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Mike Jones — The Weakest Referee Ever

Match Report: Aston Villa (H)

Well you somehow just knew didn’t you? Crisis-hit Aston Villa come to town and if a team is ever in a slump, you can bet your house on it that they’ll find a result against Everton…we’re very accommodating against such teams.

Still the lack of transfer activity and that general sense we’d make a mess of things didn’t stop us from being in good spirits as we congregated in the pub pre-kick off. For a goalless draw QPR vs Norwich City wasn’t terrible entertainment. There was a bit of a collective groan in the pub when we saw the team news. I just don’t like the look of that defence with Heitinga at centre back and Jagielka at right back. I wanted Jagielka up against Benteke with Neville at right back. Still, it was good to see Mirallas start another game and also to see Gibson back in the team. As mentioned, Benteke spearheaded Aston Villa’s attack with Agbonlahor and N’Zogbia supporting. Stephen Ireland also appeared in midfield. Aston Villa won the toss so we attacked towards the Gwladys Street in the first half.

We effectively started the match a goal down with Heitinga beaten a little too easily by Benteke who buried his opportunity after only two minutes. However, with practically the whole match still to play nobody was too down, you felt we could score against Aston Villa and nearly did straight away in fact, Fellaini whipping an effort from the edge of the box just past the post.

Everton kept on knocking and it was a piece of individual brilliance from Victor Anichebe on 20 minutes which leveled matters. The Nigerian international spinning Clarke superbly and finishing smartly past Guzan to make the score 1-1. That’s Anichebe’s 23rd goal for Everton and was very similar to his first Everton goal back in May 2006 against West Bromwich Albion. Doesn’t time fly!

Any hopes that this would act as some sort of catalyst for Everton to press on with this one were swiftly extinguished when just three minutes later Agbonlahor (with his seventh career goal against Everton) equalized with a header from a corner kick. Countless attacks by Everton and just the one goal to show for it. Two attacks for Aston Villa…and two goals. It was very frustrating to be trailing here having worked hard to get level. The players seemed a little deflated for some time and took a while to get going again. The hapless Mike Jones didn’t help matters. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a referee who is so weak. I noticed it earlier in the season when we drew with Norwich City. The man just fails to stamp any authority on the game whatsoever and players seem to have little or no respect for him. He seems terrified to get his card out which was just great for Aston Villa who could commit fouls to slow the game down and disrupt our rhythm time and time again…24 times in total in fact. He’s a really poor referee and one I don’t wish to see too much of in the future…though this isn’t why we failed to win of course.

We went into the break 1-2 down and were probably a little unlucky to be behind, though were quite optimistic we could turn things round in the second half. This we didn’t do. We just didn’t get going after the break and couldn’t find the right tempo. Fair play to Aston Villa. They made things difficult for us and fought for everything, particularly in the second half. It was rather pitiful from Everton really and in the main the players didn’t show enough character to turn things around. Things became a lot more difficult when Benteke added his second of the match. Frustratingly it was all so avoidable. A harmless cross into the box from Astion Villa’s left should have been gathered by Howard. It can only have been about five yards out maximum but instead of what looked a simple, unchallenged catch he let Distin head it out. Villa retained possession. Lowton crossed for Benteke who got a run on Heitinga and headed finely into the corner of the net off the inside of the post. A great header, pretty poor defending but simply abysmal goalkeeping from Howard prior to that. How he didn’t claim that cross was just criminal.

So Everton now had it all to do to salvage anything from this one and you didn’t feel it was likely. Heitinga was hauled off with Mirallas also sacrificed as Moyes rolled the dice. Jelavic and Oviedo the reinforcements. Goals still didn’t appear forthcoming until Fellaini took it upon himself to rescue Everton, the Belgian playing a great give-and-go with Anichebe and finishing well to give us a lifeline. 2-3 with over 20 minutes to go.

The crowd roared the team on and as we pressed for the draw we had so many corner kicks and balls into the penalty area you felt something surely had to give. It did eventually, three minutes into stoppage time when Fellaini took advantage of fairly slack marking to nod one in from a Baines corner. 3-3 and the crowd roared louder. Whilst some players celebrated wildly others ran back ready for action, wanting to force an unlikely win. Apparently Moyes was pretty much on the pitch going crazy at those celebrating instead of getting back to get the game going again as there was still a few minutes to go. In those final three minutes (there were six added minutes in total) we still managed to get a corner and a free kick into the box though couldn’t convert either of these into what would have been the most dramatic of dramatic victories.

With being 1-3 down and finishing 3-3 we shouldn’t be too disappointed, however it still feels like a wasted opportunity against one of the worst teams in the division. Bad defending is the root of it all, that and poor team selection. Though he was the best player on the pitch for me today, I’m not keen on Jagielka at right back, particularly if it is just to accommodate Heitinga at centre back. I’d prefer Jagielka up against Benteke all day long and Neville could have played right back. A poor decision by Moyes in my opinion.

With our next three games all away from home (the first of which at Manchester United) we’ll have to be stronger defensively. I can’t help but feel we’ll rue this one come the seasons end.

Still, we scored four at Old Trafford last season. Lets go there with hope of a repeat performance and you just never know.

Player Ratings:
Howard: Seemed all over the place in the second half. No confidence in catching the ball at all. There’s no solution however as he can’t be dropped. Mucha just isn’t good enough. 3
Baines: Had a corker of a first half and kept on trying to get forward in the second but like the whole team, struggled against a determined and dogged Aston Villa. Will need to be on top form next weekend. 6
Distin: Poor. Not at the races today. 5
Heitinga: Benteke made him look quite the fool for a lot of the first half though he did recover his composure a little. He then let Benteke get ahead of him for Aston Villa’s third goal however and was then substituted for Oviedo. Jagielka should have had that job from the start. 5
Jagielka: Man of the match for me largely because he was one of the very few who showed heart and character throughout, particularly in an unfamiliar position. It wasn’t until Fellaini scored his first of the day that his teammates finally got going. Lead by example today. By far our best player in my opinion. 8
Gibson: Took a while to get going but was very useful once he did. We really need him to stay fit for the rest of the season. If he can stay fit he should be flying in a month’s time. 6
Pienaar: Poor generally. Hit a few wild shots when good passing options were available and didn’t create much in the second half really. We needed more from him today I felt. 5
Mirallas: Still patchy and still finding his way back. I was a bit surprised supporters booed the decision to substitute him because I didn’t thing he was really contributing a great deal. Like Gibson. We need him fit and if he can stay fit he should be flying in about a month’s time. 5
Osman: Struggled at times but was one of the better ones. Showed a bit of character and dug in. Still not on top form but I’m sure he’ll get there. Will do him good to get away with the England squad this week I reckon. 6
Fellaini: Began the game strongly, faded a little but then proved his worth, saving the day with two crucial goals. 7
Anichebe: Had a great first half and scored a fantastic goal. Struggled a bit second half though service to him was generally abysmal really. Probably done enough to stay in the team for next weeks visit to Old Trafford. 7

Substitutes:
Jelavic (for Mirallas): Got involved but was unable to get that goal he craves unfortunately. 6
Oviedo (for Heitinga): Had to play right back which is probably a bit unfamiliar to him but coped well and got forward to great effect. Not bad at all. 7
Naismith (for Gibson): Not on long but did the few things he had to do quite well. 6

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