Everton have always boasted a fine home record, with Goodison Park noted by many as one of the toughest grounds in the country.
‘It’s one of the hardest places to go and get a result,’ even noted Paul Merson just last week.
But of late, that could not be further from the truth.
The once formidable fortress has been reduced to a laughing stock, with sides likely looking out for their trip to Merseyside knowing full well that a scalp could be on the cards.
Chris Sutton even lambasted the Toffees for consistently getting it so wrong, having won just once in the league all season.
But why are they so bad in front of home support?
Journalist Patrick Boyland would seek to outline it, whilst writing for The Athletic, noting: ‘In what has been a season of improvement on the pitch, Everton’s form at Goodison has been an unusual outlier. Ignoring their 10-point deduction, they have earned just 23.5 per cent of their Premier League points in home games, compared to 58 per cent last season.
‘If they were to continue this pattern over the season, they would end up with the lowest share of home points in Premier League history, beating Crystal Palace’s 33 per cent in 1997-98.’
However, agreeing that ‘Dyche is right to point to a lack of clinical edge in front of goal,’ he concluded by noting: ‘With important games on the horizon at home and a 10-point deduction to overcome, though, finding a way to convert chances into goals and pressure into wins at Goodison is the next big challenge for Dyche’s improving Everton side.’
Why are Everton so bad at Goodison Park?
There are a number of key factors that could be lending to their poor form at Goodison Park.
However, it is impossible to really quantify, with the actual reasons behind being completely hypothetical.
After all, despite the staunch and unwavering backing that the players often receive at home, they can just as quickly turn.
Whether it be a rogue pass or an attempt to play out from the back, nervous energy emanates from the crowd and onto the pitch. This will certainly have an impact.
Not only that, but if those fans see a lack of desire, or a side falling below the standards expected, fury will follow.
However, whilst these intangibles are worth considering, at present it simply is coming down to the lack of finishing both Boyland and Dyche note.
Everton’s 14.70 expected goals amassed at Goodison Park is the ninth-highest in the Premier League, above that of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. However, the five actually scored marks the biggest difference between actual and expected figures, via Understat.
Chances are being created, and perhaps it will just take patience before Goodison Park returns to its brilliant best with the football to match.
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