detroiturk15
Player Valuation: £2.5m
22/9/15 - Reading 1-2 Everton; through to fourth round of Capital One Cup
Fresh off a game where the Blues managed to look menacing but bereft of goals against Swansea, what does Roberto Martinez do? He listens to the fine folk at GrandOldTeam.com, that’s what! You want wingers? Boom! Aaron Lennon and Gerard Deulofeu, at your service. You want tactical experimenting? Bang! A three-at-the-back formation (in name only) featuring first time starter Ramiro Funes Mori, alongside the usual suspects of Jagielka and Stones. In all honesty, it wasn’t much of a difference tactically despite the inclusion, yet again, of striker turned midfielder Arouna Kone. Lukaku was your man up front, and behind him, a trio of Kone, Barkley, and Deulofeu, with Lennon and Funes Mori playing as fullbacks.
That’s not to say it didn’t work for most of the first half. There was plenty to like from the pressing point of view, as after just two minutes McCarthy fashioned a pull back that didn’t quite come off. Barkley and Kone combined again for a half chance after eight minutes, and the Blues dominated the early stage of the game, with Deulofeu using his pace on the wings to carve out low crosses that frustratingly continued to hit the first man. The former Barcelona winger had one of his usual performances that came from starting the game from the first minute, beating players nearly at will but failing to find an Everton attacker with his balls into the box. Reading did manage to make their way back into the flow of the game, but their goal against the run of play came after 36 minutes, as Reading’s leading goalscorer Nick Blackman continued his hot start to the season with a well timed header. The goal was set up by former Swansea man Neil Taylor, one of Reading’s standout performers, feeding an otherwise ineffective Ola John (who was boss on FIFA once but has since faded into Championship obscurity) to put a cross into a place neither deputy goalkeeper Joel Robles or Funes Mori could cut out. Deulofeu had a penalty appeal turned down and a couple giveaways before halftime, 1-0 to Reading.
The first change for Everton came at halftime, as Gareth Barry steadied the midfield at the expense of a somehow invisible Arouna Kone, whose white hair was only good for a few touches here and there to link up play in the first half. That was the good change. The next one was enforced, a John Stones knee-knock that at the time of writing has been determined Not Serious. A sigh of relief if nothing else, and in his place went Brendan Galloway, whom it should be known turned in another quietly decent performance. Not many can replace Leighton Baines at left back, but Galloway has definitely been adequate to this point in the season.
As a result, the Barry inclusion pushed Ross Barkley slightly further forward, where another sterling performance included the game-tying goal off a corner after 62 minutes, where a punched delivery fell ever so invitingly to the Wavertree-born midfielder, volleying into the bottom right corner and aided ever so slightly by an onside Lukaku. 1-1 then, and from there the match had the feel of an Everton lead and subsequent leveller to take it into extra time. Ten minutes of attrition later, and the Blues had their rightfully deserved lead. A Barkley run was stopped illegally by Michael Hector, and the resulting free kick was dispatched by the Catalonian Deulofeu to give Everton a 2-1 lead. Former Wigan ‘keeper Ali Al-Habsi was at fault, but credit is due slightly to Gerry D for managing to put a free kick from that distance on target and in a tough place to stop.
Reading were quiet after their goal, and outside of a couple of Gareth McCleary attempts, Joel did an alright job between the sticks to keep the game out of extra time, and kept Everton on course for the fourth round.
Ratings:
Joel - 6.5
Lennon - 6. The Lennon at RB idea is stupid, and doesn’t work. Not surprised.
Jagielka - 6
Stones - 6.5
Funes Mori - 7. Composed on the ball and played well in both his positions
Osman - 6
McCarthy - 6.5
Barkley - 8
Deulofeu - 7.5
Kone - 5
Lukaku - 5.5
Subs:
Barry - 7
Galloway - 7
Martinez - 7.5. Subs worked, team setup was very effective. Undone by decent cross for the goal.
Fresh off a game where the Blues managed to look menacing but bereft of goals against Swansea, what does Roberto Martinez do? He listens to the fine folk at GrandOldTeam.com, that’s what! You want wingers? Boom! Aaron Lennon and Gerard Deulofeu, at your service. You want tactical experimenting? Bang! A three-at-the-back formation (in name only) featuring first time starter Ramiro Funes Mori, alongside the usual suspects of Jagielka and Stones. In all honesty, it wasn’t much of a difference tactically despite the inclusion, yet again, of striker turned midfielder Arouna Kone. Lukaku was your man up front, and behind him, a trio of Kone, Barkley, and Deulofeu, with Lennon and Funes Mori playing as fullbacks.
That’s not to say it didn’t work for most of the first half. There was plenty to like from the pressing point of view, as after just two minutes McCarthy fashioned a pull back that didn’t quite come off. Barkley and Kone combined again for a half chance after eight minutes, and the Blues dominated the early stage of the game, with Deulofeu using his pace on the wings to carve out low crosses that frustratingly continued to hit the first man. The former Barcelona winger had one of his usual performances that came from starting the game from the first minute, beating players nearly at will but failing to find an Everton attacker with his balls into the box. Reading did manage to make their way back into the flow of the game, but their goal against the run of play came after 36 minutes, as Reading’s leading goalscorer Nick Blackman continued his hot start to the season with a well timed header. The goal was set up by former Swansea man Neil Taylor, one of Reading’s standout performers, feeding an otherwise ineffective Ola John (who was boss on FIFA once but has since faded into Championship obscurity) to put a cross into a place neither deputy goalkeeper Joel Robles or Funes Mori could cut out. Deulofeu had a penalty appeal turned down and a couple giveaways before halftime, 1-0 to Reading.
The first change for Everton came at halftime, as Gareth Barry steadied the midfield at the expense of a somehow invisible Arouna Kone, whose white hair was only good for a few touches here and there to link up play in the first half. That was the good change. The next one was enforced, a John Stones knee-knock that at the time of writing has been determined Not Serious. A sigh of relief if nothing else, and in his place went Brendan Galloway, whom it should be known turned in another quietly decent performance. Not many can replace Leighton Baines at left back, but Galloway has definitely been adequate to this point in the season.
As a result, the Barry inclusion pushed Ross Barkley slightly further forward, where another sterling performance included the game-tying goal off a corner after 62 minutes, where a punched delivery fell ever so invitingly to the Wavertree-born midfielder, volleying into the bottom right corner and aided ever so slightly by an onside Lukaku. 1-1 then, and from there the match had the feel of an Everton lead and subsequent leveller to take it into extra time. Ten minutes of attrition later, and the Blues had their rightfully deserved lead. A Barkley run was stopped illegally by Michael Hector, and the resulting free kick was dispatched by the Catalonian Deulofeu to give Everton a 2-1 lead. Former Wigan ‘keeper Ali Al-Habsi was at fault, but credit is due slightly to Gerry D for managing to put a free kick from that distance on target and in a tough place to stop.
Reading were quiet after their goal, and outside of a couple of Gareth McCleary attempts, Joel did an alright job between the sticks to keep the game out of extra time, and kept Everton on course for the fourth round.
Ratings:
Joel - 6.5
Lennon - 6. The Lennon at RB idea is stupid, and doesn’t work. Not surprised.
Jagielka - 6
Stones - 6.5
Funes Mori - 7. Composed on the ball and played well in both his positions
Osman - 6
McCarthy - 6.5
Barkley - 8
Deulofeu - 7.5
Kone - 5
Lukaku - 5.5
Subs:
Barry - 7
Galloway - 7
Martinez - 7.5. Subs worked, team setup was very effective. Undone by decent cross for the goal.
