Tim Howard - We should have put Leicester away

Tim Howard shared manager Roberto Martinez’s frustration that Everton couldn’t convert their first-half dominance into three points in the season curtain-raiser at Leicester.



The Blues were four minutes away from starting the campaign with a victory, only for substitute Chris Wood to earn the Foxes a 2-2 draw.



Aiden McGeady and Steven Naismith scored in the first half but the Blues found it more difficult to breakdown the hosts after the interval.



Howard told evertontv: “There wasn’t a lot of chances but I thought that on the ball we were good. It’s possible that levels do drop because we are just coming out of pre-season and everyone is trying to catch their second wind.



“We took the lead twice and we should be putting teams away but we didn’t do that. They have got two unlucky goals from our standpoint but they took them well.



“Leicester worked hard and created opportunities out of nothing. We did dominate possession and created a rhythm that they couldn’t really live with but in the end it doesn’t count for anything if you don’t make them pay.



“It might take one or two weeks to get up to speed but we are close. It showed today that from a passing standpoint and how we want to play tactically we are spot on.”



Everton’s next two games are home clashes with Arsenal and Chelsea.



Howard acknowledges that, on paper, they are difficult matches but believes they are great opportunities to lay down a marker early in the season.



He added: “We got three draws last year going into the Chelsea game and then we know what happened.”