Sport
LIMITED SQUAD TO TEST KOEMAN AFTER WEEKEND REALITY CHECK
A player regarded as one of the best in the world in his heyday, a man who redefined the sweeper role in a trophy-laden career, Ronald Koeman may have met his match in the management world.
It seems churlish to suggest that after just one defeat from the opening six games that Koeman’s task has become all that more daunting since taking over at Everton in the summer, with the Toffees sitting pretty in fifth above Chelsea and Manchester United, but the ineptitude of the display at Bournemouth on Saturday was a huge wake-up call for any fans getting prematurely excited – Koeman still has plenty to do.
The danger of flying out of the traps like a greyhound is that expectations are immediately heightened, and at a club as grand as Everton, with one of the most loyal and vociferous fanbases in the country, the people expect.
“If Everton want to be considered title challengers or, more realistically, top four chasers, they have to go to places like Bournemouth and get three points without playing well, like the best teams do,” ex-Evertonian Tony Cottee proclaimed. It is not just the fans who get a little carried away.
Koeman has already been doing an impressive rebuilding job of the mess Roberto Martinez left last season.
The Toffees conceded a colossal 55 times last campaign under Martinez, as the Spaniard decided to overlook basic defensive duties, whereas this time around, Maarten Stekelenburg has only had to pick the ball out of the net four times so far – only Tottenham have a meaner rearguard.
Down the other end, however, perennial problems still need to be rectified.
The most glaring dilemma for Koeman to evaluate is that age-old over reliance on Romelu Lukaku, who has single-handedly had to carry the goalscoring burden since joining the club, and the Belgium international remains the one and only potent threat up front.
The goals have been shared around so far, but three of the Toffees’ four victories have been by the odd goal in low scoring games – a blank was bound to happen, and with Bournemouth so resolute and determined, Saturday became that frustrating afternoon.
Lukaku has addressed the worst goalscoring slump of his career, but struggled to make any inroads on Saturday.
The solution to Everton’s problems was to throw on Enner Valencia. The fact West Ham were so reluctant to let him go tells its own tale, and doubts about his ability in front of goal were heightened by his woeful finish when presented with a golden opportunity to equalise late on at the Vitality Stadium.
What will be more worrying for Koeman was the poor return from his creative arsenal. Ross Barkley has been openly criticised by his manager already, even before his ineffective showing on the south coast on Saturday, Yannick Bolasie tried one too many stepovers and lost possession far too often, while Kevin Mirallas may well have not have been there.
Gerard Deulofeu replaced the anonymous Mirallas, and has bounds of ability, but in a game when the opposition presses as much as Bournemouth do, the Spaniard can easily be nullified.
In an attacking sense, there is only really Arouna Kone to come in. Hardly a frightening prospect for Premier League defences.
The stength in depth isn’t there, which will worry Koeman. Leighton Baines’s late withdrawal was a big blow pre-match, with replacement Bryan Oviedo looking way out of his depth, while 35-year-od Gareth Barry was forced to play despite not being fit, after missing training the day before due to a knock.
Only four outfield players were signed in the summer that are capable competing for a first-team starting berth, with five of that same pool making an exit.
Saturday proved that if Plan A doesn’t bear fruit, there isn’t really a contingency. When they do click, this is an Everton side more than capable of competing at the right end of the table, but if their big guns have an off day, Koeman’s options are limited. Food for thought for the highly rated boss.
