With injuries beginning to bite again, forcing Moyes's hand, and him talking openly of using Seamus Coleman in midfield, there's hope for a better deployment of the players availbale as Everton search for their first league win to turnaround what has become an abysmal start so far. Osman was out with bruised ribs but Cahill is declared fit and will no doubt play in that suoporting role to Yakubu, lone striker of course.
Arteta took an early corner short but Baines's lofted coss was very poor, though he then did better with a more conevtional as Everton ran everything down the left. Fulham's first shot was long range from Simon Davies. After some good early possession that chacracterteristically went
An excellent ball from Baines in to Cahill say the Everton player tumble but the free-kick was odly awarded against Cahill. Pienaar then got hold of one on off a throw-in, but straight at Schwarzer. Everton were prodcuing good approach play, Coleman going on a nice run, but the final ball as ever just not coming for the Blues.
Pienaar won a free-kick wide left that Arteta curved in but the Fulham defence were all over it. Coleman won one on the other side and Baines this time put in a decent cross. Coleman on the other side was really getting the feel for playing right midfield, and running well at the Fulham defence. Lots more sustained passing but no end result, a fliked cross ending up with the goalkeeper at the midpoint of the half.
Baines then saw some space and went for a driving run that won one corner, then another but nothing came of them. Pienaar cut in and tried a shot that was horrendous. After more dreadfully inefective possession play, Arteta saw some space and pulled off an excellent shot form distance that Schwarzer just touched around the post. Best attempt of the half.
It continued into the second half... a frustrating lack of penetration from the Blues as ever, while Fulham gained confidence from their ability to resttrain the powder-puff efforts of the almost non-existent Everton attack. Cahill tried and failed with a bicycle kick, before giving way to Osman on the hour mark. A free-kick was driven in hard by Arteta but careened off Murphy's head.
A better move saw a great cross from Coleman on the byeline that Yakubu fluffs at the near post and Osman has no belief or committment to finish at the back post. Best chance of the game gone begging. As the clock ticked on, both teams finally started to play with a little more belief and committment but the game as a spectacle was poor.
Yak did well to turn his man, advance and shoot but it just lacked the power and determination to beat Schwarzer , who palmed it away.
Bilyaletdinov came on for the last 3 mins, but odd to bring off Coleman, who is the one player that could perhaps feed Bily. Yakubu came close off a bouncing ball from Osman, but lashed it just wide. Fellaini set up Yakubu brilliantly for the last kick of teh game but his shot was quintessential powder puff suff as he passed it back to the keeper, and Howard Webb blew to end another ineffective display from the Blues.
An away draw at a bogey ground will go down as an acceptable result but really this was simply a continuation of Everton's attrocious start, with no decent attacking play or penetration on goal to speak of. The first clean sheet of the season, though... and the way Moyes thinks, that will be hailed as fantastic progress and a great improvement. Only problem is... we're now BOTTOM of the Premier League!
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