Patrick Boyland: Final whistle in latest Everton loss was met with ‘deathly silence’
The “deathly silent” reaction from the Everton crowd at the end of the loss to Wolves signified a lack of belief in the team’s fight, says Patrick Boyland.
Conor Coady scored the only goal of the game as Frank Lampard’s side fell to another defeat, in one of the two crucial home games that many have been pinning the side’s survival hopes on.
Much has been made of the Goodison faithful’s ability to lift the performances of the players, but The Athletic’s Toffees reporter feels that their confidence in an escape may be deserting them.
Speaking to Mark Chapman on the Athletic Football Podcast, Boyland said: “I was looking back over the final stages of the game on Sunday and the response from the crowd.
“Instead of boos or jeers or anything at full time, what really struck me was the silence.
“It was like a morgue, it was a deathly silence, and almost this feeling from the supports that confidence has ebbed away, in the team and their ability to fight.
“Just despondency more than anything.”
Worrying sign
All is not yet lost, but it will be before long if something doesn’t improve soon.
The games in hand that Lampard’s side hold over all the sides around them, three in relation to most, in theory represent a great chance to get out of danger.
But games in hand mean nothing if the team can’t buy a win when they play them.
The Goodison Park twelfth man has burnished its reputation recently, as the away form has completely disintegrated.
Three home wins under the new manager suggested they could be the answer to the relegation trouble.
But with two of those wins coming in the FA Cup, and the home support now witnessing back-to-back league defeats those hopes are diminishing.
It is a concerning sign for the crowd to be losing faith, as too often of late it’s looked like the players do so too without their support.
In other Everton news, the team are “worrying” Stan Collymore because they are “feckless” and have only two players who could be leaders.
Be sure to follow Goodison News on Facebook for 24/7 updates on Everton plus more exclusive interviews with Kevin Campbell.