Former Everton star Michael Ball shares his views after the club’s draw at Luton Town in a game that looked like it was going to be far bigger than it actually was
As everyone knows, Sky Sports shifted the Everton matchup with Luton Town to a Friday night in the hopes that the globe would witness the team battle their way through yet another relegation battle.It was even more thrilling that this game was not a matter of life or death for the Blues in light of the outcomes of the previous week, namely the three wins that guaranteed Premier League safety.
It was wonderful to be able to sit down and attempt to enjoy a game for once. This was perhaps only the second game in three years without intense pressure, the other being the final-day trip to Arsenal with safety guaranteed under Frank Lampard. The travelling supporters were excellent once more, and it seemed like the away team made the most of the chance to celebrate.
Even though I know there were difficult moments in the performance, this game may have meant more to Luton, but considering the pressure was off, I was happy with what I saw from Everton. It’s always going to be difficult because Luton is fighting for their life. It would have been simple for players who had faced yet another difficult season to buckle under the pressure of the second half in such an unfriendly setting.
Rather, we didn’t witness that from this group. Although the quality may not have always been there, I was disappointed that when Dominic Calvert-Lewin put them ahead, they were unable to maintain control of the game. However, in those tumultuous closing moments, there were players prepared to risk their lives in order to defend a point that wasn’t nearly as important as it would have been a week or two earlier.
I thought it was great when Jarrad Branthwaite celebrated his block in the final play of the game, demonstrating how much the game still meant to him. There was also Jack Harrison, who displayed courage at the back post, and Andros Townsend, who was determined not to become the hero. However, James Tarkowski struck me as the most potent representation of that will and tenacity. It seemed sense to call off the match when his baby was born, the season was almost finished, and everyone was safe. Rather, there he was on a Friday night in Luton, leading from the front. Once again, he was leading by example. His teammates will find inspiration in the mentality he displayed, and something like that can be very important in establishing the tone for the summer and the upcoming season.
It would have been fantastic to win; I would have really wanted to have won after Luton defeated us twice this season at Goodison Park. However, despite the fact that the performance was far from flawless, there were still elements that Sean Dyche would have been happy with on a night when the outcome did not really matter.
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