Everton need to start spending like WAGs

At 17-years-old, the whisky was considerably older than the youngster who claimed a slice of Everton history, when Jose Baxter trotted on to a ludicrously hyped up tannoy announcement.

The 16-year-old might even have lived up to his entrance had he managed to get over Phil Jagielka's 92nd minute cross and kept his header under the Gwladys Street crossbar.

But Baxter actually did more than could be expected in the circumstances. As did full debutant Jack Rodwell.

Everton asked kids to do a man's job on Saturday. They asked square pegs to fill round holes. And the outcome was entirely, depressingly predictable.

Everton needed their big players to perform at 100% efficiency if they were to somehow escape from this rancid summer with a result on the opening day.

But only Mikel Arteta could really, truly hold his head up high.

He scored a sublime free-kick and produced an inviting cross for Everton's second goal, but elsewhere the Blues were patchy.

Yakubu made up ground magnificently to finish the move he had started himself in the 63rd minute, but missed another opening and conceded a sloppy last minute foul.

Joleon Lescott woefully lost concentration seconds after Everton had somehow forged a lead, while Phil Jagielka tried manfully, but could never completely overcome the disadvantage that he was a centre-back playing in central midfield.

The obstacles Everton were up against were most painfully apparent in the build-up to Blackburn's opening goal.

Neither Jagielka nor Rodwell had the swiftness of feet or sureness of touch to swap passes as Everton attempted to mount an attack of their own, and Blackburn broke away. Thirty seconds later the visitors were ahead.

It was a lead they thoroughly deserved, and while the last minute nature of the eventual defeat was cruel, it was not harsh.

Ryan Nelsen was clearly offside when he headed the ball against the inside of Tim Howard's post, but this time the non-decision did not paint a false gloss on the game. Blackburn, as everybody had feared, deserved their victory.

Everton's season already looks like coming down to how they progress in the Cup competitions.

At least their entrance into the UEFA Cup doesn't take place until the transfer window closes.

It is, quite simply, paramount that Everton have new faces - and plenty of them - in their squad by then.

David Moyes declared with his usual conviction afterwards that he would not compromise his principles for the sake of a quick, short-term fit.

It's a high risk policy, and one I hope the Blues boss reconsiders.

Because if Joao Moutinho, Diego Milito, Stephane M'Bia et al, all decide to stay where they are, the Blues may need Alan Smith to produce his best Paul Wilkinson impersonation and help Everton through an injury crisis.

David Moyes has progressed Everton quite magnificently from the position they found themselves floundering in six years ago.

But a refusal to compromise could see them take several steps backwards.

Saturday was a wretched afternoon to be an Evertonian.

There have been many unexpected opening day collapses in my memory - Coventry in 1975, Nottingham Forest in 1977, Spurs in 1984.

There have even been day one defeats that were accidents waiting to happen, like the day Gordon Lee sent out a diminutive centre-back pairing of Colin Todd and Billy Wright to mark the giant Justin Fashanu and David Cross in 1979.

But this opening day reverse has been three months in the making.

Responsibility must be collective, as must the desire to put it right.

Everton face the most pivotal fortnight of their recent history.

The Blues must spend like a WAG with her husband's platinum credit card if the 2008/09 season is not consigned to the dustbin of memory before it's even started.