Everton take three points at home
After a drab 0-0 draw away at Crystal Palace in their first match of the new season last week, Everton started their home campaign with three points after beating Watford 1-0 today.
Bernard’s 10th minute strike proved enough in the end for Everton to beat the Hornets at Goodison Park and make it four points from two games.
The most welcome part of this victory, apart from the return from injury so quickly of Andre Gomes, is the fact that the Blues again kept a clean sheet and defensively are looking fairly solid at the moment.
This is important because as the Toffees work to bed in all the new players especially up front, keeping goals out means you always have a chance in any game to snatch something.
The new centre-back pairing of Michael Keane and Yerry Mina have developed a good understanding it seems, although it has to be said they haven’t yet faced top quality attacking teams.
And Jean-Philipe Gbamin had a fairly decent game in midfield, making his full debut in front of the home crowd. He is still finding his feet though.
That defensive effort has been re-enforced by keeper Jordan Pickford returning to the solid, consistent and unflashy form he showed when he first arrived at Everton.
He made several important saves last week and again in this game he was alert to Watford’s threat and made another excellent stop to ensure that second clean sheet.
Bernard scoring his first goal of the season is important. The one thing he will need to do more of this campaign is find the back of the net.
The diminutive Brazilian showed plenty of quality moments and a surprisingly robust work ethic last term, but goals are what Blues fans want to see more of from the former Shaktar Donetsk star.
Indeed that’s true of all the Blues forwards, once again they were wasteful, with Richarlison especially, fluffing several good chances. He looks way off the pace at the moment and might still be recovering from that odd bout of mumps he got back in Brazil.
In truth, fortunately Watford didn’t really turn up today and apart from one first half header against the bar, struggled to find any momentum after going behind. Although its early days yet they have now last both opening matches and conceded four goals without scoring.
As for the Blues they could and should have added to their one goal as Bernard and new boy Moise Kean both spurned good chances late on to make it 2-0, wrap up the game and reassure any lingering nerves around Goodison.
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Kean looked a threat when he did come on and let’s hope that as he acclimatises more to English football he will get sharper.
However, Everton really must become more clinical in these situations and ensure they convert good opportunities like these against the better sides they will come up against soon.
There still seems a strange rustiness in the Toffees play sometimes as if they haven’t quite got into the rhythm of a new Premier League season. That needs to change and quickly.