Paul McParlan - Groundhog Day
Surely no one seriously expected us to get anything at Anfield on Monday night? Everton had managed one solitary away win all season, scoring a mere six goals on their travels, while Liverpool had lost at home once.
The outcome was never in doubt. Sadly, derby encounters at Anfield are turning into a routinely predictable affair, season after season. It is now so one sided that at some stage Sky might start to question if it is worth covering anymore?
For those of us who grew up watching Everton sides under Howard Kendall and Joe Royle scrapping for every ball and not giving their opponents an inch, the failure to compete was bewildering.
READ MORE: Sean Dyche confirms Dominic Calvert-Lewin unavailable for Everton vs Leeds United
READ MORE: Everton and Liverpool charged by FA after incident during Merseyside derby
It almost seemed that the team believed the win against Arsenal meant they did not need to collect any points from Liverpool. So, what now? Everton’s next four fixtures, three at home, are season defining.
Anything less than a return of seven points will be a cause for concern. Saturday’s game with Leeds United is simply one that Everton must win, as were the matches against Southampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The question is which Everton will turn up? The team that overpowered champions elect Arsenal or the version that stood back and allowed Liverpool to stroll to victory? The Everton boss simply cannot let his side’s lack of pace be exposed again by the pacey Leeds attack.
Sean Dyche is not a miracle worker. Monday’s defeat only served to confirm the enormity of the task he has taken on. Too many players in this squad are seemingly incapable of delivering a consistent level of performance, flattering to deceive on too many occasions. Giving away possession cheaply in dangerous areas is a habit Everton cannot break.
Without a fully fit Dominic Calvert-Lewin it is hard to see where the goals will come from . Ellis Simms is a work in progress who looked frightfully out of his depth, whilst the diminutive Neal Maupay has so far failed to make an impact.
The failure to recruit a striker in the last window continues to be a misjudgement of seismic proportions. Demarai Gray, with a mere three goals, is still our highest scorer in the Premier League. Even more worrying, Dwight McNeil is the only other player to have scored more than one goal this season.
Dyche faces a titanic task in finding a system that will allow others to feature on the scoresheet. Everton need to put the derby debacle behind them against Leeds United on Saturday. The consequences of a defeat are unthinkable.
In post-match interviews at Anfield, captain Seamus Coleman became quite tetchy when asked if he thought that might be the last Merseyside derby for a while. Unless Sean Dyche can produce a string of victories from a team that continues to underperform, that possibility remains.
Tony Scott - Sean Dyche has to try something different
Do Evertonians actually get that derby belly feeling anymore? Do you actually get nervous anymore?
As I looked around me in the Anfield Road end on Monday night it wasn't anger, it wasn't frustration, it was one of acceptance that this is the norm now. Not laying a glove on Liverpool at Anfield is actually part of our seasonal routine now.
It could possibly be the last time we play there for a while so we have to put it behind us. Looking forward to Saturday, Sean Dyche has to try something different.
It was clear that Ellis Simms isn't at this level yet and the worry for me is Dyche has watched him all week at Finch Farm and thought that he would be! Whether it be Amadou Onana more forward or Demarai Gray in a false nine, Dyche can't rely on Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
All this stems from is recruitment and how poor Everton have been at it for years leading up to the present day. Leeds United on Saturday is winnable as they can be as bad as us at times.
Fans will be there but will the manager's tactics and the players attitudes? We shall see.
READ MORE:
Asmir Begovic shares 'ultimate' Everton dream after opening goalkeeper academy
Inside Sean Dyche's Everton regime as items banned and 'spin the wheel' fine system introduced
- Sean Dyche has just seen Everton's biggest mental block but it needn't shape survival hopes
- Leeds United make managerial decision before huge Everton match
- Everton were scared against Liverpool and schoolboy error summed up their night
