CHANGE was in the air at Goodison on Saturday. But for the supporters making their way home after a highly-charged afternoon, it was clear many things remain very much the same.
What started with a peaceful protest against the Everton board ended with affirmation it will take more than a traumatic transfer deadline day and the ongoing financial restraints to dent the unshakeable spirit within David Moyes’s squad.
Oh, and the fact Moyes’s side just cannot beat Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Not since March 2006 have the Midlanders been vanquished in the top flight, a run of 11 games without victory for Everton. That, though, should have been addressed here.
Life after Mikel Arteta began in rollercoaster fashion as the Goodison outfit, without a recognised striker in their starting line-up, twice fought their way into a deserved lead only to be pegged back on each occasion.
Frustrating. But there were certainly enough positives to justify the manager’s assertion the team is not stagnating, even if progress may have slowed to a temporary halt.
Earlier in the day, around 500 supporters had taken part in the peaceful protest march up to the stadium organised by The Blue Union.
However, 27 minutes into the game came pause for thought in their campaign. A shot of Bill Kenwright filled the huge screens inside Goodison, instantly prompting murmurs of discontent within the Gwladys Street end.
But within moments, those jeers were comprehensively drowned out by the applause that swiftly spread throughout the rest of the home fans in support of the beleaguered chairman.
Of course, it helped that Everton were ahead at the time. Nevertheless, while The Blue Union are steadfastly determined to bring about change in the club’s hierarchy, it would appear their battle to convince the majority of the Goodison faithful may take just as long.
The team itself, though, were afforded full backing from everyone of a Blue persuasion from the first whistle on Saturday, and the players responded with a stirring performance that deserved greater reward than a solitary point.
Tim Cahill, enthusiastically reprising his role of three seasons earlier as a makeshift forward given the absences of Victor Anichebe and Louis Saha through injury, set the tone his team-mates were swift to follow.
That included those on the bench. Much has been made of Everton’s lack of squad depth but, strikers apart, Moyes has an encouraging mixture of experience and youth.
The latter almost won the game in the closing stages, Ross Barkley’s scintillating 30-yard run in injury-time feeding Apostolos Vellios for an effort that drew an outstanding save from Villa goalkeeper Shay Given.
Vellios, who moments earlier had trickled a good chance agonisingly wide, also underlined the difference a genuine forward can make, albeit one up against a tiring and overworked Villa defence.
