Despite dominating the game, Everton only managed a 1-1 draw against Norwich City at Carrow Road on Saturday and the final result would most certainly have been very disappointing for manager Roberto Martinez.
Romelu Lukaku opened the scoring with a well taken finish in the first half but Everton did not kill the game off after squandering a host of wonderful chances.
Inevitably, the Toffees were made to pay for their profligacy in the second period after Cameron Jerome grabbed the equalizer and Martinez would have been once again ruing his side’s inability to secure the lead.
Here is an analysis of the performance of the Everton players on the day –
| Player Rating |
Comment |
| Tim Howard – 6
|
Tim Howard did not have much to do at all throughout the course of the game and he also could not be put at fault for the goal which Everton conceded. |
|
Seamus Coleman – 6.5
|
Coleman performed well in the first half and his attacking forays down the wings were a real cause for concern for the Norwich backline throughout the match. |
| John Stones – 6.5
|
Once again it was a calm and composed performance from Stones at the heart of the backline and the young defender’s performance was solid as ever. However, Stones would have been disappointed that he was unable to help Everton hold on to their lead. |
|
Ramiro Funes Mori – 6.5
|
Alongside Stones, Funes Mori has proven to be a pillar of strength at the back and the defender produced another very good performance on Saturday. |
| Leighton Baines – 6.5
|
Making a return from a long layoff from injury, Baines nearly marked the occasions with a fine strike which hit the bar. Overall it was a decent performance from Baines but he did seem to be tiring at the end – which is understandable. |
|
Gerard Deulofeu – 7.5
|
While Romelu Lukaku has been stealing all the headlines, Gerard Deulofeu has arguably been as important as the striker in Everton’s fine run.
Unsurprisingly, Deulofeu once again produced the goods with a fine assist for Lukaku and the Spaniard’s overall performance was very good – although he did fade away in the second period. |
| Tom Cleverley – 6
|
Used at the centre of the park during the absence of James McCarthy, Cleverley produced a solid performance without being too spectacular. |
|
Gareth Barry – 7
|
Gareth Barry seems to be getting better with age and the veteran put in another quality performance, where his shielding of the back four was integral in helping the Toffees dominate proceedings. |
| Ross Barkley – 5.5
|
Alongside Lukaku and Deulofeu, even Barkley has produced a host of quality performances but unfortunately, the midfielder simply did not enjoy a good day against Norwich. Sloppy on the ball and ineffectual, it was a performance to forget for Barkley at Carrow Road. |
|
Arouna Kone – 6 |
Kone looked very dangerous during the clash and forced Declan Rudd into a couple of smart saves.
However, the Ivorian could not convert and he would have been a bit disappointed not to find the back of the net on the day. |
| Romelu Lukaku – 7.5
|
Everton star Romelu Lukaku has been sensational this season and he produced another fine display during the clash, finding the back of the net with a fine finish. As a downer though, Lukaku missed a host of great chances to double Everton’s lead and such profligacy cost his side the chance to earn three points. |
Substitutes
| Kevin Mirallas – 5.5
|
Mirallas was brought on as an impact substitute during the final 20 minutes of the game but unfortunately, he had no impact at all. |
|
Darron Gibson – 6
|
Came on during the final 15 minutes of the match and was solid with his passing. |
