Continuing set-piece failings undermine improved Everton display against City
Everton 0 - 2 Manchester City
While there may not have been a consensus on where Evertonians wanted the points to go tonight — bitter local rivalries make for uncomfortable dilemmas sometimes! — there’s no question that every Blue wanted to see some kind of reaction from their team after Saturday’s defeat to Wolves.
The result against title-chasing Manchester City may have been fairly predictable in that Pep Guardiola’s men duly ran out the victors and reclaimed top spot in the Premier League on goal difference from Liverpool but, led by skipper Tom Davies, a much-changed Everton side at least showed some glimmers of fight even if they didn’t find the net.
Indeed, Everton managed just one shot on target all evening and were effectively undone yet more calamitous defending at a set-piece but for a side that has barely been able to string three passes together at times in recent weeks, they produced some of their best football for a while even if there was precious little by way of end product.
The word via the media prior to the game that Marco Silva was going to lean more on his younger players over the remainder of the season added more weight to Farhad Moshiri’s conversation with Jim White on Monday evening attesting that the manager needs time to fashion a team from those youthful elements.
While some consideration was probably given to the fact that come Saturday evening the Blues will have played four games in 11 games, the decision to play soon-to-be-30 Theo Walcott wide on the right while Ademola Lookman was absent from the squad completely aside, that focus on youth was reflected in some of the alterations made to the starting XI. Jonjoe Kenny started at right back in place of Seamus Coleman, Dominic Calvert-Lewin was deployed up front in place of Cenk Tosun and Davies retained his place in the side while Gylfi Sigurdsson was named among the substitutes.
With Richarlison also on the bench, it meant that Everton started without their two top scorers and, given that fact and the caliber of the opposition, it wasn’t surprising that they got to half-time not having tested Ederson in the opposition goal at all.
The Blues were, on the whole, better, more organised and hard-working than they had been against Wolves and their energy and commitment, epitomised by Davies, Idrissa Gueye and Kenny, was in large part why City had also failed to put an effort on target either as the game ticked into first-half stoppage time.
Aymeric Laporte really should have put the visitors ahead with a quarter of an hour gone when Jordan Pickford ended up in no-man’s land trying to defend a corner but the Frenchman put his header wide at the back post and lkay Gündoğan struck the crossbar as David Silva got around the back to cut the ball across from the byline.
Laporte atoned for that miss seconds before the interval, however, after Idrissa Gueye committed a foul in a dangerous area and a stutter-step free-kick from David Silva that wrong-footed Kurt Zouma found the head of the unheeded City defender who guided a header back across goal and past Pickford to make it 1-0.
The yawning gap between Zouma and André Gomes who offered a token jump with his eyes closed rather than making any attempt to attack the ball offered more stark evidence of the lengthy work Silva and his coaching staff must do to eradicate these persistent failures at defending dead-ball situations because they are resulting in goals for the opposition on a weekly basis.
At the other end, Everton had fleetingly threatened to carve out a clear goal-scoring chance but only really came close when Walcott centred and Bernard’s header deflected behind off Kyle Walker
It was Gueye who would force the only save Ederson would have to make all evening with a speculative drive from 25 yards that was well struck but too close to keeper while Lucas Digne drilled a direct free-kick disappointingly into the defensive wall.
Meanwhile, Sergio Agüero went close to doubling City’s lead when Pickford flapped at a high ball in his six-yard box and the Argentine striker was only able to overhead kick it wide and Kenny denied Raheem Sterling a goal off the substitutes’ bench when he deflected the former Liverpool forward’s shot inches over the crossbar.
Silva introduced Sigurdsson in place of Gomes but in moving Davies back into a deeper role, the change blunted what edge Everton had had with the young midfielder enjoying a similarly effective performance as that which he put on at Huddersfield last week.
Richarlison and Tosun would later come on for Bernard and Walcott but apart from one moment where a better pass from the Brazilian would have put the Turk in with an excellent chance to score, the subs didn’t offer much and City were seeing the game out comfortably before they added a second goal, also in injury time at the end of the half.
Kenny’s clearance to the halfway line was sent back into Everton’s half by Nicolas Otamendi where Kevin de Bruyne held off his marker and played Gabriel Jesus into a one-on-one situation with Pickford that the England man appeared to have won when he blocked the Brazilian’s dink shot but Jesus was able to nod the loose ball under the crossbar to seal the points.
Nothing short of a surprise win over the reigning Champions was likely to move the needle on the debate surrounding Marco Silva and his faltering charges but for Blues looking for some evidence that the Portuguese will be able to turn this poor run of form since early December around, there were some sporadic but encouraging signs.
Yes, there is merit in raising the fact that Newcastle, a club enduring far more off-the-field ructions than Everton this season and under genuine threat of relegation, were able to beat City just eight days ago by scoring two goals where the Blues couldn’t muster one but piecing back together the shattered confidence at Goodison Park is going to take time.
It’s going to be almost impossible without fixing the defensive issues, however; Silva can foster more confidence on the ball in midfield, a more settled passing game and a more effective attack but if he isn’t able to eradicate the schoolboy defending at set plays, the pressure on his shoulders will remain.
Reader Comments (54)
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer
2 Posted 07/02/2019 at 00:57:55
I was again disappointed with Theo last night... seems his speed of foot is a lot better than his speed of thought and I don't see him being the player we need in those key moments in any game.
I think Bernard was again ineffective, either falling over at key moments or just unable sometimes to deal with the physical aspects of the Premier League.
3 Posted 07/02/2019 at 02:19:07
Remembering the days of Moyes when after a bad result they'd always bounce back. Largely because we had a talented squad that had good coaching. Now we don't know what we have.
The only togetherness shown is the finger pointing at Walcott when he is surrounded by nothing special. He has never been and never will be a winger. Bernard and Charlie continue to flatter to deceive as does Gomes, who like Walcott has misplaced his swagger.
So it's time to roll up our sleeves and fight till we start to score and pick up points again. Maybe then we can see the best of the players.
I'm pretty certain that if we don't pick up a fighting spirited win at goodison over the next few home games it will hi ho Silva feck off.
4 Posted 07/02/2019 at 02:29:42
A player is allocated a zone and must challenge any movement in that zone and the ball if it enters that zone. In most cases, in the Everton team, the player does neither.
It's like being told to stand in a doorway with the aim of not letting anyone through, but not being told to do so.
It repeatedly happens every time Everton play against set-pieces or similar type play. It has done since the start of the season.
5 Posted 07/02/2019 at 07:00:13
In reality, we were completely outplayed but hung in there. Still piss-poor... Sílva is useless – get rid.
6 Posted 07/02/2019 at 07:32:52
7 Posted 07/02/2019 at 07:33:15
The sad thing about it City dont look all that confident and you could possibly see why Newcastle beat them a week ago and a month earlier why Palace and Leicester turned them over, I dont think they are vintage this season although Im hoping they pick up to win the league, Ive got doubts.
Its the same old failings for Everton however.
Failure to do basic defending at set pieces (doesnt look like we are ever going to learn now)
Its also another game where our attack looked simply punchless and toothless.
Another game in which we fell behind in that we get nothing out of.
Its difficult really to see many positives and its embarrassing really that we are given confidence because we worked a bit harder, thats what Southampton have been doing on a weekly basis under the new gaffer!
The bare minimum EVERY WEEK should be that level of work ethic.
We all know at Watford it will be us failing to get out of first gear (ala St Marys and The Den all over again).
11 defeats already this season, 8 defeats since the start of December and just 4 wins from 15.
Its nowhere near good enough and major questions and autopsies will need doing come May.
8 Posted 07/02/2019 at 08:55:19
9 Posted 07/02/2019 at 08:59:21
Who's marking up in a man-to-man system? Zouma on their best, then Keane, then Calvert-Lewin (if he's playing), who else?
Is it any wonder we're getting murdered on set-pieces? We still would be on man-to-man, why can't people see that?
Watch City's goal and our best player (on the pitch) in the air has Laporte perfectly for man-to-man. He's just rooted to the floor. It's nothing to do with tactics or systems. Zouma made an error and we need better from him.
10 Posted 07/02/2019 at 09:40:47
But will they still be Everton players or be slagged off down the road like those other one-time 'shite' young players, Stones and Barkley?
If some of the ball-scratching armchair nihilists on here get their way, probably.
11 Posted 07/02/2019 at 09:44:32
Sometimes it isn't the coaching that is the problem, it's the players. It wasn't very long ago that Liverpool and Klopp were getting criticised weekly for their defensive frailties. Their centre-backs were getting crucified, both their goalies were ridiculed.
They went out and bought Van Dijk and Allison. Nobody criticises Klopp's defensive methods or coaching now. The only thing that changed were the players.
12 Posted 07/02/2019 at 10:12:18
As I said on another thread, Allardyce would have the exact same players defending set-pieces better.
Saying none of them are good at heading is too easy a cop-out.
13 Posted 07/02/2019 at 10:49:54
If 'the establishment' are really happy with what is gradually turning into a season from hell, then so be it. After all, gates are at their peak and Moshiri's fortune is by no means all spent. Let's do as we are told – stop moaning and accept that supporting Everton was always a test of patience and will so be for evermore.
14 Posted 07/02/2019 at 10:58:47
15 Posted 07/02/2019 at 11:00:51
Beyond them too, we've got Calvert-Lewin who is usually sub. Then who? Richarlison who closes his eyes? Gomes who doesn't use his strength or size? Man marking or zonal, it makes no difference.
16 Posted 07/02/2019 at 11:10:44
They will be playing for corners too, they will know that a corner is a major chance of scoring against us. We have to have the mental toughness and system to tackle it. More now than ever, our weaknesses will now be targeted by all relentlessly every week.
Some big tests now coming up for Marco and the team. Midfield Weakness, inability to control a game for any length of time.
Playing Bernard and Walcott out wide is too expansive a set-up, it leaves us exposed and generally in a state of panic and crisis management. They both are struggling to create anything or have a shot on goal .
The midfield set-up must change. It must become more compact and combative, at the moment we are too easy to play against; we have an attacking line-up whilst offering virtually no threat. It is too easy to criticise Calvert-Lewin as he is getting almost no service of any quality. Aguero would suffer a similar fate.
17 Posted 07/02/2019 at 11:12:36
It is down to individual errors and the system that they haven't quite got to grips with.
18 Posted 07/02/2019 at 11:22:02
Zouma and Keane can defend set pieces and it is ridiculous to even suggest that professional defenders can't head the ball. Keane was player of the year at Burnley wasn't he and do you honestly believe Dyche would have a center-half who can't head the ball? Absolute nonsense.
They're being undone by how they set up for set pieces. Look at Keane's response to the bench after Man City scored last night. It's a shambles alright but don't just blame the players.
19 Posted 07/02/2019 at 11:29:32
But with such an ineffective front 3 we are going to struggle to win many games. Bernard although a nice neat player, you can't keep picking a player who hasn't scored a league goal all season. On the other flank we had Walcott who has scored 1 league goal since August. I would love to know how many shots on target Bernard and Walcott have had this season.
As I said Calvert-Lewin worked very hard but at this moment he should be coming on for 20 minute spells not be the main starting striker. that's not to say in year or two he may be the main man.
Again undone by a free kick, unless Silva sorts this problem it could end up his downfall. City have one of the smallest teams in the league, so if they can score a headed goal from free kicks we are in trouble.
But last night for me Fernandinho was a class apart from everyone on the pitch. He broke up most of our attacks before they got going and he was always in space to receive the ball from his back 4. The times he picked the ball up in midfield and moved forward with purpose was a joy to watch. I can see why they struggled when he was out the side.
He reminded me of Tony Kay, Peter Reid, Bremner and Souness, you very rarely see these type of players in the modern game. Yes, and just like the players I have named, he also used all the tricks in the book when defending, but his play for most of the game was imperious.
20 Posted 07/02/2019 at 11:48:50
21 Posted 07/02/2019 at 12:10:37
Look again at the chance Aguero narrowly missed after Pickford's lack of height meant he couldn't reach the ball whilst Keane just stood there watching it come down to Aguero.
Personally I think first on the shopping list should be a commanding keeper. Doesn't have to be the best in the country – just a lot more commanding than Pickford. Then the defence will gain confidence and perform much better.
22 Posted 07/02/2019 at 12:24:08
Mind you, there was plenty of ball-watching in our box last night. What is wrong with Pickford, like a rabbit in the headlights? He needs to show more dominance of his area.
23 Posted 07/02/2019 at 12:33:19
Walcott 3 goals, 29 shots, 15 on target in 25 appearances
Bernard 0 goals, 12 shots, 0 on target in 22 appearances
Not exactly the stuff of legends is it?
24 Posted 07/02/2019 at 12:39:33
25 Posted 07/02/2019 at 12:42:29
I like Bernard, I think he's a good player with quite a bit of spirit, but the stats don't lie on his goal threat.
Walcott is the original manager's nightmare, you know he's got something in him to win a game single-handed, but it rarely shows up. So do you keep him on waiting for the flash of brilliance? Not for me.
[BRZ]
26 Posted 07/02/2019 at 12:51:46
"Our players (particularly Keane and Zouma) are crap/shite in the air?"
Don't be silly Steve. It sounds like blame shifting because the manager's desired zonal marking is not working smoothly.
There have been ample examples from this season alone when all our centre-backs have repelled all and every aerial bombardment.
You are on more solid ground if you want to say those same players are not tracking the ball, or reacting well to the opposition's movement with any incoming.
Keane, until very recent games, has been one of our best players of the season, a huge improvement on last season when it looked as if we had been sold a pup. We only discovered very recently a major contributing factor to that with his serious foot injury.
What he is not and never will be is a leader. He is a follower who needs to be led with a strong personality and vocal partner alongside him.
It is disappointing on one level he does not have that within himself, but that alone does not make him a bad player or, as you claim, someone lacking in the necessary aggression for his position in the Premier League.
He is also the most composed of our current centre-backs on the ball and the tidiest passer of them with many an accurate, perfectly weighted and inventive pass forward.
27 Posted 07/02/2019 at 12:54:50
Thanks for those stats, I just think it underlines our lack of firepower.
28 Posted 07/02/2019 at 13:00:04
The problem is not that zonal marking can not work, of course it can, or it would have been discarded long ago along with the 2-3-5 formation of old. The problem is that the players are so badly coached, that they are failing in all departments.
Silva was apparently a great coach; well, this is nowhere to be seen...
29 Posted 07/02/2019 at 13:48:46
We set up on free kicks with a high defensive line, then, just as the ball is being played, we all drop off and retreat back to the goal. Therefore we are running backwards, while the attacking players are running forwards or sideways, they will always have the run on our defenders. I don't get the point of this.
If we play a high defensive line, surely it's an offside measure; however, we then retreat before the ball is played and almost never catch anyone offside. Surely by lining up 3-4 yards further back, it would give the defenders the chance to actually attack the ball.
It shouldn't cause much of a difference in crowding the penalty area as we almost always retreat to that position anyway. We'd probably be in a better position to get to the second ball if we lost the first.
30 Posted 07/02/2019 at 14:43:18
1 goalkeeper
2 centre-halves
3 centre-midfield
4 centre-forward
We have none — there's our problem. Then fill in the rest... it's not rocket science (remember) who said that???
31 Posted 07/02/2019 at 14:49:40
The way we are set up makes it so easy for the opposition. Watch how many times the opposition play balls in from the left with right footers and vice versa and drop the ball in between our retreating defenders and Pickford. The best defenders in the world would struggle with that.
32 Posted 07/02/2019 at 14:56:45
I think we also need to accept that on the evidence Silva was bottom and 2nd bottom respectively with Hull and Watford he isn't able to implement this system in English football. We could have Van Dijk playing at centre-back and we'd still be shipping goals in at this rate.
33 Posted 07/02/2019 at 16:43:29
He had some pretty damning statistics about zonal – not for Everton but for Marco Silva. Essentially, goals from zonal defending on set pieces have been his Achilles heel at Everton, Watford and Hull. The stats for Everton are worst of all. The inference being that everyone has cottoned onto his glaring weakness so the problem is getting worse and worse.
I realize many have defended zonal marking, including Kevin Ratcliffe who said Everton used it throughout the golden era. So I am not suggesting it is a rubbish system. But, perhaps Silva himself doesn't fully grasp it and understand how to implement it.
I don't buy the notion that our players are all just thick. Mina, Digne, Gomes, Bernard, Zouma are all continental and presumably versed in zonal marking from their pre-Everton days. Coleman, Baines, Keane, Davies do not seem like players who would willfully defy a coach but not implementing his plan. <{P>So I have to assume that the problem is not with the players or the system but it is with how the coach is "coaching" it.
34 Posted 07/02/2019 at 16:48:24
Sorry, but I totally disagree. Keane's relative strength is in the air. He never had issues at Burnley both defensively and offensively with the aerial game. If we could sort out our organization he could be a long-term key man much as Jagielka was.
As for Gomes etc. Yeah not any good in the air. But Pep himself said after the game that his team are pretty crap in the air so it was unusual for them to get a headed goal. Nonetheless, they don't give up a goal a game from corners or set pieces.
35 Posted 07/02/2019 at 17:18:16
Then instructed our aerially moribund rag tag tail outfit to mitigate their deficiencies
Perhaps get the right side of their player to stop stupid, cheap free kicks? Maybe even block and interfere with the players runs at corners and free kicks? Play a compact formation to get the opposition in front of you?
The list of tactical variations to limit the team's vulnerability are plentiful, l but Mr "tactically astute" Silva shows none of that awareness.
His tactically advanced brilliance exposes the team and they aren't up to it. He is setting them up to fail!
You've over-egged the pudding to the points the eggs are scrambled like our team. 😵😵😵
36 Posted 07/02/2019 at 18:21:37
I also cant understand why we have such a high line because the CBs are then running towards their own goal instead of moving forward to counteract the incoming.
Added to that he puts all our big lumps on zonal and the diddymen like Bernard on man-marking their tall players.
Schoolboy tactician but at least he changed his 4-2-3-1 setup last night to better effect. Let's hope he doesn't revert to type against Watford.
37 Posted 07/02/2019 at 18:37:42
And people on here can't see past team formations. Jesus!
38 Posted 07/02/2019 at 18:54:06
39 Posted 07/02/2019 at 18:54:34
40 Posted 07/02/2019 at 20:24:53
We haven't been organised consistently for 5 years, apart from brief spells. We haven't got the best players in the league, but they are very good players and capable of achieving a lot better. We seemed to have some progression and organisation until after the derby, but at that point it just evaporated. We need to get it back and improve on it, pronto.
41 Posted 07/02/2019 at 21:45:25
They mostly all stay rooted to their line, and don't even attempt to command their 6yds...why is that??
I thought that was one of the final undoings of Tim H, but it seems endemic.
Has it been coached out of all of them? It's not like their gloves aren't big enough or they don't get enough (too much) protection from the officials when there's any collisions. I just don't get it.
It really does root the defence far too deep on set plays and corners imho.
What does Big Nev say on the subject...? I would love them to let him coach Pickford for a week and see what effect that had.
42 Posted 07/02/2019 at 22:22:09
Ive genuinely no hope in seeing the next win as we rarely make chances and so score very few and have no system or shape in defence nor going forward.
I dont see how the current coaches are coaching this team as theres no signs of improvement. The players broke sweat, some got stuck in, quite a lot didnt and the usual KeyStone Kops defending and another game lost.
Everton made it hard for City to play, but in doing so , had no outlets for genuine creative play themselves.
Lets hope they play like their jobs depend on it this Saturday.
It will be another test of mental strength and for the rest of the season.
Just been to see my brother in hospital at The Walton Centre, and the doctors and nurses busting their guts and hearts, to make the patients lives good. They pay for their own parking and no subsidised meals.
In context, of life for the people who slog their guts out at work, to support and watch Everton, this shower of players need to take a hard look at themselves and decide if they take playing for EFC seriously.
They dont know what hard work, team play and spirit means. Lets not dwell on the basic ethics required in any sport, and this season perhaps 5 games home and away, when theyve had a good go.
We we lucky at home to Soton, Cardiff, Huddersfield, Lincoln, Burnley was a rare day, the rest of the games-weve never put a full 95 minute shift in, and thats going back a few seasons now.
Lets hope by hook or crook we nick a result at Watford, but they will have done their homework.
Lets hope we regain some pride and fight in the EFC cause.
44 Posted 07/02/2019 at 23:02:59
I was not able to post any comments last night but I was absolutely pissed off with the forum with basically almost a solid 45 minutes of piss poor cat related smart-arsed comments and worse than that, apparent happiness from some of the posters that city won to overtake Liverpool.
Absolute fucking disgrace to take any delight from Everton getting beat. Hang your heads in shame the gobshites who were posting those comments.
45 Posted 07/02/2019 at 23:06:59
There is no real leader who can control the ball quickly and wait for support or lay it off to a teammate who is up there with him.
Calvert-Lewin nor Tosun have that quality and without the occasional score from Gylfi there is nothing coming from midfield goalwise.
Watford are strong and will keep coming at Everton for 90 minutes.
Unless the slightly improved performance against Man City was a sign of better things, then it's useless to feel optimistic.
46 Posted 07/02/2019 at 23:11:12
As Andy Townsend rightly points out, once the ball has cleared any defender, it's almost like that defender saying, "well that's my job done, it's down to someone else to try and clear the ball".
As I mentioned on another thread, when I played Saturday and Sunday football I played in goal, and I always instructed my team mates to mark big on big and little on little, and always goal side, really tight on the player they were marking so as to prevent any free run to attack the ball. If that attacker started moving around, in circles of whatever, then go with him, do anything to stop him getting to the ball before you. If the player your marking doesn't score, then you've done your job, but FFS don't pass him on to somebody else to deal with.
Surely Marco Silva and his coaching staff must see that it's not working, so why not change it? As pointed out on The Debate, is it a stubbornness by Silva, that no matter what, we are going to persevere with it?
47 Posted 07/02/2019 at 23:15:50
The other weakness is a static midfield that allows a high defensive line, which provides support to opposition attacking players. The high press is ineffective because of the inability of the forward to retain possession. These two weaknesses put more pressure on the Everton defence.
These are glaring weaknesses that have been in place since the start of the season and still have not been addressed on the training ground.
Silva's agenda seems to be to ignore (maybe he doesn't know) the weaknesses and try to now cover them up by giving youth a chance. He would say he is developing these players, but this will never paper over the glaring weaknesses he has failed to address.
48 Posted 07/02/2019 at 00:03:07
Totally agree. You could never accuse any of our mob of holding or blocking because they either get wiped out or are miles away.
49 Posted 08/02/2019 at 00:21:18
50 Posted 08/02/2019 at 00:34:54
51 Posted 08/02/2019 at 00:37:30
52 Posted 08/02/2019 at 00:58:17
Pat Kinsella x 2 correct. It's the coach. Further more I would hazard the Keane and Shane Duffy are similar, except we paid for one and let the other go.
Stones and Otamendi and great centre-halves in a flying Man City team but, if the players in front of them have a bad day, they will struggle, because defensively they are not that hot and would get slaughtered in our team.
53 Posted 08/02/2019 at 05:14:55
In a Copa del Rey game, the keeper for Real Betis went full-length to preserve a 0-0 draw with Valladolid.
That bleached-blond keeper is one Joel Robles.
54 Posted 08/02/2019 at 08:12:48
Well said. I've never wanted us to lose any game and anyone wanting us to lose the other night needs to take a look at themselves.
55 Posted 08/02/2019 at 15:12:26
We will finish in about the same place, regardless of the City result — the only glimmer of fun and excitement left in this dismal seasons was making sure that (hopefully) the other lot bottle it again
Add Your Comments
In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.
Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.
1 Posted 07/02/2019 at 00:50:20
Have a look at the videos of all the goals we've conceded from set plays, you'll see the tallest men of the opposition next to our shortest men and our tallest men marking empty space.
It doesn't work, stop it!