Our picks

Everton 1-0 Watford | Talking Points

Everton won their first game of the season as Bernard’s strike in the opening ten minutes saw Marco Silva’s side get over the line leaving Watford yet to get off the mark.

It didn’t take long for the deadlock to be broken as Everton took the lead but this fixture will fade quickly from even the most enthusiastic fan’s memories. The Blues were the brighter of the two sides in the first half and deserved the lead going into the break.

Javi Gracia’s side were the better side of the two in the second half but did not force many chances to get back into the game. While Jordan Pickford was forced into one key save denying Troy Deeney, it only took the one goal to claim all three points and leave Watford rooted to the bottom of the table.

Watford winless in two

Javi Garcia’s side have not got off to the start that they would have wanted. A 3-0 drubbing at home last weekend was confounded by the loss against Everton this week and Watford fans will leave Liverpool frustrated. They had their moments in the second half and Everton weren’t particularly outstanding throughout the 90 minutes. 

Watford could have forced a draw if they had taken one of their few chances in the second half but failed to do so. Only recording two shots on target may be a cause for concern as players like Troy Deeney and debutant Danny Welbeck who failed to break down a stubborn Everton defence.

Two shots on target left a lot to be desired and perhaps Gràcia will go back to the drawing board at training with Watford’s forward line having failed to score in two consecutive games.

Bernard strikes to prove his worth

In a game of very little quality, Bernard was the man to make something happen. A ball sent forward by Lucas Digne was controlled by the Brazilian who created a chance from very little. Floating into the box unchallenged, Bernard fired a low shot that took a slight nick on the way through and into the bottom corner of the goal out of the reach from Ben Foster.

Perhaps Bernard went out to prove a point today as he might have dropped down the pecking order with the wave of new talent at Goodison. However, with potential starter Alex Iwobi looking on from the bench Bernard showed he would be stiff competition for the starting spot and his first-half strike ensured his side took all three points.

Everton’s defence key to success

Two clean sheets in the opening to games show just how much the Toffeemen have improved at the back. Keeping nine clean sheets out of 14 in the second half of the Premier League season showed how much they improved at the back. Today showed that even without Kurt Zouma, whose services were required at Chelsea, they are capable of maintaining a sturdy defence.

Zouma has been replaced by Yerry Mina who has seemingly recovered from his injury-plagued first season at Goodison Park and the Colombian international and Michael Keane’s partnership looks like a tough one to get through for any team.

Moise Kean makes his home debut

Everton fans were delighted to sign the 19-year old from Juventus for a very reasonable price, especially in today’s market and this delight was emphasised by the ovation the forward received when he replaced Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the second half.

Kean looked strong and skilful and saw a shot flash past Foster’s post in a debut that showed his potential. While there were no goals to mark his first minutes in an Everton shirt, his performance was a promising glimpse of what the youngster can bring to Marco Silva’s side.

Reason for Watford to worry?

It has been a while since we have seen a Watford manager go into his second season in charge of the Hornets, so in that sense, this is unfamiliar territory for some fans and players. However, they looked considerably better against Everton than they did against Brighton.

Goodison is a tricky place to visit but they could have come away with a point. However, it was not meant to be. Watford fans should not worry with the players they have and an open day slip up will not phase Gracia too much. While they may not threaten to qualify for the Europa League this campaign, it is unlikely that a team of their quality will be in a relegation battle.

Up Next:

Today’s victors are on the road again as they face Aston Villa who have lost their opening two games. Meanwhile, Watford will look to gain their first points of the season as they host West Ham at Vicarage Road. 

90MAAT News Now

Premier League Table

90MAAT Social Media

ScoopDragon Football News Network

Search The Site