Blues 1 Everton 1 .. Ron's Report

Last updated : 15 April 2008 By Richard Barker
Although Blues bossed most of the game, it looked like being one of those days when Joleon 'Plastic Face' Lescott put Everton 1-0 up late on, but Mauro Zarate came off the bench to score with a fine free-kick to earn Blues their point.

In truth, it was a surprise that Zarate was left out, given his recent form. However, James McFadden returned from injury/operation to face his former club at Zarate's expense, whilst Martin Taylor was replaced by the now un-suspended Liam Ridgewell (how he got in ahead of the also now un-suspended Franck Queudrue I cannot understand) and the newly suspended Damien Johnson was replaced by Mehdi Nafti.

The first half took a while to get going. In fact, that's a bit of an understatement - it was crap for about half an hour. Blues were generally the more purposeful team, but whilst Everton didn't create a great deal themselves, there was always Blues' defence to rely on to create something for them. Most of Everton's opportunities throughout the afternoon (plus their goal) were as a result of this really.

Blues did begin to get on top just before half-time as McFadden settled. For a while, he looked like he'd been rushed back, far, far too early. Even when he got into the game, he only looked like he was at 80%, but he began to influence things. Blues weren't helped by Seb Larsson having to go off injured midway through the first half. His replacement on the right flank was, strangely, Cameron Jerome. Jerome's pace though did trouble Everton down their left, and it was he who came closest to breaking the deadlock with a decent far post header from a McFadden cross as half-time approached.

The second half, in fairness, Blues played very well, but without scoring. Ridgewell missed a glorious chance when, if he'd been at the other end, you'd have backed him to beat Maik Taylor 100 times out of 100 (I'm not sure if that's more of a reflection on Taylor or Ridgewell…). Tim Howard also had a superb game in goal, brilliantly saving a surreal Radhi Jaidi effort in which the big oaf of a Tunisian centre half did his best Marco van Basten impression before denying McFadden with the follow-up. I'm not sure what makes Howard tick (probably the Tourette's), but he was superb.

And then, Blues being Blues, Everton scored. It was a mess of a goal which involved the ball looping across the face of the goal, and the lack of imposing defenders or goalkeeper hindered Blues and Lescott was able to nod in from close range despite the appeals. Not long later though, Zarate curled in a wonderful free-kick leaving Howard completely motionless (for once) and that was that.

As for the game, well, Blues deserved better, I think. I was with a "neutral" for this game, and he agreed, so I'll go with that. With respect to performances, Zarate again showed the impact he can have, and you do have to question why he was left out. I know McFadden's a key player too, and he had a good game, but for once we have a bit of an embarrassment of riches in forward positions and we need to win games, not pick people who we spent a lot of money on. I know McFadden will have been busting a gut to play, but I can't help think that Zarate from the start (given his form) would have served the club better.

On another point re: the forwards, since his hat-trick against Spurs, Mikael Forssell has been awful. He went off injured at half-time and was replaced by Garry O'Connor. O'Connor appears to be the latest target for stupid people. There were groans when he came on, and as soon as he touched the ball for the first time, certainly around me, there was abuse being shouted at him by individuals. Well, O'Connor actually played a part in Blues beginning to control the game, because whereas Forssell had been a waste of a shirt up front, O'Connor did a good job. Sure, not everything came off, but I felt he played well. I'll also grudgingly accept that Gary McSheffrey was NOT AS BAD as usual. He wasn't fantastic and still made errors, but he was better than usual.

As for the result, well, it's that time of the season where you judge how good your result is against how other teams have got on (rightly or wrongly). With Everton flying three months ago and Blues struggling, you'd have happily taken a 1-1 home draw with them, and the truth is, you probably would most times. They're a decent team. In fact, given the lack of depth to their squad and the fact that they've had no strikers at some points this season and they rely so heavily on Arteta, Cahill and Osman who were all out against Blues and have all had problems this season, they're doing a remarkable job and punching above their weight.

However, with Bolton winning (as expected) and Fulham winning (tearing up the script), it really wasn't such a good result and just drew Blues back into it. I'm a little bit caught in two minds. I'll keep taking the points through draws as they come, but I do feel that Blues still need one win this season, and this was more of a chance than in their next two games at Villa and at home to Liverpool. Granted, one's a local derby, and as the entire world will tell you, "anything could happen" and the other could be against a weakened Liverpool side. Fulham have Liverpool next week though, and there could well be a weakened side out for that one. Let's face it, Blues fans will scream blue murder of Torres and Gerrard are dropped next week against Fulham, but then for the following week will be praying they're left out against us. Football fans, huh? Blues needed Reading to beat Fulham, and although it's dragged Reading back into it, Blues needed Fulham to be dead in the water which they would have been had Reading won.

So, one win and maybe a draw (or two) should do it now, but I really don't want it to be left until the last two games, as if Fulham have a chance of stopping up down at Craven Cottage in their final home game of the season, that will be very, very tough, and although Blackburn at home is winnable last game of the season, you'd have to say it would be hard not to let nerves take over.

Let's just beat Villa and Liverpool and be done with it, huh? At the end of the day, what have those two done lately?