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Post by Everton News. on Sept 19, 2015 17:01:18 GMT
Everton substitute Kevin Mirallas sent off in stalemate at SwanseaSwansea 0 - 0 Everton Everton’s Kevin Mirallas leaves the field after his red card at Swansea. There was a moment shortly after the half-hour mark when former team-mates and rival managers Roberto Martínez and Garry Monk both ventured towards the edges of their technical areas and stood surveying the action unfolding before them. A dapper duo, both looked a picture of louche serenity as, without comment or gesticulation, they just stood and watched their players like racehorse trainers admiring a particularly fine thoroughbred going about his morning gallop. Each had every right to feel pleased as this was a splendid game of football either side could have won, but neither deserved to lose. Kevin Mirallas, the Everton substitute saw red in time added on for a petulant studs-up lunge. A game that ebbed and flowed, sometimes gently and often frenetically, was low on goals but presented no shortage of quality, with both sides setting out their stalls as attractive, ball-playing outfits for whom needlessly hoisting the football skywards is anathema. Which is not to say that the ball doesn’t occasionally leave the ground; James McCarthy’s cross from the right after nine minutes was just a little too high for Arouna Koné, while John Stones, more used to playing the ball out along the deck, had Everton hearts in mouths as he misjudged the flight of a Kyle Naughton cross that allowed Bafétimbi Gomis to unleash an acrobatic scissors kick from 10 yards that was straight at Tim Howard. Moments later, the French striker, looking for his fifth goal in six matches, sent a diagonal drive fizzing past the upright. In a tight first-half in which either set of fans could justifiably claim their side had the edge, both teams squandered chances. Undroppable following his hat-trick against Chelsea last weekend, Steven Naismith was put through on goal after neat link-up play by Koné and Romelu Lukaku, only to be denied by a splendid saving tackle by Neil Taylor. A constant menace, the Scot was later foiled by Lukasz Fabianski after firing through a thicket of legs from outside the penalty area, after Swansea had failed to clear a free-kick. For 10 minutes following the interval, it was Everton who dominated, with the increasingly impressive Ross Barkley acting as marionettist with assorted team-mates dancing to his tune. He was not Swansea’s only tormentor, with Gareth Barry teeing up Lukaku only for the Belgian to balloon a close range effort over the bar and then having one deft effort from a tight angle blunder-bussed off the line in the strongest possible terms by Ashley Williams. The Everton right-back Brendan Galloway also went close, performing a nimble soft-shoe shuffle to turn his man and drill wide. As the second half progressed, Swansea played their way back into contention with Jonjo Shelvey and Jack Cork regaining a foothold in their midfield battle with Barry and James McCarthy. In for Wayne Routledge, Jefferson Montero forced a fine close-range save from Howard with a viciously whipped effort after twisting Galloway’s blood on the edge of the penalty area. Quite how this match remained scoreless is baffling, with chance after chance falling for players of both teams as they chased all three points. Gylfi Sigurdsson hit the side-netting with a free-kick from the edge of the penalty area, before Gerard Deulofeu, on for Koné, squared tantalisingly across the edge of the Swansea six-yard box only for the ball to somehow evade all present. After Gomis had shot straight at Howard from distance, Everton retaliated in rat-a-tat style: Galloway shooting over and Lukaku forcing another lunge from Taylor either side of Jack Cork shipping a surface-to-air screamer in the crown jewels from a visibly grinning McCarthy. As the sides continued to trade blows, the last word went to Mirallas, whose idiotic challenge on his fellow sub Modou Barrow resulted in his dismissal less than five minutes after taking to the field. Guardian
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Post by dorf on Sept 19, 2015 18:50:01 GMT
Can't believe we didn't win this. It sounded like Lukaku missed a shedload chances. Would have taken the draw but after hearing that we missed so many chances I'm really disappointed we drew.
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Post by juddablue on Sept 19, 2015 19:15:37 GMT
Can't believe we didn't win this. It sounded like Lukaku missed a shedload chances. Would have taken the draw but after hearing that we missed so many chances I'm really disappointed we drew. Me too I am taking solice from a point But for a non show from Rom we really have beat them They are a great team and will do well this season Monk has a talent We were a mature version of them today good sign for our future me thinks
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Post by Avinalaff on Sept 19, 2015 21:20:17 GMT
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Post by dorf on Sept 20, 2015 9:07:49 GMT
So frustrating to watch. We really need to be beating teams like that if we want to compete for the top 4 position. I wonder if Rodriguez would have buried one of those chances? Have to put it behind us and make sure that was just a one off.
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