Prince Rupert's Tower
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Everton fail Saints test of character

By Matt Townsend

Everton's French defender Lucas Digne walks off the pitch after taking a red card during the English Premier League football match between Southampton and Everton at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, southern England, on October 25, 2020. (Photo by Andy Rain / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ANDY RAIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Everton's French defender Lucas Digne walks off the pitch after taking a red card during the English Premier League football match between Southampton and Everton at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, southern England, on October 25, 2020. (Photo by Andy Rain / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ANDY RAIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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So that’s it then after a great start to the 2020-21 season, Everton fell to their first defeat of the campaign at St Mary’s to end their unbeaten run.

To be honest, I felt this was coming and today Everton turned in a poor performance and they were deservedly defeated 2-0 by Southampton.

This match was always likely to be difficult without Richarlison as well as Seamus Coleman and with James Rodriguez a major doubt right up until yesterday. It was going to be a test of the character and mental strength of the squad with injuries, suspensions and the swirling controversy after Saturday’s derby and one that ultimately the Blues failed.

The recent revival seems a little paper-thin at the moment and this game exposed the fact that there’s still too many mediocre players in the squad who don’t appear able to step up.

Rodriguez played the whole game but didn’t look as sharp and wasn’t nearly as influential as he has been. Without him at his best and Richarlison’s pace and goal threat, the Blues struggled to create chances and Dominic Calvert-Lewin was starved of the service he has grown used to.

Also, after playing so well last weekend, Ben Godfrey wasn’t as assured today filling in for Coleman and that transmitted into a weakened backline overall.

In fact this game was reminiscent of the kind of limp and under-cooked efforts that so often characterised last season. After a solid start, the Toffees were poor in every department looking vulnerable in defence and lacking the vibrancy and attacking panache of the first five matches of the season.

And yet again a challenge late in the game, saw a Blues player get a straight red card and so another three game suspension.

Let’s deal with that issue. I defended Jordan Pickford last week, feeling that the response to his admittedly idiotic challenge on Virgil Van Dijk was over the top and indicated a conscious selectivity in the media’s outlook.

The apparently choreographed hysteria, was it seemed designed to frame Everton in the worst possible light as if only the Blues have players who commit silly, ill-timed or malicious tackles.

Now today another Everton player gets caught up in a situation which leads to his getting sent off. Lucas Digne was involved with Saints defender Kyle Walker-Peters and after a challenge he appeared to let his leg drag down on the heal of the Southampton player leading referee Kevin Friend to brandish a straight red.

I honestly don’t know if Digne had malicious intent or not, but I can’t help thinking that last weekend’s match and the response to it, has contributed to this afternoon’s outcome.

Whatever the truth, the Toffees are now without two of their best players for at least another two Premier League games. If this carries on, these sending’s off and suspensions are going to ruin the Blues season.

I didn’t even attempt to defend Richarlison’s actions last week, he deserved to be sent off for a ridiculous challenge so late in the derby.

Digne’s case looks a bit more complicated and Carlo Ancelotti has said the club will contest it, which might prove a very controversial decision. If that fails, he’s also gone for three games. His creativity will be missed especially as Rodriguez might be below par for a while.

Regardless of anything else the Toffees’ players must try and cut out these sorts of challenges or they will get a deserved reputation that will contribute further to the team’s problems.

Getting back to the actual match itself, the Blues were never in it after the opening minutes as Southampton continued their fine recent form and came to dominate the first half.

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Gylfi Sigurdsson did hit the woodwork before the Saints scored their opening goal but the Toffees were second best today through most of the game. He played from the start, but he was poor and was replaced by Fabian Delph in the second half.

After the break Everton still couldn’t get into the match, Southampton were comfortable and could have added to their first half goals, but for a fine stop from Pickford.

I feared that the international break might disrupt the Toffees momentum and although it’s impossible to prove, it feels as though that’s the case. Several key players have come back either unable to shake off injuries or not quite as sharp as they were before the break.

One area of the team that is beginning to worry me a little is the midfield. Gomes didn’t play but Sigurdsson couldn’t take his chance. Allan doesn’t seem quite the player he was before the break and hasn’t been as dominant and effective as in the first four Premier League games and that is affecting how well Everton can control the game.

With that, the absence of Richarlison and now Digne, together with Rodriguez perhaps still feeling the effects of his knock last Saturday and suddenly Everton’s prospects look significantly bleaker.