Finding Lukaku’s Successor And 2 Other Things That Koeman Has To Quickly Solve At Everton

Three Things That Koeman Has To Change At Everton

No team wants to find itself in the dreaded relegation zone just a few weeks into the new season, especially if it’s a team of Everton’s stature. But that is exactly where Ronald Koeman finds himself. Having won just one of their opening 5 games, the Toffees are currently in 18th spot, which is their worst start to a season in over 10 years. They were also handed a humiliating 3-0 loss away to Atalanta in the Europa League last week, while a tardy Manchester United mounted a late surge to beat them 4-0 at Old Trafford this past weekend.

It is obvious that the former Southampton boss has to change his system so that he can arrest their downfall. Having spent heavily in the summer, the Merseyside faithful expect much better things from their team. Here are 3 things Koeman can look to change soon:

Find A Proper Number 9

Having scored only 2 goals in 5 games, it is obvious where Everton’s problems lie. They need a proper center-forward as Wayne Rooney is just not fit for that role anymore. The 31-year-old is a mere shadow of his younger self who used to score goals galore and nowadays, he generally fluffs his lines more often than not. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is a promising youngster but he is still immature and has a long way to go before he fills Lukaku’s shoes. The proper way to go would be giving Sandro enough time until the winter window and then find a striker if Sandro doesn’t improve.

Be Faster And More Precise With Their Passing

Koeman must get his midfielders and wingers to pass the ball with much more pace and direction than they normally do. The likes of Kevin Mirallas and Gylfi Sigurdsson must step it up while Everton fans will be praying for Ross Barkley to return from his injury as soon as possible. The Everton midfield desperately needs an injection of pace which is something Barkley can deliver with pomp.

Stop Making Silly Errors At The Back

Koeman has been fliritng with a back-3 system for a while but that has not worked out in his favor. Ashley Williams and Michael Keane have both made silly mistakes, which have led to the team conceding goals over and over again, something that is unforgivable in the Premier League. They must tighten it up at the back or else, despite goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s best efforts, they will keep leaking goals.