Brighton draw puts Everton pursuit of Europe in doubt – by Matt Townsend

Everton coud only draw 0-0 with Brigton and Hove Albion last night dropping two more precious points and leaving themselves with a massive task to qualify for Europe next season.

This was a truly terrible game with neither team showing any real quality or looking likely to score although there were a few half chances most of them for the home team. The stat that sums it up for me was that Everton didn’t get a shot on target until halfway through the second half and that was their only shot on target all game.

Before the match came the now almost predictable new injury blow as Carlo Ancelotti revealed that Dominic Calvert-Lewin was out of the game with a minor muscle pull and Allan had also failed to pass a fitness test. So they joined Jordan Pickford and Abdoulaye Doucoure both still out.

Injuries have been a big part of this strange and demanding season with so many games coming thick and fast and lots of clubs have had their problems but it seems to be a never-ending issues for the Blues and these are the latest setbacks.

Ancelotti decided to move Mason Holgate into midfield but instead of reverting to a back four he continued with three at the back which meant that Michael Keane was playing on the left of that three where he is very uncomfortable. He had a poor game and looked vulnerable throughout.

Without Calvert-Lewin Everton lacked a focus up front and they missed his physical presence, pace and ability to hold the ball up. Richalison was struggling to get involved and had very little impact at all.

Alongside him James Rodriguez also wasn’t able to get hold of the ball enough and influence the match although he worked hard throughout. The lack of creativity and goal threat from the Toffees in recent weeks is very worrying and has to be addressed in the upcoming transfer window.

Everton were awful and lacked energy, commitment or it seemed any real interest in winning this match even though securing all three points was surely vital especially after the 1-1 draw at home to Crystal Palace last week.

In fact it was Brighton who created most of what few chances there were and they had a few opportunities particularly from set-pieces. This is an area where the Blues have been weak again recently and Brighton could have scored from a couple of those chances.

After a truly forgettable first half the match didn’t improve after the break and it was more of the same dross with nethier side looking at all likely to break the deadlock. But at least Everton finally managed to get a shot on target!

To try and win the match late on Ancelotti brought on Alex Iwobi and youngster Nathan Broadhead for his first senior appearance in the first team. The fact he had to bring on a player from the club’s youth team underlined the poor quality of the squad at his disposal.

Iwobi had a late to chance to win it but it was par for the course that he fluffed it and out the ball over the bar. So this dreadful game finished goalless and Everton had blown another chance to pick up important points.

This was a potentially seriously damaging defeat in the Blues increasingly unlikely pursuit if European qualification especially after a weekend in which both West Ham and Liverpool had won putting more distance between themselves and Everton.

Next up comes a massive game against Tottenham on Friday which looks like the preverbial ‘six-pointer’ which if Everton cannot win then that would seem to be the end of any hopes of European qualification.