OPINION
Everton were subjected to a narrow 2-1 defeat at the hands of Southampton on Saturday, and there were plenty of talking points to take away from the game.
An incredible effort from James Ward-Prowse and an own goal from Lucas Digne made sure that the Saints came away with a vital three points at the expense of the Toffees.
This means that Marco Silva’s side now sit in 11th place in the Premier League, a performance that was a complete contrast to the 2-0 win over Bournemouth last Sunday.
Here, This is Futbol has rounded up the three things learned about Everton v Southampton:
Gomes must be ruthlessly axed
Andre Gomes was signed on loan in the summer, and upon his arrival at Goodison Park, he took the side by storm, causing fans to drool all over him week in, week out. However, that could not have been further from the truth on Saturday, as the 6ft 2in [Transfermarkt] player was a complete shadow of himself at St Mary’s. Where has he gone? This is particularly concerning for Silva, and for this reason, the 25-year-old must be ruthlessly axed as soon as possible. He gave the ball away very cheaply on some occasions in dangerous positions and even came close to scoring a bizarre own goal. It may seem harsh, but he needs to be axed.
Sigurdsson best out of a bad bunch
Gylfi Sigurdsson was definitely the best player out of a bad bunch against Southampton. He got the consolation goal that spared Everton’s blushes slightly. The goal was very well taken and it was a rare piece of quality from the visitors, and he even went close earlier on after a decent cross from Digne. It was not his best performance by a long mile, but at least he tried to make a positive impact on the result, unlike some of his teammates.
Lookman needs to start showing consistency
Ademola Lookman is certainly a player full of promise and potential, but there seems to be one thing missing from his game – consistency. He looks hungry and up for the challenge most of the time, but for some reason, he is unable to follow that up during the game. This needs to be addressed imminently in order to for him to cement a regular starting place. His final balls are not the best, but at least he put himself into some good positions at times.