David Moyes was not happy with his Everton team's performance in the 2-2 draw at Hull City, and he made that clear after the match. He was disappointed with what he witnessed, and now he must find a solution, with accountability resting on both the manager and the players.
Left-Back Dilemma Without Mykolenko
With Vitalii Mykolenko out, the question of who would play left-back was always going to be an issue. Options included James Garner or Ainsley Maitland-Niles, and perhaps a switch to three centre-backs, although that system does not seem to be favoured by Moyes.
Either way, the thought of splitting James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite was not appealing, as they have been an effective partnership. When the starting line-up was announced, seeing Branthwaite at left-back was a head-scratcher. The reasoning was understandable, but there was concern about the player putting in extra yards up and down the wing given his history of hamstring problems.
Branthwaite's Struggles and a Boring First Half
Branthwaite did some things okay, but it was clear it is not his natural position. He was found out in the build-up to Hull's first goal, as he did not do his job properly. The game started in typical fashion after an international break, and this one was longer than ever, almost like starting the season again, blowing off the cobwebs.
Everton were quite boring in their approach in the first half, and the desire was for them to be more exciting in their play. They could have passed the ball sharper to up the tempo and put Hull on the back foot. The team did not go for the jugular, which has been their style this season; when on top, they have not tried to punish teams with loads of shots or crosses. They take the safe option, pass backwards and sideways, and it felt like a friendly match.
Second-Half Mistakes and Missed Chances
In the second half, the expectation was to push on and have a go, but there was a lack of concentration from quite a few players. When Everton make a mistake, they tend to get punished, which could be behind the mentality of playing it safe and a reluctance to be braver. It was frustrating because you should not have to go one-nil down before you wake up and start playing faster.
Once 2-1 up, Everton should have been able to see the game out, but they could not, and more mistakes followed. Thierno Barry took possibly his most difficult chance, but before that he had a couple of headers he probably should have done better with. From the Branthwaite cross, you want your striker to at least get a touch, and if it had gone in, things could have ended very differently.
Two Points Dropped Ahead of Tough Fixtures
It was a strange game, and it felt like two points dropped. Everton remain unbeaten, but the question is how to turn these draws into wins. There are now tough matches against Chelsea and Arsenal coming up.
