Don’t look now but Everton could be headed for a relegation scrap. Sure, it seems unlikely for the side currently sitting in 12th place, especially given the quality of their squad.
But there are a number of factors that could work against them, on top of their already worrying form.
Indeed, they have only won once in the Premier League since November and have given away points late-on to the likes of Bournemouth, Stoke and Chelsea in that time. If this trend continues, it could see the Merseysiders dragged towards the wrong end of the table and fighting for their lives come April and May.
One of the crucial factors in their survival will be trying to shore up the defence. Roberto Martinez is not a defensively-minded coach, that much is obvious. But if he cannot rectify their fragility at the back – they have only one home clean-sheet this season and even that was against lowly Aston Villa – they are naturally going to struggle to pick up points.
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Their aforementioned habit of shooting themselves in the foot, surrendering leads and/or draws, is a huge problem and one they cannot afford to be so blasé about when it gets down to ‘squeaky-bum time’. If John Stones really is as good as everyone says, he needs to prove it when it matters most.
The rest of the squad too. There is no doubt about their attacking ability in spurts, but they need to produce more consistently.
They may be able to score but they can struggle to ‘control a game’ and inevitably concede as a result.
The team as a whole needs to become more than just a collection of talented individuals and sporadic performers. Their big-name players, the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Ross Barkley and John Stones, need to step-up and do the basics right first before showcasing their undoubted wealth of talent.
They will also need to keep their most important players injury free. If Lukaku were to get injured for example, you worry where on earth they would get many of their goals from or focus their attack on. If they can’t keep the goals out, they are certainly going to have to score them to get anything from games.
Also a worry are the sides below them, many of them starting to pick up points and show some form. You have to feel Chelsea will continue their march up the table, while the likes of Swansea, Bournemouth and Newcastle have the potential to close the gap on the Toffees.
The Swans have picked up six points in a week since the arrival of Francesco Guidolin and could easily continue their up-take in form. Bournemouth arguably play the best football in the bottom half of the league whilst Mike Ashley is splashing the cash in the North-East, bringing in a wealth of quality footballers that should improve the Geordie’s fortunes.
If they’re not careful, Everton could soon find themselves ‘in amongst it’. Working in their favour is the fact that they still have to play the majority of the teams below them and victories against those sides would obviously widen the gap and see them safe. But conversely, should they lose those some of those fixtures they could quickly slide down the table.
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Aside from those games, they also face tricky away ties at the likes of Liverpool, Man Utd and Leicester. And with their poor record of conceding at home, visits from Arsenal, West Ham and Southampton bring their own jeopardy.
Having said all that, they are unlikely to get relegated. The quality of players at their disposal and the old caveat of ‘too good to go down’ may ring true here.
But there are certainly enough things that, if they don’t go their way, could easily see them battling alongside the teams near the bottom, rather than heading towards their expected challenge for European qualification.
They have the second-leg of their Capital One Cup this week and could cement a trip to Wembley before their next league game. This would be a welcome distraction from a poor league campaign and something to look forward to for their fans.
A word of warning though. The last time Roberto Martinez went to Wembley? His Wigan side were relegated.
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