Saturday 31 December 2016 10:01, UK
Everton's 2-2 draw at Hull showed why manager Ronald Koeman has a big job on his hands with this ageing squad...
Everton are seventh in the Premier League and that is exactly where the bookmakers fancied them to finish before a ball was kicked this season. But it's not the table that will be worrying Everton supporters. It's the rebuilding job that the new manager has ahead of him.
He has the air of a man who knows it too. "I just have that feeling when you listen to Ronald Koeman or even look at him on the touchline, sometimes you see it with managers where they don't quite like their own team," Gary Neville told Sky Sports. "He's got that look."
Koeman has switched between formations since taking over in the summer, using a back three as well as the back four with which Everton are familiar, as he attempts to instill new ideas and searches for greater flexibility. But with an ageing squad, that can be a problem.
"I have to say, knowing three or four of the Everton players, they have strong characters and I'm sure they won't be comfortable changing systems," added Neville on co-commentary during the Friday night draw at Hull. "They have played in a certain way for so long.
"Ronald Koeman is obviously trying to change the mentality. He's trying to change the culture of the club, he's trying to change the personnel and systems. It's not easy when you've got players who have been there a long time and want to play a certain way."
It's not easy when you've got players who have been there a long time and want to play a certain way.
The stats reveal the problem with the age of Koeman's squad. None of the top six Premier League teams have more than one player over the age of 32 who has started 12 or more games this season. Indeed, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the only outfield player to have done so.
However, Everton have five regular starters over the age of 32 - more than the top six teams combined and more than any other squad in the Premier League. Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines and Gareth Barry have served Everton well but are all past their prime.
There are young players within the squad. Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku should be entering the best years of their careers. Meanwhile, Koeman has shown a willingness to introduce youngsters - bringing on both Tom Davies and Dominic Calvert-Lewin at Hull.
But it's telling that every single one of Chelsea's first-choice starting line-up this season are aged between 24 and 31. Only three of the Everton team on Friday night fall into that category. They do not have enough players who are at the peak of their powers.
Where Koeman is culpable is in adding to this issue in the summer rather than addressing it. The acquisition of Ashley Williams, now 32, has actually increased the age of the defence and Jamie Carragher was scathing about his role in the build-up to the opener at Hull.
"This has been a massive problem for Everton all season," Carragher told Sky Sports in analysing Hull's first goal, "and it comes from the age of the team, most specifically at centre-back and the problems they cause the rest of the team.
It comes from the age of the team, most specifically at centre-back and the problems they cause the rest of the team.
"I think it's a problem when you're playing two players over 30. You want a young player who is pushing you out, who is dragging you out. There's no legs there. The space from back to front is the reason why they don't keep clean sheets, just two in their last 15 games.
"When you get to that age, I've been there myself, you don't want to get out of the middle. You want to stay in the armchair. If Williams gets across like he should do rather than letting other people do his running [then the corner that led to the goal could have been avoided]."
Koeman is likely to be aware of the problem, but it's not one that can be solved with a few tweaks in January. A rebuilding job is required and it may take years rather than months. "At the moment, they are in that transition," added Neville. "There's no doubt, you can see it."
New customer winter madness offer: save over 40% on your Sky Sports Month Pass, just £20
