Nathan Patterson is already emerging as a fan-favourite with the Everton faithful since arriving from Scottish outfit Rangers last January in a £16m deal, but his display against AFC Bournemouth on Tuesday evening was woeful.
Everton succumbed to a 4-1 Carabao Cup loss on the South Coast, with boss Frank Lampard failing in his decision to rotate all 11 players that started during last weekend’s 2-0 home defeat to Leicester City.
The defeat was chastening, and a stark reminder that Everton’s depth is thin, with the Blues boss certain to be disappointed with his side’s ability to prove their worth against a Cherries line-up also with multiple changes.
The Toffees squad will not have much time to lick their wounds, however, with a repeat of the match lurking just around the corner.
Indeed, Everton will travel to the Vitality Stadium for the second time in one week to rectify the wrongs and end the first phase of the league campaign on a positive, with the term splitting in two to make way for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
It is clear to see why the Toffees’ faithful is enamoured with Patterson, whose vibrant tenacity earns applause even when things do not go his way, but there is no shrouding the poor outing in Bournemouth.
It is further illustrated by the veteran Seamus Coleman, who is waiting in the wings and capable of providing cover down the defensive right-flank when necessary, which may be the case in the forthcoming fixture.
The 34-year-old, who was once described as “fantastic” by his manager at the latter stage of last season, is not the same player that he once was, but still offers leadership and experience in abundance, capable of thwarting forwards with well-timed tackles and rebuffing offensive balls with considered positioning.
Everton did maintain a consistent goal threat throughout, especially during the first half, but could not muster any real cohesive forward flow throughout the affair, and Patterson, for all his troubles, was at the centre of the negativity.
Whilst his bravery and persistence as an offensive threat will earn plaudits with the Merseyside support, he will need to demonstrate far greater efficiency in this regard if he is to cement his status at the club.
As per SofaScore, the 11-cap Scotland international failed with both his attempted crosses, lost possession 17 times and was directly at fault for one of the goals shipped on the night.
He can take solace in the fact that this was his first start for the club in months, having recently only made two substitute appearances after an injury layoff.
Equally, the £12.2m-rated ace was hardly helped by the flimsy performances of his peers, who offered toothless attacks and the reliability of a leaky tap in defence.
Coleman, in retrospect, would instil some desired authority in the second round of the contest between the two sides, giving Patterson the opportunity to figure out where things went wrong and possibly make an impact off the bench, subsequently using the World Cup break to return to peak fitness and start the second phase of the campaign on a high.