Welcome to opposite world. Everton have the joint stingiest defence in the Premier League. Romelu Lukaku is scoring headers for fun. Toffees supporters are accustomed to early game-changing substitutions. David Moyes is in the opposition dugout, Jack Rodwell patrolling their midfield, back at the scene where the Blues were crushed 3-0 just four months ago. Revenge in a complete reversal: Everton 3-0 Sunderland.
Lukaku arrived under pressure and left with the match ball following an 11-minute hat-trick. Reports of travel arrangement rows and private jet fee fall-outs were dismissed clinically, as he backed up Everton’s defensive improvement but only after a bold switch from Ronald Koeman. Ross Barkley picked a bad time for an off day after Koeman responded to his criticism of Roy Hodgson by stating “I don’t like that“.
“Every manager will select the best players and the best team”, Koeman reminded his player. With Barkley struggling and the game drifting, a perfect chance arose to give a talented player encouragement to raise his game or “kick me on […] to get to the next level” as Barkley said in the same interview. Koeman didn’t need to mull it over. Barkley off, Gerard Deulofeu on, Yannick Bolasie left, Kevin Mirallas number 10.
From that point it was a different game. Sunderland’s previously reasonable defences began to look flimsy. Solid Lamine Kone grew ragged, thrown about by Lukaku on the turn. The Black Cats basically stopped marking. New signings, Idrissa Gueye and Yannick Bolasie, came to the fore, both assisting, and ending Everton’s best performers after Lukaku.
Gulf in class
Gueye sees so much of the ball nobody can get the man of the match award off him. Even through the glare of Everton’s fourth fastest hat-trick, he shines: most touches against Sunderland (120), most passes (106), best pass accuracy (88%), second most tackles (5, usurped by Gareth Barry) and, unexpectedly an assist that brought Lukaku to life. With Deulofeu well-positioned but having already erred on the breakaway, Gueye took charge and chipped to the back post allowing Lukaku his third headed goal in a week.
Painfully for Moyes, for the second time in four games with the scores level, he brought a player on who committed an error leading to the winner three minutes later. That’s a terrible habit and one which might cost Sunderland their Premier League status. Koeman illustrated the gulf in class; his changes have earned five of Everton’s 10 points. The Blues are a goal away from second, Sunderland three goals above from the bottom.
Bolasie also provided an aerial sitter for Everton’s number 10. The winger had put one right on Lukaku’s head in the first half only for Jordan Pickford to deftly claw away, but also wasted opportunities and shot wildly. A switch to the left enabled him to isolate Javier Manquillo. After being caught in no man’s land for the opener, the Atletico loanee was left chasing Bolasie’s dust as the former Palace man rounded the outside and crossed perfectly for Lukaku’s more powerfully headed second. The outlook is grim and getting grimmer for Moyes on Wearside.
71 minutes in, Lukaku completed his hat-trick courtesy of a slick through-ball from Mirallas. Everton had retained possession for some time, distributing it torturously as Sunderland tried to break out into a run. When they did, Mirallas’ one-two with Deulofeu left him perfectly placed to free Lukaku. He duly obliged and there was simply far too much space to miss.
Huge improvement
The Blues’ new centre-back pairing has earned clean sheets in their first two games together. In the equivalent games last season, seven goals were conceded. Under Koeman, just three shots on target were allowed. Everton desperately needed this change; Koeman is turning weakness into strength and developing resolve. Moreover, his no nonsense interventions have been met with a significant upturn in intent and tempo. This bodes well. Arresting games drifting away was a feature of Roberto Martinez’s first year but destructively absent for the remainder. Koeman’s early, decisive switches have sowed the seeds of a winning mentality. Three straight wins have backed that up.
Everton move third and remain unbeaten. With home games against Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace on the horizon either side of trip to Bournemouth, the Blues have a genuinely decent chance of making their trip to the Etihad on October 15 a top of the table clash. That may be a pipe dream, it may not be, but wholesale change is a reality. Three months and five games is all it’s taken Koeman to rejuvenate Everton, and turn them from a shambles into one of the division’s better sides.
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By Chris Smith
Follow me on Twitter @cdsmith789
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