Royal Blue Mersey - Everton vs Bournemouth: Premier League Matchday 24It's a grand old team to supporthttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52544/royal_fav.png2017-02-06T20:43:39+00:00http://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/rss/stream/142667952017-02-06T20:43:39+00:002017-02-06T20:43:39+00:00Everton vs Bournemouth: Tactical Analysis
<figure>
<img alt="Everton v AFC Bournemouth - Premier League" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/o2lFxJdQm5rN3G0X35OGnUcOLbY=/0x0:4201x2801/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53115351/633787096.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When the Toffees’ midfielders attacked the game, Everton dominated; when they sat back, the Cherries took control.</p> <p id="2Vtsph">Often, the craziest matches are the hardest to analyze from a tactical perspective. If a match goes from 3-0 to 3-2 to 6-3, it was probably a story of individual excellence, poor defense, and and waves of momentum.</p>
<p id="aWKslF"><a href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/">Everton</a>’s 6-3 victory over Bournemouth featured all of these, but also a tactical wrinkle so simple that to focus on it feels nearly rudimentary. But, the dichotomy between Everton’s good periods and bad periods in this match points to a very simple conclusion — the Toffees’ success against the Cherries was largely a story of Everton’s midfield pressure (and at times its total absence).</p>
<p id="6NWeDk">Let’s start by taking a look at Everton’s starting lineup from the match, because it changed from most of what we saw in January.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Rr3GWUu0m7BbkYCRbQHojyk2tvM=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7939601/everton_lineup.PNG">
</figure>
<p id="Kj3Vea">Everton utilized a 4-3-3 with <span>Ross Barkley</span> at right wing and Ademola Lookman at left wing. <span>James McCarthy</span>, <span>Morgan Schneiderlin</span>, and <span>Gareth Barry</span> comprised the somewhat eclectic central midfield trio.</p>
<p id="5InF1I">McCarthy played in what you might think of as the No. 10 role, but he filled it as more of an advanced stopper. Behind him, Schneiderlin also wreaked havoc among the Bournemouth midfielders, forcing turnovers and not allowing the Cherries to make any easy forward passes.</p>
<p id="UteYWM">Within the first 30 seconds of the match, the pressure from these two players paid off.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/sAXWyOnBT-FRaewWMHKUEZpyqsE=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7939627/everton_goal_1.png">
</figure>
<p id="ySjsmO">After a forward pass from <span>Ashley Williams</span> went astray, Bournemouth’s defense tried to pass forward to a teammate in the midfield. Within moments, McCarthy and Schneiderlin are swarming, with Barry not far behind. The Toffees win the 50-50 ball, as they did with most in the first half.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yiY_sY6ch7zBSKPlIS98RH1hRis=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7939641/goal_1_gif.gif">
</figure>
<p id="6w81xg">Schneiderlin makes a simple tackle/interception/pass that finds its way to Romelu Lukaku. He and McCarthy play a pretty give-and-go, and the Belgian striker is through on goal. It’s a lovely finish from Lukaku, but the buildup is surprisingly simple.</p>
<p id="leWGrd">This has been a regular feature of a successful Everton side this season. The Toffees struggle to break down teams that are defensively compact, so they often try to press opposing defenders and midfielders into mistakes while transitioning from defense to attack. If you can win the ball in this area, you are generally close to goal with the defending team out of position at the back.</p>
<p id="GK0Di6">In this case, Everton needed only two relatively straightforward passes to break down the Cherries after a turnover. This tends to be a little tougher against better teams, but the idea remains the same.</p>
<p id="Cd8OQr">It was the pressing of Lookman and Lukaku that forced the Bournemouth mistake that led to the third goal, emphasizing the importance of a concerted team effort when it comes to trying to force the opposition into mistakes in its defensive third. If every midfielder and attacker steps up together, it can be very difficult to break out of — as we saw on Everton’s third goal.</p>
<p id="yoZjoo">If it isn’t a cohesive effort though, you usually end up with underwhelming performances, like the Toffees put up against Bournemouth in this season’s reverse fixture.</p>
<p id="EpWUzY">So — you may rightfully wonder — Everton was up 3-0 at halftime and completely dominating the match; what went wrong for 30 minutes in the second half that allowed Bournemouth to make it 3-2?</p>
<p id="jcAJKD">At the risk of oversimplifying things, the Toffees completely stopped doing what worked for them in the first half.</p>
<p id="m4raze">Everton completely abandoned its midfield pressure, instead sitting far too deep in its own defensive third. This allowed a struggling Bournemouth midfield to finally get a foothold in the match, while inviting pressure onto an at-times suspect backline.</p>
<p id="uEXGMi">Consider a few comparisons between the first and second half to illustrate this point. First, look at the heatmaps of the central midfielders in the first half compared to the second half, courtesy of <a href="http://EvertonFC.com">EvertonFC.com</a>.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gZWpI3suG1sfMX_tawjO2zvRTik=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7939699/central_midfield_heatmap_first_half.PNG">
</figure>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tuDhV_sLsTXnYFg4_ba41eG26xo=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7939703/central_midfield_heatmap_second_hald.PNG">
</figure>
<p id="Mu5BRa">Obviously in the first half (first graphic), Everton’s central midfield trio had more possession of the ball, but that isn’t the most important difference between the halves. Possession is always ideal when you’ve got a lead, but up 3-0, you’re equally happy to let the other team have the ball 50+ yards from your goal.</p>
<p id="F4Lv8W">Instead though, around half of the possession held by Everton’s central midfielders in the second half (second graphic) was within their own defensive third. This is an indication that Everton was winning the ball deeper in the second half than in the first, meaning Bournemouth was more regularly getting near Everton’s goal.</p>
<p id="n7RBp7">Next, compare Everton’s defensive plays from the first half to those from the second, courtesy of <a href="http://FourFourTwo.com">FourFourTwo.com</a>. Tackles are represented by X, clearances are circles, interceptions are diamonds, and fouls conceded are black triangles.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Qi69erOcvLOaZbKBPn3snSd1H4Y=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7939745/first_half_defensive_dashboard.PNG">
</figure>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mBpiOrjLnVfPFfJbvz6Yec2BvzE=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7939747/second_half_defensive_dashboard.PNG">
</figure>
<p id="uFkep1">Again, compare the locations of the team’s activity between the first and second half. In the first half, a fair number of tackles and interceptions came in the middle third. In the second half, barely any did.</p>
<p id="MYbSa4">Instead, there’s a line of tackles, clearances, and interceptions at the top of the Everton box in the second half, right where the Toffees’ midfielders tended to sit until Bournemouth made it 3-0.</p>
<p id="OrMkbj">In practice, the deep-lying nature of Everton’s midfield led to plays like this one:</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/oMZ_QBvG7h-qYTsfO7y1lDSbw00=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7939773/bournemouth_goal_1.png">
</figure>
<p id="1YPfjd">Look at how much space Barry and McCarthy allow the Bournemouth player to have before applying pressure. The Cherries frequently found themselves well into the attacking half before being engaged by an Everton player. On this particular play, Bournemouth took advantage.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EXa7f1-R_OIXz6U0Uoh3nHQlqOM=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7939911/bournemouth_goal_1_gif.gif">
</figure>
<p id="c2BkZM">Should Ashley Williams and Ramiro Funes Mori have done better? Probably. But, you cannot give players at this level that much time and space to operate.</p>
<p id="cS5mlp">This change was not only a defensive problem, but also an attacking one. With the midfielders sitting so deep, essentially on top of the defenders, there were very few passing lanes for the Toffees to use once they won the ball from Bournemouth.</p>
<p id="4eSFt8">The result? Long balls out of the back — and lots of them.</p>
<p id="P1T4fq">Compare Everton’s long balls in the first half to those played between the start of the second half and the 75th minute.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mVY0uwkLzJC77W98uYeaRmeKSBk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7939947/first_half_long_balls.PNG">
</figure>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dQw2Z05i63Ele1zt4_p4cymktpA=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7939949/long_balls_bad_spell.PNG">
</figure>
<p id="rSVYk4">Everton didn’t hesitate to play a long ball if it was on in the first half (as has been a characteristic of Ronald Koeman’s team for much of the season), but it was an unsuccessful crutch for the opening half hour of the second half.</p>
<p id="4GyIPR">The Toffees’ long-ball success rate predictably dropped because most of their players were in incredibly defensive positions when the ball was play out of the back. That left Lukaku alone to fight off two or three Cherries at a time. Naturally, he failed more than he succeeded.</p>
<p id="Bj9pkX">That loss of possession gave the ball back to Bournemouth, which easily marched down to Everton’s defensive third, given the lack of pressure from the Toffees in the midfield.</p>
<p id="M4OvvE">I don’t think Koeman in any way encouraged his players to sit deep in the second half — more likely it was a natural result of thinking the match was already over and the residual effect of an ugly match against Stoke on Wednesday.</p>
<p id="HlNohn">To that point, Everton turned things around in spectacular fashion starting around the 75th minute, which culminated in this goal.</p>
<div id="twJL7u">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">What I like about this:<br><br>9 players touch the ⚽ <br>21 passes<br>Koeman allows himself *a second* of joy, before remembering he's in a mood<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/efc?src=hash">#efc</a> <a href="https://t.co/tRmCNNZWWe">pic.twitter.com/tRmCNNZWWe</a></p>— Everton Musings (@EvertonMusings) <a href="https://twitter.com/EvertonMusings/status/828612745406926848">February 6, 2017</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="7olIg4">It’s no accident that once Everton’s midfielders decided to get to... well... the middle of the field, things shifted drastically back to the Toffees’ favor. The Blues had the better of the midfield battle in the first half while McCarthy, Schneiderlin, and Barry made their presence felt there, and the same was the case with Tom Davies, Barkley, and Schneiderlin once that focus was renewed.</p>
<p id="wSR8LN">Hopefully, this match will serve as a reminder to the players that this team is capable of some spectacular things when the gameplan is right and the work ethic is there — and that in the absence of those things, the players will fail spectacularly.</p>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2017/2/6/14514432/everton-bournemouth-2017-tactical-analysis-koeman-lukaku-mccarthy-schneiderlin-pressure-midfieldAdam.Braun2017-02-05T15:24:45+00:002017-02-05T15:24:45+00:00Martinez says Everton defence no better this season
<figure>
<img alt="Everton v Southampton - Premier League" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TUjQcvbuJJ7P3D78HOGxYq8Rs1E=/0x0:1740x1160/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53098759/521561582.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Chris Brunskill/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Former manager has been sharing his phenomenal opinions</p> <p id="rBoC6b">Oh the irony. <a href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/">Everton</a>’s former manager <span>Roberto Martinez</span> has been talking about his observations on this year’s squad and started off by noting that the issues on the defence are yet to be resolved. </p>
<p id="s2NsVR">The Blues are currently tied at 4<sup>th</sup> best defence in the Premier League, having given up 27 goals in 24 games, which is a 43-goal pace for the season. Under Martinez’s last two seasons at the club, the Toffees concdeded 50 and 55 goals respectively. </p>
<p id="OgUDG2">Speaking on Sky Sports' Goals on Sunday earlier today, the Spaniard said - </p>
<blockquote>
<p id="FLRYvJ">"As a fan you always want to see teams scoring goals and winning games. This performance was about that.</p>
<p id="RHN7RG">"The only worry is that we had defensive fragility last year and it cost us too many points. The performance was going in the right direction, you are doing everything right -- and then in one action you look fragile. I can see the same things still now. Three goals yesterday.</p>
<p id="yT0Lml">“First 30 minutes, I thought Everton were magnificent, dynamic, they took the opportunity, starting the game, they had doubts, Bournemouth changing the system and they were ruthless, clinical. But even then, at 3-2 Bournemouth looked like the team that would win the game.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p id="QUhCgc">What Martinez missed there was that were it his side on the pitch at Goodison yesterday, then they would likely have lost the game, or drawn like they did at Bournemouth or at <a href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/">Chelsea</a> last season. </p>
<p id="R5Sjxi">Koeman has done an admirable job purging many of the lost causes in the squad that Martinez used to take comfort from, and likely by the end of the season will have exterminated the mental frailties that his predecessor failed to address in his three years at the club.</p>
<p id="nW8q4u">If you were in any doubt that Everton are better this term, then this stat should convince you - <strong>the Toffees have earned 25 points at Goodison Park with seven more home games yet to play, 2 points more than the whole of last season</strong>.</p>
<p id="79Lt31">During the interview he went on to talk about the pressures of the job with the Blues. </p>
<blockquote>
<p id="00pEPr">“I think when you become Everton manager you realise very quickly that it is not a normal football club,</p>
<p id="BV6cqP">“The history and success the club has had in the past demands that the club has to be very close to silverware. You have to accept it.</p>
<p id="elMG6v">“You have two options: go in the realistic way, when I arrived we had the ninth budget along with Fulham and Aston Villa, or in football you have to set the targets high and you have to be close to silverware.</p>
<p id="9513mv">“The disappointment is to be out of the domestic cups. We had two semi-finals last season, we were very close. You can learn and take it into the next season as a young player, there are key moments you have to control to get to a final.</p>
<p id="bLPmkn">“The focus is now on the league, I feel they can take that opportunity. <span>Ronald Koeman</span> can look at <a href="https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/">Manchester United</a>, <a href="https://bitterandblue.sbnation.com/">Manchester City</a> ahead of them, they are involved in Europe and that is a huge distraction. You’re going to suffer in the league. You are not 100 percent every ninety minutes.</p>
<p id="Zc6dyS">“At Everton, try to use the situation, no distractions and the objective of Ronald Koeman will be to try to get into Europe.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p id="5Pkwga"></p>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2017/2/5/14514128/roberto-martinez-says-everton-defence-no-better-this-season-ronald-koemanCalvin2017-02-05T13:30:48+00:002017-02-05T13:30:48+00:00Everton 6 Bournemouth 3: Three Thoughts from a wild day at Goodison
<figure>
<img alt="Everton v AFC Bournemouth - Premier League" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/49ElZousS_B94o0WH9uMSvFn21E=/251x0:4036x2523/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53098257/633800004.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Three thoughts from a high scoring affair at Goodison</p> <h1 id="baB6aX">
<a href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/">Everton</a> may have a new x-factor in Lookman</h1>
<p id="EZIRNk">When watching an Everton match, one generally knows what they’re going to get from most of the players on the roster. Each of the players has something they do well and is generally expected of them on any given match day. One thing that has been missing from this team is a player that can do the unexpected and break a match wide open. Everton may finally have that player in Ademola Lookman.</p>
<p id="fBcyFa">For a time, Gerard Deulofeu was thought to be that player. He was quick, creative on the ball and could swing a mean cross into the box. But as we learned from his time with the club, those moments didn’t happen frequently enough. </p>
<p id="GnP5qD">Enter Ademola Lookman. The teenager got his first start with the club against Bournemouth and and did nothing but reinforce Ronald Koeman’s trust in him. Whether is was his cheeky dribbles or knack for finding the ball in dangerous areas, Lookman seemed to frequently put the Bournemouth defenders on their heels. He may not have directly contributed on the score sheet, but Lookman was all around the ball causing havoc in the opposing third. </p>
<p id="O1OzY9">Time will tell if Lookman has what it takes to perform like this on a weekly basis, but the early returns are promising. </p>
<div id="gBCm2F">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ademola we've got! <a href="https://t.co/NrNVw1s3gv">pic.twitter.com/NrNVw1s3gv</a></p>— Everton Goals (@evertongoals) <a href="https://twitter.com/evertongoals/status/827927275538616322">February 4, 2017</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<h1 id="rmSpAu">Addition by Subtraction</h1>
<p id="379rwT">Everton made it through the winter <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/transfer-rumors">transfer window</a> with a few key additions. Given the Toffees new found wealth, many hoped for more of an overhaul of the squad. Wholesale changes will have to wait until the summer, but in the mean time Everton did do an excellent job of clearing some dead weight from the roster. </p>
<p id="e1tidz">The likes of <span>Bryan Oviedo</span>, <span>Darron Gibson</span>, <span>Tom Cleverley</span> and Gerard Deulofeu were clearly not going to see much playing time this season. But their departures could be seen as a big hit to the depth of the squad. </p>
<p id="2hteO2">We will see if injuries come back to haunt Everton in this regard, but in the mean time the team seems just fine with out those players. Koeman and a few players have had nothing but positive things to say about the changes and so far the results seem to bear that out. The Toffees bench for the game yesterday was as strong as we've ever seen it, with the best player of the first half of the season Idrissa Gueye sitting on the sidelines. </p>
<h1 id="UJbxs7">Everton let their foot off the gas, but finished strong</h1>
<p id="aoWm4k">If you had turned this match on after half time, you may have been wondering how on earth Everton had secured a three-goal lead. A dominant first half performance was followed by a lack of urgency that nearly cost Everton much needed momentum and the lead.</p>
<p id="iPCgia">Early on, Everton could do no wrong. They were moving the ball with ruthless efficiency and scoring on command, looking to destroy the will of the visitors. Bournemouth, to their credit treated the second half like it was a brand new game. Having brought Everton’s lead down to one, the Cherries looked primed to tie up the match and take the lead. Everton’s solid defense suddenly looked flat footed and had it not been for <span>Joel Robles</span>’ stellar performance, the result may have been different. </p>
<p id="GrbPsD">Everton seemed to abandon their first half strategy in favor of sitting back and hoofing clearances down the field. This tactic came very close to costing them points, but fortunately <span>Romelu Lukaku</span> and <span>Ross Barkley</span> came to the rescue. </p>
<p id="indLHi">After the game Koeman commented on the lack of intensity to begin the second stanza, and you can imagine this will be an area of focus in training this week. </p>
<p id="LWxCRV"></p>
<p id="9h4FEu"></p>
<p id="l2nupE"></p>
<p id="FOxcaX"></p>
<p id="SxeIxh"></p>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2017/2/5/14511064/everton-6-bournemouth-3-three-thoughts-from-a-wild-day-at-goodison-lukakumralbaugh2017-02-04T19:30:09+00:002017-02-04T19:30:09+00:00Everton vs Bournemouth: Extended Highlights
<figure>
<img alt="Everton v AFC Bournemouth - Premier League" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mAXIpuRT55IbqU5Gx3uc_h9gCWo=/89x0:2573x1656/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53092117/633794772.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Everton score, again! | Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>All the goals, saves and more</p> <p id="rCOYwU">The <a href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/">Everton</a> fans at Goodison Park had plenty to celebrate today as they hit <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/teams/afc-bournemouth">AFC Bournemouth</a> for six in a 6-3 win and maintain their excellent start to 2017. </p>
<p id="vZ7XUW">Star striker <span>Romelu Lukaku</span> was uncontrollable, scoring four goals and creating one for <span>James McCarthy</span>. <span>Ross Barkley</span> capped an excellent day for himself too with the cocky sixth goal. </p>
<p id="SFd6Ep">The Cherries did themselves no favours with some terrible defending, but Everton were guilty of the same too in the second half as the visitors looked like they were going to claw their way back from a 3-0 precipice. </p>
<p id="Qi11Xk">Everton had let Bournemouth come back at the death last season to draw 3-3, and were looking terribly shaky before Lukaku netted his third and fourth within minutes to put the game away. </p>
<p id="Xs6x2b">Manager Ronald Koeman was understandably pleased with the three points, but also raised some concern about how his midfield and defence relinquished the middle third of the pitch when leading comfortably. </p>
<p id="fViXya">His substitutions were aggressive though and he had no intention of gutting out a defensive win and was determined to take advantage of the visitors’ poor defence. </p>
<div id="msOeCI"><script src="//cdn.playwire.com/bolt/js/zeus/embed.js" data-config="//config.playwire.com/21772/videos/v2/5323780/zeus.json" data-width="100%" data-height="100%" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<p id="SOYWXZ"><em>Highlights courtesy of </em><a href="http://www.fullmatchesandshows.com/2017/02/04/everton-vs-afc-bournemouth-highlights-2/"><em>Full Matches & Shows</em></a></p>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2017/2/4/14510040/everton-bournemouth-match-of-the-day-extended-highlights-lukaku-hat-trick-goalsCalvin2017-02-04T18:41:22+00:002017-02-04T18:41:22+00:00Lukaku scores his fourth of the game, Everton lead 5-2<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/borneo_blues/status/827921311842304005">Lukaku scores his fourth of the game, Everton lead&nbsp;5-2</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>Romelu Lukaku is in a mood today, just minutes after scoring his third!</p></p></div>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2017/2/4/14509730/lukaku-scores-his-fourth-of-the-game-everton-lead-5-2Calvin2017-02-04T18:41:13+00:002017-02-04T18:41:13+00:00Lukaku scores his hattrick! Everton now lead 4-2!<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/borneo_blues/status/827920841954443265">Lukaku scores his hattrick! Everton now lead&nbsp;4-2!</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>Romelu Lukaku gave Everton some breathing room scoring his second hattrick of the season, and slowing down Bournemouth's resurgence.</p></p></div>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2017/2/4/14509748/lukaku-scores-his-hattrick-everton-now-lead-4-2Calvin2017-02-04T17:41:16+00:002017-02-04T17:41:16+00:00Everton 6-3 Bournemouth: Instant Reaction
<figure>
<img alt="Everton v AFC Bournemouth - Premier League" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/woE7IVXm8isCQKOXFN_q2TxpLbE=/0x0:3948x2632/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53091075/633795996.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Lukaku nets four, Barkley celebrates before shooting. This was a fun match to watch. </p> <p id="MrdgTk">Nine goals. These two teams scored nine goals between them. Luckily, Everton scored six of them at Goodison Park as they smacked Bournemouth 6-3 on Saturday afternoon.</p>
<p id="MTu31B">Romelu Lukaku was the star of the show from kick off. His four goals scored today give him a Premier League-best 16 for the season. The man truly is world class. If you are one of the best strikers in England, which he is, then you are one of the best in the world. End of discussion.</p>
<p id="wgv3uP">It started right from kick off. Less than 30 seconds in, he put a powerful left-footed strike past poor, poor Artur Boruc in the Bournemouth goal. Boruc, it would turn out, was in store to see a LOT of Everton shots fly past him. </p>
<p id="Cqs5Y5">But we won’t get into every single goal. On a day like this, that would take all day. <a href="http://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/fanshots">Over in the Fanshot section,</a> you can find a handful of them. Instead, let’s focus on the pros and cons to a performance like this. </p>
<p id="irmtDS">Lukaku was the big positive today. The man has a nose for goal. He can sense when the pressure is mounting and Everton are looking likely to score. In those moments, he increases his tenacity and tries to create chances. In addition to the four he scored, he also set up James McCarthy’s goal. This was Rom at his best.</p>
<p id="2puUzb">Speaking of McCarthy, he had a nice day as well. It seems he has done something to get back in the good graces of Ronald Koeman. The Irishman was given the start today in place of Tom Davies and impressed. Pressure he put on Bournemouth in the match’s opening minute led to Lukaku’s first goal. He did start to tire and wasted a really good chance right before being subbed off, but it’s unlikely he is up to 90-minute fitness just yet.</p>
<p id="hKs2s4">A couple of other guys had decent days. Morgan Schneiderlin and Ademola Lookman both started and had an impact. Schneiderlin was a steadying force in the middle of the park. And Lookman is impressive with his quickness and creativity. And a quick shout out to Joel Robles. Giving up three goals is far from an ideal day at work, but he made a couple of big saves at clutch moments and his passion is always nice to see. </p>
<p id="iO95QV">It was the backline, specifically the centerback partnership of Ramiro Funes Mori and Ashley Williams, that was more at fault for the trio of goals allowed. Funes Mori regularly looks panicked and oddly positioned. Williams, today at least, looked old and slow. Joshua King was having him on toast. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Mason Holgate of Phil Jagielka get the start next time out. </p>
<p id="ovVlon">These difficulties further show that one of Everton’s big objectives over the summer will be to bring in some competition and depth at the position. At the moment, Koeman doesn’t have many options. That will certainly change.</p>
<p id="wj0nbn">But the biggest disappointment was the entire team’s approach to the first 30 minutes of the second half. Everyone knows Bournemouth is a plucky team with a fighting spirit. When they are down, they need to be kept down. Instead, the Toffees let them back into the match with a relaxed formation that welcomed the Cherries into the Everton box. </p>
<p id="cW4FiX">We saw what happened in the final 10 minutes when Everton hung onto the ball for an extended time. It stretched the Bournemouth defense and exposed them for a couple of more goals. Everton is not exceedingly more talented than all of the teams in the Premier League, but they are when compared to Bournemouth. Use that advantage!</p>
<p id="7wbhuQ">Next up is a trip to Middlesbrough next Saturday. This is another match where Everton will feel like anything but three points is a disappointment. Depending on the result of Sunday’s Manchester United/Leicester City match, a win could put the Blues into the top six.</p>
<p id="7gmJEt"><a href="http://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2017/2/4/14508728/man-of-the-match-and-player-grades-poll-for-everton-vs-bournemouth-lukaku-mccarthy-barkley-joel">Who was your Man of the Match? Let us know in our poll. Lukaku may be the favorite, but there were plenty of contributors!</a></p>
<p id="QlQxh4"></p>
<p id="kHGFvn"></p>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2017/2/4/14508830/everton-bournemouth-instant-reaction-lukaku-mccarthy-robles_TyYoung2017-02-04T17:06:01+00:002017-02-04T17:06:01+00:00Barkley celebrates even before scoring Everton's sixth goal<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/borneo_blues/status/827923950382546945">Barkley celebrates even before scoring Everton's sixth&nbsp;goal</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>Good thing he didn't miss, because that would have been pretty embarrassing if he had. Final score Everton 6 -3 Bournemouth.</p></p></div>
https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2017/2/4/14508788/barkley-celebrates-even-before-scoring-evertons-sixth-goalCalvin