Marco Silva is under huge pressure to improve the fortunes of Everton a side who has struggled massively since the turn of December. Much has been made of Everton’s failure to defend set pieces, attack with pace and the general lack of identity the club seems to have.

Even after the misery of the previous season, the amount of goals Everton have conceded from set plays has increased by 16.8%. A failure.

In his 68 games managed in the Premier League, Marco Silva sides have conceded 33 goals, with each of his sides conceding the most in his respective times with each club.

In terms of goals conceded, Everton have conceded 39 goals this season, not as bad as sides around us, but when you consider we had conceded the fifth least prior the game with Watford at Goodison, the difference is alarming.

Marco Silva has to improve Everton. The club simply can not afford another summer of rebuild and another false dawn. There is still much appetite amongst supporters and boardroom alike to give Marco Silva more time to improve the squad and take Everton into Bramley Moore. Whilst the club has been stagnant of late and very reminiscent of the Koeman, Allardyce and Martinez teams, Silva has shown glimpses of quality at his time at Everton and shown with Marcel Brands, flashes of shrewdness in the transfer market.

The first problem Silva has to contend with is the defence. As stated, Silva has a set piece problem. It has become something of a stick to beat Silva with in recent weeks as the number of goals Everton have conceded from set piece situations is preposterous when you consider the money spent on the defence. Whilst no defender individually has been particularly bad, there are systemic problems in our defence, including set pieces, but also stopping crosses coming into the box and being caught out on the break by committing too many men in the opposition half, especially when surrendering the first goal needlessly.

The snapshot of all of this is Everton’s recent fixture with Wolves at Goodison. Everton overcommitted naively against a bullish, tactically astute Wolves side, causing Leighton Baines to find himself the wrong side of Matt Doherty, conceding a penalty. Andre Gomes equalised in superb fashion but the age old problem of defending set plays reared it’s ugly head and Everton found themselves behind before the break and whilst chasing the game, Everton conceded a third off the break. After that game, the mood amongst fans was a world away from that after the Brighton game at Goodison and after many astute performances at the start of the season.

Another problem that has surfaced is the issue with Gylfi Sigurdsson. Sigurdsson has been one of Everton’s most influential players this season, scoring nine, with only Richarlison topping that. However, there is more of a problem with his position. You could have been forgiven to have thought Ronald Koeman had returned to the club prior the clash with Watford. Gylfi Sigurdsson was back on that left hand side. Everton was again without pace and identity in a bid to solidify the side. That particular selection had all the hallmarks of Roberto Martinez as well. Maybe not Sigurdsson but it was reminiscent of when Martinez sacrificed Aaron Lennon or Kevin Mirallas for Tom Cleverley or Leon Osman on the left. The general formation of Everton has to be rectified by Silva, in a way that keeps the shape of the team intact but also gives Everton pace and purpose off the break.

Marco Silva will be afforded time at Everton for as long as he improves results on the pitch. There has been a problem with connecting with the fans for a whole host of managers, most especially Sam Allardyce but also Ronald Koeman and the end of Roberto Martinez and snippets of the Moyes era. Improvements have to be made but Marco Silva will also have to mend a fracturing relationship with the fans coupled with a distant relationship with the media in order to salvage his Everton career.

Owen Parkes