AVB unfazed by goal-shy Spurs

The Goodison Park stalemate denied either side the chance to move up to second in the Barclays Premier League.

Spurs did climb to fourth but have registered just nine goals in their opening 10 games.

That is not a concern to Villas-Boas, whose side have actually struck 30 times in 17 games overall this term.

He said: "The chances are coming and sometimes they go your way and the opponent is not there to stop it.

"The team is creating more chances and more shots. I carry on about all the good statistics and others about all the negative, and there will be debate.

"At the moment it is results that have put us in fourth and into one of the spots in the Champions League.

"You can have more goals, less goals. We all want excitement but right now the team is doing extremely well."

Villas-Boas was asked at the post-match press conference why he continues to overlook the claims of Emmanuel Adebayor, who is yet to feature this season and has spoken out about his frustration.

Villas-Boas said: "There is competition for places and you have to try to break into the team.

"No matter how hard you try the others are trying as hard.

"He has to be patient and wait for the opportunity whenever it arises.

"That is the nature of every top club.

"He has to continue working hard. It is just the others are working just as hard."

Villas-Boas was satisfied with a point after his team had dominated the first half but been put in the shade after the break.

He said: "I am not disappointed with that result. In the end it was a good result and the only time Everton had a good go at us was the last 25-30 minutes.

"We had a very good game and could have been a bit more clinical.

"I am still happy with the team, but because of what Everton did in the final stages it was a fair result."

Everton manager Roberto Martinez had mixed feelings on the outcome.

He said: "I would have been delighted (with a draw) in the first half.

"I thought we defended throughout really well with great concentration, focus and intensity - you have to do that against this talented Spurs team.

"In the first half we lost the ball too quickly and then it becomes a very difficult game.

"But the second half was different. We kept the ball better and we forced Spurs to defend.

"Then you saw two teams who weren't happy with the draw, both teams striving to get that winning goal and a little bit of magic was needed in our best spell to get the three points.

"Overall, we had to show the focus and character that we did to defend against an outstanding side."

Martinez felt the Toffees should have had a penalty in the second half when Seamus Coleman appeared to have the back of his legs clipped by Jan Vertonghen.

Coleman attempted to play on and get a shot away and Martinez thinks that influenced referee Kevin Friend's decision.

The pair had also tangled in the first half, when Vertonghen wanted a penalty at Coleman's expense, but nothing was given. Martinez said: "That's a clear example, when they tell you decisions level themselves out over a season, that it doesn't happen.

"We had a similar situation at Villa last week and at the Etihad.

"Seamus gets impeded but he doesn't over-react, he doesn't look for the penalty.

"He just gets back on his feet and that probably allows the referee not to make a decision, but it should have been a penalty.

"That doesn't mean we would have scored it but that is a different matter."

On the whole, Martinez remains pleased with his side's start to the campaign after just one defeat in 10 games.

He said: "The start has been good but we want to carry on improving and progressing, so we can get into the final third of the competition in the best possible shape."

Source: PA

Source: PA