Stunning Aston Villa Victory Leaves Everton in Turmoil: Uncertainty Surrounds Calvert-Lewin's Cheekbone Injury
Everton humiliated by Aston Villa in a 4-0 defeat, prompting manager Sean Dyche to criticize his team's performance and leaving them at the bottom of the Premier League The injury status of Dominic Calvert-Lewin adds to their woes James Tarkowski highlights the dismal defending responsible for all four Villa goals Everton anxiously awaits updates on Calvert-Lewin's condition
Sean Dyche criticized Everton's inconsistency and expressed his frustration by stating that his team was far from their best after suffering a humiliating 4-0 defeat at Aston Villa. This defeat marked the lowest point of Dyche's 20-game tenure at Goodison Park. Furthermore, Everton finds themselves at the bottom of the Premier League for the first time in 13 years, having lost their first two games without managing to score a single goal.
Everton endured misfortune in their initial loss to Fulham in the previous weekend. Despite keeping up with their opponents at Villa Park on Sunday, their resilience crumbled when John McGinn scored in the 18th minute, and they were unable to bounce back.
Dyche, speaking to We, stated, "The lessons I have learned from the past few seasons is that we can excel one week, only to fall short the following week. Our utmost priority is to achieve consistency. While we strive for it during training sessions, it is crucial to translate it into our actual performances. Today, there are no excuses; our opponents outperformed us significantly."
"We were nowhere near it. They outperformed us in every aspect - their agility, their intensity, especially in terms of goal scoring and attacking, they seemed much more lively than us in defense.
"It's quite odd because we were in top form last weekend. We need to achieve consistency - I emphasized this very notion throughout last season, from week to week and in our overall performance. Unfortunately, that was severely lacking today."
Today was a collective down day, and mistakes certainly didn't help matters. However, it is up to each individual to rectify those errors. We cannot rely on others to correct our mistakes, and I have already addressed this issue with the players. Each and every one of us must strive to make a difference.
Defender James Tarkowski, who witnessed his fellow teammates make costly mistakes resulting in Aston Villa's third and fourth goals, expressed even stronger criticism than his manager. He described their defensive efforts as "awful" and called out the Everton players for their negative body language and mentality following the early setback.
He stated that the team had a strong start for approximately seven minutes but then suffered a collapse. He observed that the players displayed negative body language. He believes the issue is not lack of effort, as the players are still active on the field, but rather a lack of discipline in maintaining their shape, resulting in being exposed by the opposition. He considers every goal conceded to be dreadful.
After the opposing team scored a goal, their confidence soared while his team's confidence plummeted, leading to a complete loss of momentum. He expresses disappointment in this outcome. However, he highlights the positive aspect that despite a 5-1 defeat the previous week, the team managed to bounce back with a remarkable 4-0 victory. This gives him confidence that the team can replicate such success in the upcoming week.
Everton waiting on Calvert-Lewin news
: When questioned about the role of their mindset in the loss, his response was affirmative. "Definitely. It wasn't due to a lack of dedication; individuals were putting in the hard work and making the effort. However, our decision-making was flawed, leading to multiple instances where we left ourselves vulnerable."
Image:
Dominic Calvert-Lewin had to leave the field due to injury prior to the first half coming to an end. This unfortunate incident appears to be the most recent addition to a series of prolonged absences suffered by the forward for the past two and a half years.
The striker clashed with Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the early stages of the match at Villa Park. Despite receiving immediate medical attention and initially carrying on, he was ultimately substituted 10 minutes before half-time due to further evaluation revealing noticeable swelling on his right cheek.
Speaking about the injury, Dyche stated, "He sustained a blow to his cheekbone, so we are awaiting updates on that. He also experienced some blurred vision, which forced us to make a decision. It's unfortunate, considering he has only just returned to play. Additionally, we had Alex [Iwobi] going off as well."
We are not solely focused on one game, but we are determined to avoid relapsing into the subpar performances of the past, which I feel we somewhat displayed today. Our intention is to continue progressing with this team, and if the opportunity arises, we will enhance our squad further.
