Wolves 2 – 0 Everton
Everton took on Wolves in the 3rd Round of the Carabao Cup at Molineux tonight with David Moyes making more use of his squad with seven changes but spurning the demands that he make a decent effort to win a trophy for Everton this season.
The resulting performance was abysmal, with no answer to Wolves’ first-half strike, and a second goal eliminating any chance of progression.
Tyler Dibling makes his first Everton start
David Moyes gives starting roles to the neglected ones: McNeil, Alcaraz, Coleman, and the hugely promising and hugely expensive Tyler Dibling, with Tierno Barry leading the line in place of Beto.
First Half
The Blues kicked off in their traditional strip and looked to work the ball upfield. Wolves got forward a couple of times and put in crosses that were headed clear. But Coleman committed a foul, Wolves wasting the free-kick, Everton happy enough to let them play the ball around without too much of a press.
Everton worked a chance for O’Brien to do his long throw thing but Barry could only head wide. Dibling got his first touch and was immediately among four Wolves defenders, getting the ball out to O’Brien for an overhit cross.
Alcaraz was looking to dictate forward play through the middle but his passing wasn’t accurate enough. But a lovely Alcaraz pass to Dibling should have brought a corner, his shot deflected wide. But apparently not.
Wolves responded but could not fashion a chance and committed a foul. O’Brien had time and space to pick out Barry with his cross but the header was poor.
Belgarde got behind and Garner had to concede a corner that caused a bit of pinball panic before it was cleared. Garner played a great ball to Alcaraz but his shot was too easily blocked, albeit for another long throw that saw Keane produce an excellent header that Johnstone pawed away from the top corner.
But with no real danger, Wolves took the lead after Travers parried a shot from Arias and Munetsi finished thanks to a deflection off Keane.
Dibling was coming into it more but Barry showed some frustration that drew a rather early and unwarranted yellow card when he was tackled but no foul given.
Wolves got forward again and Hwang’s shot needed the deflection behind by O’Brien, nothing coming from the ensuing corner. Everton won a free-kick but did not threaten from it. McNeil almost got a chance but the ball from Barry would not run for him.
Tarkowski played it forward well for McNeil but he lost it. Another long-throw chance for O’Brien but it was cleared and a daft header by Iroegunam almost let Wolves counter. Garber did well to dispossess Hwang, Coleman tried to set up Alcaraz but the Argentine lost his footing and the ball.
A good Wolves move saw Stran Larsen flick the ball goalward but Travers read it well to deny Munetsi. The ball broke for Alcaraz and he tried to get Barry set but his shot was blocked, and he chased it down to win a corner which was cleared but Wolves messed up the counter.
Second Half
Five changes would have been warranted but Moyes at least decided on two, Beto and Dewsbury-Hall on for Barry and Alcaraz mistake by Wolves gifted the ball to Dewsbury-Hall but he was surrounded, Dibling winning a corner. It was played back by Beto but Gaerner got underneath his wayward effort.
Wolves worked a good attack, Coleman tested before Andre powered his shot a couple of feet over the bar. Beto turned well with the ball and drew a foul. But Dewsbury-Hall’s free-kick did not threaten and Everton had to work it aound, Dibling and Dewsbury-Hall trying but failing to create much on the right.
Munetsi’s shot won a corner and that needed defending as the intensity of the game increased a little. But Everton’s forward play broke down with McNeil and Wolves happily enjoyed more possession. Hwang got forward and made space but drove his shot high.
David Moyes took more action, Grealish and Ndiaye coming on, and Grealish wanting a penalty with his first touch, Everton were immediately having a lot more of the play and pushing forward with intent, but not getting anywhere near deep enough into the Wolves area.
Grealish was drawing a foul each time he tried to run forward. And when he did get the ball he was taking too long, But finally he swung one over to O’Brien at the far post, a difficult chance that Johnstone fielded.
Gealish was fouled again just outside the left side of the box, Garner clipping the bar with a decent delivery. Ndiaye lost the ball high up on the right and Wolves advanced, Hugo Bueno firing over. But they were defending Everton’s attempts with maximum effect, frustrating the Blues at every turn.
Garner got a half-chance, forcing a diving save from Johnstone. O’Brien then won a corner, a series of good balls in followed, all defended away by Wolves with 15 minutes left to get a goal, Mykolenko the last change for Coleman.
Good space was created for Iroegbunam who absolutely shanked his shot when something a little more professional was required. Shocking.
Ndiaye couldn’t keep control of the ball but it came back to him for a snapshot across goal, with Everton looking less and less likely to score. Grealish danced forward with the ball but it was taken off him.
Another move seemed to set up Ndiaye but he let the ball bounce across him and had to fire wastefully from a narrowing angle.
But disaster at the other end on the counter, Arokodare released by a good pass and he beat Travers all hands down with an elegant chip to send Everton packing with 3 minutes left.
It got fractious as the last few minutes of a really very inadequate performance by Everton was played out another chance of a trophy for David Moyes extinguished very early in the season.
Wolves: Johnstone, Bellegarde, Santiago Bueno [Y;71′], Krejci, Doherty, Hwang (68′ Rodrigo Gomes), Andre Trindade (87′ Agbadou), Hugo Bueno, Larsen (68′ Tolu Arokodare), Munetsi (81′ Joao Gomes [Y:90+3′]), Arias (81′ Toti Gomes).
Subs not Used: Bentley, Wolfe, Hoever, Lopez.
Everton: Travers, Coleman (78′ Mykolenko), Keane, Tarkowski, O’Brien, Garner [Y:90+1′], Iroegbunam, Dibling (59′ Grealish), Alcaraz (46′ Dewsbury-Hall), McNeil (58′ Ndiaye), Barry [Y:32′] (46′ Beto).
Subs not Used: King, Patterson, Gueye, Aznou.
Referee: Craig Pawson.
Kick-off is scheduled at 7:45 pm BST and it’s live on Sky Sports+, Channel 404.