Everton handed a severe lesson to Luton Town thanks to Sean Dyche’s ‘epically incompetent’ management.
Everton’s inconsistent start to the season continued on Saturday when they were beaten by Luton Town at Goodison Park. Two encouraging away wins in five days suggested Everton had turned a corner heading into the Premier League clash; however, Sean Dyche’s side immediately reverted to type on home soil, suffering a disappointing 2-1 defeat to the Hatters.
The defeat against Rob Edwards’ side dropped the Blues to 16th in the rankings, just above the relegation zone on goal difference. Dyche’s side will play Bournemouth at home next, a team they defeated on the last day of last season to keep their top-flight place.
And, with Luton Town and Cherries on their thoughts, our Everton jury has spoken…
After such a fantastic week, the Luton game appeared like the ideal game to play. But, as we all know, this isn’t your average football club. This was not a typical result, but it was all too typical for Everton supporters.
The disappointment was all too familiar for the Toffees; getting a result at Goodison Park has been a recurrent storyline for promoted sides. My mind immediately goes to the 5-2 loss to Watford in 2021; the 2-0 loss to Norwich in 2019; the 2-0 loss to Sheffield United in 2020/21 – I could go on.
In terms of performance, it was unusual, almost as if the players lacked confidence before stepping onto the field, which was really strange following two convincing road triumphs. So, who is at fault? No single player stood out as having a poor performance; the team as a whole simply lacked cohesiveness in all aspects of play, but we looked weak defensively. You may argue that Jarred Branthwaite was ‘old-manned’ by Luton Town, but I’m not willing to judge a young man with so much potential based on one terrible performance. The first goal is terrible, but the second worries me the most: how did Carlton Morris end up in acres of space from a set-piece?
On a more positive note (if such a thing exists), on another day Dwight McNeil’s volley goes in, James Garner’s header slams into the net, and Beto puts on his shooting boots.
Moving forward, I am desperate for Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto’s striking partnership. So why not? Apart from introducing Danjuma to give some spice to the side, I wouldn’t change much else in terms of personnel. I believe it is prudent to write off Luton and go again against Bournemouth, a winnable, must-win game. EVERTON, COME ON!
So, how much longer can fans put up with this? Everton fans were treated to yet another dismal home performance devoid of any sense of creativity or invention.
Every game here has followed the same predictable pattern: Everton starts strongly, misses scoring chances, concedes a goal, and the game is virtually gone. Every home game seems like Groundhog Day. It must not be permitted to continue. I’m sure the prospective new owners from 777 arrived at the same conclusion.
Sean Dyche has demonstrated that he can set up his teams to play on the counterattack with devastating results in recent wins over Aston Villa and Brentford. Everton’s away record has improved significantly since the manager took over. They have won four, drawn six, and lost two of their previous 12 games. This demonstrates that Everton have finally evolved into a dangerous opponent on the road.
However, the contrast with the home form is concerning. The last 12 games have resulted in three wins, one tie, and eight defeats. Everton has become a soft touch at Goodison Park, and visiting teams know they can expect to come away with three points with little effort. This season, Luton Town, Fulham, and Wolverhampton Wanderers have all won one away game. There were no rewards for guessing where that was.
Last Saturday, Luton Town outplayed Everton tactically. They packed the defense and relied on well-practiced set-piece routines to score. Everton couldn’t break them down and had to rely on long balls from Jordan Pickford to save the game. It was never going to happen.
The image of fans flowing out of the stadium well before the final whistle demonstrated how disillusioned most Blues have become with this style of play. What became of the ‘School of Science?’
Everton’s midfield lacks guile and craft, which is concerning. Nobody can produce a defense-splitting pass because there is no spark or inventiveness. Possession has a significant lack of vision and imagination.
If only someone of James Rodriguez’s caliber was still alive! The failure to sign a creative midfielder is already costing the club money. Sean Dyche needs to create a winning style of football at Goodison Park.
Winning at home has kept the Blues safe over the last two seasons. Nonetheless, if we don’t beat AFC Bournemouth on Saturday, Everton will not have won a single home game until the clocks go back at the end of October. Jeff, you are incredible!
Leave a Reply