Patt on the back
Evertonians waited almost two months to get a glimpse of Nathan Patterson.
But after what looked like an encouraging first 45 minutes in Royal Blue for the 20-year-old, he found himself very unfortunate to be hooked at half-time in what looked like a classic tactical substitution.
Choosing a starting line-up that included no fewer than five orthodox defenders, Frank Lampard’s selection personnel seemed excessively cautious against non-league opponents and so it proved with the manager deciding to remove one of them immediately after the restart following what had been an immensely frustrating first 45 minutes.
Patterson proved to be the fall guy as Everton switched to a flat back-four which was harsh as he’d impressed on his debut at long-last.
The most-expensive player to ever depart reigning Scottish champions Rangers, Patterson could eventually cost the Blues some £16million and has been brought in to be the long-term successor to captain Seamus Coleman.
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However, like Leighton Baines, another expensive full-back who needed to be patient before he was able to nail down a regular spot, the Glaswegian has been forced to bide his time so far.
Turning it on against fifth tier opponents does not necessarily ensure you’re ready to cut it in the Premier League on a regular basis but at first glance, Patterson looks an exciting prospect for the future.
Chalk and cheese
You can only play against what’s in front of you but have there ever been any more contrasting opponents come to Goodison Park in back-to-back games than Manchester City and Boreham Wood?
It’s fair to say that the pair of them posed Everton very different types of challenge.
While the Blues were desperately unfortunate not to take anything from Saturday evening’s match against the reigning Premier League champions and leaders, having raised their game to produce a performance that despite the result gave them huge encouragement for their relegation dog fight throughout the remainder of the season, so the opposite largely applied here.
Although it was a much-changed line-up, most of the players in Everton’s side have been in and around the first team for the majority of the season but they seemed to over-complicate matters at times against much inferior opponents.
From one to 11, the Blues knew they were head and shoulders above their opposite numbers but rather than doing the basics well, they looked toothless for a long time despite their predictable dominance in possession.
Unless you can get an early breakthrough, these kind of ties are not always straightforward though and that certainly proved to be the case here.
Given the Ron around
Perhaps it was be unfair to single out Salomon Rondon as being a player who epitomised the desperate disappointments of Rafa Benitez’s short and not-so-sweet reign as Everton manager.
However, as a player who the Spaniard worked with before at both Newcastle United and Dalian Pro, the Venezuelan’s under-whelming showings so far on his second coming in the Premier League have made him an easy target.
Given that he’d proven a solid if unspectacular performance in English football previously, Rondon’s often laboured efforts have been a source of great frustration.
Now 32, the striker has looked like he’s been playing catch-up fitness-wise for most of the campaign but hasn’t figured much so far under his new boss.
Rondon does have a hat-trick to his name this term – albeit on the return from a 14-month international exile with Venezuela against a 10-man Bolivia – but he fell just short of matching that tally here.
This wasn’t a night for panache though and two simple but effective finishes – a near post shot from close range and header that had crossed the line before the keeper clawed it away – did the job.
Trip to the Palace
As quarter-final draws go, Everton’s last eight pairing with Crystal Palace might not be the most glamorous of ties but in the circumstances the Blues will take it.
England manager Gareth Southgate pulled out the balls half an hour before Lampard’s side kicked off and unlike the same stage of the competition last season when they were paired against Manchester City, Everton avoided one of the big boys.
Pep Guardiola’s side are in there again but like Lampard’s previous employers Chelsea and their Carabao Cup final conquerors Liverpool, they have at least been dodged for now.
As Eagles legend Ian Wright eluded to in the ITV studio at Goodison, his former club will no doubt see it as a good draw for them too with Wembley now just 90 minutes away for all those still involved.
Palace defeated the Blues 3-1 in the Premier League on their own turf back in December in what was an awful display from the visitors, just days after what should have been a morale-boosting late 2-1 comeback win over Arsenal.
If they’re to progress to a grander occasion in a more prestigious corner of the capital then Everton know they’re going to have to play much better than either their last visit to Selhurst Park or indeed their display here.
One thing they’ll hope is a given is that they won’t perform as badly as they did against Patrick Vieira’s men last time around.
