Two Premier League sides at the wrong end of the form table went face-to-face at the weekend, as Fulham made their first trip to Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Both sides came into the fixture just a point apart, with just one league victory in their previous five.
Everton performed poorly in a draw away at Sunderland, where the second half was largely dominated by the home side, whereas Fulham had put the division’s bottom side, Wolverhampton Wanderers, to the sword in a 3-0 home win last weekend.
Idrissa Gueye broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall had an effort controversially deemed offside.
Thierno Barry thought he had opened his account for the Toffees until the flag was raised. Similarly, James Tarkowski had a goal chalked off.
Onside finally was Michael Keane, who nodded home Dewsbury-Hall’s corner in the 81st minute to claim all three points for the Merseyside giants.
Everton dominated large proportions of the game and were befitting of the victory. Meanwhile, Fulham failed to pose any realistic threat to Jordan Pickford, carving out only one shot on target.
With Everton sitting in 11th place and Fulham beginning to look over their shoulders, what were the key takeaways from this fixture?
Thierno Barry: Is The Best Yet To Come?
Topical amongst Everton fans is their current striker situation. Beto has had a poor campaign and is looking less and less like the answer to the Toffees’ issues up front. Meanwhile, Thierno Barry was brought in for a hefty fee in the summer but has yet to have a consistent run of games.
Missing a golden opportunity to double his side’s lead away at Sunderland on Monday, the Frenchman was subbed off for Beto in the 57th minute. Much to the disappointment of both the striker and the fanbase.
While yet to open his account for the Blues, Barry linked up well with the Everton frontline.
The striker took to social media to thank the Blues for a warm reception amid a difficult start to life on Merseyside. Shedding light on his tough situation, stating that the best is yet to come.
With Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye supplying the young striker, it is a feeling of “when” rather than “if” for Barry amid a tough start to the season.
Amid his performance yesterday, manager David Moyes was quick to praise the Frenchman, acknowledging his difficult start to life on Merseyside:
“I was actually very pleased with him today. Today was one of his better games. He is just getting used to the Premier League and the intensity.
“… his work, his pressing was very postive for us”
Is Marco Silva’s Time At Fulham Coming To An End
Visiting his former club this weekend was Marco Silva, who parted ways with Everton in December 2019.
Since his stint in Merseyside, the Portuguese coach has rejuvenated the Whites. Lifting promotion from the Championship in 2022, the cycle of Fulham being a “yo-yo club” came to a halt.
Finishing 10th, 11th, and 13th in their past three Premier League campaigns, the London outfit is now considered a respected club in England’s top flight.
However, a difficult start to the campaign sees Fulham only one point ahead of the relegation zone. With West Ham and Nottingham Forest looking likely to improve, many fans are worried that this season may become one for survival.
Furthermore, many are worried that Silva’s time at the club is coming to a close. While their recruitment has been subject to criticism, it may be evident that Silva has taken the club as far as he can.
Set to host high-flying Sunderland next weekend, Fulham need to turn their fortunes sooner rather than later.
Idrissa Gueye Aging ‘Like A Fine Wine’
Aged 36 and still a stalwart in the Everton midfield is Idrissa Gueye.
The Senegalese international partnered with James Garner and Dewsbury-Hall in the Blues’ midfield. Despite his age, the midfielder remains an ever-busy influence on the game.
He capped off a cultured performance with the game’s opening goal, which settled a lot of his side’s nerves for the remainder of the match.
The likes of Merlin Rohl and James Garner will benefit greatly from Gueye’s quality and experience. Additionally, throughout his two spells at the club, he has persistently been one of the division’s most underrated players.
Goalscoring Problems For Fulham
Only carving out eight shots yesterday, with only one on target, many Fulham fans have been critical of their side’s struggles to create chances.
Most of the criticism has been directed at their reliance on Alex Iwobi and Josh King. These issues have often left Raul Jimenez isolated up front.
The Lilywhites have only scored twelve goals this season and will likely need to make some changes. Failing to do so, the club could end up in a relegation battle.
This defeat will likely be damaging, as it was one they should have aimed to get something out of. Especially given a tough run of fixtures for the club coming up.
After the international break, Fulham will play Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, and Crystal Palace.
With a difficult run of fixtures ahead, the West London club will need to buck their ideas up.
How Successful Was Everton’s Transfer Window?
Everton required wholesale changes going into the Friedkin era, and had an impressive summer transfer window on the face of it.
However, only Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have found consistent gametime amongst the new signings. Alongside Barry, fans have been concerned about the lack of gametime for Tyler Dibling and Adam Aznou this season.
Many fans were surprised to see David Moyes opt for Dwight McNeil over Dibling when making changes on Monday. Meanwhile, the full-back pairing of Vitalii Mykolenko and Jake O’Brien has drawn criticism, with the latter playing a central defender out of position.
Merlin Rohl has suffered greatly from injuries at the start of his Everton career, but has looked bright in his few appearances.
Alongside Thierno Barry, the jury is still out for several Everton’s summer recruits. While many are becoming concerned with David Moyes’ handling of them.
However, it can be argued in Dibling’s case that Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish will be very hard to shift. However, the youngster is one of England’s brightest prospects, and has yet been limited to a mere 65 minutes since his move from Southampton.