Lyndon Lloyd 14/09/2024 19comments  |  Jump to last
Aston Villa 3 - 2 Everton

Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored once to put Everton 2-0 up but missed a pair of gilt-edged chances to salvage something from the game

Everton let slip another two-goal lead and slumped to a fourth successive defeat to start the season, with Jhon Duran stepping off the bench for Aston Villa to plunge in the dagger with a stunning winner.

The Blues were on course for a first Premier League victory at Villa Park in 8½ years when goals by Dwight McNeil and Dominic Calvert-Lewin put them 2-0 up inside half an hour.

However, their glaring defensive frailties, exacerbated by the loss of Vitalii Mykolenko in the first half, and suspect game-management were cruelly exposed for a second successive match as Ollie Watkins wiped out their previous advantage and Duran grabbed the headlines with a "worldie" from distance.

Meanwhile Calvert-Lewin wasted a pair of gilt-edged chances to earn his team something from the contest.

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Having overseen the capitulation against Bournemouth before the international break, Sean Dyche was charged with lifting his players and instilling some resolve into their make-up but their passive approach in the early stages of this match did not hint at the drama to come.

He was forced to make one change, bringing veteran Ashley Young into the starting XI because of injury to Seamus Coleman, but watched his charges allow Villa to dominate the first quarter of an hour and almost go behind as a result.

Iliman Ndiaye had to block Ollie Watkins's goal-bound header on the line following a corner and when, in a sign of things to come, Lucas Digne stole in behind Young and Jack Harrison down Everton's right, the England striker could only guide a prodded effort wide.

Much of the pre-match narrative had surrounded the reunions of various players with their former clubs, mostly notably Amadou Onana's first game against the Blues but it was the Belgian midfielder who was robbed by McNeil as Everton plundered the lead completely against the of play.

McNeil muscled Onana off the ball before advancing into the penalty area and screwing a low shot past Emiliano Martinez and inside the far post in the 16th minute.

11 minutes later, the visitors seized a shock 2-0 lead against the newly-minted Champions League Villans after Harrison was fouled near the touchline and Calvert-Lewin nodded McNeil's pin-point free-kick beyond the goalkeeper.

James Garner had come on in place of Mykolenko with Young switching to left-back and the substitute was rurthlessly punished for being caught too narrow by Digne eight minutes before the end of the regualtion 45.

The Frenchman chipped a cross searching out Watkins who easily out-jumped Michael Keane at the back post to head home and make it 2-1 at the halfway stage.

The hosts continued their dominance of possession coming out of the interval and came close to erasing Everton's lead within five minutes. Morgan Rogers popped up in space in the box but was foiled brilliantly by Jordan Pickford and Garner got a crucial block on the follow-up by Jacob Ramsey.

The match hit a turning point in the 54th minute, though, when Calvert-Lewin was sent clear into a one-on-one duel with Martinez but dallied as he tried to take it around the Argentine and Ezri Konsa got back to steal the ball off the striker's toe and put it behind.

Calvert-Lewin was away again, three minutes later, this time down the left channel but, sloppily, passed straight to a claret shirt and within a minute it was 2-2.

Once again, the ball was played towards the Villa left by Youri Teilemans looking for Digne stealing in behind Harrison who stuck out a foot to try and stop the cross, only to divert it into the path of Watkins who simply steered it past Pickford.

Watkins might have had a hat-trick soon afterwards as John McGinn dissected Everton's defence with a pass and Rogers squared it looking for the striker but it eluded him by a foot as he slid in.

Belatedly, perhaps, Dyche went to a back five, bringing Jake O'Brien and Orel Managa on for their debuts and withdrawing Harrison and Idrissa Gueye but the pattern continued, with Ian Maatsen the latest Villa player to enjoy space down their left and cross. Watkins somehow missed the target this time but Duran had the decisive say shortly afterwards.

Picking up the ball 30 yards from goal, the danger initally seemed minimal before the substitute unloaded a wickedly-swerving shot that bent into the top corner with Pickford well beaten.

Still, Calvert-Lewin might have rescued a point when he did the hard part by collecting another nice through-ball, and bustling past the last man but with just Martinez to beat he smashed his shot off the crossbar.

Like their conquerers from a fortnight ago, the Cherries, Everton now boast the unwanted Premier League record of having given up 2-0 leads in successive matches and they remain rooted to the foot of the table having lost their first four to start a campaign for the first time in 66 years.

Afterwards, Dyche bemoaned the fact that his team was falling on the wrong side of the margins but the manager faces a crucial run of winnable fixtures to try and put some points on the board.

 

Reader Comments (19)

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Phil Smith
1 Posted 14/09/2024 at 20:46:12
Not sure how we lost that... again! Calvert-Lewin with 2 golden chances! Keane so weak for the first; bad mistake for the second, and a goal of the season contender to win it.

Losing too many in the air like that. Our defence is a mess. O'Brien needs to start and Lindstrom showed enough on the left to be given a chance instead of Harrison, who works hard but just doesn't offer us anything in forward positions.

Young actually played well today, but it was against his old club, so you'd expect that. Dixon has to start next week or throw in Patterson if he's fit.

Neil Lawson
2 Posted 14/09/2024 at 20:46:33
We urgently need a new manager.
Nigel Scowen
3 Posted 14/09/2024 at 20:49:06
We are haemorrhaging goals… pure and simple.

Dyche needs to go now. At no point was I confident that we were going to get something out of that game.

Out now!!

Pat Kelly
4 Posted 14/09/2024 at 21:02:31
Moshiri cut us adrift some time ago. There's no path forward until we get new owners.

Any other club would've sacked Dyche by now.

Ray Roche
5 Posted 14/09/2024 at 21:29:06
Just a thought, we had three of our ‘best' back four missing when Mykolenko went off.

Doesn't anyone think that that is a factor in today's result?

Geoffrey Hall
6 Posted 14/09/2024 at 21:31:49
As a Blue, at two-nil up, I did a bet Villa would win.

That's the way it is.

Tony Abrahams
7 Posted 14/09/2024 at 21:50:23
A team with one of the best defensive records last season, have conceded 13 goals in the first four games of this season, Ray, so it must have definitely had a real impact. (Even if I personally think we have always defended too narrow under Dyche.)

I listened on the radio rather than going home to watch it but, talking to people before the game, I was reminded of what a Liverpool fan said to me about 3 months before Marco Silva got the sack.

That Michael Keane is going to cost Everton some goals this season, he said, and five managers later, he his still getting a game, and costing us goals.

Football is about many different things, and I could write a list as long as my arm about the things you have got to do right and the things you must not do wrong, but ultimately it's about the players, and unless our defensive personnel changes very soon, then it's going to be another change of manager, very soon.

John Raftery
8 Posted 14/09/2024 at 21:51:59
Ray (5) Don’t trouble us with facts.
Dean Williams
9 Posted 14/09/2024 at 21:58:42
We are doomed. A club built on failure, without a winning mentality. And a manager who will do anything but the obvious. Start of last season he persisted with Micheal Keane. Only took him him because of the fans unrest, not his shitty performances. Now he's doing it again RE o brien. Brings a midfielder on and players him right back, when he's got a right back on the bench. Dyche is a cancer to this team, and his outdated approach is going to kill us.
Liam Mogan
10 Posted 14/09/2024 at 22:06:21
The state we are in is epitomised by Michael Keane being on the pitch.

He wasn't good enough 6 years ago.

Anthony Jones
11 Posted 14/09/2024 at 22:10:27
Dyche is of the Moyes mould.

He talks about bedding in players that are already good enough to fit in.

He is obsessed with how many PL minutes a player has under their belt.

Play the best players FFS.

Peter Fearon
12 Posted 14/09/2024 at 22:52:12
In the end that defeat, like the one against Bournemouth comes down to Dychelotti’s flawed selection and substitutions. If Dixon had come on for Mykolenko we would have had a like for like substitution, full back for full back. Instead he puts in a central midfielder out of position who was awol for the first goal. Harrison then comes back to cover and is unlucky to give away the equalizer. Keane was beaten for both goals and really had no business starting. O’Brien looks like a brick wall but only comes in to shut the stable door. If Dixon isn’t ready he shouldn’t be on the bench. Dyche is outfoxed by other coaches and regressive in his whole approach. He has to go. If I was Textor I would have a black taxi waiting for him the second the ownership deal is complete.
Jamie Clancy
15 Posted 14/09/2024 at 22:55:43
Time is up i'm afraid. Need a more modern forward thinking coach. Paulo Fonseca anyone?
Jamie Clancy
16 Posted 14/09/2024 at 23:04:22
Oops I forgot Fonseca is now at AC Milan. That ain't happening then!
Anthony Dwyer
17 Posted 15/09/2024 at 01:03:54
Read something before saying since Dyche has been in charge he's played Keane 1759 minutes, we have conceded 47 goals in that time meaning a Dyche side with Keane in it concedes every 37 minutes.

I'm not certain but didn't Keane and Tarks relagate Burnley also when paired together, clearly as a pairing it doesnt work.

When will he learn ?

Worse if O'brien isn't good enough then again the money is wasted, just like with Beto who can't push DCL for a starting roll.

Worrying times ahead.

Sean Kearns
18 Posted 15/09/2024 at 02:01:07
What goalie in the whole league except ours doesn’t catch Digne’s cross for their first goal?!?! It’s about 3 yards out. Jordan should be fuckin Keane right off and just grabbing it, but he’s little (6 foot 1 I know but it’s relative) and is also a shitbag… also I think a big keeper gets a hand to Duran’s goal. I’m convinced Jordan costs us as many points as he saves… Also if Dom scores the 1 on 1 we win! Most PL strikers are just putting that in the near post easy, can’t wait til Broja’s fit with Branthwaite. Broja buries that chance mark my words!! A certain Mr Ellis Simms would have slotted that in 100% 🙄… Moyes would have this team in the top half, of that I have no worries. If Moyes is the gaffer we win both those last two matches. West Ham are about 15th hahaha, only drew 1-1 todays thanks to a last gasp equalizer. They’ll finish bottom half this season. Wankers.
Christine Foster
19 Posted 15/09/2024 at 02:16:46
There is no easy way of saying this. Unless a number of things are addressed immediately, this could well be the end of our premier league status.
Trying to look at the issues objectively and seek a solution ends up with us going around in circles and arriving at the same point. We are not good enough when it matters.
Individually we have some very good players, some ok and a few really poor. We have a manager with an ethos of playing it one way, sticking to his favourites and failing to change or adapt.
Many of the players, even with a fully fit squad, are either not of Premier league quality or cannot do what is being asked of them by the manager and unless something changes I doubt Dyche will survive till the end of October.
Don't get me wrong, its not all down to Dyche by any means, he is dealt the hand and has to play it to the best of his ability. But that is the quickly becoming the critical issue with this squad. Has he got the ability to get the team playing as a better unit, perhaps with a different style, formation or use of other players? How long can the team/club look at the situation before its changed? How long does Dyche have to fix it or be removed?
We saw this team perform well against Bournemouth until they didn't, we know they can play, but we know too how badly they can fail. Our options aren't good, stick or twist. the longer it continues the less chance of getting out of the bottom relegation. We are only a four games into the season but the ability to change the narrative is hampered by the lack of quality where we need it.
Currently there is not one player in yesterdays back four worthy of their place. Even with Coleman, Dixon, Patterson and Branthwaite and O'Brien, the obvious has to be said, Seamus has had his day, along with Young, Tarkowski has been dreadful in every game so far. We are shuffling a poor deck.
So that really leaves the manager. His job is to set the team up to win games, motivate the players and tweak the positional play during the game to compensate for good or bad players or opposition.
So far his record last season and this lends one to think his position should be under threat but with all the off pitch issues how likely is it that things will change? Moshiri will only act if he feels our Premier League existence is threatened as an impact to the money he can get for the club. Remember Allardyce?
In a normal club the results would see the manager gone, but a normal club is not the Everton of the last 7 years. None of us really believe he is the manager to take us forward, but who has got the balls to sack him and roll the dice (Dyche) of another manager to motivate, what we have to secure our status? Will it be left to a Textor to come in and change the manager immediately?
One thing is certain Dyche is walking a tightrope to nowhere..
Hakan Torlen
20 Posted 15/09/2024 at 03:48:24
Branthwaite will be back soon, replacing Keane and shoring up the defence like he did last season.
I really think all the difference here is Keane playing. Statistically from the start of last season the team ships close to 3 goals per game when Keane is playing. Thats crazy!
Steve Brown
21 Posted 15/09/2024 at 03:55:42
If Dyche’s speciality is defensive solidity, then 13 goals in 4 games means there is not much point him being around.

He plays favourites whatever their form (and age), he selects players out of position and his game management has been terrible recently. Can anyone tell me what the formation was in the second half - 5-3-2?

Let’s just say it one more time - Young cannot play right back, Garner cannot play right back, both centre backs were poor, Harrison cannot play wide right and Ndiaye should play behind the forward.

Despite really appreciating all he has done, defeat in the next game will see him gone.

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