Bournemouth game big test for Everton
With the diversion of the first international break of the season now over, the Premier League returns this weekend and Everton travel down to Bournemouth on Sunday.
This game will be a big test and an important barometer of just what kind of progress Everton are making.
Because while the Blues have continued to be a formidable opponent for anyone at Goodison Park, it is their away from that I think will determine whether they can break into that elusive top six.
The Toffees secured an important three points against Wolves in their last Premier League outing. Again though that was at the grand old lady where the Blues have been strong for a long time.
Now the team need to replicate that kind of performance away from the comfort zone of home surroundings.
The Jeckle and Hyde nature of Everton’s form is perhaps the most difficult problem Marco Silva and his staff have to sort out.
If they don’t find a solution, it’s highly unlikely the Blues will be able to make any real progress in the league and finish higher up in the table this season.
Critical to teams making the move from being upper mid-table to contending for the top six or even higher is their away form.
Teams like Everton pushing for that, and others such as Leicester City and Wolves themselves are all tough to beat at home but to progress they need to start regularly picking up points away.
Despite some outstanding and dominant efforts at home recently, the Blues struggle badly to take that form anywhere else. Remarkably the last time the Toffees won away in the Premier League was at Cardiff City back in February!
Bournemouth will therefore be a tough test for Everton. Although they haven’t had the best of starts points-wise, they are usually strong at home and have some real talent including a formidable set of forwards who will test the resilience of the Blues backline.
There are also a very resiliant side as they showed when the two sides met early last season at the Vitality Stadium.
The likes of Callum Wilson and Josh King can be a real handful on their day and their combination of pace and power could make life very uncomfortable for the Toffees defenders.
Speaking of that Blues defence, there were some further worrying signs of frailty from Michael Keane in England’s strange 5-3 win over Kosovo.
The Everton centre-back obviously was at fault for their ridiculously early opening goal and had several other moments to forget too. This followed a less than totally assured display in the previous game against Bulgaria.
Let’s hope this was the product of an unfamiliar central defensive partnership with Harry Maguire rather than anything more deep-seated.
Whatever the reason for these lapses, against the Cherries, Keane and his fellow centre-back Yerry Mina will have to be focussed and of course avoid any silly mistakes.
Key though to helping ensure Everton don’t give away goals on Sunday, will be Fabian Delph in midfield.
Although the ex-Manchester City man only came into the team for his first start against Wolves, it already feels like he has become an essential player for the Blues.
Delph was excellent in that game, tracking back expertly, winning tackles, picking up loose balls and protecting and filling in for his defenders when they were caught out of position.
If he can replicate that performance and Andre Gomes can get hold of the ball and help dictate possession, then the Toffees have a great chance of leaving the south coast with all three points.
Obviously the Blues will need goals to win the game. The return to goal scoring form of Richarlison was another of the most positive things from that 3-2 win against Wolves.
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The Brazilian looked back to his best showing his pace, power and ability to time his runs into the box as well.
In addition Alex Iwobi netted for the second game in a row too.
If he can carry on scoring regularly, (something he was criticised for not doing enough of at Arsenal), whilst also bringing the energy, directness and creativity to the team he has done, then Everton will have brought in a superb player.
Wouldn’t it be great if to add to this firepower, Moise Kean could finally break his duck and net for the first time on Sunday?