Everton travelled to the East End of London on Saturday for a devilishly difficult pre-Christmas fixture at West Ham United. having lost only two of seventeen Premier League matches this season. Regardless of their untypical flying start, an inability to fully capitalise on some exhilarating displays, and an uncharacteristic porousness at the back have prohibited the Merseysiders from firmly establishing themselves in a priceless top four berth.
The Goodison Park club’s nine draws to date have included games against Newcastle United, Fulham, Reading, and Arsenal, which on the balance of play should – with a little more composure and ruthlessness – have yielded twelve points, instead of the actual three that they did. Despite the team playing football of a style which could only be dreamt of in L4 when David Moyes first took on the task of trying to restore Everton to the upper echelons, there is an understandable unease amongst supporters at the prospect of potential not being entirely fulfilled.
The paucity of cash in the Goodison coffers is no secret, a situation that has routinely led to star performers being sold, both to keep the club afloat and to finance strengthening in other areas of the squad. Moyes’ achievement in sustaining a team which competes in the higher reaches of the league while working under these restrictions has been remarkable, but with his 11year anniversary in the job approaching there are clear indications that the Scot is desperate to be operating on a more level footing with the other perennial contenders for the Champions League spots.
Similarly, the passionate and fervent fanbase at Goodison, wearied by the departure of talent such as Wayne Rooney, Joleon Lescott and Mikel Arteta, crave a return to the days when Everton were one of THE clubs to play for. For that to be the case, it is likely that when the final make-up of the league table is known on the 19th May 2013, Everton must be in the top four.
Moyes, reflecting his desire to add concrete success to his fine body of work on Merseyside, has unashamedly spoken of his team’s ultimate aim being to play Champions League football. The manager has however, stated that qualification for any European competition would be a noteworthy accomplishment. That is true, but the humdrum Europa League is not going to satisfy Everton’s bona fide world class performers, Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines.
The progression of those two – already wonderful – individuals this term has been integral to their side’s form. Both would command enormous transfer fees, paid by the game’s genuine elite, sums and opportunities which without involvement in the continent’s premier tournament, neither club nor players respectively, would be able to refuse.
Faced with this scenario, the timing of Fellaini’s needless suspension and the hamstring injury suffered by another early-season revelation, Kevin Mirallas, couldn’t have been poorer for Everton. Upton Park has proved a hazardous venue for even the most hardened of visitors upon the Hammers’ top-flight return – only Arsenal and Liverpool have previously left with maximum points.
Prior to this year’s heightened expectations, Everton would have been delighted to leave such a tough environment – having been shorn of the unique strength and skill of Fellaini, and the pace and creativity of his Belgian compatriot Mirallas – with a point. Thanks to their aforementioned carelessness though, and with a growing clutch of sides on their tails, the Toffees were in considerable need of their eventual 2-1 win.
Showcasing a degree of flexibility which has been evident in his team selections this term, and with a nod to West Ham’s rugged approach, Moyes brought Victor Anichebe straight back into his starting eleven and a player whose development has hitherto been painfully slow repaid his manager’s faith with a crucial equalising goal. Furthermore, the Nigerian’s impact hinted at a depth to Moyes’ squad which is slightly greater than it is often considered to be.
Leon Osman’s was the standout showing on an afternoon when he and his colleagues demonstrated many of the requisite qualities they will need to draw upon to sustain their presence in the company of Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and perhaps even Chelsea. Osman is a player who wildly splits opinion among Evertonians, but from a nominal starting position on the right of midfield his quick-feet and even quicker-thinking exerted a massive influence on the match.