Everton’s tricky start to pre-season continued on Tuesday night with a disappointing defeat at the hands of Championship outfit Coventry City.
The Sky Blues were one of the sides pushing for promotion to the Premier League last season and they certainly made light work of Everton in a 3-0 victory.
Three pre-season friendlies are now in the books for the Toffees with Sean Dyche‘s side having now drawn one and lost two following their trip to Ireland and their recent defeat to Salford City.
Everton do remain without several first team players but the defeat was one which may concern a number of the fans with just weeks now until the season opener against Brighton & Hove Albion.
And it was apparent Dyche was left furious with something in particular from the defeat at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
What Sean Dyche said after Everton’s defeat to Coventry City
It has been a tale of two halves this summer at Goodison Park with the action on the pitch not matching that off it.
Granted, there was huge disappointment from the recent collapse in The Friedkin Group’s potential takeover.
However, that aside, Everton have fared well in the transfer window having escaped any further PSR penalties and having brought in four new faces.
But, clearly, that has not translated into their early action on the pitch with the Toffees having now conceded eight goals in just three matches.
Speaking to the club’s media after the game on Tuesday, Dyche admitted he was really disappointed by some of the habits on display by his side.
“Really we are trying to get players through these games and give them minutes, because of the other injuries we have got,” he said.
“The only thing I’m really disappointed with is that you want players to come and lay down a marker and say gaffer I’m ready, the way I’m playing and going about it, and we didn’t have too much of that tonight.
“Forget about the result, you’re still looking for those sparks and habits and I thought our habits were miles off tonight, particularly first-half, and most of the game to be fair. Some of that is the fact we haven’t got into that side of it, which are doing now, but it’s difficult when we are missing six or seven players.”
No need to panic at Everton after pre-season defeats
As Dyche said, it has to be remembered the Blues are still fielding a side which is still considerably short of some of Everton’s starting players.
Conceding so many goals could be seen as a concern, but Everton ended the 2023/24 campaign with the fourth-best defence in the Premier League.
And they have since strengthened that defence with the addition of Jake O’Brien from Lyon.
There are two more friendlies before the opening game of the season against Brighton and Everton fans – as well as Dyche – will be wanting to see the side come together a bit more in these next two games.
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