Another defeat, another lacklustre performance and the stench of relegation grows stronger game by game with it difficult to see where the next goal is coming from never mind point. Everton capitalised on Sunderland’s dire display running out comfortable 2-0 winners thanks to second half goals from Pienaar and Fellani.

After last week’s shocker against West Brom three changes were made to the side. Fulop retained his place in goal behind a back four of Bardsley, Ferdinand, Davenport and Collins. In midfield Malbranque returned on the right, Whitehead and Leadbitter in the middle with Richardson wide left. Despite noises during the week that David Healy may get his first league start since signing in August, Jones and Cisse started up front. Maybe the manager just doesn’t have the bottle to drop one of them.

We were down to ten men after about 30 seconds when Malbranque clashed heads with Cahill. The Frenchman had to go to the changing room to get stitched up and we had to play for about five minutes without him.

Neither side really threatened much in the first half with Sunderland’s best chance falling to Leadbitter after Jones teed him up just outside the box. The midfielder got a decent strike away but it was wide of the post. I’m scratching my head to think of any other chances or as I can’t remember either goalkeeper being forced into action.

Everton forward Jo and Sunderland striker Djibril Cisse seemed to have their own little game of seeing who could get caught offside the most. Cisse is one of the most frustrating players I’ve watched in terms of the amount of times he gets caught offside for someone with his pace, but Jo gave him a good run for his money. Maybe that’s why it was goalless at the break.

Watching the lads this season you sense that once they go behind there’s no real way back into the game so to be fair the game was over once Everton took the lead early in the second half. Pienaar latched onto a through ball from Jo and surged into the box unmarked and unchallenged to slip the ball past Fulop. Heads went down on the pitch and the stands whilst Sbragia scratched his.

We nearly hit back on the first attack when Collins rose highest to a cross but his header was straight down Tim Howard’s throat. I think that was about as good as it got for us in an attacking sense as Everton easily dealt with everything we sent their way.

The Toffee’s doubled their lead effortlessly when Fellani was picked out by Pienaar from the right hand side to roll the ball into the bottom corner.

The manager made a couple of changes with Healy replacing Cisse and later Edwards replacing Malbranque but they had no impact what so ever. In fact Everton should have a great chance to extend their lead when Fellani rounded Fulop but Ferdinand got back to clear.

Boos rang out at the final whistle, which were entirely justified.

After the debacle last week at West Brom the papers have been full of the underperforming players talking about how much the defeat hurt them and how they would put it right today. Talk is cheap doing it on the pitch is the hard part and Sunderland failed miserably today. I expect the same sentiments next week but it’s getting to the point where I don’t really care what they have to say. There not the ones whose weekend is ruined after having to watch another spineless performance and there not the ones who have had to tighten their purse strings this month to compensate for the first direct debit coming out for next year’s season ticket.

ALS Man of the Match: Dean Whitehead

Final Score: Sunderland 0 Everton 2

Aidan Crowe

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