West Bromwich Albion 2-0 Everton Match Report

    In the third Premier League match of the campaign Steve Clarke’s Albion faced a tough challenge at The Hawthorns against David Moyes’ in form Everton. Everton had won their first two games of the season and was looking to keep up their 100% record. Albion on the other hand wanted to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.

     

    The teams were unchanged from their last matches so it was set up to be a tight affair. If Albion won it would be their greatest to start to a Premier League season. If Everton won it would nine points from three games.

     

    Everton looking to get that early goal had a tame penalty shout turned down. Yacob tackled Jelavic inside the box but had clearly got the ball. The referee simply telling Jelavic to get up and carry on with play.

     

    With both teams cancelling each other out the game wasn't full of chances and it wasn’t long before Albion had their fair share of decent chances. After some neat play on the left side, the ball found its way to Reid. He set the shot up and took aim, his 30 yard shot bounced just in front of Howard making the save slightly difficult, however Howard saved with ease.

     

    Just minutes later Albion had a great chance to go 1-0 up. Ridgewell crossed the ball perfectly to Long, he had all the time in the world to place his header into the net but he got under the ball and his header crashed against the bar. A simple chance had gone begging for Albion.

     

    Straight down the other end Fellaini – the man in form – wasted a glaring opportunity to put the Toffees ahead. From the right Hibbert put in a high ball for Fellaini to get on the end of. Fortunately for Albion his header looped over the bar and onto the roof of the net. In a game like this you knew that the first goal would be crucial in terms of who would win the game.

     

    Everton now starting to pile on some pressure had another chance to break the deadlock. From Naismith’s cross Jelavic had his header saved easily by Foster.  It looked like the game was really started to heat up as chances was coming a plenty.

      

    Just before the half time break Albion had a brilliant chance to go into the break leading. After some neat trickery Morrison was bearing down on goal. He had the entire goal to aim at but he blasted his shot down the middle and it was saved superbly by Howard with a very strong left hand. Morrison tried to get the rebound but the chance went and the game ended 0-0 at half time.

     

    The start of the second half was rather quiet and it wasn’t until the 63rd minute before a goal scoring opportunity arrived. From an Everton counter attack Mirallas, sprinting down the right wing crossed the ball low and hard into the box. The ball somehow managed to find its way to Fellaini and all he needed to do was pass the ball into the net. However his side footed shot blazed over the bar, the ball did bobble when he took the shot so that could be his excuse for missing such a fantastic opportunity.

    

    As the saying goes, “it only takes a second to score a goal”. Albion lived up to this cliché instantly from Fellaini's miss. Mulumbu in his own half neatly made space for himself and passed the ball to Ridgewell. Ridgewell played an inch perfect through ball for recent substitute Odemwingie to latch onto. Odemwingie hit a first time cross with his left foot. The cross that was played by Odemwingie is a striker’s dream as it was played in the second six yard box. Long ran into that space and slid the ball home to get his first goal of the season.

     

    This sparked Albion into life as they were soon dominating the game but couldn’t get that killer goal to finish Everton. Eventually it did arrive in the 81st minute.  Mulumbu’s pile driver was tipped over the bar by Howard. From Brunt’s in swinging corner, McAuley broke free from his marker – who happened to be Fellaini – and headed home to make it 2-0 to the Baggies.

      

    Everton didn’t really have any chance of getting back into the game despite having a late goal line scramble which Albion defended very well. The game finished 2-0 which meant Albion had got seven points from three games – their best start to a Premier League campaign. Everton on the other hand lost their 100% record but to be honest, Albion deserved the win.

    

    In all fairness, in a BBC interview with David Moyes, he admitted that he had to go out all attack but realised he probably should have kept his tactics the same and tried to get the 0-0 result, unfortunately on the day these tactics proved costly and Albion snatched up the three points. The start to the season for Clarke has been tremendous as nobody possibly could have seen this coming. As an Albion fan myself, I wasn’t expecting to see Albion third in the table on seven points. We can’t get too excited though as there is still another 35 games to go in this long and tormenting season.

    Now there is a two week break due to internationals. This two week break has come at the right time in my opinion as it can calm down the Albion players so that they don't get too carried away with their start to the season. After the two week break Albion face a tough away trip to Martin Jol's Fulham who have recently sold their two best players - Dembele and Dempsey.