Kevin Mirallas’ greed leaves Everton goalless in draw with West Brom

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jan/19/everton-west-brom-premier-league-match-report

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The Evertonians celebrated once on a cold, bleak night at Goodison Park but only when asked by Sylvester Stallone to provide a crowd scene for his next boxing film during half-time. Dissent was in the air otherwise, within and around Roberto Martínez’s team, and their Premier League status will indeed be Rocky should this form continue.

West Bromwich Albion were as resilient as Tony Pulis demanded in keeping a third consecutive clean sheet under their new manager and Everton predictably short of solutions. Martínez’s decision to withdraw Muhamed Besic, his team’s liveliest spark, prompted a chorus of boos, so too the final whistle, while patience snapped with Ross Barkley for overplaying it more than Stallone himself. But the Everton manager’s problems ran deeper.

Kevin Mirallas missed a first-half penalty having taken the ball from the regular taker, Leighton Baines, and ignored requests from several team-mates to hand it back. The subject of interest from Tottenham Hotspur, Borussia Dortmund and Atlético Madrid then failed to reappear for the second half – a recurrence of a persistent hamstring problem, according to Martínez, who attempted to play down Mirallas’s individualism, claimed Besic was injured and praised Barkley for his perseverance against a well-drilled, tireless Albion rearguard. It was the defence a manager has to launch after one win in 13 matches, one win in 10 league games, and with ominous fixtures on the horizon and Goodison starting to turn. Martínez and his team are lurching towards trouble.

Everton have a serious problem when expected or allowed to take the game to their opponents. Against the champions Manchester City in their previous home game, and when trailing with 10 men to West Ham United in the FA Cup, they showed the intensity, aggression and movement to break down defences. When confronted by a side content to sit back and absorb pressure, however, they repeatedly struggle to find a way through. This fell into the latter category.

Pulis sought to nullify Everton’s threat from the full-back positions with a five-man midfield containing Chris Brunt on the right and Saido Berahino on the left while flooding forward on the counterattack. Everton’s reliance on shots from distance in a first half they dominated, having 88% possession inside the opening 15 minutes alone, reflected another Pulis job well done.

Ben Foster had only long-range efforts to contend with before the home side were awarded a penalty shortly before the interval. Baines and Mirallas, with a 25-yard drive and a free-kick towards the top corner, were unable to stretch the Albion goalkeeper.

Romelu Lukaku was isolated as the focal point of Everton’s attack as Barkley, Steven Naismith and Mirallas failed to provide close support but, with Goodison growing restless, Martínez’s men were given a glorious opportunity when Joleon Lescott handled inside his own area. The chance appeared to have gone when Lukaku chested Seamus Coleman’s cross at the feet of the former Everton defender but the ball bounced awkwardly on to Lescott’s outstretched arm and the referee, Michael Oliver, had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. It was the fifth penalty that Oliver has awarded Everton at Goodison in five matches.

Baines, with 15 successful spot-kicks from 16 in the Premier League, stepped forward but Mirallas took the ball from him, ignored instructions from Lukaku and Naismith to let the left-back take it and made matters worse by dragging his penalty wide. Martínez shook his head in disbelief.

Albion had chances to heighten Everton’s anxiety but Andre Wisdom just failed to connect with James Morrison’s inviting ball into the box and Craig Gardner was marginally offside when forcing Joel Robles into his first save of the night.

Everton increased their tempo and the number of crosses into the visitors’ area after the interval, to the obvious benefit of Lukaku, but chances remained at a premium. Besic went close from distance and Lukaku fired over at the end of a rare flowing move but the threat diminished in the second half, in contrast to Martínez’s problems.