Seven right-backs and no points: Unpacking Everton’s disastrous season

Seven right-backs, three comebacks and no points. Everton’s start to the season could prove the worst in their history. It may assume critical proportions if they lose perhaps the first relegation six-pointer of the campaign, against Leicester on Saturday.

As it is, it has been both typical – slow stars appear traits of both Everton and Sean Dyche, as though neither has worked out that an early win and a few weeks in mid-table would be easier on the nerves – and yet out of character. Dyche’s sides were supposed to be able to protect leads. They were rarely prolific, so victories required clean sheets and the ability to dig in. Then came their attempt to illustrate the footballing cliché that 2-0 is the most dangerous lead, losing after being two goals to the good at 86 minutes against Bournemouth and two ahead of Aston Villa. Exiting the Carabao Cup to Southampton after leading again, but conceding in unDychean fashion to a header from a free kick, made it three successive setbacks where Everton had positioned themselves to succeed.

It was sealed by Ashley Young’s penalty miss. Young was booed on, in part because he came on for a striker, in part because only Dyche, it seems, has any confidence left in his 39-year-old former teammate. Young was the first of the seven right-backs so far this season: the worst, some Evertonians may say, too.

His vaguely comical opening-day red card against Brighton, misjudging a long ball, tugging back the far faster Kaoru Mitoma, led to winger Dwight McNeil and centre-back Mason Holgate occupying the role for the rest of the game. After that, it was teenager Roman Dixon for a couple of matches, captain Seamus Coleman before he, unsurprisingly, got injured. As Everton unravelled at Villa Park, central defender Jake O’Brien and midfielder James Garner took their turns there.

If it is a curiosity, there are causes and consequences. This is austerity-era Everton, with a net profit in the transfer market in each of the last three years. Even within that context, perhaps only Dyche would have given Young an extended deal: he doesn’t seem to rate the oft-injured Nathan Patterson and when Kieran Trippier was mooted as a target, it seemed only Everton could sign him to reduce the average age of their right-backs.

But goals have stemmed from failings in the position: Mitoma was the first player to score against Everton this season. All three Bournemouth goals came from crosses: if Vitaliy Mykolenko’s far-post marking was susceptible, Coleman could have cut at least one centre out; perhaps two. Villa’s second goal came from an error by winger Jack Harrison, retreating into the right-back position. Dixon made a rash challenge on Ryan Fraser to concede the free kick for Southampton’s equaliser.

And if Dyche’s ethos is based on eliminating errors, they have abounded in uncharacteristic fashion this season: Idrissa Gueye gave a goal away against Brighton, Jordan Pickford at Tottenham.

The classic Dyche teams exude a reassuring solidity. This Everton side has felt open and fragile. There are several reasons. Yet, first, it may be important to note one that isn’t a factor: the departure of Amadou Onana. Well as he has started at Aston Villa, while the Belgian’s talents equip him to play for better teams, he arguably did not even feature in the strongest side last season. Selling him for £50m to pass PSR was a trade-off Dyche and every Evertonian could welcome.

His replacement Tim Iroegbunam has begun promisingly; as an individual, anyway. Everton have lost some of their sturdiness and structure. The bright start Iliman Ndiaye has made may offer another endorsement of director of football Kevin Thelwell’s ability to identify talent; perhaps, also, it shows that even Dyche recognises he has to be more progressive at Everton than he was at Burnley. Against both Bournemouth and Villa, Everton struck twice and fashioned several good chances.

Yet Dyche’s teams do not keep the ball: their 35.2 percent share of possession and 75.2 percent pass completion rate are both the poorest in the division, unsurprisingly. With a much-changed team, they had just 26 percent of the ball at home against Southampton.

It means there is a requirement to run off the ball, to run further and faster than fresher opponents. Which is harder when their players are older. Young is 39, Coleman 35, Gueye 34, James Tarkowski, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Michael Keane all 31. Perhaps tiredness takes a toll.

Meanwhile, Dyche is reluctant to use replacements – in the Premier League, he has only made 14 substitutions from a possible 20 this season, and six of them came after the 80th minute – at a point when they seem an ever-greater attacking weapon for others. Substitutes have three goals and three assists against Everton this season but none for them. From the 58th minute onwards, Everton have scored no league goals and conceded eight.

Improvement is not impossible. Everton started to gel in the second half of September last season. After the coup of keeping Jarrad Branthwaite in the summer, he is yet to play but could tighten up the defence. When Iroegbunam and Ndiaye are fully integrated, perhaps Everton will have their youthful verve but without being too fragile.

And a visit to Leicester is a reminder of a turning point in their recent history: in May 2023, two relegation-threatened sides drew 2-2 but only after Pickford made a penalty save from James Maddison to stop Everton from going 3-1 down. But if Everton have spent much of the last three years trying to avoid going down, the first step in another escape must be a first point.