Where Have Everton Fallen Short This Season?

by Gary McCarty | 11/04/2021

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Everton go into the remaining part of the season in a strong position to finish in their best Premier League position in recent history.

Carlo Ancelotti's side has floated around the Champions League places at various points in the season. European qualification remains the goal and that is what the Toffees will be pushing for,Â with every point being important in the final eight games of the campaign.

Here is a look at where Everton have fallen short this season, and what the priorities may be for Ancelotti this summer if he is backed by the board to improve the squad.

Closing Out Games

First and foremost, Ancelotti will be very disappointed with how many leads his side have thrown away in games this season. It really has cost them a lot of points. As you can see from the EPL scores and table, this was the case in their recent home fixture against Crystal Palace, where they drew 1-1 with the Eagles.

Everton led that game until the 86th minute before Michy Batshuayi rescued a point for the visitors. Game management is something Ancelotti will be using all his experience inÂ to try and help his side. If they want to push on next season and close the gap on the title contenders, they will need to be able to finish matches on a much better note in the future.

More Creativity Beyond James

James Rodriguez has been one of the top signings of the season in the Premier League. The former Real Madrid midfielder has had no trouble settling into English football, and his impact has been invaluable. Sadly for Everton, they have relied quite heavily on him this season.

Ancelotti will want to bring in some more creativity to take the load off Rodriquez's shoulders. If he can sign a player of similar ability, Everton will be a team that can then boast having one of the strongest midfieldsÂ in the league. The Italian boss was able to attract some excellent players to Goodison Park last summer - hopefully, he can do the same again when the transfer window reopens.

Another Goalscorer Is Needed

In Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison, Everton have two excellent strikers. Between them this season, they have netted 31 times in all competitions.

When it comes to goalscorers, Ancelotti will be fully aware that you can never have enough. Injuries in that position can prove very costly. He will want to add to that area of his squad so he can rotate his players more next season, something that will ensure they are fresh for the whole campaign.

The Everton boss may need to make a decision on young striker Moise Kean before he is given the funds to go out and get a goal scorer. The 21-year-old has been on loan at French champions PSG this season;Â where he has scored on 15 occasions. It looks more than likely that the Italian's future will be away from Goodison Park.

Everton has scored 41 goals so far in the 2020/21 Premier League campaign - that's the 10th highest total in the league. The Merseyside club will need to climb much higher than that next season if they are to finish in the top four.

Hopefully, the Toffees can go on a strong run in the final segment of games this season, and European qualification will go some way in helping their recruitment process this summer.

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