Seamus Coleman vents Everton frustration
West Brom’s 1-0 win, courtesy of their only shot on target from Salomon Rondon, brought to an end a brief Toffees revival which had seen them win their last three matches 3-0, two in the league and another against League Two Carlisle in the FA Cup.
A sixth home defeat of the campaign tells its own story and with the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United having indifferent seasons and Leicester showing what can be done, Coleman admits it has been frustrating.
“Personally, I look at games and say ‘If only we had won this one or that one’,” he said.
“Yes it’s frustrating but last season was quite similar. That result is hard to take but it’s not like we played badly — we just couldn’t break them down. It’s the same old story.”
West Brom’s goal was the simplest of chances as Jonas Olsson’s flicked header at a corner would have dropped inside the unguarded far post regardless of whether Rondon had intervened or not.
But if that was frustrating, what followed was infuriating with Everton attempting 34 shots but managed just six on target with Ross Barkley and Tom Cleverley both hitting the woodwork.
“We knew what to expect, that they’d sit in, hopefully get something off a set-piece and that’s what they did,” added Coleman. “Then they sat back even more, defending the edge of their box, which is what they’re good at but we did have a lot of chances.
“In the first half we broke them down at ease, we just couldn’t score.
“It was very frustrating to concede from a set piece and he (manager Roberto Martinez) lets us know when we do wrong, there’s no doubt about that. As players we know we must do better at set-pieces.”
West Brom head coach Tony Pulis was typically unapologetic after his side’s smash-and-grab win. The home side had 76% possession and 34 shots, but the decisive statistic belonged to the Baggies
.
“The Premier League is not a level playing field,” he said as his side moved to 32 points, eight clear of the drop.
“There are clubs with budgets, facilities better than yours and you have to find a way of winning. . We need 40 points. We were resilient. We defended for our lives, which we had to.”
Ireland winger James McClean is to be spoken to by Pulis following a bust-up with an Everton fan when he was substituted in the 57th minute.
“If James has got involved I’ll speak to him,” said Pulis.
“This club (Everton) is a fantastic football club and the supporters are wonderful. I’ve great respect for it so I won’t complain about supporters moaning and groaning.”
A plastic bottle was thrown at Pulis near the end but he siad: “I’ve had worse thrown.”
Robles, Coleman, Jagielka, Funes Mori, Oviedo, McCarthy (Osman 82), Barry, Lennon (Deulofeu 74), Barkley, Cleverley (Kone 58), Lukaku.
Baines, Mirallas, Pienaar, Howard. Booked: Barry.
Foster, Dawson, Evans, Olsson, Chester, Sessegnon, Fletcher, Yacob, McClean (Brunt 57), Berahino (Sandro 90), Rondon (Anichebe 72).
Gardner, Myhill, Pocognoli, Pritchard.
Michael Oliver.
