Survival is looking bleak after another poor performance for Everton
After an international break where Everton got a bit of a breather and some introspection time, the business has gotten extremely serious for Frank Lampard and his troops. As we enter the culminating stages of the 2021-22 Premier League season, the Toffees are fighting for their survival in the Top Flight.
Sitting in 17th place with 25 points, Everton are in a position that is too close for comfort. The Toffees have flirted with the relegation places for far too long and if this continues any longer, the Merseysiders can fall in the drop zone.
Poor performances and lack of intensity have been key reasons for Everton’s downfall, coupled with poor tactics and objectionable team selection, this slowly turning into the perfect recipe for disaster.
Lampard arrived at the helm in January and there was some newfound hope among the Goodison faithful. However, the rescue mission hasn’t gone according to plan. The away day blues have downed Everton all season, having the worst away record in the Premier League with just one win in 13 games.
The Toffees gear up for yet another away trip as Lampard’s men travel to London to face West Ham United. The plucky upstarts who were on a mission to challenge the status quo have recently fizzled out, slipping to eight position and in turn being out of the UEFA Europa League and Conference League spots.
Lampard named a strong side as Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison started upfront. The former Chelsea boss made five changes from the emphatic win against Newcastle before the international break.
The away day blues struck again as Everton lost 2-1 to West Ham United, their 16th defeat in the last 21 games. The Toffees started on a bright note but individual errors let them down, eventually resulting in another frustrating loss. Everton remain in a seriously precarious position and now the next tie at Burnley could be the difference between survival and relegation come at the end of the season.
Here are the Everton player ratings:
Jordan Pickford – 6
Jordan Pickford made a fantastic save from a Pablo Fornals’ effort as Everton were torn open on the counter. It was orthodox keeping, it was dangerous keeping but saved the Toffees from going behind.
Pickford could’ve done very little to save Aaron Cresswell’s free kick. Perhaps, for the most critical eye, his positioning could’ve been better but it was individual brilliance from Cresswell that was no match. Did well to stop Antonio in a one on one situation but had no chance to save the Bowen effort after deflection.
Defence:
Vitaliy Mykolenko – 5
Vitaliy Mykolenko was handed a rare start after arriving at Goodison Park in January. In only what is his third start in the league, Mykolenko looked like a work in progress as he looked a bit out of sync in the first half. Jarrod Bowen did make Mykolenko’s life troublesome in the first half.
After going behind for the second time, Mykolenko darted a series of crosses and Everton dominated a brief spell but all the balls were dealt by the West Ham defence.
Ben Godfrey – 6
Ben Godfrey looked far more defensively sound than Keane in the back four. Godfrey was brave to take on Antonio on a couple of occasions and come out equal or on the top of the West Ham forward. Godfrey did drive the ball forward to build an attack but nothing came out of it. Godfrey made a goal saving tackle late in the game, stopping Antonio in a close one on one situation against Pickford.
Michael Keane – 3
Michael Keane came to Everton’s rescue as he valiantly put himself between Michail Antonio and the Everton goal, blocking a solid shot. Keane was already treading on dangerous grounds after picking up an early booking in the first half. His day went from bad to worse after he roughly tackled Antonio, picking his second yellow and earning a red in the process, leaving Everton with a mountain to climb as they chased a goal.
Jonjoe Kenny – 5
Jonjoe Kenny entered the familiar territory, starting as a right back in absence of Seamus Coleman. The Everton academy product did push forward in the first half, darting in a couple of crosses but the Toffee strikers never really got on the end of the crosses.
Midfield:
Abdoulaye Doucoure – 5.5
After an insipid and horrendous performance at Selhurst Park where the Toffees were obliterated, Abdoulaye Doucoure made a resounding come back against West Ham, looking more comfortable and more assured in the middle. His presence in the middle did aid Holgate’s cause too as the former Barnsley man isn’t a typical midfielder but rather a makeshift one.
Mason Holgate – 5.5
Mason Holgate was expecting to be on the bench but a thigh injury in the warm up to Donny van de Beek forced Lampard to recall Holgate in the lineup albeit playing as a central midfielder sitting in front of the defence. Holgate has previously deputized as a DM but hasn’t passed the test with flying colours.
Holgate would have to take the blame for conceding a free kick which eventually resulted in a goal thanks to a moment of magic from Cresswell. Holgate did rectify his mistake in the second half, scoring the equalizer through a thunderous volley in the 53rd minute. Holgate
Alex Iwobi – 5
Alex Iwobi operated almost as a third central defender which gave Everton more control in the middle of the park and compensated for the lack of creativity in the midfield as the Toffees lost Van de Beek. Iwobi sprayed a defence splitting ball to Richarlison which was almost turned into the goal but Ryan Fredricks saved the Hammers with timely intervention.
Iwobi made a massive mistake, taking a poor touch and giving away possession and in turn enabling a blitzing counter attack from West Ham, leaving Antonio in a one on one situation against Pickford. Even though saved by the Englishman, the deflection fell to Bown who netted home to reinstate the one goal advantage.
Attack:
Richarlison – 6
Richarlison tried to do the spectacular, attempting a bicycle kick from a Kenny cross which was blocked. He started on the left flank and looked dangerous on every occasion he got forward but couldn’t muster a goal.
The Brazilian worked hard throughout the game and got forward and in dangerous positions on every possible occasion but he lacked the finishing touch. Richarlison headed the ball down and laid it for Holgate to volley it into the goal.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin – 5
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is still coming to grips and isn’t as sharp as he was before the injury. Did run down the channels and was at the end of half chances but didn’t produce anything decisive in front of the goal. Calvert-Lewin did go down on the edge of the West Ham goal area but was awarded nothing.
Demarai Gray – 5
Operating on the extreme right and drifting inward, Demarai Gray did look enticing in the opening stages of the game. He often drove the ball forward but was left with no options and surrounded by West Ham players.
Substitutions:
Anthony Gordon – 5
Anthony Gordon came on in the 78th minute for Calvert-Lewin. He made his 50th appearance this afternoon.
Will poor away performances result in Everton’s relegation?