Aitor Karanka will be mad at his Middlesbrough side for letting an early goal advantage slip through their fingers after Everton gifted them a goal early in the game at the Goodison Park. The visitors were just not good enough for Koeman’s side who dictated the game for long periods. They did not take too long to overturn the deficit and were 2 goals to the good before the break. Boro tried to crawl their way back into the game but it was too big an ask for the side who has just been promoted to the top flight. It was not an easy game for the visitors but here is how every player fared on this trip to the Merseyside:
Victor Valdes 5/10
Though could have cleared the ball better in the build up to Barry’s first goal, Valdes was decent on goal on the night making a couple of important saves for his side.
Antonio Barragan 4/10
Was one of the weakest linked for the visitors at the back as he found it hard to handle the energetic Bolasie who troubled him throughout the game.
Daniel Ayala 3/10
Arguably the worst player on the night, Ayala, was all over the shop, as he conceded a number of cheap free kicks in dangerous areas and was also non-existent in more than a couple of Everton attacks.
Ben Gibson 5/10
Though tried his best to keep Everton away from the goal, Gibson, hardly had any support from his teammates and was far from impressive on the night.
George Friend 5/10
An unusually below-par game for the full back who found it hard to keep up with the Everton attacks in the first half. He was decent in the second half of the game but the damage was already done.
Marteen de Roon 4/10
An average performance from the midfielder who failed to have any kind of an impact on the game. He failed to provide cover for his back four and left them exposed which cost his side the game on the night.
Adam Forshaw 5/10
Put in a decent shift in the midfield for the visitors but did not do anywhere near enough to help his side find a foot-hold at any point of time in the game.
Emilio Nsue 4/10
One of the many players who failed to flatter on the night, Nsue, was bad at providing width to Boro’s attack and he was almost non-existent on the right flank leaving the visitors with a one-dimensional attack at times.
Gaston Ramirez 5/10
Provided a couple of moments of brilliance in the final third but was nowhere as influential as his manager wanted him to be in a play maker’s role behind Negredo.
Stewart Downing 4/10
Another disappointingly below-par performer, Downing, never really looked like he settled into the game as he failed to create opportunities from a wide role on the night.
Alvaro Negredo 7/10
Arguably the best player for Boro on the night, Negredo, did well to put pressure on the Everton keeper that led to the first goal and was also a decent focal point in the attack for the visitors. He was hardly provided with enough service by his teammates and was a lone figure in the final third at times for Boro.
Substitutes
David Nugent 4/10
Came on to replace Nsue with more than half an hour to play but hardly made any difference to the style of play for the visitors.
Viktor Fischer 4/10
Replaced Ramirez with 20 minutes to play and though had a couple of decent moments, was not good enough to give his side a point from this game.
Adam Clayton 4/10
Came on with less than 10 minutes to play and hardly had any effect on the game.
