Shocking stat highlights major tactical problem for Sean Dyche at Everton

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Everton’s defeat at home to newly promoted Luton Town was poor, and the loss highlighted a huge problem facing Sean Dyche.

Luton went 2-0 up in the first half through goals from Tom Lockyer and Carlton Morris, and both goals came from set pieces.

This came just weeks after the home defeat to Arsenal, where Leandro Trossard’s winner also came from a corner routine which could not be defended.

The stats make for grim reading.

Everton’s set piece woes

The Athletic have now revealed a remarkable stat: Everton have conceded the most goals from set-pieces this season, with four of the 12 goals conceded in the Premier League coming from dead-ball situations. This is the case despite Everton also having the tallest team in the division, on average.

The side physically represents a typical Dyche team as seen at Burnley, with an emphasis on size and physicality among the players, and in theory, this should mean that Everton are dominant in the air and therefore can keep set piece deliveries out.

That Everton struggle to defend set pieces, despite their height advantage, is very alarming. Both Luton goals came from corners, which Everton failed to clear before the ball reached the back of the net.

Failure vs Luton

Everton’s woeful set piece defending against Luton came with a bit of surprise given how the team played against Brentford just a week earlier, with both goals coming from crosses, highlighting the advantages of having such a physically dominant side.

These problems do come down to Dyche. In less than a year the squad resembles what most would have expected it to with players clearly targeted for their size and strength, but there is a clear disorganization at the back.

Everton rank joint-third for goals conceded per corner, and this defensive chaos from set pieces may end up becoming very costly in the long run.

If Everton continue their struggles in attack, the least they can do to try and ensure survival is to become resolute at the back and use their size to their advantage when it comes to defending dead-balls.

A key reason behind Dyche’s initial appointment was that he could make Everton defensively solid, and they are currently failing in an area that the team looks built to succeed in.