Villa Horror Show

I'm not sure, it could be one of those perception things, but Everton appear to get involved is silly games against Villa, usually coming off worst. I remember watching us get tanked at Villa Park in the late 80s / early 90s, losing 6-2 and I think one of our two was an own-goal. Mind you, Villa were an odd beast in those days, playing 3 hideous centre-backs, and David Platt. Kent Neilson anyone? Oh, and of course, one of my early introductions to Everton came as I ended up blubbing beside a radio listening to us lose the umpteenth replay in the '77 League Cup Final.

So Sunday saw us limp into a tough-looking fixture with just one recognisable forward on the books fit, play our best 90 minutes of the entire season, running Villa ragged for most of the first half and somehow managing to lose two goals in the 1st and 93rd minutes. In between, the team was mostly excellent apart from an aberration by Jags, and a crucial last 30 seconds when everyone collectively nodded off to allow Ashley Young to ruin our weekend. I still don't know how it happened and I cannot face watching it again, but it did seem to encapsulate Everton's entire season to date: we are seemingly unable to remain focused for the duration of the match. In addition, in every game, at least one player will stink the place out. Sunday was Jagielka's turn. After he played the best pass Ashley Young will get all season, he visibly went to pieces until the last 10 minutes of the game. Arteta seemed to be at fault for losing the ball for both Villa's first and final goal - he is having a nightmare season.

Dare I say it that we actually looked slightly better in the final 8 minutes or so after Shandy came on? I'm certain he delivered a number of more accurate passes into the box for our new front line of Fellaini and Lescott than Arteta had managed all game.

Surreal.