Osman drives Blues to Victory

No Steven Pienaar today, a big blow for Everton; he was replaced by Osman, playing wide left. Cahill played despite that injured knee, and David Moyes gave another start to Seamus Coleman in that advanced right midfield role. Everton slotted into the possession football on 3 mins, getting the ball out to Baines who crossed well but Cahill's header was straight at Ben Foster.

Everton incorrectly won the first corner that was delivered high, long and deep by Arteta, to avoid the big Brum defenders, producing some limited penalty area action. Birmingham were looking to break but Jerome was getting himself offside as Everton won a second corner looped way long to Fellaini... bizarre tactic, as there is no power on the header and the second header is powder-puff.

Fellaini caught Ridgewell with his elbow on a free-kick, but Arteta this time was way too short and failed to clear the first defender. Osman was linking well with Baines, who got a good run into the area but went down under pressure on the return ball from Yakubu. The Yak did better as left winger, crossing deep for Coleman to head back but to no effect, stealing the ball off Cahill.

Yakubu did well on the hold-up play but then elected to shoot instead of playing in Coleman as Everton dominated possession, but as ever, nothing to show for it after 25 mins. A better cross from Baines but Cahill was backing up and could not do better with his header that went well wide. After showing nothing, Jerome had a glorious chance as Jags and Distin let him through but his half-volley off a bouncing was poor and flew wide.

Osman did great to get the ball in for Yakubu and he benefitted from a defensive error to get a clear shot past Foster but the keeper had slowed it and the ball was somehow incredibly cleared off the line, Yak's shot in truth totally lacking in sufficient power.

Everton were pressing harder, Baines again looking to have been clipped as he dodged into the area. Some lovely football between Osman and Yakubu was spoilt by a poor poor finish from Osman when he really should have done far far better. After another promising forwad move, Carr brushed Osman off the ball too easily and galloped forward to set up a chance for Brum but their crossing, like Everton's was ineffective.

Half-time and Everton had again put in a decent shift but to no meanigful effect; too many looping crosses lacking power and drive; too little invention in the final third... Same old same old?

No changes into the second half Coleman and Osman looking to probe but getting in each other's way. Osman got a golden chance but wanted an extra touch instead of shooting first time and his shot was blocked away. A far, far better cross by Baines, lower and harder, was sent out for a corner by Johnson with Fellaini about to pull the trigger. Much better tempo to the game from both sides, Brum winning a corner that was well defended...

Everton looked brighter and at the other end, they got the ball forward with some pace for once, from a free-kick, Arteta to Baines and a clever low first-time cross from Osman looked to be going to Foster but Johnson bizarrely nicked it past him and into the net ? for Everton's first away goal of the season!!! Fully deserved based on the overall balance of play, which was well in Everton's favour, if symbolic in that a Everton player did not actually score it!!! Arteta finally had a shot from the edge of the area that was deflected away for a corner that was then totally wasted by Arteta. The chance to recover with a cross from Neville was equally poor.

Arteta gave away a silly free-kick, clipping Hleb, Fellaini defending it away well for a corner as Everton sustained some pressure with increasingly desperate defending. After weathereing that squall, Everton looked to strengthen their hold on the game but the towering Zigic came on to put more pressure on the Everton defence. Time to blood young Ross Barkley perhaps?

Coleman had been struggling to make much impression down the right, the game largely evading him, and when it didn't, the ball not running for him. Everton were thus not too convincing when looking to secure the second goal and they proceded to play rather nervously, letting Bowyer get close with an overhead kick. Carr than ran determinedly down the touchline to win a corner, from which Dann pushed over Johnson and then called for a penalty!

Heitinga was the first sub, on in place of Yakubu as Moyes implemented a "have, hold" policy that may be considered somewhat negative... McLeish pulled off Jerome but had two attackers now to Everton's none. Coleman went on a mazey run but lost his footing, and the respite was all too brief as Brum came back with another corner. Everton, unable to retain possession, drew Brum back into their area yet again, much to Moyes's annoyance, and Derbyshire should have done far better when he got through to the byeline, lashing the ball across and over the goal.

A rare cameo for Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, who came on for Coleman in the last 5 mins. His first contribution was a foul and his second a big hoof out of defence as Everton clung on to their somewhat fortuitous lead. Jagielka did well to confound Zigic and then Hleb broke through but his cut-back was poor as Everton shakily cleared the ball repeatedly to the half-way line before once again surrendering possession.

Three minutes of added time saw more balls pumped toward the Everton goal, the Blues playing on their nerves. A floated Brum free-kick from the half-way line bounced easily through to Howard and finally Everton took the ball up the other end, Arteta wining a free-kick near the corner. As they looked to time-waste, Baines had no alternative when he ran to the byeline and fired in a superb cross that Cahill stooped to conquer, banging home a fantastic powerful header from close range that almost broke the net to finally set Everton on their way this season.

Everton were much the better side so the victory was fully deserved, ending an unbeaten run for the home side of 18 games at St Andrews going back over a year. So ironic that the best moment of the game came inadvertently when the last thing they wanted to do was attack... it's a funny old game!

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