Seamus Coleman’s late equaliser helped Everton snatch a point against Swansea City.

Ronald Koeman recalled James McCarthy and Leighton Baines for the first time in several weeks but saw his side fall behind to a first-half Gylfi Sigurdsson penalty.

Coleman salvaged a draw with the Republic of Ireland full-back’s header in the 89th minute at Goodison Park denying Bob Bradley’s Swans a shock win.

Here were the key talking point as the Blues’ blushes were spared…

Jagielka back in the firing line

 

This has truly been a seven days to forget for Phil Jagielka.

Not only did the Everton captain find himself implicated in Wayne Rooney’s tabloid shenanigans, his on-field presence coincided with England’s capitulation.

Bad things tend to come in threes and Jagielka’s concession of the penalty which gifted the visitors an undue lead was the stuff of nightmares from the defender.

No one inside Goodison need reminding that, at 34, the defender is not getting any younger and spreading himself thin for club and country has finally come home to roost.

Ronald Koeman has never shied away from important decisions during his formative months at Everton and it may now be time to make one over his skipper.

Crosses not ticking boxes for Lukaku

 

This was not quite the performance which Koeman has promised would fly in the face of the ‘unacceptable’ showing at Chelsea before the international break.

Moreover it was not the type of display that many had expected from Romelu Lukaku after his manager had talked up the prospect of him joining Barcelona.

His bouts of disinterest would not be endured as easily as they were against Swansea although the Belgian could argue that he had just cause to tune out.

In total, 37 crosses were floated into Goodison’s penalty areas but, unlike against West Ham, one of Europe’s most revered strikers was unable to latch onto them.

If Everton were looking for an antithesis to three years of pass-heavy monotony under Roberto Martinez, tiresome deliveries into Lukaku is certainly not the solution.

Blues still not on-message

 

Much has been made of Koeman’s apparent inability to become immersed in what Everton is and means but respect is very much a two-way street

The Dutchman continues to preach a tactical ideology of relentless pressing but, once again, it appears that his message is still falling on deaf ears.

Whether they are simply worn down by his predecessor’s regime remains subject to conjecture but something clearly is failing to register with the current crop.

Now win-less in six of their previous seven Premier League games, there appears to be no sign of a much-needed epiphany for Koeman from his troops.

Don’t expect it to emerge in a run-in that includes Southampton, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, either.

Patience required for returning duo

 

It may not have been the headline from Koeman’s pre-match assessment, but the returns of Leighton Baines and James McCarthy were still significant.

McCarthy’s first Everton outing since being in the crossfire of a club versus country row between Goodison and the Republic of Ireland was far from ideal.

He was indecisive, off-key and all-round underwhelming in contrast with his previous showing in a royal blue shirt, against Manchester City in mid-October.

Baines fared marginally better despite last featuring in September’s win over Middlesbrough but it will still take time for him to recapture his former glories.

Granted, the pair have enjoyed better outings than they fared against Bob Bradley’s side but there needs to be some perspective on the performances.