Everton need change now after dreadful defeat at Southampton

Although Everton did have the ball in the back of the net - courtesy of another late Beto strike then ruled out by VAR - in truth this was a terrible performance against a very average Southampton side.

This was arguably the worst that the Blues have played in a long time and none of us were surprised that once more the Toffees provided another team with the chance to end their win-less run.

It has happened over and over again and yesterday Everton were the perfect opponent for a struggling Southampton.

The result was not just damaging in itself but it has underlined the increasing problems of this Everton team under Sean Dyche.

Previously i have defended Dyche and I do think that his approach has kept the club up, especially last season when the Blues were one of the meanest sides in the Premier League defensively.

However, in this campaign that defensive solidity has been absent for much of the season and only recently have Everton begun to be a bit stronger and consistent at the back.

Meanwhile, there was hope that the Toffees might improve as an attacking threat particularly after a summer in which the focus had been on bringing in new forwards.

Iliman Ndiaye, Jesper Lindstrom and a returning Jack Harrison on loan, were added to in theory improve the ability of the team to score goals. which had been a huge problem last season.

At first there did seem to be an improvement on previous campaigns with Everton looking a bit more dangerous up front, but that has proved to be shortlived.

Yesterday the Blues were anemic in attack and created virtually nothing as was the case the previous week at home to Fulham. Unsurprisingly, this time Everton lost the game.

As well as the inexplicable decision by Dyche to continue to leave his England international centre-back and best player Jarrad Branthwaite on the bench, his side were woeful up front.

One option to improve the side's goal-threat might have been to start Beto either alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin or even on his own. But as usual Dyche elected to continue with his preferred tactic of leaving Calvert-Lewin in the number nine role.

I have written before that I do not think Dyche is getting the best out of his new signings - and especially Ndiaye - who should be playing more centrally, where I reckon he will have much more consistent impact.

Whatever formation or reshuffle is considered the current approach is not working and cannot continue with the Toffees having dropped some potentially crucial points in this recent run of games.

Regardless though of any switches in formation or personnel Dyche needs to show that he can adjust the way his team plays to ensure they offer a much more concrete threat or he will could well lose his job and Everton may well be relegated.