Everton 0-1 Wolves: Instant Reaction | Championship standard

Match Recap

Frank Lampard went with Everton in a 3-4-3 formation, benching Allan and Michael Keane. Buoyed by the crowd the Blues started well and had a couple of shots from narrow angles but Wolves worked themselves into the game as the half went on.

Everton were living on the edge with giving away silly freekicks from dangerous spots around their box early in the second half, and Wolves made them pay with the third one. The initial ball into the box was cleared, but Neves’ cross back into the box was met by an unmarked Connor Coady and that was all they needed to beat a mostly-uninspired Everton side that simply cannot catch a break.

Wolves were easily playing keep-away once they scored, but then Jonjoe Kenny had a rush of blood to the head after being moved out to the left, and picked up two needless bookings in four minutes to end any chance the Blues would be able to get a goal. The visitors have only dropped five points from winning positions this season, and also have the fourth-best defensive record in the league, and a flat Everton were never going to threaten that.

Things get grimmer and grimmer for Everton.

Quick Thoughts

There were concerns that a midfield pairing of Doucoure and van de Beek would not be able to exert enough pressure on a very good Wolves midfield. What we discovered is that neither can play the #6 position too well, and neither is as effective without a #6 covering behind them either.

Gray and Gordon not as influential as Lampard would have wanted them to be out wide in the 3-4-3. Gordon’s energy was the only threat the Blues posed for most of the game, which is disappointing.

Four league games now without a goal, that’s no way to ensure safety in the Premier League. You have to ask, where is the next goal going to come from, forget even about the next win.

What was Jonjoe Kenny thinking?!

Here’s the league table as things stand - Everton have matches in hand on teams around them, but the window to convert those into points is getting narrower and narrower by the day.