QUEENS PARK RANGERS 1 (Baines og 2) – EVERTON 1 (Cesar og 33)

For an academic trying to prove the veracity of that old footballing saw which has it that ‘luck tends to even itself out over the course of a season’ Everton might make an interesting study: A couple of weeks ago at Wigan referee Kevin Friend allowed Kone to register a goal which was clearly offside; against Newcastle errors by officialdom converted what should perhaps have been a 4-2 win into a 2-2 draw; here at Loftus Road a mistaken second yellow and consequent red card for Steven Pienaar, plus a penalty for a foul by Mbia on Jelavic, which was not given, left Everton struggling with ten men to hold out for a draw. So far this season has been a non-too heady cocktail of all the classic cock-ups; stone-wall pens not given, offsides for and against got wrong and even a ball-over-the-line ‘goal’ waved away. This little run of ‘bad luck’ appears to have robbed the Blues of 6 points. Not a bad haul for Messrs Moss, Friend and Jones. This observer for one can’t wait for the pre-ordained run of ‘good luck’ which sees Everton make up these ‘dropped’ points.  

That Everton’s best player was a central-defender, Phil Jagielka, gives a clue to the sort of game this became after Pienaar left the field with thirty minutes to go. And while Jagielka was indeed active at the back, blocking, tackling, clearing, he was busy at the other end too – one first half header from a corner slapping the bar. His recent exploits as a first choice defender for England appear to have played him into form and given him an infusion of that most precious and illusive of attributes which all sportmen seek, but few find, that state of mind which converts the ordinary to good and the good to great – confidence.

The absence of Marouane Fellaini forced David Moyes into tinkering with his formation. From the start Pienaar and Mirallas interchanged between the left-side and centre of attacking midfield with Vic Anichebe operating down the right hand channel. A hint here that Moyes will more than likely use the lively and consistently improving Kevin Mirallas to fill the hole left by Pienaar’s suspension for the derby. With perhaps the svelte looking Seamus Coleman, who looks to have dropped a few pounds, reverting to his wide-right midfield role and Phil Neville or Tony Hibbert slotting in at right back.

Hoilett’s shot, which led to his goal after 2 minutes, was going wide of Howard’s right-hand post. It was only the huge deflection off Leighton Baines which caused it to beat Howard. That makes it an own goal in our book. Despite all the many and varied tricks that the gods have tried it’s the end of October and Everton sit in fourth place; a good start from which anything is possible.

QPR (4-4-1-1): Julio Cesar; Bosingwa, Diakite, Nelsen (Ferdinand 83), Traore (Onuoha 72); Mbia, Granero, Park, Taarabt; Hoilett; Zamora (Cisse 71)

Unused subs: Green, Wright-Phillips, Mackie, Faurlin.

Everton (4-2-3-1): Howard; Coleman, Distin, Jagielka, Baines; Neville ©, Osman; Anichebe (Naismith 52), Pienaar, Mirallas; Jelavic (Heitinga 83)

Unused subs: Mucha, Oviedo, Hitzlsperger, Gueye, Duffy.

Referee: Jon Moss (W Yorkshire)

Gate: 17,959

Tags: Kevin Mirallas, Leighton Baines, Match reports, Phil Jagielka, Referees, Seamus Coleman, Steven Pienaar