Everton vs. Swansea: Winners and Losers from Premier League Game
Everton and Swansea shared the points in a forgettable goalless draw at Goodison Park.
It was the first time the hosts had failed to score in the Premier League this season, but, in truth, neither side created enough to merit the points.
Having dominated the possession and the shot count, this will be far more frustrating for Roberto Martinez’s side to accept.
In a game of few talking points, Jonjo Shelvey received a red card on 72 minutes, leaving the visitors clinging on during the closing stages.
Here’s a look at the winners and losers of this game.
Loser: Leighton Baines
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Post-match Everton pieces have been crammed full of praise for Leighton Baines this season, rightly salivating over some of his relentless creative production.
This match, however, was a rare blip for the England man, who was well below his best in creative terms.
In total, he fired in 11 unsuccessful crosses, including a string of under-hit corners that never threatened the visitors.
He was also presented with two inviting free-kicks, but squandered both chances with a pair of wayward efforts.
Everton as a whole struggled with their final ball throughout the game, firing in 23 crosses from open play with just one finding a man. Baines was one of the worst offenders in this category.
Winner: Swansea City
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Swansea deserve credit for achieving what they set out to do: frustrate Everton and take at least a point back to Wales.
It’s fair to say Garry Monk’s side lacked ambition but the Swans will be delighted to leave Goodison Park with a draw.
While the visitors did occasionally stretch an Everton back four that included Gareth Barry playing as a makeshift centre-back, Tim Howard was essentially given the day off.
In fact, Swansea were the first Premier League opponent in 51 games unable to register a shot on target against Everton.
The visitors began time-wasting long before they were reduced to 10 men, exasperating the Goodison Park faithful with several drawn out throw-ins and lengthy goal kicks.
While it was frustrating to watch for home fans, as well as any neutrals, it was mightily effective and secured a valuable point for the away side.
Loser: Jonjo Shelvey
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Jonjo Shelvey is an easy target to name as a loser following his sending off.
The former Liverpool man was booked early on for mindlessly kicking the ball away in frustration.
Having scythed down James McCarthy, the referee then had little option but to send Shelvey off, leaving the visitors with 10 men for the second away game this season.
While Swansea’s adventure was limited, his dismissal ended any hope of gaining anything more than a point, ensuring his team spent the final 18 minutes camped in their defensive third.
Had late shots from Samuel Eto’o or Steven Pienaar gone in, Shelvey would have been directly responsible for the loss.
Winner: Angel Rangel and the Swansea Defence
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It’s hard to label too many players as winners in such a drab contest, but Swansea’s defence played their part to perfection.
Ashley Williams and Federico Fernandez both impressed, preventing all but two of Everton’s 33 (total) crosses from finding their target.
Neil Taylor was also strong, but Angel Rangel stood out as the game’s most effective defender.
The right-back had more tackles (five) and interceptions (four) than any player on the pitch, and he nullified Everton’s generally penetrative left-hand side.
He also recovered possession a colossal 10 times in the defensive third, contributing to Lukasz Fabianski’s low-key afternoon.
Loser: Steven Naismith
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Finally, Steven Naismith gets singled out as a loser, but several others could have easily joined him.
It just didn’t happen for the Scotland international in this game. He struggled to involve himself in any of his side’s attacking interplay and coughed up possession far too frequently.
Everton managed 17 shots in this game but only three attempts on target. All of those came in the opening stages, giving Fabianski nothing to do for the final 74 minutes.
The Toffees’ entire attacking unit must shoulder the blame for this, but Naismith was the worst of a disappointing bunch.
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