What a disappointment that was. I genuinely thought we’d tonk them 4 or 5-0 today. I know we have a bad record against them lately, but even so. They were there for the taking.

We started well – like Villa, we were quickest out of the traps and battered them in the first ten minutes. But to no avail. And then, at a time when Everton were being outplayed again, up popped Louis Saha to do what he normally does against us and score. Rob Green was rooted to the spot and didn’t even see it. Instead of reacting we just went to pieces for the whole middle part of the game. It was only when Diamanti replaced Jimenez that we came to life again. Once we scored we dominated and could so easily have won. Hines spurned two cast iron chances, which summed up his whole game. And Diamanti insisted on going for glory time after time, rather than play the simple ball. But it has to be said that it’s a mystery why he didn’t start and the ineffectual Limahl look-a-like, Jimenez did.

The difference between the two sides was named Fellaini. He had an astonishingly influential game. There seemed to be two of him on the pitch on occasion. He had an absolute stormer of a game. Everything Everton did went through him. He won virtually every header, every tackle, and virtually every pass went where it was intended. A fantastic performance.

Despite the fact that we conceded two goals – again – I thought we looked we looked OK defensively. Da Costa had a great game – again – and looks so comfortable alongside Upson, who also had a good game. Faubert was very busy in the second half, but he really cannot cross a ball, can he? Spector had one or two forays going forward, but he’s no Ilunga in the opposition’s half. He improved at the game went on.

I assume Collison was subbed as he had picked up a knock. He hadn’t been on his best form but hadn’t done anything wrong. Behrami looked great operating centrally and I’d lilke to see him have a few games there. He and Parker looked very comfortable together and as usual he was buzzing all over the place. Jimenez did very little to justify his inclusion. You always felt he was about to give the ball away, and he didn’t disappoint. Scott Parker had his best game of the season. He played a much more attacking game than usual and was at the centre of everything we did going forward. He was our man of the match by a country mile. Stanislas always looks dangerous and he has a real eye for goal. He could so easily have bagged a second with a shot from outside the area which just went wide.

Franco did very well in the second half after a largely anonymous first forty five minutes. He held the ball up well but I don’t recall a single shot on goal. Hines had the proverbial mare. Nothing he tried came off and for most of the first half looked thoroughly dejected and out of place. In the second half he found himself out on the right, but it was only when Diamanti came on that he brightened up. Indeed, he had to cast iron chances which on another day he would have scored, But not today.

And then there was Diamanti. Quite why he doesn’t start a game is something only Zola can know. When he came on he changed the game. As he did against Arsenal too. He is brilliant at set pieces and inventive too. He’s also very very frustrating as he is a glory hunter. He only has to have sight of goal and he will shoot. Sometimes that’s a good thing, but not when other players have moved into good positions. He played some sublime passes forward, right to feet, and if he is given a run in the team I am sure he will come good. But where do you play him? Personally, I’d play him in the hole behind the front two, as part of a four man midfield, alongside Collison, Parker and Behrami. He’s not an out and out striker.

Part of the reason why we didn’t win today was that Zola reverted to a 4-3-3 fprmation to accomodate Jimenez. It didn’t work. At all. I hope he won’t make that mistake again.

Green 7
Faubert 6
Spector 6
Da Costa 8
Upson 7
Collison 6
Stanislas 6
Parker 9
Behrami 7
Jimenez 5
Hines 5
Franco 7
Diamanti 7

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