As a depressing weekend of football draws to a close, Everton find themselves at the bottom of the table in the relegation zone. Even the most optimistic of blues could not argue with the fact that we deserve to be there this season.
Whilst there are no easy games in the Premier League, the opening 8 fixtures were on paper a lot easier than previous years. Two games against newly promoted teams should of yielded six points to add to the 7 points we currently have. That total would see us sit in 7th position, three points off 3rd. Many will argue we should have more than that.
We are surely heading towards the end of Marco Silva’s reign as manager. The Portuguese man looks a defeated man and has done for a few games now. His stubbornness to change formation or zonal making will likely cost him his job. The amount of goals we have conceded under Silva from set pieces is staggering. Twenty two goals since the start of last season more than any other Premier League team.
The manager’s preferred formation of 4-5-1 has also not changed. The need for 2 defensive midfielder’s is not necessary in every game in most people’s opinion. Marco Silva seems to disagree with this statement and in every game we see two holding midfielders.
Maybe if we would of changed from zonal to man to man and 4-5-1 to 4-4-2 we could of been talking about how the manager had turned the corner and Everton were showing the potential we all felt they could. DCL would benefit from a partner with the amount of headers he actually wins. Whilst I do not think he is good enough to lead the line on his own, he may be the perfect partner for Moise Kean.
The opposition always know what formation and style Everton are going to play before each game as it never changes. You have to be a very good player to play up front alone. Although I am not a fan of DCL he receives very little service from the rest of the team other than the occasional cross into the box.
Silva’s body language at Bournemouth signalled the end could be near. Losing 3-1 with time still left on the clock yet he sat on the bench staring at the ground with a defeated look upon his face. It’s times like that you need your manager to give the players a kick up the back side.
Our best spell under his management came in the last half of the season at Goodison Park where we took 10 points from Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United. Was it Silva who got the player’s up for it or the crowd. On recent performances you would say the latter.
Where do we go from here? If he stays it is the cup run keeping him in a job and if we get knocked out he may then go. He may be given time to turn it around and possibly succeed. If the Everton board realise that we are in a bad situation right now he could be gone before West Ham come to Goodison in two weeks. Koeman was sacked with Everton in the same position we are now.
If he is relieved of his duties who will be next to drink from the poisoned chalice? Talk of Mikel Arteta being next in line worry me. We are not in the position for an inexperienced manager to take over. The same with David Unsworth.
For me we have to throw ridiculous money at a top manager who has won things if we can. The problem is if any will be interested. For me the first choice is Mourinho although it could be very unlikely. I would take results over nice football if it meant a trophy being won and success in the league.
We have shopped around the bargain basement for managers for too long now. Martinez from Wigan, Koeman from Southampton, Silva after Watford and the name that gives me a shudder Sam Allardyce. It is now time Everton show ambition with a choice of manager.
If Mourinho is a no go I would be looking at trying to get Rafa Benitez to return from China. Whilst he has not endeared himself to our fans before being the ex manager of Liverpool and the small club label he attached to us during his time there, he is non the less a Champions League winning manager.
Other names I would consider are Diego Simeone, Pochettino and one that may cause alarm Arsene Wenger. The first 2 on that list are very unlikely but there is no harm in trying. Wenger would get a mixed reception from Everton fans. The man has won a lot of trophies but his lack of success in his last years at Arsenal make him appear to be outdated in the game. Yet he may still have a bit in him with a new challenge. If he brought 1 trophy to Goodison Park he would be remembered fondly.
This is a crucial point in Everton’s season and future, getting it wrong could be a disaster. Liverpool winning the league and Everton being relegated looks possible at present. Whilst we cannot keep on sacking managers and paying their contracts off, in my opinion Silva is not the man for us.
Let’s hope in a few weeks we are heading in the right direction in the league with a quarter final in the Carabao Cup to look forward to.
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