A generous assessment of Everton’s efforts on an afternoon when Jordan Pickford accidentally turned into one of Tottenham’s most inventive players is that there was a brief period when they vaguely resembled a functioning team.
The only problem with trying to stay positive, though, was that they were already heading for another thrashing by the time they started to string a few passes together. The direction of travel was obvious after a first goal in Spurs colours for Yves Bissouma, who was on his best behaviour after being removed from the naughty step by Ange Postecoglou. Any sense of Everton fighting to repair an awful start had to be tempered by them not even picking up a booking despite being clobbered 4-0.
Where was the anger? The soul? Where was the resistance when Cristian Romero powered in a header in the second half? It was an abject surrender, typified by Pickford losing the ball before Son Heung-min’s first goal midway through the first half, and it is hard not to conclude Everton are destined for another grim battle for survival.
Reinforcements are required before the transfer window shuts even though money is tight, while more adventure in possession would not go amiss. Spurs, who often struggled in this kind of game last season, moved to an entirely different beat to their opponents. It must have felt like Everton’s longsuffering fans were watching a different sport when Micky van de Ven, embodying the fearlessness instilled in Postecoglou’s players, surged out of central defence, ran the length of the pitch and sent Son through to round off the scoring in the 77th minute.
“We can’t continue to make mistakes at this level,” Sean Dyche, the Everton manager, said. “Every time we build something, we let it go again. It is difficult here and we are stretched. But it’s a strange situation. In my 19 months we build something and go back down the hill again to remind ourselves of the challenge. What about playing when it’s 0-0?”
Bereft of ambition and ideas, Everton were pinned back from the start. A midfield with Bissouma sitting behind two No 8s, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, had underlined Postecoglou’s desire to play on the front foot and the tone was set by the manner in which Son, playing centrally in the absence of the injured striker Dominic Solanke, pressed Pickford.
Wilson Odobert, who started for the first time since joining from Burnley, bristled with positive intent against Roman Dixon, a 19-year-old debutant at right-back. Son and Maddison would also have efforts saved, while Brennan Johnson missed a free header.
It was no surprise when the opener arrived after Kulusevski found Bissouma, who used the inside of his right foot to crash a shot in from 20 yards. Postecoglou reflected on the midfielder responding well to being dropped for last Monday’s 1-1 draw with Leicester after footage on social media appeared to show him inhaling nitrous oxide. “Biss is a good footballer,” the Spurs manager said. “It’s about him being the best version of himself.”
There was a relentlessness to Spurs and it was encapsulated by their second goal. Son, whose movement tormented James Tarkowski and Michael Keane, had been told to disrupt Pickford’s distribution. Following orders, he was ready for another sharp burst when Tarkowski sent an innocuous pass to England’s No 1. Pickford could do little more than apologise after a heavy touch invited a tackle from Son, who sped off and tapped the ball into an empty net.
Everton had descended into a shambles, although they will hope to improve when their injuries ease in defence. Jarrad Branthwaite was badly missed and there was an improved spell before half-time. Jack Harrison had volleyed wide at 1-0 and Spurs dealt uneasily with a succession of set pieces.
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Spurs grew complacent and they could have conceded after a stray pass from Odobert in the 58th minute. Guglielmo Vicario saved well from the substitute Jesper Lindstrøm.
Postecoglou reacted by stiffening his midfield with the introduction of Pape Matar Sarr. Romero, making his 100th appearance for Spurs, soon rose to head in Maddison’s corner.
Better was to come from Romero’s partner in central defence. When Van de Ven smothered another tame attack, strode forward and sent Son through, the South Korean completed Everton’s misery by drilling a low finish past Pickford.