Everton Boss Sam Allardyce Hails Defensive Resolve After Battling West Brom Draw

Sam Allardyce has lauded Everton's "defensive qualities" after the Toffees battled to a second successive 0-0 draw against struggling West Brom.

The Blues boss watched from the sidelines as his rejuvenated set of stars came under intense pressure from Alan Pardew's Baggies at the Hawthorns to extend their eight match unbeaten streak since the eve of Allardyce's appointment.

Speaking to the club's website after the game, the 63-year-old stated that it was pleasing him greatly that Everton's record defensively under him - the Merseysiders having now shipped just two goals in six Premier League matches under his tutelage - was strong.

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He said: "It's a great point for us given the pressure we came under today from West Brom. Our defensive qualities yet again were a major part of our afternoon.

“With our troubles at the moment with players missing, it's only to be expected that we're not delivering anything like the performances in possession that you would expect.

“But what we’re doing defensively, only conceding two in eight, is a remarkable turnaround from a team that conceded 25 in eight."

Allardyce admitted that he was unhappy with how his team was still playing forward and in possession of the ball, but added that there were mitigating circumstances to their paucity in front of goal.

Wayne Rooney and Idrissa Gana Gueye were the latest absentees from Allardyce's pack due to illness and a hamstring problem, and he remarked that attacking moves would improve once Everton got some of their more senior players back from the treatment room.

Allardyce added: “We’ve got too many players out injured as usual at this time of year and we’re missing them. We’ve got a lot of young lads 23 and under - more than anybody else in the Premier League - so you’ve got to expect those to make mistakes, which sometimes they do. 

"But we’re covering up very much for our mistakes, our defensive qualities are getting us through at the moment and we’re picking up very valuable points.

"What's good for them is we're now eight games undefeated and confidence is growing, so confidence in possession will start to grow the more the results continue. 

"And when we get players back, we'll become a better squad, have better selection options and, hopefully, we'll still keep our defensive stability and become more of a threat in possession.”