If Louis Saha has had enough of hearing the word “crash” this week then he is advised to forgo his morning newspaper, because when lower league opposition ends your FA Cup dreams on your own patch, there’s only one way to describe that exit.
Everton fans should be used to this duplicity, all season they have watched their team to and fro from being the lionhearted scourge of Stamford Bridge to a meek collection of individuals far inferior to the sum of their parts.
This performance ranked firmly in the later.
Talk of car trouble in this game should have been limited to the Reading fans’ prefab’d song for Louis Saha. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case. Jermaine Beckford, a likely starter after his weekend brace against Sunderland arrived at the stadium late and forfeited his place. The Blues went into the game in a 4-5-1 formation, a shape that always looks weaker without Tim Cahill.
Everton and Reading kicked off twenty ranking positions apart, and for the first twenty minutes, the Premiership side quite literally looked in a different league.
Brian McDermott’s men began at Goodison with a willingness to work, but much of that was limited to off the ball pressing as their hosts hungrily clung to possession while probing for the opener.
The Royals defensive efficiency saw to it that sights on the goal of their back-up keeper were hard to come by, but when Everton eventually managed to prise open a gap, their penchant for wastefulness returned.
Seamus Coleman squandered the best of the Blues first half opportunities when he could only head a Leon Osman cross into the firm Goodison turf where it bounced agonisingly over the bar.
That chance, coupled with the Blues domination of proceedings, should have instilled confidence in the home crowd. But a groundswell of frustration stirred at that miss and Everton’s inability to convert possession into an early lead.
By the time Reading got a kick, the swell had become a tempest. The visitors’ first clear sight on goal came from an Ian Harte corner which Leon Osman poked tamely away, that half clearance fell to Reading skipper Matt Mills on the penalty spot and he applied a cool finish to send the Championship side into the lead.
Everton, now playing against a stubborn defence and an unforgiving home overthought the rest of the opening half, and they might have been two down at the break. An uncharacteristic Sylvain Distin error allowed Kebe to streak clear on goal only to be thwarted by the legs of Tim Howard.
The second period brought changes for Everton. Beckford and Anichebe were introduced for Coleman and Bilyaletdinov who both had a lamentable time on the flank. Beckford, eager to make amends for his tardiness , almost did so within minutes. He linked up pleasingly with Louis Saha find space in the Reading box, but his shot was weak and McCarthy held on.
Everton pushed on for their equaliser, but the pattern of the opening 45 was mirrored in the second. Over elaboration in the final third led to move after move being snuffed out by Khizanishvili and Mills and Reading continued to look dangerous on the break, a Jay Tabb shot from distance whistled narrowly past the stranded Howards post.
If Everton hadn’t quite come around to thinking it would be ‘one of those nights’ by then, they surely will have when a world-beater save kept them out in the 78th minute. Jermaine Beckford knocked down the perfect header for Osman who charged into the area and hammered an effort from point blank range. The outstretched hand of McCarthy preserved the Royals and all but ensured their safe passage through to the next round.
David Moyes, who cut a dejected figure at the final whistle, said: “We had a great opportunity with the draw after getting a good result in the last round, we just didn’t play well enough to win the game.
“We had no real craft at the top end of the pitch tonight, we had no real ability to break them down.
“We passed the ball quite well tonight, but a lot of it was sideways and across the pitch and we couldn’t really penetrate.”
Reading Manager Brian McDermott paid tribute to the fans on Merseyside, he has disappointed both sets after knocking Liverpool out of the FA Cup last year, but said crowds at Anfield and Goodison have been appreciative of his team’s efforts.
He said: “They’re great people here. To get clapped off, not just by your own fans, but by the Everton fans as well, that’s a great feeling.
“My players had great shape and great discipline tonight, they passed the ball well. They were quality.”
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Everton (4-5-1): Howard, Baines,Jagielka, Distin, Neville (Baxter 88), Coleman (Anichebe 46), Bilyaletdinov (Beckford 46), Arteta, Osman, Rodwell, Saha
Subs: Mucha, Hibbert, Heitinga, Shane Duffy, Beckford, Anichebe, Baxter
Reading (4-4-2) McCarthy, Mills, Khizanishvili, Harte, Gunnarsson, Tabb, Leigertwood, McAnuff (Robson-Kanu 79), Kebe, Long, Hunt (Church 86)
Subs: Andersen, Armstrong, Karacan, Antonio, Robson-Kanu, Howard, Church
Ref: A Marriner
Att: 29,976
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