It was a frustrating afternoon for the misfits. Everton were robbed of a point by a bad offside decision and Stan Collymore's barren run continued. The individual parts seemed pretty sound but sewn together they form a misshapen wretch fit only to lurch around in a doomed attempt at terrorising the Premiership.

Collymore, on the other hand, has a body that functions enviably well - regard his speed, his strength and his ambidexterity. It is just that his brain is not wired up properly. Qvick, Igor, pass me the soldering iron.

In fact, the Villa striker looks entirely capable - more capable than Everton at any rate - of redeeming his season. Back after a month's absence for sinus surgery, he busied himself in the build-ups, laid on Villa's equaliser and appeared to have scored his second goal in 15 matches this season before Uriah Rennie cut short his celebrations by giving Everton a free kick for offside against Savo Milosevic.

Nothing much is working for Everton. This was their third successive defeat; they conceded two goals from corners, which is becoming a habit, and the refereeing did not favour them.

The linesman who erased Nick Barmby's 87th minute goal for offside was mistaken and Little thought that Fernando Nelson had fouled Craig Short just before Villa were awarded the corner from which Milosevic equalised. "We got a considerable break," the Villa manager admitted.

But Everton are not bottom of the table entirely by accident. Howard Kendall expressed satisfaction with his team's "commitment" and "attitude", then confessed the necessity for "a rebuilding job".

He could start with Neville Southall. The goalkeeper froze on his line when Ugo Ehiogu headed in the winner from about three yards out and then contrived to dive over Collymore's disallowed effort from 25 yards. At 39 he may not be overage, but he is certainly overweight. The attack is not functioning well either.

In Duncan Ferguson they have the Premiership's air ace, but they have little for him to fly. The problem lies with the wings; versatile though Barmby is, he is not the player Everton want out wide on the left. Graeme Souness, who is apparently considering acquiring Milosevic for Benfica, must have found it familiar.

After all, no other manager has as much experience of spending vast quantities of money and having so little to show for it.