When Roberto Martinez was hired by Everton to replace David Moyes, there were genuine concerns from the Goodison Park faithful. The Spaniard’s Wigan Athletic side had been an entertaining one to watch but fallen out of the Premier League in a haze of bad defending and sloppy goals. The fear was that Moyes’ trademark obduracy would be replaced by pretty attacking football and a porous backline.
Martinez’s first season suggested those worries were misguided. Everton conceded only 39 goals in 38 games, the third-fewest, behind champions Manchester City and Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, in the top flight. It was one fewer than Moyes’ final season in charge and with 11 more goals scored, the Toffees appeared in good shape.
The first seven games of the new season have brought those concerns back to the surface. No team has conceded more than Everton’s 16, not even bottom of the league Queens Park Rangers. Everton have kept one clean sheet – in their only win, over West Brom – and are fourth-bottom, outside of the relegation zone by two points. Everton are one bad set of results from dropping to the foot of the league.
Bad luck, injuries and individual errors have combined to blow apart Everton’s back four. Sylvain Distin, one of the highest-rated defenders in last year’s EuroFantasyLeague, has spent time out injured, amid internet rumours of a fall-out with the manager. Martinez has denied there was a bust-up but regardless, Distin has looked short of his best and was understandably dropped for John Stones – also now injured.
Tim Howard, the third-best scoring goalkeeper in EFL last year, had a nightmare of a game against Crystal Palace, giving away a penalty and making another error that directly led to a goal. Martinez can’t legislate for occasions such as the often-reliable United States international making mistake after mistake. Howard, while far from perfect, has been a reliable presence for almost decade.
But the manager ultimately carries responsibility for his team’s flaws. Martinez’s commitment to attacking football is admirable and has gone down well on the blue half of Merseyside. He is well-liked and respected – but that won’t protect him for long if Everton continue to plumb the depths, looking more like relegated Wigan with each passing game.
