All is calm All is brigh
Everton ........... 0 Chelsea ............. 0 SAM’S BLUE MEANIES SHORT ON XMAS
FORGET Jingle Bells for a minute.The alarm bells were ringing for Everton every time Eden Hazard sprinkled his stardust at Goodison.
How Hazard did not head back to London bearing the gift of another three points will remain a mystery long after Santa’s tucked into his millionth mince pie.
The Belgian was outstanding. Chelsea devastating. And boss Antonio Conte must have been wondering why he had not been flinging himself over advertising hoardings in goal celebrations.
The reason was that Chelsea’s slick, well-oiled attacking machine came up against a rugged, Sam Allardyce-coached defensive formation of stubbornness. And a goalkeeper in Jordan Pickford who refused to be beaten.
He dived and punched at every shot launched his way in a performance just about eclipsed by Hazard.
Pickford summed it up when he said: “We grafted like hell and dug in. The defence put their hearts on the line and we simply did not look like losing.”
Allardyce must have thought all his Christmases had come at once with Pickford and his team-mates displaying the commitment and never-say-die attitude he hammers home to every team he inherits.
That is Everton unbeaten in six Premier League matches and he could not hide his delight even though his side failed to muster a single shot on target.
Allardyce said: “We scrapped it out, there’s no doubt about that.
“We dug it out. Battled it out. Defensively I can’t knock the team for their commitment to keep a talented side at bay.
“The defending was outstanding in terms of where we came from when I arrived just a few weeks ago.
“And in Jordan, well I knew he was a talented goalkeeper. He’s very mature for his age and he’s doing a great job for us.”
Conte wished the assembled media Happy Christmas but there was not much festive spirit from the Chelsea boss. He said: “We had 26 shots but only eight on target.
“We must be disappointed because in this type of game you have to win and get three points.
“It was another clean sheet but if you want to win this game you must score. Be more clinical and take your chances.”
The news that Wayne Rooney was in his sick bed was a bitter pill for every Evertonian.
In his absence, Hazard pulled the strings and his darting runs in and across the box left Phil Jagielka and Michael Keane in constant peril.
Jagielka, though, was hailed a hero for a double clearance after just eleven minutes.
First he prevented Tiemoue Bakayoko from opening the scoring and seconds later booted away Willian’s goal-bound effort.
Willian then wasted a great chance, blazing a free-kick over the bar to leave Conte jumping frantically in his technical area, the frustration was clearly etched on his face.
Everton’s first chance came in the 32nd minute with a quick break leaving Tom Davies with a rare sight of goal but he scuffed his shot wide. Three minut the danger Pickford pal
At the star on defender the back. A into action w Alonso’s low
The pressu his cool, tak his thoughts ordering his
Easier sai through the fizzer which
But Hazard Victor Mose deflect it ago
And then jabbed in a Chelsea cra Everton desp
In the dy did the unth
Gylfi Sigu hopeful corn unchallenge the bar.