5 Telling Stats from Everton’s Unlikely 3-2 Win at Watford

Everton don’t normally win these games.

But was this win an anomaly or can Evertonians expect more of the same?

Let’s see what the numbers tell us.

Blues Finally Conquer Adversity

First league win after conceding first since 2017

First time Everton have come from behind to win a league game since 18^th December 2017, when they turned over a one-goal deficit under Sam Allardyce to beat Swansea 3-1 at Goodison.

Incidentally, the last time Everton came from two goals down to win was also against Watford – and occurred just a month before in November 2017. The Hornets, then managed by Marco Silva, took a two-goal lead on 64 minutes (with Richarlison scoring the opener) before the Blues managed to turn it around with late goals from Niasse, DCL and an injury-time penalty from Leighton Baines.

What’s most telling about these statistics, though, is that one of the biggest criticisms of Marco Silva’s Everton was that they were unable to turn things around when faced with adversity (i.e. the other team scoring). Silva’s Blues fell behind 28 times in the Premier League during his reign, and picked up just five points during this time – including no wins. Carlo Ancelotti, meanwhile, has seen his side fall behind three times, but has nevertheless managed to pick up four points.

Is Ancelotti finally bringing back Everton’s resilience?

Delph

One big error and big silly yellows

Of course, Everton’s adversity at Vicarage Road didn’t just come about by conceding two goals. Even when they had surmounted that obstacle and started getting on top of the game, Fabian Delph lunged into a needless challenge despite already being on a yellow card. It was harsh, but he shouldn’t even be giving the referee a decision to make. It could have – and nearly did – cost Everton dear.

Despite have seemed like a shrewd piece of business in the summer, Delph has yet to prove his worth at Goodison – and he certainly didn’t help his case with the needless “messaging” with angry Evertonians following the derby defeat.

And this was one of Delph’s worst performances yet. As well as the red, he also gifted Watford their second goal from a loose pass and was also wasteful in possession after getting into promising positions.

His performances more closely resemble a young rookie than the experienced pro we supposedly signed.

Buses

Yerry Mina grabs brace

You wait ages for one, and then two come along at once.

Despite being a colossus in the air, Yerry Mina had grabbed just one Everton goal prior to this game.

Indeed, he’d actually had 24 shots in the Premier League this season (the fifth highest at the club), prior to this game, without netting a single one.

Before this game, only five players in the league had had more shots without scoring: David McGoldrick (36), Fred (33), Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (32), Emiliano Buendia (29) and Theo Walcott (26).

The Carlo Affect

The Blues have second best record in league since Ancelotti has been in charge

After Reaching Peak “Everton” against Newcastle

We can enjoy a very un-Everton like outcome