David Moyes will have looked to this, an unexpected Premier League opener against newly promoted opposition as a welcome change to the schedule, a more comfortable kick off to their most precarious season in memory. By full time Tottenham High Road seemed like a less hostile environment.
Despite their summer of soul searching in the USA, Everton seem to have found little in the way of answers and an average performance saw them sank by a single Tommy Smith strike as QPR ran out one nil winners at Goodison Park.
Faced by a side still finding their feet in the top flight, the Blues contrived to squander valuable possession in the final third and demonstrate lax defending in their own; a cocktail the Goodison faithful have been forced to swallow all too often in recent seasons.
David Moyes, in his programme notes, hinted at varying levels of fitness within the squad, which could go some way to explaining why Mikel Arteta, Marouane Fellaini and Louis Saha were left on the bench as 17-year-old Ross Barkley was handed a full league debut.
Those changes gave Jermaine Beckford the chance forge an understanding with Tim Cahill, a pairing Everton will need to click if Louis Saha’s fitness remains true to form. But their cohesion, if it will ever emerge, still looks some way off and the home support were left to witness a familiar display of high possession yielding no end product from their side.
Rangers may have been treated to a baptism of fire by Owen Coyle’s improving Bolton side in their league opener last week but any suggestion that Neil Warnock was going to sanction a reactionary parking of the bus at Goodison was quickly dispelled by Tommy Smith’s early left footed strike which whistled past Tim Howards right hand post from range.
Surviving that salvo unscathed, Everton settled into the game and one of the few rays of light to penetrate the gloom over Merseyside began to play.
Ross Barkely, who Moyes later advised was the best player on the pitch, announced himself on the senior stage with an assured performance characterised by a series of inch perfect cross-field balls, each one met with cheers of approval.
It was on one of his many forays into the centre of midfield from the wide right position, that the youngster set up Everton’s first real chance. Having ridden a couple of challenges, his winding run was finally brought to a halt by a clumsy challenge on the edge of the box. Leighton Baines strode up to the freekick and rattled a curled effort off the underside of the bar and Goodison found its voice.
That effort was followed by headers from close and mid range from Cahill, neither of which troubled Paddy Kenny and Everton’s wastefulness was punished at the other end when Akos Buzsaky was given time on the ball to pick out Tommy Smith. The journeyman striker has not travelled without learning how to lose a man and he expertly dropped of Phil Jagielka, giving him just enough room to turn and place a low shot past Tim Howard.
Booed off at half time, Moyes’ side returned with work ethic which, to their manager’s frustration, was unsupported by quality. Jack Rodwell’s burst into the box early in the second half was symptomatic of his side’s failings as he powered through QPR’s defensive line before applying a weak finish, straight at Kenny.
The second half introduction of Arteta, Fellaini and Saha did little to aid in their attempt for parity. Rushed attacks filled with misplaced passes and heavy touches led to a high tempo climax which was light on clear chances. Tim Cahill’s 12-yard strike, again straight at Kenny, the last of the Blues’ openings.
The final whistle was greeted with adulation by the travelling QPR fans who had double reason to celebrate, their club’s recent takeover by F1 magnate Tony Fernandes, followed by their first goal and win in the top flight this year.
While Neil Warnock said he would, with his new owner’s blessing, be recruiting at least four players before the end of the transfer window, Moyes and Everton are left staring into the wilderness as another long season threatens.
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Everton (4-4-1-1): Howard, Neville, Distin, Baines, Jagielka, Barkley, Heitinga (Saha 74), Osman, Rodwell (Arteta 55), Cahill, Beckford (Fellaini 64)
Subs: Mucha, Hibbert, Saha , Arteta, Fellaini, Vellios, Anichebe
Queens Park Rangers(4-5-1):Kenny, Orr, Derry, Hall, Gabbidon, Tarabt, Faurlin, Buzsaky, Connolly, Agyemang (Bothroyd 57), Smith (Ephraim 66)
Subs: Murphy, Bothroyd, Gorkss, Perone, Moen, Ephraim, Andrade
Goals: Smith, 31
Ref: K Friend
Att: 35,008
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By Aaron Sharp @ Goodison Park
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