Everton seem to just roll from disappointment to disappointment at the moment, from maintaining their torrid form after a three-week break to releasing their latest accounts, truly reaffirming their dire financial position once again.
And whilst the media is starting to detail just how terribly-ran the club has been, it feels too little too late.
Farhad Moshiri has already regressed the club to within an inch of its life, and even securing safety this season might not be enough to save Everton from certain doom.
However, should their performances remain at such a low level, that will not be something to consider anyway.
What Stephen Warnock thinks is letting Everton down
Speaking on BBC’s Match of the Day on Saturday night, Stephen Warnock, who enjoyed spells with Liverpool, Aston Villa and Leeds United, was left truly disappointed with the manner in which Everton fell apart on the road.
Chasing the game against the Cherries, securing an equaliser came from nowhere, and it was thought that Sean Dyche take his point and run.
However, the 52-year-old could not possibly have accounted for the calamity that was to come, with Seamus Coleman chesting into his own net from close range as the game crept into added time.
Understandably, it knocked all the stuffing out of the Toffees, and the game would finish 2-1.
Warnock was hardly sympathetic though in his post-match assessment: ‘Yeah they have [only got themselves to blame]. They were poor. Really poor this afternoon, and they’re struggling at the moment Everton. They’re struggling for reasons, and that is communication and understanding.
‘Bournemouth had plenty of opportunities in the second half to counterattack.’
Sean Dyche needs much more than communication and understanding
Whilst Warnock is certainly right, especially when applying his words to the calamitous third goal which consigned Everton to defeat, Dyche will know that his side needs far more than these two qualities.
After all, their inability to score is the outstanding example of a trait which has failed them all season, and in the end, could actually condemn them to the drop should it persist.
That understanding that the Match of the Day pundit craves can be applied to far more than just defending too, as the disjointed nature of their attacks arguably adds to their profligacy.
One moment that occurred in Saturday’s loss saw Abdoulaye Doucoure, previously their most prominent player, breaking forward.
Alongside Jack Harrison, they boasted a 2 v 1 as they bore down on the host’s goal. However, the Mail international was rushed and thoughtless in his pass, leading to a golden opportunity being squandered by forcing the winger too wide.
It marks a searing indictment of their dwindling quality and confidence, both of which they are sorely lacking. If a three-week break from football and a trip to Portugal doesn’t return such assets, what will?
Receive a digest of our best Everton content each week direct to your mailbox
