Everton really should have come away with all three points on Saturday, but it was once again the story of their season at Goodison Park.
Despite domination and a flurry of fine chances, an acute profligacy allowed the visitors to remain in the game.
And whilst it was only 1-0, it always felt like West Ham United were bound to grow in confidence. The Toffees needed that killer that did not come, and in the end they fell to a 3-1 defeat despite having led after 56 minutes.
There were many frustrations that emerged from the fixture, with Beto having missed their first penalty of the campaign, both wingers having struggled again and Abdoulaye Doucoure failing to make his mark.
However, Michael Ball was left most incensed by Amadou Onana…
What Michael Ball said about Amadou Onana
He would detail this disappointment for the Liverpool ECHO, where he penned an impassioned statement regarding the Belgian’s lack of dominance in games where he really should be the difference-maker.
After all, with a physicality and technical brilliance that sets him apart from most other midfielders, this kind of high standard is to be expected even if he is only 22 years old.
Age is just a number, especially when he cost the Toffees a whopping £33m just two summers ago.
Well, Ball has actually suggested that his inability to exert his will on games could see him shipped off, with a laissez-faire performance indicative of someone waiting for a bigger move. ‘He doesn’t do enough,’ he first noted.
The former Rangers defender then went on to claim: ‘Manchester United have got top quality players but they’re in turmoil right now with pressure on their manager.
‘They’ve just suffered a tough derby defeat so you’ve got to try and get at them, it’s up to players like Onana who seemingly want to use Everton as a stepping stone to start showing their ability and prove to the Evertonians why we brought them to the football club by getting the points on the board that we need.’
Amadou Onana offers frustrating brilliance for Everton
Ball is right in suggesting Onana should be doing more, despite what many fans might argue.
After all, whilst he is unquestionably one of the club’s most influential players, given their torrid run of form that means comparatively little.
He has all the assets needed to dominate games in a way that would certainly lead Sean Dyche’s men to more wins, and yet he does go into hiding for large parts of matches.
Watching him thread cute through balls through to the strikers in the past, or drive forward with pace and power through the heart of midfield, makes it all the more frustrating when he fails to do either in matches.
If he is in fact waiting for that big move, he will certainly have to start proving his worth more than he currently is to attract their attention.
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