Osman’s ball skills deny steely Stoke

ON days like this, give thanks for Leon Osman.

The Everton midfielder illuminated a dreadful game with some world-class skill and provoked manager David Moyes into making remarks that were easily the most entertaining element of an uninspiring day on Merseyside.

Only the most die-hard fans will be requesting the DVD of this match for Christmas as both teams did their best to dispel the notion that the Premier League is the most exciting division in world football.

Everton had neither the wit nor ability to break down a Stoke side rigidly disciplined and schooled in the dark arts of playing for a draw and Tony Pulis’ men also offered zero threat at the other end of the pitch.

A point was all Stoke came for and point was what they got so from that perspective it was a successful afternoon but by virtually all other barometers, this performance left a lot to be desired.

Robert Huth gave the visitors a shock lead after half-time as he headed home Matthew Etherington’s corner before Osman curled home a wonderful effort from the edge of the box to equalise. There was little chance of either team fashioning a winner, so that was how it remained.

” I didn’t expect Stoke to come here and make it easy and it was tough to try and break them down but they have done that at a few clubs away from home,” Moyes said.

“I thought we created good opportunities in good areas and thought we did what we could with finishing it off.”

Moyes saved his highest praise for his captain, Osman, describing his brilliant intervention in the most interesting of manners.

“I thought he did terrific, he has been here since he was a boy and worked really hard and he has to keep working hard,” Moyes said, before truly warming to his theme.

“He had a shot just before it that went 20-30 yards wide and he had big b******s to come up and do the same thing because the crowd here can be unforgiving at times.

“The boy deserves some credit for the courage he showed.”

Stoke’s ambition was limited from the start as they regularly got all their men behind the ball in an attempt to starve Everton.

It worked until the 15th minute when Everton should have scored, Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini delivering a fine cross to the penalty spot to pick out an unmarked Tim Cahill. The Australian could not guide his free header past a grateful Sorensen, who managed to smother.

Everton had scored 14 goals in winning their last five matches in all competitions but the determination of Stoke to remain unbreached was simply too strong in the first half.

As Everton pressed, a Diniyar Bilyaletdinov effort did appear to hit Ryan Shawcross on the hand in the box, only for referee Andre Marriner to wave away Everton’s penalty claims.

The match continued to amble along until just before the break when Sorensen produced a wonderful save to keep Stoke in the match.

Osman shot from the edge of the box and although the ball was travelling at speed, Sorensen managed a full-length dive to tip the effort over – a save made all the more impressive because the sun was in Sorensen’s eyes and he was unsighted until almost the last moment.

After the restart, Stoke totally confounded expectations by taking the lead from a Matthew Etherington corner as Robert Huth got on the end of his floated corner to power the visitors ahead.

Stoke had not won away from home in the Premier League since they beat Hull City back in April and their hopes of holding on against Everton were soon dashed when Osman produced his moment of brilliance to equalise.

It should have prompted Everton to take control but that simply did not happen.

Moyes brought Yakubu and Jo on late to try and find a winning intervention but it never seemed likely as the match drifted out to its deserved conclusion.

Stoke are a side that have never been too concerned by aesthetics and Pulis was again more interested in the end result and the mentality of his side rather than the manner in which the draw was achieved.

“I thought we did well today,” he said. “I think Everton are a good team and mix it up very well and they don’t half test you as well.

“It was a much better performance than it was last week against Manchester United. The players were more committed and we defended very well when we had to.

“We came here last year and got murdered but we stood up today. We’ve taken a few punches but we kept getting up, although we have to improve our passes,” he added, stating the obvious.

REFEREE: Andre Marriner (W Midlands) 6: Let the game flow and seemed to accept that these two teams like to tackle. Kept his cards in his pocket and his cool.

MATCH RATING: ** A terrible first half picked up after the break as both sides did more to entertain. It still was not a classic but the effort of both teams could not be faulted, even if quality was at a premium from start to finish.