of character, whilst Diniyar Bilyaletdinov – the man who replaced him – must be wondering when his Goodison career will catch a break. The Russian was sent from the field within five minutes of his arrival, having seconds earlier missed the visitors’ best opening of a disappointing second period.
His dismissal, a straight red card for a lunge on James Morrison which looked worse than it was, was undoubtedly a harsh one, but his reaction to the taunts of the Albion supporters as he left the field was ill-advised, and could land him in hot water with the FA.
Moyes continued the irate theme after the final whistle, as he refused point blank to speak to the media – a decision which will also prompt a fine from the Premier League. The Scot “had somewhere to be” according to his opposite number Roy Hodgson. The general consensus was that “somewhere to be” meant anywhere but having to explain away this particular performance.
It is not that Everton were especially bad. Indeed, for large parts of the contest they looked the more assured side. They forced a dozen corners and had 23 attempts on goal. They may even have had a second-half penalty when Neville’s volley struck Paul Scharner’s arm.
Yet to argue that they deserved more from the game is difficult. Albion had, in goalscorer Mulumbu and the excellent Peter Odemwingie, the game’s two outstanding players, and created the more clear-cut openings. For Everton, the fact they have scored just 20 goals in their 19 away league fixtures tells its own story. The fact that they failed to breach a defence that had not kept a clean sheet in 35 Premier League games tells another.
Once more, it was Victor Anichebe who was asked to lead the line on Saturday. The Nigerian international had impressed plenty with his endeavour in last weekend’s win over Manchester City, and had spent the week talking up his chances of establishing himself as a first-team regular at Goodison Park.
