Birmingham review (and where it got us)

We won our first game of the season, got our second away clean sheet in a row, and climbed from the relegation zone last saturday on St'Andrews.

Everton dominated the match and should have led by half time. Further pressing the home team in the second half which led to the own goal. 

Another goal on overtime showed that we carried on and pressed for a second rather than sitting back trying to defend the lead. 

The teams approach was not very different from earlier games this season, but now the margins were not there to stop us. Also, its worth noting that moving Fellaini to a more comfortable position in defensive/central midfield has resulted in the team appearing more relaxed when keeping the ball in the middle of the ground. Even if Fellaini was even more comfortable and almost arrogant in his domination of midfield on his best moments last season we are seeing the return of our midfield boss. 

Like Yakubu has been showing signs of becoming more dangerous in the box lately, and again in the Birmingham match, Fellaini too will grow with every game.

Coleman played well on the right wing before being replaced by Bilyaledtinov, and Osman performed great and on several occasions combined nicely with Yakubu and Cahill in the area. 

It might sound easy to say that it only took a win, and a couple of goals to change the team, but it is an accurate assessment in my eyes. What has been wrong with Everton this season was never the way we performed defensively, or our style or approach. Scoring goals and getting the win will lower the shoulders of the players and lift the spirits. That will release the quality that is in the team, which in turn will make those margins go our way. 

This result has left us with the ability to spend the Premier leagues National team break in which to savour a great result and the feeling of finally being rewarded for the hard work and effort. A positive state of mind and the knowledge that our luck has turned.

-MF.