Another disappointing result passes us by as the RS escape Goodison with a point yet again…
A scrappy game was probably memorable for Martin Atkinson making some bizarre decisions that pretty much favoured the RS 80% of the time. And we are left yet again thinking of what could have been as Martinez continues his run of never beating them in a game that probably constituted his best chance so far.
Howard managed to give them yet another stupid goal by bravely staying on his line and watching the tattooed biff Ings nod the ball into the goal (although the marking was terrible) to give them the lead before the Red Might played pinball with a cross from the disappointing Ged Deulofeu allowing Lukaku to slam it home.
It was possibly the best 90-minute display from Lukaku I’ve seen for some time actually, with him holding the ball up well. He didn’t get into the box enough some times for me but that was due to Ged and Lennon not really making the most of the chances they had to run at people – he had to drop back a lot to collect the ball with his back to goal. Let’s hope he comes back safely from Euros duty this week. In fact we hope that Origi plays instead of him for Belgium. Sounds about right.
In terms of the refereeing, everyone around me on Sunday was determined that Atkinson was against us but I didn’t really feel like that. I didn’t see the Barkley incident very clearly so assumed that he’d deserved his ridiculous booking for example. However, two moments showed him up to be the numpty that he is when he failed to send off Lucas following that stupid second ‘yellow’ that never was and then, probably worse, was letting them take a rolling-ball free-kick 10 yards away from the offence in the centre of midfield which the excellent Funes Mori managed to just reach with his out-stretched toe before Sturridge was through on goal. Fewmin I was.
This was possibly our best chance of getting a result against them for a while as the loveable Rodgers has now left, with Shanks putting a ghostly arm around him and taking him to the Bootroom in the sky no doubt. The favourite seems to the loon Klopp, who could be incredible for them or disastrous. Guess which one I’m hoping for? I certainly think he’d raise the passion in their team though which could make the Derby a red card-fest once more. Lovely. Hopefully Mirallas will be back for some more leg-snapping hilarity.
Elsewhere, our makeshift defence (apart from Howard) were superb, with Jags holding things together superbly. Stones will have a job getting back into the team (although obviously will). This gives us a chance of easing him back in though with Funes Mori fitting in well. Anyone got Tim Vickery’s phone number?
Barkley flitted in and out of the game making poor decisions at times and Naismith does what he does (that header would have been lovely but it was a missed chance) and we saw enough to suggest that we could give Man United a game in a fortnight. Especially as it will put us level on points with them – what we thought could be a poor start has seen us just a few points off the top somehow. COYB!!!