
Jarrad Branthwaite has called on Everton’s attack to step up after another disappointing home loss, this time to Manchester United.
David Moyes’ side had their chances but could not make them count at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. It is becoming a familiar story for the Toffees, who have not picked up a win at home since early December.
The Blues managed 12 shots, but rarely tested Senne Lammens in the United goal.
Earlier in the season, James Tarkowski had already highlighted the need for improvement from Everton’s forwards, and now Branthwaite has added his voice to those concerns.
Everton have struggled in front of goal this season, managing just 29 goals. Only Wolves, Nottingham Forest and Sunderland have scored fewer.
After the match, Branthwaite spoke to Premier League productions about his frustration with the team’s finishing.
The defender said: “We feel very unlucky. We have dominated most of the second half and put lots of balls into the box and created chances. Putting those chances away is something we need to get better at.
“One lapse of concentration on the counter attack and they have scored. It is the winning goal. We have come in disappointed because we deserve more from the game.”
Before that match, Branthwaite had spoken about Everton’s quality and said they should be aiming for European qualification.
However, the Toffees clearly continue to struggle with goal-scoring.
Interestingly, Branthwaite’s remarks did not really apply to Thierno Barry this time, as the striker failed to register a single shot during the match.
Everton are still waiting for a real impact from their summer signing, with his early flashes of promise already starting to fade.
Alan Shearer has gone so far as to say that Everton will need an upgrade at striker if they want any hope of reaching Europe this season.
The numbers from Monday – one of four duels won, 17 lost possessions and 67% pass accuracy – were hard to ignore, but fans are probably getting used to seeing Barry come up short in these moments.
More must-reads:
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!