4 Things We Learned From Everton 1-2 Lyon

4 Things We Learned From Everton 1-2 Lyon
22:25, 19 Oct 2017

Everton's Europa League dream lies in tatters after a 2-1 defeat at home to Lyon. 

Needing three points to get themselves back on track in Group E, the Blues fell behind to an early Nabil Fekir penalty after a rash challenge from Mason Holgate.  Buoyed by positive substitutions, Everton rallied after the break. Ashley Williams bulleted home a header to equalise and record signing Gylfi Sigurdsson hit the post. But Bertrand Traore's superb finish shortly
after effectively put the game to bed.

Here are four things we learned from the Goodison Park encounter.

1. Koeman prioritising Premier League recovery

After taking one solitary point from their opening two Europa League games, tonight's home fixture was seen as something of a must-win for Ronald Koeman's men. But with Arsenal in the league on Sunday, Ronald Koeman shuffled his pack and gave an indication as to where his true priorities lie.

The Dutchman made no fewer than five changes for the visit of Bruno Genesio's side, with regular starters Leighton Baines, Idrissa Gueye and Gylfi Sigurdsson all left on the bench. Sunday's saviour, Wayne Rooney, wasn't even in the matchday 18. It is to be assumed that the quintet have been saved for the weekend.

The result was arguably an even more disjointed start than the ones witnessed over the past three months. Combinations looked under-cooked, particularly in the centre of midfield, while makeshift full-backs Mason Holgate and Cuco Martina toiled on the flanks.  Indeed, it was a clumsy challenge from the former that gave Lyon the chance to score their early opener.

When progress was eventually made into the opposition half, all too often the full-backs' delivery failed to beat the first man. Unfortunately for Everton, it's nothing new that both Holgate and Martina struggle in the final third.  Koeman's insistence on putting square pegs in round holes continues to spectacularly backfire.

2. Dutch duo continue struggles at respective clubs

It's been a difficult couple of months for Davy Klaassen. Bought for £24m from Ajax over the summer, the midfielder has so far failed to settle in L4. Starts, particularly in the league, have been hard to come by, with his Europa League cameos largely flattering to deceive. The trend continued against Lyon.

Played from the start in his favoured central midfield position, Klaassen delivered a shaky performance that promptly saw him substituted at half-time. He may not get another chance to impress for a good while following his latest misfire.

It was a similar case for his international teammate Memphis Depay, who, after flopping at Manchester United, again appeared off the pace on British soil.  The mercurial winger was a passenger for long spells, only really stirring to miss a simple one-on-one to double Lyon's lead. Such issues plagued his time at Old Trafford.  Two highly-rated players in their homeland, Klaassen and Depay must step it up if they're to fulfil their obvious potential.

3. Traore brilliance kills hosts' momentum

Following a positive half-time substitution that saw Ademola Lookman enter the fray for aforementioned Klaassen, Everton eventually found their feet. Koeman knew that it was win or bust and decided to go for it.

The Blues roared out of the traps as a result, playing with width and tempo the manner of which has rarely been seen at Goodison so far this season. Such fight inspired something in a previously apathetic crowd, and Everton started to get on top.

Williams' buried header brought the sides level, with Gylfi Sigurdsson then hitting the post with an inswinging free-kick. Their luck was out, but while Lyon were indebted to good fortune for keeping them in the game, there was nothing at all flukey about Bertrand Traore's go-ahead goal.

Latching onto Maxwel Cornet's cross, the Burkina Faso international flicked the ball into the near-post with impudence. It was a goal he had no right to score as the cross was just behind him when he met the ball - and it rightly proved to be the decisive moment in the match.

In a game short of quality, Traore's vision came up trumps.  Never was the old adage of fortune favouring the brave truer.

4. Everton on course for own Brexit

It looks like the UK won't be the only ones exiting Europe. Lyon's victory at Goodison, coupled with Atalanta's 1-0 win over Apollon Limassol, leaves Everton needing a miracle to progress through to the knockout rounds. Going into the game, the Toffees knew that three points were essential. Now, following defeat, they're four points off the qualification spots in Group E.

In truth, it's only what they deserve. In a tricky pool, poor performances against Atalanta and Apollon Limassol left them facing an uphill struggle they seemed ill-suited to tackling.

Here, fight finally returned at Goodison Park- but by then it was almost too late. The Blues now hold the dubious honour of having made the worst start of any English team in the history of the Europa League.  The talk before the tie was of a potential 'crisis' at Everton as Ronald Koeman put it. Tonight's result onlyadds to the pressure ahead of a tricky run of fixtures that includes Arsenal and Chelsea.

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