Everton face an anxious wait on the severity of an injury to Jarrad Branthwaite sustained during this evenings horrible loss to Chelsea
Sean Dyche was left to count the cost of more than just the massive dent Everton took to their goal difference and team morale with their 6-0 annihilation at the hands of Chelsea, with three players picking up injuries that make them doubts for next Sunday's massive game against Nottingham Forest.
The Blues came into this evening's fixture at Stamford Bridge six better off than Forest in terms of goal difference but had that potentially precious advantage erased amid one of the worst defensive performances ever by an Everton side in the Premier League era.
Cole Palmer helped himself to four goals and could have had two more while Nicholas Jackson and Aflie Gilchrist scored the others as Mauricio Pochettino's side exploited the void in the visitors' midfield and their dreadful defending to run rio at Stamford Bridge.
The chastening result was made worse by the fact that Seamus Coleman was forced off at the break with a groin strain and Nathan Patterson suffered a hamstring tear that might have prematutely ended his start-stop season.
In between, Jarrad Branthwaite hobbled off with an unspecified problem that Dyche says he and his staff hope is only minor.
Dyche rightly described it to evertontv as "a horrible defeat, probably the worst of my career. That's just an awful night.
"We came here with a high expectation of taking them on. Bizarrely, we actually started the game really well, exactly what we wanted to do – make them uncomfortable. We had a chance in the first minute.
"But we can't defend like that. There was no fight in the defending, no detail in the defending, not the hard yards or tackling. It was like shadow football [for] their goals and that's miles off the mark.
"The players know I work on two presses – you can't just press once. You press and if they play past you, then press back into your position. As soon as they played past us, everyone's just lagging staring at the game.
"I think the last time we were miles off was at Villa away. The good thing was that it gave us a stark reminder and we need to use this as a stark reminder. It certainly has me because I'm looking at the players.
"Because that's absolutely nowhere near good enough or acceptable – from me either. I'm the manager... players, staff... that's not acceptable.
"I can't understand what I've just seen but we've got to make sense of it and brush it off quickly because the next one is a big game without a shadow of a doubt."
Meanwhile, James Tarkowski, whose form as notably dipped in recent weeks and who was poor as anyone in salmon pink on the night, told Sky Sports that he was embarrassed by Everton's showing.
“As a team, we underperformed,” the defender admitted. “This is the most embarrassed I have felt as an individual and as part of a team.
"It shows where we are at today, and we can only apologise to the fans who spent their hard-earned money travelling the country and supporting us.
“It is on the players. You can't start pointing fingers at the manager and the staff. No excuses on our behalf.”
Reader Comments (16)
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2 Posted 16/04/2024 at 04:01:37
3 Posted 16/04/2024 at 05:02:39
I agree on Tarkowski and Branthwaite. Every week they carry the weight of the team on their shoulders. Weary and worn out, especially Tarkowski. Best pairing of centre-backs outside the top six made to look like chumps tonight as no one in front of them gave a shit.
Once again an Everton manager has players who have obviously had enough of his style of playing and management.
Looks like Pickford, Godfrey, Keane, Tarkowski and Mylenko for the defence against Forest. As for the midfield, take your pick. Probably a 3: Garner, Gueye AND Gomes. Up front, a 3 of Harrison (he can't play Young again… can he?) Calvert-Lewin (he needs to be fit!), and Danjuma (he must be given a go as McNeil is running – not that he can – on empty).
So that's: Pickford, Godfrey, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Garner, Gueye, Gomes, Harrison, Calvert-Lewin and Danjuma… and 40,000 rabid Evertonians (if they've got any rabidity left in them) to get us those vital 3 points.
4 Posted 16/04/2024 at 08:31:06
On a serious note, can someone please tell me what has happened to Lewis Dobbin? Is he injured? There is no mention of him in any of the press conferences. In the aftermath of yesterday's bloodfest, I was fondly remembering his goal against Chelsea after he came on as a substitute. For me, that was the one bright spot of a miserable season.
5 Posted 16/04/2024 at 08:47:47
6 Posted 16/04/2024 at 08:56:37
For such a young player Branthwaite has run up a lot of minutes, under increasing stress so no surprise he's picking up injuries.
7 Posted 16/04/2024 at 08:56:37
For such a young player Branthwaite has run up a lot of minutes, under increasing stress so no surprise he's picking up injuries.
8 Posted 16/04/2024 at 09:14:23
Yes they are playing week in week out - it's their job and what they supposedly train to do.
You look at other teams who have the same starters week in and week out and there is a noticeable difference in attitude, attention to the game and lack of injury.
Everton have had this injury issue for years now so just what is going on with the back room staff and in training? There has to be a bigger issue for this to be a recurring theme.
As for seeing Tarkowski almost shedding his crocodile tears telling us not to blame the manager and staff - what a load of crap! The buck stops with the manager who picks the team and tactics on the day. Sadly we have one who is unable to pick an effective team, tactics and make changes to both when it is blatantly clear to everyone that nothing is working. Last night changes should have been made before the end of the first half - probably before the end of the first 25 minutes being honest.
Seeing Ali on TV while picking up his pay cheque from us last night was a kick in the teeth. If the club has been that supportive of you the get yourself down to wherever they are playing and show some respect and do the same. Support the club who have done everything in their power to get you back on the pitch playing again.
I was half hoping to read that Dyche had fallen in his sword or been told to take extended leave for the rest of the season but I suppose he has no-one to hand a resignation letter to and no-one to tell him never to darken the doors of Everton FC again.
Let's hope against hope that last night can be put in the past and some minor miracle can happen against Forest on Sunday.
9 Posted 16/04/2024 at 09:48:13
Dobbin picked up an ankle injury in training a few weeks ago.
Seeing his goal v Chelsea played back during the pre-match build-up reminded me that a) he hasn't been given a start since and b) he's the only academy player been given any chance of coming off the subs bench this season.
10 Posted 16/04/2024 at 10:56:48
Dyche is both hopeless and hapless. A man devoid of ideas, unable to compete in the modern game.
Everyone could guess the formation before the game but no one, including the players, know what our style is or how we can achieve it.
Dark days.
11 Posted 16/04/2024 at 11:57:01
Come Sunday we shouldn't wait until the end to boo them we should be doing it at the start and singing for Dyches removal.
But we won't, as supporters we get exactly what we deserve as we all hope that it will change against Forest but it won't!!
12 Posted 16/04/2024 at 13:02:50
At this stage relegation might just give us the time and opportunity to rebuild, but we would need a whole team of people with skill, experience and vision for even that to work. As things stand hanging on to premiership survival for another season is bound to bring more disappointment and misery. All very difficult for us older supporters but cruel for the kids.
13 Posted 16/04/2024 at 13:22:15
Administration and relegation probably the best way forward in the long term. No one wants to see this pitiful excuse for a professional Club continue to bleed out.
14 Posted 16/04/2024 at 13:35:48
Get Delle on a free. He'll make a good Championship player.
15 Posted 16/04/2024 at 13:47:07
Maybe the players should have been given a week off instead of going to Portugal, because sometimes just completely getting away from things and resting, produces the best results. Especially when you are playing for a club that is surrounded by unadulterated misery.
16 Posted 18/04/2024 at 22:38:35
We thought last season was poor but scraped through and somehow we are still in the picture this season despite the points deductions.
God knows we need his help over the next week or so.
With injuries and little or no offense how can we expect anything against Forest, Luton and Brentford not to mention RS.
It's been a nightmare for all of us but surely they cannot be as bad as they were against Chelski.
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1 Posted 16/04/2024 at 02:08:17