2018: A Year Of Two Halves

2018 has been a mixed year for Everton. Fans became frustrated with Sam Allardyce’s football and wanted change. He got sacked and in the summer, Marco Silva joined, who, since his appointment, has been praised by the majority of fans. But how do the two compare in 2018? Sam Allardyce joined Everton near the end of 2017 with the task to ease the club’s relegation fears and he did it before the year was out. The great start had deteriorated so this is an insight on Allardyce’s time at the club once the threat of relegation was over and how Silva fared compared to him.

All decimalised stats indicate “per game” (Allardyce = 17 games, Silva = 20 games).

I hope a lot these stats will intrigue you.

 

Overview

Allardyce Silva
Points 1.29 1.35
Wins 6 7
Draws 4 6
Losses 7 7
Goals Scored 1.12 1.55
Goals Conceded 1.53 1.50
Scored Opening Goal 8 11
Conceded Opening Goal 8 8
Points Won From Losing Positions 2/27 3/30
Points Lost From Winning Positions 5/24 11/36

Attacking

Allardyce Silva
Shots 9.8 13.0
Shots On Target 3.2 4.4
10+ Shots In A Game 8 16
5+ Shots On Target In A Game 4 9
Outshot Opponents 2 11
Big Chances 1.88 2.00
Goals Scored From Big Chances 0.59 0.85
Goals Scored From Big Chances % 31.3% 42.5%
Chances Created 6.9 9.5
Attempted Dribbles 16.2 14.9
Successful Dribbles 8.9 8.9
Successful Dribbles % 54.7% 59.7%
Offsides 2.4 2.2
Fouls Suffered 10.4 12.2

Opposition

Allardyce Silva
Shots Faced 13.9 11.2
Shots On Target Faced 4.8 4.1
10+ Shots Faced In A Game 13 11
5+ Shots On Target Faced In A Game 8 7
Opponents Outshot EFC 13 8
Big Chances Faced 1.71 2.35
Goals Conceded From Big Chances 1.00 1.10
Big Chances Pickford Saved 0.29 0.55
Goals Conceded From Big Chances % 58.6% 46.8%
Chances Created By Opposition 10.4 8.1
Opponents Caught Offside 1.5 2.4

Possession

Allardyce Silva
Touches 585.7 634.8
Unsuccessful Touches 17.4 17.8
Dispossessed 10.5 12.6
Unsuccessful Touches Every X Touches 33.6 35.7
Dispossessed Every X Touches 55.9 50.4
Loss of Possession Every X Touches 21.0 20.9
Recoveries 55.6 54.6

Passing

Allardyce Silva
Total Passes 385.1 427.4
Successful Passes 283.9 333.6
Forward Passes 214.0 238.7
Successful Forward Passes 133.8 165.9
Attacking Third Passes 129.7 127.1
Successful Attacking Third Passes 77.8 82.0
Pass Accuracy % 73.7% 78.0%
Forward Pass Accuracy % 62.5% 69.5%
Attacking Third Pass Accuracy % 60.0% 64.5%
Forward Pass To Total Pass % 55.6% 55.8%
Attacking Third Pass To Total Pass % 33.7% 29.7%

Defending

Allardyce Silva
Interceptions 11.9 11.4
Attempted Tackles 26.1 23.4
Successful Tackles 16.1 17.2
Successful Tackles % 61.7% 73.3%
Clearances 29.3 21.6
Fouls Committed 11.4 11.3

Actions In Opponents’ Half

Allardyce Silva
Recoveries In Opponents’ Half 13.1 15.6
Recoveries In Opponents’ Half % 23.6% 28.6%
Interceptions In Opponents’ Half 2.9 2.8
Interceptions In Opponents’ Half % 24.1% 24.2%
Tackles In Opponents’ Half 7.9 6.5
Tackles In Opponents’ Half % 30.2% 27.8%
Successful Tackles In Opponents’ Half 4.3 4.5
Successful Tackles In Opponents’ Half % 54.5% 68.5%

 

Judging by the bold count, Marco Silva has improved the team by quite a margin, especially regarding the attacking, opposition and passing stats and considering Silva’s Everton had played against 5 of the Top 6 away from home. However, it is implied that the club should have done better under Silva as Sam Allardyce and Silva’s points per game and goals conceded per game rates are very close. Conceding from set pieces has been a major issue for Everton under Silva, as well as not being clinical enough in front of goal and defensive capitulation. Seamus Coleman and Theo Walcott’s performances have also been criticised this season.

So 2019 could be a promising year for Everton providing that they continue becoming an attacking threat, they sign a striker who is clinical in front of goal in January (plus one or two signings) and be a more composed defence when they are on the brink of conceding a goal and after they concede a goal as well.