Everton’s miserable European form with a heavy defeat to Atalanta at Goodison Park.

Despite a strong start, the Blues found themselves a goal down inside 15 minutes of their Group E dead rubber when Bryan Cristante was allowed tap home.

The second half would not start any better as Ashley Williams conceded a penalty, only for Joel Robles to deny Alejandro Gomez with a fine double stop.

But the visitors would get their second not long after when Cristante rose from a corner to head home his second of the evening at a subdued Goodison Park.

Sandro Ramirez scored his first ever Everton goal offered hope, but three swift goals from Robin Gosens and Andres Cornelius compounded their evening.

Here were the key talking points from Goodison:

Goodison votes with its feet

 

They say it’s the hope that kills you and that certainly appears to have happened at Goodison Park.

Everton fans had headed into this season full of optimism, with a summer transfer window of spending fuelling their hopes of a strong campaign.

Instead they have been served up incredibly dour football, disappointing results and their team exiting the Europa League’s Group E with two games to spare.

Most chose to avoid Atalanta’s visit, with a meagre 17,000 gate resembling a friendly more than the Blues final European home game this season.

It was a further sign that the faith among the fan base is currently at low ebb and the club needs a swift turnaround of fortunes to get it back on side.

Blues backline disappoints again

 

Among Everton’s list of priorities to turn this current plight around should be fixing the defence.

They have now conceded in 12 straight games in all competitions, with a total of 43 goals having found the back of the Blues’ net to date.

Even worse, it now means they have conceded two or more goals in eight consecutive games, the first time between April and September 1994.

Quite how a team that has been overseen by two former defenders in David Unsworth and John Ebbrell cannot do the basics at the back is anyone’s guess.

Until those issues are fixed, their problems will continue.

Mixed fortunes for summer stallers

 

To say that Davy Klaassen and Sandro Ramirez have been disappointing since arriving in the summer would be putting it lightly.

Unsworth’s decision to rotate his team presented the pair with the perfect opportunity to give their Everton careers a much-needed shot in the arm.

Sadly neither came close to taking it.

Klaassen was uninspiring in midfield, giving away possession regularly before being replaced by Nikola Vlasic, one of the few summer arrivals to impress.

Sandro was the same, with poor touches, passes and movement leaving the Spaniard as a bystander for much of the game.

However his superbly taken goal in the second half showed his quality and will be a huge confidence boost in the weeks to come.

More of the same, especially in the absence of a suspended Oumar Niasse, will be needed before his short Blues career is written off entirely, though.

Mirallas playing his way out

 

Rumours of Kevin Mirallas being kicked out of training earlier this month had most Evertonians writing his Goodison career off.

The Belgian has always been a player to split opinion but lately, that has not been the case, with most wanting him out of the club.

His performance in this game will have only convinced such people that would be a good idea.

Mirallas may have provided the assist for Sandro’s first Everton goal but, other than that, was as frustrating as he always been.

The sight of him ambling around the pitch, putting in little effort was a clear indication that he is a man not ready for the fight Everton are in.