Everton kicked off their new Premier League season with a defeat to Chelsea.
Matters were settled late in first half stoppage time as Abdoluaye Doucoure fouled Ben Chilwell for a penalty, which Jorginho converted for the visitors.
Frank Lampard’s side suffered a defensive injury double header after Ben Godfrey and Yerry Mina both picked up knocks either side of half-time.
Here were the key talking points from Goodison Park:
Lampard needs more reinforcements
The sight of Amadou Onana sat in the Goodison Park director’s box was a welcome one for Evertonians ahead of the Lille midfielder’s imminent arrival.
On the pitch, however, it became clear that there remains plenty of work to be done before their team can be considered anything other than threadbare.
Frank Lampard handed Anthony Gordon the task of leading the line in place of an injured Dominic Calvert-Lewin and a suspended Salomon Rondon.
The homegrown talent still produced his trademark work rate but struggled with to make the ‘false 9’ position his own as part of a three-pronged attack.
His cohorts fared little better, with Demarai Gray and Dwight McNeil unable to influence proceedings in the way their manager and fans would have liked.
Lampard is under no illusions that his side still need to strengthen, with the centre-back position becoming an immediate area of concern after this game.
Attempting to plug the gap was partially why Everton found themselves in deep peril for most of last season. History cannot afford to repeat itself.
Injury curse strikes the Blues early
Lampard’s programme notes reaffirmed his privilege at managing Everton; words which carried a sense of foreboding for pride coming before a fall.
A botched back-pass by Ben Godfrey forced Jordan Pickford to race across his line to keep the ball in play, gifting possession to Kai Havertz in the process.
Charging back to remedy the mess which his error had created, Godfrey produced a last-ditch challenge which culminated in him being stretchered off.
The defender, who also suffered an injury in Lampard’s opening game last season, was taken to hospital with an initial diagnosis of a ‘lower leg injury’.
Were that not bad enough for the Blues to stomach, Yerry Mina succumbed to another setback when turning in possession midway through the second half.
The Colombian’s fitness record remains questionable at best, having already missed a combined 53 games during his previous four years on Merseyside.
On his day, there are few better centre-backs than Mina. The trouble is, those instances have become few and far between each time he is on the treatment table.
Injuries are an inevitable consequence of football at the highest level but to incur two from the same opening, Everton must wonder if they are cursed.
…but still signs for optimism
Inconceivable though it may seem in light of the result and mounting injuries, there were shoots of optimism in Everton limiting Chelsea to a solitary goal.
James Tarkowski appears to have already made himself at home in the new surroundings of central defence following his summer move from Burnley.
Nothing fazed the England international at either end of the pitch, despite the chastening nature of his first competitive outing wearing a royal blue shirt.
One of the previous campaign’s backline additions also left a good impression as Nathan Patterson proved a hive of activity on his Premier League debut.
Alex Iwobi, too, built on an impressive end to 2021/22 by harnessing his creativity as part of a two-man midfield partnership with Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Admittedly Everton need more than just bright spots to avoid another scrap for survival but signs of individual progress cannot be taken too lightly.