On Saturday, Everton suffered a 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa at Goodison Park. Even truth the game was relatively even and ironically was decided by a goal supplied superbly by former Toffees left-back Lucas Digne.
The game was a fairly even affair, as Villa had not exactly been pulling up any trees of late. Not even the temporary presence of club hero Duncan Ferguson in the dugout could lift the players. There was no doubt more energy about Everton’s performance, but the performance lacked quality.
Couldn’t do the basics
Ferguson has had less than a week to work with the players and it would be harsh to blame him for the defeat, even if some of his tactics and team selections were questionable. The players simply didn’t get the basics right.
They misplaced passes, gave the ball away consistently and generally showed a lack of quality. The lack of quality on display may not be a surprise, as many of the players have proven they are simply not good enough for the Premier League. Ferguson had little option in selecting some of the players but did with others.
One of the main problems at Everton is the player’s confidence is shot. Even the best players in the Toffees squad have failed to perform for much of the season.
A big job to turn things around
The Everton job seems to get harder by the week. The Toffees are now just four points clear of the relegation zone and it is hard to see where the Merseysider’s next points are coming from. It will take a brave and highly skilled head coach to come in and turn things around.
Unfortunately, there are not many head coaches who have those attributes at the minute. The list of head coaches linked with the job may well have some of the required skills. Some of the head coaches that the Toffees are interested in are the likes of Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney.
Both are relatively inexperienced and either would be a major gamble with the team in such a potentially precarious situation. However, some of the foreign head coaches mentioned such as Lucien Favre and Niko Kovac have no experience in the Premier League and would be similar gambles.
It seems the Everton hierarchy are in an impossible position. If they get the next appointment wrong it could prove to be the one that sees the Toffees slip into the second tier of English football. If they get the appointment right then it could well revive the club’s fortunes. They almost need to find a new David Moyes from somewhere. A young hungry boss with the tactical know-how to get the best out of a mediocre group of players.
Next few weeks could dictate the clubs destiny
With an international break and the FA Cup fourth round to come before a now crucial trip to 18th place Newcastle on 8th February, the next few weeks could well determine the future of Everton Football Club.
If a head coach can come in and galvanise the players, then no doubt there is enough quality for the Toffees to avoid the drop. At the moment though, things are looking mighty grim for everybody connected with the men from Merseyside.
Are you looking to place a bet on Everton suffering relegation and are looking for a bookmaker? Well, be sure to check out our betting page for our recommended bookmakers.
Does Everton have enough quality to avoid suffering relegation this season?
