Everton play Leicester City in a matter of days, and yet their squad is still nearly just as ravaged as it was on Tuesday.
Fortunately, there are set to be a few of their key men back, but still not enough to justify the furore Sean Dyche has been met with following the string of abysmal results suffered.
The 53-year-old is not solely to blame for their underperformance at the minute, yet he remains a lightning rod for frustration from many sections of the fanbase.
On Tuesday in particular, even if the possession statistics were not as favourable as some might have hoped, that endeavour was not made easy by having a striker who simply could not make it stick.
Beto is yet to convince Everton fans
Possession was always going to be lopsided against the Saints, as the possession-based side travelled to face a counter-attacking unit who are happy to relinquish the ball.
However, it is nice for Goodison Park to at least see some attacking intent created from a sustained period of possession.
Unfortunately for them, such a possibility was denied purely due to Beto‘s miserable display up top, with the Portuguese striker, signed for £26m last summer, filling in for the ill Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Managing just 62 minutes before Dyche hooked him, despite having no senior striker to replace him with, it’s a testament to the confusion felt around the club that Everton fans booed Ashley Young’s substitution.
But, Beto had to come off one way or another, just to try something different. Anything.
During his spell on the pitch, he managed a miserable 19 touches of the ball, yet somehow lost possession seven times. That means that for every 2.7 touches he had, he saw the ball change hands.
This is a miserable enough stat without also adding that he won just three of the nine duels he competed in as well, indicative of a player offering nothing to their attack whilst also providing little in their press.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is far better for Everton than Beto
It was Tuesday night that confirmed what many had already been stating for nearly a year now: Everton are a far better side when Calvert-Lewin plays over Beto.
Hopefully, he can prove himself fit, with Sean Dyche issuing an Everton fitness update just today.
Far more proficient in the air and with his hold-up play, the team is a more consistent and combined unit when he is starting.
Not to mention that he provides much more of a goal threat as well, managing a 10% conversion rate last season to Beto’s 7%. This came during one of his poorest years in front of goal too.
There are few now who would argue that Calvert-Lewin should be dropped, especially when his alternative is so poor.
Hopefully he can overcome his illness to prevent Beto from disappointing the fans again.
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