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Everton slump to depressing defeat in final game

By Matt Townsend

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 13: Jordan Pickford of Everton looks dejected during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Everton at London Stadium on May 13, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 13: Jordan Pickford of Everton looks dejected during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Everton at London Stadium on May 13, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images) /
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All the hopes that Everton might have been able to finish this  season with a win in their final match at West Ham proved mistaken as the Blues slumped to a 3-1 loss.

This latest and last defeat again underlined all the problems that Everton face if they are to re-build and have any hope of competing next term.

The Blues conceded goals through poor defending and individual errors failed to put their opponents under any sustained pressure, didn’t create enough chances up front and only scored one goal.

This game then was a microcosm of all the failings that have so badly affected Everton’s season.

The Toffees failed to deal with West Ham’s chief threats Marco Arnautovic and Manuel Lanzini (both of whom we highlighted in our match preview earlier this week).

Lanzini scored twice and Arnautovic also scored as well as running the game for the Hammers.

For some reason manager Sam Allardyce decided to revert to a back-three for this game and he also picked two defensive midfielders in Idrissa Gueye and Morgan Schneiderlin – why!!??

Everton had been finally finding some consistency with a stable defence only for Allardyce to change it again!

This was a game to go for the win and the points not once again concede the initiative to the opposition.

It didn’t work anyway and again the Blues were soundly beaten away from home.

When Allardyce did change it and brought on Davy Klaassen in the second half, the Blues improved.

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But then he took off striker Cenk Tosun as Everton were chasing the game, much to the anger of the player and the travelling Blues supporters.

Why take off the team’s main goal threat when your 2-1 down and back in the match!? It’s tactics that are impossible to understand.

In contrast Bournemouth in their game away to Burnley, put on more attackers not fewer, went for the win and came back from a goal down to take it 2-1.

That’s the kind of positive approach that the Toffees need to adopt, especially away from home.

So after the Blues pulled a goal back through Omar Niasse, West Ham regained the lead when Lanzini grabbed his second and that was that.

Next: Some more prospects for the Blues?

I really hope we do not see performances like that from Everton against such average opposition next season but if the current manager stays, we will.