Everton: Southampton loss highlights one major problem that Ancelotti needs to sort

Everton’s 2-0 loss to Southampton underlined one major problem.

Everton arrived at St. Mary’s with a depleted squad without first team players Richarlison and Seamus Coleman. James Rodriguez was a big doubt but the Colombian passed a late fitness test to make it to the starting eleven.

Ancelotti was forced to bring secondary players like Alex Iwobi to the starting lineup. Everton went 2-0 down in the first half, lacking punch and intensity. Naturally, any manager would turn to his bench and bring on a player who is capable of turning the game in his team’s favour. However, Everton lacks a real match-winner off the bench.

When Ancelotti plays his strongest Everton, players like Alex Iwobi, Bernard, Sigurdsson and Davies find themselves on the bench. All of them are decent players in their own right but neither of them is players capable of bending the match to their own will even on the best of their days.

Alex Iwobi was signed from Arsenal to add another dimension on the wings, a player capable of taking on defenders and making exquisite runs in the final third. The Nigerian is struggling to make any impact.

Bernard was seen as a creativity bomb waiting to explode. A player skilled enough to create something out of nothing but it seems that the Premier League’s physicality is too much for the Brazilian to handle. The 5 feet 3 inch winger often gets bullied away from the ball often causing loss of possession.

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Davies and Sigurdsson struggled all season last year. They have improved but aren’t anywhere close to the levels of Abdoulaye Doucoure or Allan.

Ancelotti and Marcel Brands have done a commendable job to bring the likes of James Rodriguez, Allan and others which in turn saw players like Sigurdsson, Iwobi and others get pushed out of the starting lineup.

On a day when everyone is available, Everton have one of the strongest starting lineups but the options off the bench often see mediocrity creep in. When you see teams such as Manchester City, Chelsea, the teams that the Royal Blues desire to compete with has depth and quality-laden players capable of making a positive impact on the pitch after being substituted.

The game against Southampton was reminiscent of last season’s displays. Everton cannot afford to go down that road again or else it’s just another disaster in making. The Toffees need to have a couple of players on the bench who can come in and further elevate the team rather than making a negligible impression on any game.

Ancelotti and Brands will have to work again in January to make sure that firstly the mediocre players see the exit door and they are replaced by pedigree-filled players who are actually adept enough to make a positive impact.