Michael Ball tackles the big issues at Everton following the first Merseyside Derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium
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Everton striker Thierno Barry didn’t cover himself in glory again coming on in the Merseyside Derby. You’re hoping and praying: “This is your moment to shine now and make a name for yourself.”
He once again failed to do so. There didn’t seem much energy or determination in his play to put a marker down.
He won a few headers, here and there, but that’s not enough. We want more from you.
Prove David Moyes wrong, pay the fans back. I know he’s not happy at the moment because he’s not starting games, but these are the moments where you can shine.
When Duncan Ferguson first came to Everton, he didn’t score in his first half a dozen games, but then it was the Merseyside Derby, the big occasion, and “boom.” He became an instant legend.
My pet hate is not putting the ball into the box, but this time we did, and Barry was just stood on his heels. You’ve got to anticipate the pass and throw your body at it.
Like Beto did for his goal, you’ve got to get across your man and break your neck. You can’t expect the players just to find you for a tap-in, you’ve got to force the issue to find space, but Barry was just ball-watching.
Compare Barry's passive body language with that of Jarrad Branthwaite who looked distraught, in tears with his hands over his face when he was forced off. It looked like something had gone a few minutes earlier, and you’ve got to give him credit for battling on as he wanted to stay on the pitch.
All the hard work he’s done to get back into the squad after being injured, being on the cusp of a return and hitting a brick wall again, he’s been through so much, both mentally and physically. His performances since he came back have been fantastic, with the calmness and composure that he shows.
It looks like it’s going to be the end of Jarrad’s season. I just hope his injury isn’t as bad as his previous one, but I know myself, it’s the worst thing for a player when your body lets you down.
Everton can't let derby defeat kill our season
Everyone in the European hunt has got tough matches ahead but we can’t let this one game kill our season. We’ve got to be able to pick ourselves up and look at the positives like beating Manchester United away plus pushing Arsenal and now last season’s champions, all the way.
Getting beat in the derby can be soul-destroying at times, especially in the way it happened, but now our players have got to dust themselves down and make sure they finish the campaign as positively as possible with Europe still very much on the agenda.
This season has been very competitive. If Everton had won the derby, we’d have gone sixth but now we stay in 10th and there are teams over our shoulder.
In the three sections of the league, including the title race and the battle for survival, it’s all very close. West Ham have been all over the place for much of the season, but their results over recent weeks have given them a chance.
David Moyes needs to be brave going back to his previous club in a fixture which marks the middle point of five consecutive away trips to London to finish the season. Hopefully the Everton boys are up for the challenge because the best way to get over derby disappointment is getting out there and playing football again.
They’ve got the ability and experience of winning away from home this season to do it. Don’t let the derby derail the season.