Talking Points
A slow start to the Merseyside derby proved costly as Everton lost 2-1 to Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.
David Moyes’s side, arriving into the game on the back of a three-game unbeaten run, were passive in the early quarters and invited Liverpool to press and create danger in their own half. This approach inevitably led to goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike and the game was effectively wrapped up inside the opening half hour of the contest.
The half-time break proved to be a turning point as Everton were far better in the second 45 minutes. Idrissa Gueye scored with a superb strike to pull one back for his side but, despite a few half-chances here and there, the Blues failed to snatch a point from the game.
A clear case of a game of two halves, Everton’s mistakes at the start cost them dearly. It was reminiscent of their performance in the 1-0 loss to Leeds United in their season opener.
Here are the major talking points in the aftermath of the Merseyside derby:
Slow start to the game proved costly
Everton began the Merseyside derby with a passive approach and were no match for Liverpool’s intensity. It’s surprising given that their opponents, despite possessing younger and faster players all over the pitch, had a gruelling midweek Champions League game against Atletico Madrid.
The Blues also failed to sustain possession for long intervals in the first half. Their only strategy to play out of the Liverpool press was to play the ball back to Jordan Pickford, watch him hoof it to Beto and hope for the best. It didn’t work even once.
Reminiscent of their false start against Leeds United on opening day, Everton invited their own troubles and the match was practically decided within 30 minutes after the hosts scored twice from two chances.
The Blues sorely missed Jarrad Branthwaite
An injury to Jarrad Branthwaite threatened to complicate Everton’s start to the season but they had coped with his absence well. However, the derby against Liverpool was their first test against a top side and Branthwaite was sorely missed.
In the case of both goals scored by Liverpool, it’s hard to point fingers at James Tarkowski and Michael Keane. They didn’t make any obvious errors and yet, Slot’s rapid attackers and midfielders often exploited gaps in the middle.
At the risk of venturing into “could’ve, would’ve, should’ve” territory, Branthwaite’s pace, towering presence and acute positional and defensive awareness could’ve probably avoided the situations that led to the Liverpool goals.
The Blues are a far better side with him commanding the backline and there’s no doubt that his return will elevate Everton to a better level.
Lack of mobile fullbacks will be a hindrance against top sides
The lack of mobile fullbacks capable of contributing to the buildup was exposed in the game against Liverpool. Both Jake O’Brien and Vitalii Mykolenko can do a fine job defensively but they offer little going forward.
Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye were constantly engaged in 1v2 or even 1v3 duels on their flanks and with little assistance and offensive threat from their fullbacks, they failed to avoid attention from their markers.
As brilliant and creative as these two players are, they cannot solve everything on their own.
Beto offers nothing
Beto’s first half against Liverpool at Anfield was a case study in what a striker shouldn’t do. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, Everton’s Number 9 was invisible for the entire half and offered absolutely nothing to his side.
The Guinea-Bissau international was so clearly out of his depth that it seemed like Everton were playing with a man down for extended durations. He failed to engage his opposite centre-halves physically, didn’t win duels and scraps for the ball, wasn’t able to offer himself as a passing option or make runs in behind, and didn’t press the opposition defenders.
Slow, lethargic and inefficient, Beto’s half could probably be summed up in two moments: when he failed to judge the trajectory of a pass similar to the Gravenberch chance and when his pathetic first touch turned a simple 5-yard pass without any pressure into a give-away to the opposition.
Thierno Barry isn’t the finished article either but giving him game time and allowing him to develop and grow into the Premier League is going to be a more fruitful exercise than persisting with Beto in these kinds of games.