The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland has slammed Everton’s defence after their performance in the Toffees’ 5-0 loss to Tottenham, claiming that the club need a total overhaul there in the summer.
The Lowdown: Relegation-threatened
Frank Lampard’s start to life at Everton has not gone as he would have planned, as his side have lost four of their five Premier League matches with the ex-Chelsea man in charge.
As a result, the Toffees remain dangerously close to the relegation zone. They currently lead Burnley by one point, with just one game-in-hand over Sean Dyche’s side.
Everton still have to play West Ham, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal – who are all battling it out at the top of the table. Therefore, the possibility of relegation has never been more real than it is right now.
The Latest: Boyland’s claim…
Following the Toffees’ embarrassing display against Tottenham, Boyland took to Twitter, claiming that Everton need a complete overhaul of the defence:
“There is a soft centre to Everton which is preventing them pick up points on the road. Without Mina, the spine looks weak & they played into Spurs’ hands.
“A defence in urgent need of overhaul this summer.”
The Verdict: Defensive overhaul essential
With Yerry Mina still side-lined, fans will be worried by the lack of a strong presence in the Toffees’ back-line. Everton’s win percentage this season with the Colombia international in the team is monumentally different to the percentage without him: 40% with, 13% without.
During Sky Sports’ broadcast of the Spurs game, Jamie Carragher described Everton’s defence as “a Championship back four”, before later saying that was being harsh on some second-tier sides. Having conceded 46 league goals already, this seems hard to argue with.
Therefore, it is crucial that Everton commit to a defensive overhaul in the summer transfer window, otherwise they may find themselves in the same situation next year – if they avoid relegation this season.
In other news: Everton: Pickford, Coleman and Keane’s nightmare performances vs Spurs