Flawed Tactics
The Blues gave Tottenham Hotspur two good games last term, being unlucky to come away with just one point in total from the pair, but in the aftermath of the blowout the team suffered at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion at Goodison Park a week earlier, positive vibes were in short supply for Saturday’s trip to North London. If expectations were low, then Everton managed to still fall below that low bar, in absorbing a demoralizing 4-0 pasting.
If Sean Dyche and his coaching staff and analysts had watched Spurs’ 1-1 draw away at Leicester City on Monday - which clearly they would have - then it’s difficult to fathom the visitor’s approach here. The Foxes had set up passively, been pummelled relentlessly by the Lilywhites for the entire first half, going in 1-0 down at the interval. After the restart, Steve Cooper’s side pushed further up the pitch and tried to get more men forward. They got a goal back and had chances to win as Spurs lost their previous composure.
Oddly, Everton set up to emulate exactly what hadn’t worked for the Foxes during that opening 45 minutes, rather than what had actually troubled the Londoners late on. The visitors camped on the edge of their own 18-yard box, with a flat midfield five spread out just in front of the defence and lone striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin cutting even more of an lonely figure than is usual. The 4-5-1 formation, deployed so deeply, invited Spurs on and they eagerly obliged.
No doubt frustrated at dropping points to a newly promoted side earlier in the week, the hosts attacked Everton relentlessly, coming close to scoring numerous times before eventually achieving a breakthrough via Yves Bissouma’s long-range blast in the 14th minute. So dominant had they been, that it had seemed merely a matter of time before they found the back of the net. A rare foray into the opposition half saw Jack Harrison squander a great chance for an equalizer, with a bad miss on the volley.
The Toffees ultra-cautious setup may have been understandable to a degree, given the team’s slow central defensive pairing and the quickness of the Spurs front three, but it was also flawed in many respects. Wingers Dwight McNeil and Harrison are hard-working, but lack any pace and an isolated Calvert-Lewin was easily contained by the home side’s physical centre backs. With no out ball and no speed on the break, even on the few occasions Everton were able to gain possession, they were unable to threaten.
If a team offers no attacking - or counterattacking - threat whatsoever, then this makes the job of the opposition much easier and - perversely - invites pressure. Leicester demonstrated this clearly, but no lessons were learned by Dyche and his staff, making Saturday’s result almost inevitable.
Winners and Losers
Jordan Pickford had been putting on a one-man show to deny Spurs - like a modern day Davy Crockett at the Alamo - so it was particularly cruel that his error, when caught dawdling on the ball by Son Heung-Min in the 25th, would effectively put the game beyond Everton. It doesn’t help a side with such a low-output offence when experienced and typically reliable players like Pickford and Idrissa Gana Gueye - in the previous game - commit costly unforced errors — which prove almost impossible to overcome.
Gueye rebounded from his blunder against Brighton to put in a strong effort. Of Everton’s three-man midfield, he was by far the best performer and did his best to hold things together in the face of the Spurs onslaught, ending up with a team-high eight tackles and more ball recoveries (six) and touches (39) than his two midfield partners combined. He was also careful with his passing, leading the Toffees with a 85.7% completion rate.
Tim Iroegbunam, Everton’s standout operator last time out, struggled in a more passive setup, as did the far more experienced Abdoulaye Doucoure, who was deployed as a standard midfielder, rather than in a more advanced position. Neither player impacted the game on the ball — or without it. The 21-year-old managed only 19 touches in the entire game and just a single tackle as his defensive positioning was sorely tested.
Doucoure, ostensibly more comfortable deeper, fared no better, touching the ball just 13 times and registering no defensive statistics at all, before being withdrawn in the 56th minute, in what was a truly anonymous outing. The Malian has started the campaign in awful form, being substituted off early (by Dyche’s standards) in both matches, after putting in pretty abject performances. His future in the starting lineup - and maybe at the club itself (see below) - must now be in question.
Dwight McNeil was the only player to create anything on Saturday, completing six key passes (those which lead to an attempt on goal) — triple the rest of the team’s output. He also converted six of his ten crosses and led the Blues in touches (49) - eclipsing the involvement of Harrison on the opposite flank (eleven, in 56 minutes on the pitch). He also made more ball recoveries than anyone else (eight) and completed two of three dribble attempts. He was moved central just before the hour mark, but his extreme one-footedness makes him easy to block off and force back in this position.
Replacing the ineffective Doucoure with the Blues two goals down, Iliman Ndiaye received just over half an hour from the bench and showed a glimpse of what he can offer. The 24-year-old did his best to attack, attempting five dribbles (two successful) and carrying the ball into the opposition penalty area four times, but also demonstrated a willingness to contribute defensively, making four tackles. He was again fielded on the left, with McNeil shifted inside, which is odd considering the Senegalese is a natural central attacker and the ex-Burnley man is not. Puzzling.
Running out of Time
Everton’s woeful start to the league campaign has shown that, once again, the club has not prepared well enough. There are valid reasons for this, but it is still disappointing that the promise shown in the early part of the transfer window has failed to materialize. However, there are still several days left and the Merseyside outfit needs to do whatever it can to improve the situation. There are sales that can be made, which would generate enough cash to push through moves for players who could provide a boost, in terms of competition for places, as well as depth. The Toffees also have two loan spots available — one domestic and one foreign, which they have to utilize.
That the team was forced into a choice between fielding unwanted central defender Mason Holgate and an untried 19-year-old academy prospect - in Roman Dixon - at right back, in just the second game of the season, laid bare how lacking the squad is currently. Surprisingly, Dyche opted for the youngster, who did about as well as could be expected — in that he was not obviously inferior to most of his far more experienced teammates. He showed tenacity, making five tackles and the quickness we knew he possessed, but the club would be well advised to find him a good developmental loan opportunity.
So, who could the club move on, and why?
The summer-long saga over Calvert-Lewin’s contract - which expires next June - has dragged on into the final week of the window, amazingly. Everton may have been asking too high a fee for their primary centre forward, but have to be more accommodating now with time running out. Anything around the £20m mark has to be accepted, as quickly as possible.
Beto came on for the last 18 minutes on Saturday, with Everton at 3-0 down, showing how highly he’s rated by Dyche. The Portuguese striker could potentially work out in a different system, but I just don’t see the manager deviating from how he wishes the team to play. With reputed interest from Italy, where he managed a solid goal return in two seasons with Udinese, the club should look to cut their losses and offload him for around £15m.
Doucoure, a big player for the Blues in 2023, looks to be in decline. Dyche clearly values the player, but he’s another who’s deal expires next summer and who commands high wages. His performance level over the second half of last season dipped and he’s now begun the new campaign poorly. Saudi clubs inquired about his services in January. Everton should explore options to sell the midfielder without delay, potentially raising £10m which could be sorely used.
There are gaps everywhere in the squad and little time to act. If even some of the above can be sold, then funds would be available to bring in players who can effect the team’s fortunes on the pitch. A new starting right back is absolutely essential — but a central midfielder, decent left back cover and another forward, or winger are all badly needed. That being said, Dyche has to demonstrate a willingness to play those who arrive, in addition to those newcomers already at the club, or there’s little point.