A hard-luck home defeat represented a Boxing Day blip for Roberto Martínez’s Everton 12 months ago. One year on and Stoke City’s slender victory barely registered as a surprise, such is the downward turn in Everton’s form and fortunes.
Mark Hughes’ team replicated Sunderland’s 1-0 win at Goodison Park from 12 months ago courtesy of a first-half penalty from Bojan Krkic that arrived seconds after Jonathan Walters escaped a red card for a professional foul on Leighton Baines. The Everton manager can complain long and hard about the referee Lee Mason’s decision but once again his team were low on quality and inspiration when and where it mattered.
Martínez claimed it is the “footballing compliment” of opponents “doing different things and changing the way they play when they are facing us” that is responsible for Everton’s underwhelming league campaign. The reality is no one has had to reinvent the wheel to stifle his team this season and Stoke, with two compact, hard-working banks of four, were the latest side to expose a lack of ingenuity in the Everton ranks. Not that Goodison’s grievance at the latest defeat was unjustified.
For half an hour the contest was as mediocre as might be expected between two inconsistent mid-table teams with only five league wins to their name.
A series of stoppages for injuries to the recalled John Stones, his central-defensive partner Phil Jagielka, Romelu Lukaku and Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross added to the torment and generated 10 minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half, although by then the game had mercifully, spitefully sprung to life.
Martínez’s men finally threatened after the half hour and should have been ahead, complete with a one-man advantage, before Stoke went in front. First Kevin Mirallas’ low shot deflected off Glenn Whelan, wrong-footed Asmir Begovic and sailed narrowly wide of the near post. The resulting corner from Mirallas dropped to Gareth Barry at the back post but the midfielder miscued with his lesser-spotted right foot and the ball sailed across the face of goal. Then came the game’s major controversy.
Barry picked out Baines running behind the Stoke defence and the England left-back was hauled to the ground by Walters, his position as the last man beyond dispute. Baines was not in control of the ball but closing in on a perfectly-weighted pass and that was the only possible explanation for the yellow card that followed for Walters from Mason. The referee took the easy option and seconds later Goodison’s fury erupted when Mason pointed to the penalty spot after Bojan broke down the left, cut inside James McCarthy and went down under a touch from the Everton midfielder. Bojan tucked the spot-kick inside Tim Howard’s right hand post.
Mirallas squandered a glorious chance to level during the extended injury time, Steven Nzonzi cleared off the line from Steven Naismith and Martínez was forced to replace his goalkeeper and captain during the interval due to knocks. Everton’s endeavour could not be faulted in the second half but they created little and Stoke absorbed the pressure comfortably.
we are just the pits at the moment and it is embarrassing. I know we can't be expected to win every game, but we are utter shite at the moment - enough is enough and I'm afraid Bobby now needs a serious arse kicking #ASSKICK#because we just can't go on like this. With the talent we have in this team, we should be scoring mountains of goals and you can't keep using the injuries as excuses, it's like we just can't be bothered anymore.
