David Moyes has urged Everton to regain their sharpness in front of goal following a 3-0 defeat to Tottenham in the Premier League. This loss marked Everton's first at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with set-pieces
playing a crucial role as Micky van de Ven scored twice from corners. Prior to this match, Everton had not conceded from a set-piece in the league this season, excluding penalties.
Everton's struggles were evident at both ends of the pitch. Despite having an expected goals (xG) total of 1.53 from 12 shots, they only managed two on target. In the current Premier League season, only Wolves, West Ham (both seven), and Nottingham Forest (five) have scored fewer goals than Everton's nine, which is tied with four other teams.
Moyes expressed his disappointment over Everton's inability to defend set-pieces effectively. "We were undone. Really disappointing," he told Sky Sports. "We don't concede a lot from corners and I have to praise Tottenham. " He acknowledged that Thomas Frank's work on set-pieces was evident in Spurs' performance.
Van de Ven's brace highlighted a broader trend in the league, where 19% of all top-flight goals this season have come from corners. This is the highest proportion ever recorded in a Premier League campaign. Moyes admitted that while Everton had more corners than Spurs, they couldn't capitalise on them.
Everton's offensive woes are compounded by their inability to score consistently. Only Nottingham Forest has failed to score in more games this season than Everton, who have drawn blanks in four matches. The Toffees' tally of nine goals after nine games is their lowest under Moyes since the 2005-06 season.
Moyes remains optimistic about improving their attacking output despite these challenges. "We need to be more clinical and a bit more creative about how we can make better chances," he said. "We had enough opportunities but couldn't get it. " He emphasised the importance of practice and confidence in turning their fortunes around.
Defensive Concerns
This defeat was also significant for being the first time Everton conceded three goals in a Premier League game during Moyes' second spell as manager. It was their heaviest home loss under him since a 4-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion in November 2010.
Moyes acknowledged that while they did many positive things during the match, failing to defend set-pieces cost them dearly. "It wasn't a 3-0, but it ended up 3-0 because we didn't defend our set-pieces well enough," he added.
The manager praised Spurs for their proficiency with set-pieces and recognised that his team needs to improve defensively in these situations. Despite having more corners than Tottenham, Everton couldn't find success from them.
As Everton looks ahead, Moyes remains hopeful that continued practice will lead to better results on the pitch. He believes that with time and effort, the team will find its scoring touch again and improve defensively against set-pieces.
