LEICESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 29: Phil Jagielka of Everton (C) and team mates look in defeat after the Premier League match between Leicester City and Everton at The King Power Stadium on October 29, 2017 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Everton finished seventh last season but are currently sitting in the relegation zone
Everton were one of the surprise teams of the 2016-2017 campaign. The Toffees finished a very respectable seventh behind the usual current top six sides. Even more impressive is the fact that Everton were just eight points behind sixth place Manchester United and a healthy 15 points ahead of eighth place Southampton.
Under manager Ronald Koeman Everton qualified for the Europa League and the mood around Goodison Park was bright heading in to the new season.
Less than six months later the atmosphere surrounding the blue half of Liverpool is a lot more troubled. Everton have picked up just eight points from the club’s first ten league fixtures and are presently in the relegation zone.
Koeman has been sacked and the Toffees are at the bottom of Group E in the Europa League with just one point from the competition’s first three matches.
What has gone wrong for the club in such a short period of time that has resulted in this dramatic drop in form?
Here’s a look at some of the causes.
seventh best ranked defense</a> in the league last year. They kept 13 clean sheets and allowed an average of just 1.16 goals per game.</p>
<p>The back line for Everton features very experienced players such as Leighton Baines, Phil Jagielka and Ashley Williams. Perhaps that is part of the problem as each of these defenders is over 30. In fact their combined age is 100 years. It’s an unfair reality, but the other side of 30 in professional sports is the latter stages of an athlete’s career.</p>
<p>The loss of Seamus Coleman has also been a problem for Everton. The 29-year-old full back has been out of action since <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2017/11/02/evertons-troubles-continue-build/"https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/3174478/seamus-coleman-broken-leg-neil-taylor/">breaking his leg</a> earlier this year. His recovery continues and the hope is that he will return early in 2018.</p>
<p>Ex-Burnley defender Michael Keane has made eight appearances this season for Everton. The 24-year-old has injected a bit of youth in to the squad, but he is <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2017/11/02/evertons-troubles-continue-build/"http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11671/11105095/evertons-michael-keane-in-hospital-with-nasty-leg-infection-from-gash-sustained-against-sunderland">currently sidelined</a> as well. A gash suffered during a recent match became infected and he is in the hospital receiving treatment.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2017/11/02/evertons-troubles-continue-build/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The loss of Romelu Lukaku </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-442802" src=https://playingfor90.com/2017/11/02/evertons-troubles-continue-build/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F10%2F848438282-manchester-united-v-everton-premier-league.jpg-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><p class="wp-caption-text">MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: Romelu Lukaku of Manchester United celebrates scoring his sides third goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Everton at Old Trafford on September 17, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3 class="mceTemp">Lukaku is gone and no suitable replacement was brought in</h3>
<p>It’s obvious that Everton suffered a big loss when Romelu Lukaku signed for Manchester United over the summer.</p>
<p>The Belgian striker scored 25 goals last season. Only Tottenham’s Harry Kane had more.</p>
<p>Everton received £90million in return for Lukaku and it’s looking like that money has not been invested in good replacements.</p>
<p>Prior to his firing, Koeman revealed that he was counting on Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud joining his side. In the end, the Frenchman decided to stay in North London and fight for his place in Arsene Wenger’s lineup.</p>
<p><a href=https://playingfor90.com/2017/11/02/evertons-troubles-continue-build/"http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/10/26/had-olivier-giroud-building-ronald-koeman-reveals-close-arsenal/">Koeman said</a>, “I had Olivier Giroud in the building. He would have fitted perfectly, but at the very last moment <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2017/11/02/evertons-troubles-continue-build/"http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/olivier-giroud-reveals-almost-left-11312296">he decided</a> that he’d rather live in London and stay at Arsenal. That was really hard to swallow. You tell me, where you can get a better striker?”</p>
<p>Everton signed attacking midfielder Davy Klaassen from Ajax, 22-year-old striker Sandro Ramirez from Malaga and brought back hometown hero Wayne Rooney.</p>
<p>Midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson joined Everton for a fee of £45m in August after the season had already started.</p>
<p>Of the four signings, only Rooney has scored. His four goals lead the club.</p>
<p>One bright spot may be Senegalese striker <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2017/11/02/evertons-troubles-continue-build/"http://www.skysports.com/oumar-niasse">Oumar Niasse</a> who was on loan with Hull last season. He is the Toffees’ only other goal scorer so far with three goals.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2017/11/02/evertons-troubles-continue-build/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Tough early season schedule </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-444153" src=https://playingfor90.com/2017/11/02/evertons-troubles-continue-build/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F10%2F848437442-manchester-united-v-everton-premier-league.jpg-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><p class="wp-caption-text">MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: Kevin Mirallas of Everton looks dejected during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Everton at Old Trafford on September 17, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>The fixture list was not kind to Everton early this season</h3>
<p>One of the best things about the Premier League is that every team ends up playing the same schedule as the rest. The difference though is when these fixtures come along in the season.</p>
<p>For Everton, this year’s schedule was cruel in the early going. Six of the Toffees’ first nine matches were against teams that finished in the top half of the table last season. This included away trips to Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United.</p>
<p>The former manager explained that he knew he was in for a tough time when he saw the fixture list for his club. <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2017/11/02/evertons-troubles-continue-build/"http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5018345/Ronald-Koeman-feared-job-saw-fixtures.html">Koeman said</a>, “I looked at it and saw that five of our first nine games would be against clubs from last season’s top six: Chelsea, Tottenham, Man City, Man United and Arsenal. I looked at it again and I said to myself, ”Phew!'”</p>
<p>The season is long and Everton of course will meet some of the lower table clubs, but it will be too late for Koeman.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2017/11/02/evertons-troubles-continue-build/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Questionable summer signings </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-444156" src=https://playingfor90.com/2017/11/02/evertons-troubles-continue-build/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F10%2F855220626-everton-fc-v-apollon-limassol-uefa-europa-league.jpg-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><p class="wp-caption-text">LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 28: Gylfi Sigurdsson of Everton shoots on goal during the UEFA Europa League group E match between Everton FC and Apollon Limassol at Goodison Park on September 28, 2017 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>Summer signings have not been convincing</h3>
<p>Everton spent £140m on new players during the off-season.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>In a recent poll conducted by the <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2017/11/02/evertons-troubles-continue-build/"http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/theres-trouble-gylfi-sigurdsson-davy-13830293">Liverpool Echo</a>, 80% of fans believe that Wayne Rooney, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Davy Klaassen cannot play together in the same team.</p>
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<p>The three attacking players are seen as interchangeable but not different enough to benefit each other.</p>
<p>Sigurdsson has looked a shell of the player that he was last season. It’s clear he is suffering from a lack of confidence after his slow start on Merseyside.</p>
<p>Klaassen is another who looks short of self belief. His passing has been sloppy and he has appeared weak on challenges. He has become a scapegoat target of the fans.</p>
<p>There’s no denying that Rooney has been a great footballer throughout his 15 year career. Unfortunately, at 32, he no longer possesses the pace and strength to be the main focal point for the offense.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2017/11/02/evertons-troubles-continue-build/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Loss of confidence and creativity </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—></p><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_444157" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-444157" src=https://playingfor90.com/2017/11/02/evertons-troubles-continue-build/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F10%2F867825902-leicester-city-v-everton-premier-league.jpg-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><p class="wp-caption-text">LEICESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 29: Wayne Rooney of Everton looks dejected as Jonjoe Kenny of Everton scores an own for Leicester’s second goal during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Everton at The King Power Stadium on October 29, 2017 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>The team is low on confidence and lacks creativity</h3>
<p>Caretaker manager David Unsworth has been handed the reigns of a club low on confidence and in need of some creativity on the pitch.</p>
<p>The first thing they need to work on is coming up with new ideas. Developing a stronger game plan will get the fans back on the team’s side. Support from the home crowd will help bring about a return of confidence.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src=https://playingfor90.com/2017/11/02/evertons-troubles-continue-build/"https://www.youtube.com/embed/vctWezcnyJY" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p>There is no guarantee that Unsworth will be given the managerial role. Everton are currently interviewing potential candidates and a number of names have been discussed.</p>
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