Everton eventually undone by penalties jinx
After another battling performance from a threadbare side, Everton were able to recover from two goals down to force a draw but are finally beaten on penalties to go out of the Carabao Cup.
So once more the vagaries of a penalty shootout ultimately denied Everton a place in the semi-finals and the club’s long wait for success in the League Cup goes on. This is the second season in a row that the Blues have gone out of this competition on penalties at home.
In truth the Toffees didn’t really deserve to win this game. Indeed, especially after the first half, even the hope of a draw at full time and a penalty shoot out would have seemed hugely optimistic.
Duncan Ferguson went with essentially the same side that had started against Manchester United with Mason Holgate again playing in midfield in a 4-4-2.
However unlike at Old Trafford, it didn’t work this time round and Leicester City dominated the opening half, playing slick attacking football and carving open the Blues back line almost at will.
Michael Keane, playing alongside Yerry Mina, was exposed badly by the pace and movement of Jamie Vardy, as I suspected he might be, and the Blues were opened up and undone by two simple goals that exposed long-standing deficiencies in the Everton defence.
First James Maddison and then Jonny Evans scored goals in quick succession, and the Foxes were flying and looking like they might get four or five. But for the woodwork and a fine stop from Jordan Pickford, they might have done.
Leicester are an excellent team playing with great confidence and verve and they have the key quality of all successful sides, a strong spine. From Kasper Schmeichel in goal, through centre-backs Evans and Morgan or Soyuncu, to Ndidi, Perez and Tielemens in midfield and finally Maddison and Vardy in attack.
The Blues in contrast were looking leggy and disjointed and struggling to cope with Leicester’s quick and incisive football. Injury problems and the exertions of the past few weeks certainly seemed to be taking their toll.
To his credit Ferguson recognised things weren’t working and changed the side’s look at halftime. It worked, and the Toffees were a much better team playing once again with the energy and commitment that have been the hallmarks of the Scot’s brief tenure.
While much praise has been rightly heaped on him for instilling that renewed drive and work rate in the team, his tactical awareness is still not perhaps being fully recognised. There is a subtlety to his approach that is belied by the passion and vocal exuberance he shows on the touchline.
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With a revised team in the second half, two fine goals from Tom Davies and a long-range pile driver from Leighton Baines, forced extra time and then penalties. Misses from Cenk Tosun and Baines himself ultimately condemned Everton to defeat.
So the Blues are out of the Carabao Cup and now return to Premier League action taking on Arsenal at Goodison Park on Saturday lunchtime. Once again, surprise, surprise the fixtures are far from kind to the Blues with Everton having to re-group to play again so early this weekend.
Current rumours indicate that Carlo Ancelotti could well be installed as the new manager by the end of the week, and might be in the stands on Saturday for the Arsenal game.
If he watched last night’s match, (and I’m sure he would have if he’s about to become Blues boss), he will have realised that although Everton did well again to come back and force penalties, there are still plenty of things that need to improve. Ancelotti will surely be under no illusions about the size of the task he will be taking on.