West Ham 1 Everton FC 1: Greg O'Keeffe on the Blues' draw

David Moyes 300FROM frozen pipes to frozen ambitions - Everton's hopes of a surge towards the top of the table continue to flatter to deceive.Where recent history suggests there is no holding the Blues back when they turn a corner, as against Manchester City, this season's corners lead only into cul-de-sacs.Victory against a West Ham United side which has defended poorly all season could have propelled the Blues to tenth in the table - and above Liverpool for 24 hours at least.But instead, they played like a team who badly needed the momentum and confidence, that playing on Boxing Day so soon after that satisfying night at Eastlands, might have afforded them. The curse of Groundhog Day returned; during a campaign that mirrors the Bill Murray comedy where he wakes up to find every day is the same.First, Tony Hibbert produced another unfortunate own goal in this fixture after doing exactly the same last season.Then Everton's attacking play mirrored practically every other game of this campaign, Manchester City aside, whereby it all went smoothly until the final ball.This time, even the much-maligned strikers were blameless - because there were none on the pitch for the first 61 minutes.David Moyes surprised everyone by keeping all three of his frontmen on the bench, and starting with Tim Cahill leading the line alone, in front of a fluid midfield which was instructed to assist him at will, with only Marouane Fellaini sitting deep in front of his back four.Understandably, Moyes was reluctant to drop any of the players who glittered at Eastlands, while also keen to restore Mikel Arteta to the side.So with Victor Anichebe suspended, he eschewed any striking presence and hoped the host of talented ball players in a packed midfield would conjure the right formula.

Source: Liverpool_Echo