‘Massively disappointing’ – Leon Osman delivers Everton verdict amid top-four talk
Former Everton man Leon Osman has delivered a damning verdict on Everton’s top-four hopes after a third successive league defeat this weekend.
The Toffees lost 3-1 to Manchester United on Sunday as goals from Bruno Fernandes and Edinson Cavani meant Everton have gone three league games without picking up points.
Osman has said that Everton are ‘a long way off’ a top-four finish despite player’s hopes that they could bring Champions League football to Goodison Park.
Osman is quoted by the Liverpool Echo as saying, “(It’s) massively disappointing after a great start to the season, an opportunity to take that on, the players, within the camp, are talking about trying to achieve a top-four finish.
“Well, we’re a long way off that at the moment. They can’t seem to figure out a way of breaking opposition down, especially when they come as organised as Manchester United were today, with the two defensive midfielders.
“Everton couldn’t figure a way to break them down. They’re giving away too many chances and not creating many.”
Everton have created fewer chances in the last three games than they did in the opening games of the season. Against Man United, the Toffees only carved out a few opportunities to get on the score sheet, as Bernard scored one but Lucas Digne wasted the other.
The Toffees have been without Brazilian attacker Richarlison for these three games but it is unlikely that the poor run of form is solely down to the absence of one man. As good as Richarlison is, the quality of performances of everyone in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad has dipped in recent weeks.
Osman is right. If Everton has any aspirations of finishing in the top four, they need to get back to their previous winning ways and they need to start with a win against Fulham after the international break.
In other Everton news, Moise Kean won’t be recalled from his loan in the January transfer window.