Everton still in search of true direction as Hull draw marks end of puzzling week
It has been another confusing week in the recent history of Everton Football Club. Of all the teams to be well established in the Premier League, it feels like they have been searching for direction more than anyone else over the past few years.
Questions over the direction they are destined to head in resurfaced in the wake of the news that the Friedkin Group are open to a partial or full sale of the club after less than two years as its custodians.
Even a glance at the team news threatened to keep those concerns front and centre of the Everton perspective. Jarrad Branthwaite having to be deployed at left-back, for example, highlighted their shortcomings at sufficiently strengthening their squad depth.
Likewise their continued reliance on Thierno Barry up front, a player they so desperately needed to sign a rotation option for in the summer. When he inexplicably missed the ball completely for a tap in into a vacant net after a low cross was played into his path, those judgements were only felt more strongly.
Barry would ultimately redeem himself with a goal that put Everton 2-1 ahead, just as Ainsley Maitland-Niles, culpable for Hull’s opening goal by giving the ball away, earned some redemption by putting in the cross that set up Everton’s earlier goal.
But in the end, a draw was befitting of the current Everton storyline, especially against a plucky promoted side. What direction are they heading in?
Everton looked to be on the up when Brennan Johnson converted a chance on the rebound after a Hull goalline clearance. Home keeper Konstantinos Tzolakis had spilled the ball from a Branthwaite cross before pinball ensued in the box, with Johnson finishing it off before being ruled offside.
Instead, the first goal was a Hull goal, courtesy of Joe Gelhardt. Something of a surprise starter, Gelhardt had looked a little rusty and off the pace in the opening exchanges on the right wing, somewhat easing Branthwaite into his unfamiliar duties at left-back.
But Gelhardt pounced after Maitland-Niles gave the ball away and Sorba Thomas played a nice pass through for the attacker to calmly tuck the ball home.
Everton levelled things up via Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, one of their biggest threats throughout the game. He found a pocket of space in behind the defence to latch onto Maitland-Niles’ cross and score with a header.
And the tides seemed to be turning when Barry blasted in a goal to make it 2-1 to the visitors, not too long after his blatant failure to connect with an inviting cross.
Dewsbury-Hall intercepted a poor inward pass by Thomas before Barry was able to finish first time, showing much more composure than for his previous chance.
But Hull have been no pushovers since their return to the Premier League, particularly at home. They were in no mood to let the full share of the points slip away.
In turn, Mohamed Belloumi hit back with a strong effort from the edge of the box after Elliot Stroud had bypassed Everton’s makeshift defenders out wide.
It was the last goal of a second half that had sprung to life compared to the first, ebbing and flowing with chances at either end.
Everton edged it statistically and may rue the missed chance to lay down a strong marker of their intentions to keep moving forward, but being able to do what no visitor to the MKM Stadium had done yet this season – score on Hull’s own turf – was noteworthy enough.
Everton remain unbeaten, while Hull are still in the top half despite now being four games without a win in the league. A long journey lies ahead for both of these teams this season before they can claim their narrative for good.
