Today's team looks more balanced with two seniors on the bench. Last match as you remembered, was fear-inducing - The entire bench were filled with youngsters. This game also sees a young striker Jose Baxter eclipsing James Vaughan to become the youngest player to start a game. All of 16 years and 198 days.
Everton starts the game looking a little bit more confident but it was WBA that pegged the Toffees back with their quick inter-play. But so far, Everton has accounted themselves quite well though with Baxter and Rodwell being pretty composed. That bodes well for the future. Lescott and Arteta are also influencing the game.
Arteta made a change to the centre of the field in the middile of the first half as he had no breath to play on the right. Rodwell switched to the right, while Baxter has to be pushed to the left, leaving Yak to play alone upfront.
Not much of a threat and the game looked to be patering off even before they have started. WBA is having a good stranglehold of the game and even with Ossie's direct play through the centre, he would very quickly be surrounded by four or five WBA players. This literally left Yak stranded. The only channel to a possible goal was through dead ball situations led by Arteta. But so far, it has not reaped any dividends.
In the second half, Everton started on the back foot once again. A good pass carved Everton's defence open and the opposing striker was one-on-one with Howard who made himself big and ensured that the ball did not end up in the back of the net.
Moyes just had to do something and fortunately, he has in his arsenal James Vaughan who was not even considered fit on Friday.
He was thrown into the thick and he made the difference, running and chasing every ball.
In the 62nd minute, Rodwell placed the ball in the goal but the referee said no. Truly so no reason why. Then within a minute, Everton is ahead. Arteta trodded up the right channel, placed the ball nicely into the path of Ossie, who then did a little shimmy and tucked the ball neatly into the left corner.
But WBA has not given up and they continue to peg at Everton's goal. But Ossie tried from outside the box from the corner nearly putting the ball into the goal.
In the 75th minute though, Everton gave WBA a bitter pill to swallow when Lescott dispatched a long ball from defence for Yak to chase. The opposing defender allowed the ball to bounce and Yak nipped in to head the ball pass the opposing keeper. WBA 0-2 Everton. Two headed goal by Yak in as many games. Yak was then replaced by Valente to allow him a well deserved breather.
Even when WBA reduced the deficit in the 88th minute through a penalty, Everton was already smiling all their way to the bank.
Score: WBA 1-2 Everton
Scorers: Ossie, Yak
Assists: Arteta, Lescott
Sub: Vaughany, Valente
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