5 Telling Stats from Everton’s Lacklustre 2-0 Defeat to Newcastle

It was bad. Really bad.

But it was nothing we haven’t seen before, as the numbers show us…

Home Sick

Blues have lost 4 of last 7 home games in the league

Fortress Goodison?

No. Not at the moment.

On the contrary, Everton have picked up five more points on the road so far this season, despite having played a game less.

Home: P: 10 | W: 4 | D: 2 | L: 4 | PTS: 14 (10th in league)

Away: P: 9 | W: 6 | D: 1 | L: 2 | PTS: 19 (3rd in league)

Predictably Unpredictable

Thrive against the top sides, cumbersome against the strugglers

Another quirky record for Everton this season has been their record against the top sides compared to lesser sides.

Indeed, this is surely due to the way the Blues approach these games. Everton are best as underdogs, when they can defend resolutely and try to plunder a goal. When they’re expected to dominate games, the issues arise.

Just look at the teams Everton have beaten and lost to since the Derby in October.

Wins: Chelsea, Arsenal, Leicester City, Wolves, Fulham, Sheffield United

Losses: Southampton, Newcastle (x2), Leeds United, West Ham United, Manchester United

Half-Time

Everton haven’t won a game at Goodison that was level at half time in over a year

Just like Everton’s last three home defeats, the Blues were undone by a goal in the final 20 minutes after going in level at the break.

Worryingly, Everton haven’t won a game at Goodison that was level (or losing for that matter) since Boxing Day 2019 – a 1-0 win over Burnley in what was Carlo’s first game in charge.

Since then, they’ve been level on seven occasions at the break, winning none.

Level at the break:

2019/20:

Liverpool 0-0

Southampton 1-1

Aston Villa 1-1

2020/21:

Liverpool 2-2

Leeds 0-1

West Ham 0-2

Newcastle 0-2

I actually wrote a piece a couple of weeks ago looking at Everton’s battle with adversity, which showed that we’ve not won a game that we were losing at half-time in over five years.

Sideways Sig

90.9% pass success rate, but to what end?

If you want a safe, conservative player that looks after the ball and rarely gives it away, Gylfi Sigurdsson is your man.

But if you want to play quickly, make forward passes and create chances, that he is not.

Yes, he was playing a little deeper than usual against Newcastle, but even in that extra space, he plays sideways passes relentlessly.

Once again, he didn’t play any successful passes anywhere near the Newcastle penalty area.

Sliding Doors

Everton are equidistant between 4^th and 11^th on points

This season is an opportunity. There might not be a league campaign as open as this for a long, long time.

And right now, Everton are blowing it after a positive start.

They simply can’t keep throwing away points against bottom half sides, especially at Goodison.

As of Saturday night, Everton are seventh. Four points behind the Reds in fourth, but just four points clear of Southampton in 11^th.

Which way will this season go? We’re on the verge of finding out.