Coleman: Setback the same old story for Everton

Mark Holmes
Seamus Coleman (right): Frustrated by Everton's season

Seamus Coleman (right): Frustrated by Everton's season

Seamus Coleman admitted it has been a season of regret after Everton allowed another three points to slip away at home on Saturday.

West Brom’s 1-0 win, courtesy of their only shot on target from Salomon Rondon, brought to an end a brief Everton revival which had seen them win their last three matches 3-0, two in the Premier League and another against Carlisle United in the FA Cup.

A sixth home defeat of the campaign tells its own story, however, and Coleman admits it has been a frustrating season.

“I don’t know about every other player, but for me personally, I look at games and say ‘If only we had won this one or that one’,” he said.

“But I suppose there have been ones when you win that we shouldn’t have. People say it evens out, but we’re not where we want to be.

“Yes it’s frustrating, but last season was quite similar as well.

“That result is hard to take, but it’s not like we played badly – we just couldn’t break them down.

“That would’ve been three wins on the bounce and so it’s very frustrating because the way the season has been, you can start clawing people back.

“It’s the same old story and we just have to go onto next game.

“It’s important to finish as strongly as possible for us as professionals and because of the club we represent.

“We know we’re not where we should be. There’s no point telling fans we’re talented if we’ve not got results and are where we want to be.”

West Brom’s goal was the simplest of chances as Jonas Olsson’s flicked header at a corner would have dropped inside the unguarded far post regardless of whether Rondon had intervened or not.

But if that was frustrating, what followed was infuriating with Everton attempting 34 shots but managed just six on target with Ross Barkley and Tom Cleverley both hitting the woodwork.

“We knew what to expect, that they’d sit in, hopefully get something off a set-piece and that’s what they did,” added Coleman.

“Then they sat back even more, defending the edge of their box, which is what they’re good at but we did have a lot of chances.

“In the first half we broke them down at ease, we just couldn’t score.

“It was very frustrating to concede from a set piece and he (manager Roberto Martinez) lets us know when we do wrong there’s no doubt about that.

“As players we know we must do better at set-pieces.”