24 August 2024
Tottenham 4 Everton 0
Ange Postecoglou had some things to put right in North London as Everton visited. Last weekend his Spurs side dominated the majority of the game against Leicester. However, they did not take their chances and it allowed The Foxes to hit them with a sucker-punch and get a point out of the game. It could have been worse as Vardy spurned a chance to win the game also.
Record signing Dominic Solanke was missing for this one due to injury. It allowed the manager to give a debut to new signing Wilson Odobert. The hosts put Everton under pressure from the off. As The Toffees tried to clear the ball it was lofted back into the box where Romero chested it down into his path. The defender struck his volley sweetly but Pickford got down well to make a save.
Sean Dyche’s side were all over the shop defensively. Odobert played the ball to Son outside the box. He created a yard of space to get a shot away, which took a huge deflection. It seemed to be heading into the far corner but Pickford did well to make a full-stretch save. It only seemed a matter of time before the hosts opened the scoring, only the keeper was denying them.
Kulusevski ran into the box, showing some great feet as he dribbled past defenders. With no way to get a shot off, he laid the ball outside the box for Bissouma to run onto it. He struck a superb effort off the underside of the crossbar and into the goal. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium erupted as they finally managed to break the deadlock.
The usually reliable Pickford then had a horror moment. As the ball was played back to his feet, he dwelled on it seemingly oblivious to the players around him. Son was sprinting towards him and got a toe to the ball before the Everton keeper even realised he was there. The Spurs’ skipper then had the easy task of tapping the ball into an empty net to double their lead.
What seemed to be a good start to the game for Pickford just unravelled as the game went on. Tottenham were putting the visitors under constant pressure and Everton seemed unable to do anything about it. The Toffees had numerous pot shots at goal but nothing accurate enough to ask much of Spurs’ keeper Vicario.
The visitors managed to keep Postecoglou’s side out until the interval. The Everton fans who made the trip to the capital will have been hoping that some words from their manager to change the side’s fortunes in the second half. Sadly for the Everton fans, it was just more of the same after the break. The Toffees just do not seem to be at the races so far in the Premier League.
Tottenham forced another corner which Maddison came over the take. He put a teasing cross into the box which was attacked by Romero. His header clipped the underside of the bar and nestled in the net. He was all of two yards out which raised the question why Pickford made no attempt to come off his line and win it himself.
Van de Ven then picked the ball up on the edge of his own box. He ran the length of the pitch with no challenge from an Everton player whatsoever. Eventually, he laid it off into the path of Son. As Pickford tried to close him down, the Korean slotted it under him and into the back of the net to make it four-nil. North London was bouncing and Dyche’s side were getting their second mauling in as many games.
Vicario continued to have a quiet afternoon in the Tottenham goal. He could have started writing his autobiography to be fair. It was a comprehensive win for Ange Postecoglou’s side. From what we have seen of Everton so far this season, they could be opening their new stadium with a league match against Wrexham if they are not careful.
It seems a strange place Goodison Park right now. They still have not managed to find new owners and money seems to be a big problem. Having to sell young talent and even some first-team players to ensure that they are not hit with another ‘Profit and Sustainability Rules’ breach. Dyche has always managed to get the players singing from his hymn sheet but even that has stopped now.
Last season Everton thrived under the mantra that everyone is against us after their two points deductions. It galvanized the players and they went on a good run to ensure that safety was not a problem. Having conceded seven goals in two games and failing to register a single goal themselves, staying up could be a bridge too far based on this current form.
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