Everton finally managed to score a goal themselves and were able to salvage a point through Demarai Gray’s equaliser from yesterday’s game against Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park.
Once again it was blindingly clear where the main problem with this Everton team is, and that’s of course the almost total lack of goalscoring threat!
How many games in this campaign are going to go by before the club get forwards in who can regularly find the back of the net?!
Frank Lampard stated in his pre-match press conference that he and Kevin Thelwell are still determined to do more business in this transfer window and that they recognise a striker (actually it should be strikers) is needed.
However, while all that is fine and good to hear, time is rapidly ticking on and we’re already three games into this new season and the Toffees’ have only got a solitary point from them.
I will say it again surely Everton MUST bring in at least one forward who can score goals by the time the Blues’ travel to London to face Brentford next Saturday.
The Toffees’ actually began yesterday’s match reasonably well and they were on top and largely controlling the game for most of the first half.
Salomon Rondon started and while he doesn’t offer much of a goal threat he at least provided the team with a desperately needed focus up front and was occupying their defenders.
That certainly isn’t the case with the false nine system Lampard had used from the start in the previous games, and indeed wrongly reverted to again yesterday in the second half.
Again though, given the paucity of attacking options, why have both Lewis Dobbin and Ellis Simms been allowed to go on loan again? Maybe, the manager should look at giving Tom Cannon, who’s scoring goals for fun with the Under-21s, a chance from the bench. There’s no one else.
Anyway, after about half an hour into the match Everton started to lose their grip on the game and allowed Forest back into it.
This is I think partly a consequence of the formation Lampard is using playing two in midfield, which puts a lot of pressure on those players.
Tom Davies had a decent match alongside the excellent Alex Iwobi, but Davies has only just come back from a long-term injury and he’s still finding optimum match fitness. Plus, I don’t think he’s the answer long-term playing as a defensive or holding number six type.
If Lampard continues with a three centre-back defence, I think the Blues’ need to find a way to play three in the middle, even if that mean only having two forwards in front of them.
After all, none of the attacking players really looked like scoring a goal until Gray finally found the net with a few mintues left to play.
Anthony Gordon then wasted a gilt-edged chance to win it trying to lob Dean Henderson instead of just rounding the keeper or sliding it under him. Dwight McNeil offered nothing when he came on either.
And, moving to a midfield three is especially critical if Amadou Onana is going to play regularly, which given injuries in midfield is likely. Perhaps understandably looks well off the pace in English football and picked up a yellow card for a clumsy bit of play just moments after he came on.
Well, after Everton had wasted several first-half chances and with a poor game looking as though it would be petering out in a goalless draw, inevitably Forest then scored.
Jordan Pickford could only palm away a long shot and Brennan Johnson slotted in the rebound for the opening goal.
To be honest, it looked as though Everton were heading for a third straight defeat, but then Pickford made up for his earlier error with a superb long ball that picked out Gray who produced a smart finish to rescue a precious point.
One point is better than none obviously, but it’s still a poor return from three games, two of which were certainly winnable.
But, without any proper goal threat this pattern will continue for the foreseeable future and it will be a very long and hard season with a relegation fight again looking not just possible but almost inevitable.
After yesterday’s draw the Toffees’ really have to get three points at Brentford with matches against Leeds who’ve started well, then the Merseyside derby and finally a resurgent Arsenal, coming up afterwards.
So, the question continues to be can Everton can find a way to bring in someone who can score goals this week?