Coming off of a good start to the season, Everton had a chance to really build some momentum in the month of September. That is not what happened though. Everton failed to win a single match in September, and will have to try and recapture that early season form once again in October.
Everton v Aston Villa
The first match in September was the only good performance Everton would have in the month. Aston Villa came to Hill Dickinson Stadium still searching for their first goal of the season, and their first point as well. Everton really dominated this match and probably should have won the match. The blues created a ton of chances with Jack Grealish once again being at the forefront of the chances created. Michael Keane had multiple free headers in the match and either missed the frame, or forced a great save from the Villa keeper. In fact, the only reason Everton didn’t win this match was because of the brilliance from Emi Martinez. He made a couple outrageous saves to keeper Everton out of the net, and without him it would of been a comfortable win. In the end it ended in a 0-0 draw.
Liverpool v Everton
It was another frustrating and avoidable loss in the Merseyside derby. David Moyes had his side come out and try to shell up and absorb the Liverpool pressure in the first half and hit on the counter attack. 30 minutes later Everton found themselves down by two goals after two excellent attacks from the reigning Premier League champions. Everton had to change their tactics in the second half or they were going to get blown away. Sure enough Everton came out in the second half and opened up a little bit and started taking it to Liverpool. Everton found their only goal of the match with 59 minutes on the clock, a great strike by Idrissa Gana Gueye. That goal was the last real chance Everton would create and the final would end 2-1 to Liverpool. It does have to be noted that the officiating in this match was nothing short of shambolic. Liverpool player were allowed to foul in any situation with almost no chance of being booked, Kirenan Dewsbury-Hall got booked for taking a free kick too quickly, and the most embarrassing part was the stoppage time at the end of the match. Just three minutes added on. Three minutes of stoppage time is unheard of in this day and age. It was a bad joke, and only Liverpool laughed at the punchline.
Wolves v Everton
After a poor performance in the derby Everton had a chance to set it right by advancing to the next round of the Carabao Cup. They travelled to Wolves for the second time this season, after already beating them in league play. Everton haven’t made deep cup run in quite some time, and now would of been a good time to do so. Instead Everton didn’t show up and were bounced from the competition in a 2-0 loss.
Everton v West Ham
One final chance to pick up three points in September with a struggling West Ham side coming to Hill Dickinson stadium. It was going to be a side with Graham Potter in charge, but just two days before the match West Ham sacked Potter, and hired Nuno Espirito Santo. Despite the manager change, Everton came out of the gates hot to start the match. Putting lots of pressure on the West Ham back line and creating chances. Everton found the first goal of the match just 18 minutes in. A great ball in from James Garner found Michael Keane who was all by himself in the box and he headed the ball with power past the West Ham keeper. Everton would continue to be in control through the end of the fist half creating a few more chances, and probably should of had at least one other goal, but just couldn’t find the finishing touch. The blues started well in the second half, but West Ham slowly found their footing and started asking questions of the Everton backline. The Everton defense didn’t have all the answers to the West Ham questions though. Jarrod Bowen found the equalizer on a bit of broken play while trying to clear a West Ham cross. Bowen’s shot was a good one, and it might of found the net anyway, but a massive deflection off Michael Keane took Jordan Pickford completely out of the equation and it was 1-1. The 1-1 score is how the match would end. sealing a winless month for Everton.
After a poor month of September Everton start October with a rough set of matches. Everton take on a very confident Crystal Palace side who sit just three points off the top spot in the league, followed by a trip to Manchester City, a place where Everton haven’t won since 2007, and then home to Spurs. If Everton fail to win any of those three matches it would make it seven matches without a win. While Everton aren’t quite ready to compete for a European competition this season, they do need to show some progress and start winning some matches that no one gives them a chance to win. The next three matches will provide a great opportunity to do just that.
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