One big defensive mistake

The moment Todd Cantwell’s shot rolled into the back of the net, this match appeared to be over. Never mind that Norwich City would score a second in the dying moments of the match. It was Cantwell’s goal that spelled doom for Everton.

Up to the point Everton went behind, their defense had been playing well enough. The offense was dreadful on both sides, but importantly Everton were keeping Norwich from doing any real damage. But the recently successful pairing of Yerry Mina and Mason Holgate made a big mistake that all but ended the match for them, just as the Blues appeared to be in the ascendancy at the beginning of the second half.

Teemu Pukki drew in both Mina and then Holgate leaving a nice wide gap for Cantwell to run into a put his team up one. Maybe if that goal hadn’t been scored Everton could have eked out a draw. A win was probably never in the books for Everton in this match, but a draw was at least possible. Instead what was the worst team in the league took a win at Goodison.

Still searching for goals

This Everton side is maddening on the offensive side of the ball. They will put up two goals against an opponent and then the next week they’ll leave many wondering if they’ll ever score again. Despite all the money this side has spent there seems to be no one that can deliver a consistent final ball to an attacking player. And then on the off chance one of those deliveries happens, the player either doesn’t get to the ball, or even if they can get to the end of the pass can’t finish it.

This team has a complete inability to score against teams that are willing to hunker down and let Everton come to them. No matter what strategy they employ the goals refuse to come. No amount of line-up changes appear to fix the issues present for more than a match or two. This season has felt like an endless loop in which Everton get destroyed for a few matches, pull it together for a win or two and then collapse back into ineffectiveness.

Silva likely done

It’s hard to see how the Everton ownership can keep Marco Silva as manager for much longer. In past seasons I may have argued for keeping Silva for a little longer and letting him work out the kinks. But it doesn’t appear as if Silva can work out what is wrong with this side. He doesn’t even have the goodwill of a successful season to fall back on.

The hiring of Silva seemed a bit curious from the start, but it would be fair to say at this point that the experiment has not worked out. That begs the question: Can this team hire a manager that can stick for longer than two or three seasons?

Ever since David Moyes left for Manchester United there has been a Twilight Zone-esque managerial carousel. A new manager comes in, shows some promise, new signings are brought in followed by a slow painful collapse. A caretaker manager is then brought in, a la David Unsworth or Sam Allardyce and the whole cycle begins anew.

Through two different ownership groups and two directors of football, the song remains the same. Lets see if the team can’t get it right this time around.