Everton lacking balance and direction under Marco Silva - Charlie Nicholas

The Toffees lost to Sheffield United at home on Saturday which left them 14th on the table, having spent huge sums of money in the summer. 

Sky Sports football expert Charlie Nicholas didn't hide his criticism at Everton's poor performances and lack of cohesion and direction under Marco Silva. 

Speaking about the performance on Saturday when the Toffees lost 0-2 at home to Sheffield United, Nicholas maintained that Everton were wrong in the team composition itself stating, "I can't work out what Everton's balance is. Fabian Delph was the holding one, Morgan Schneiderlin played slightly further forward, then Gylfi Sigurdsson's in a more advanced role."

He further explained, "The balance isn't right. It's like one's deep, one's on the left and there's the front three, which I'm still trying to work out. This team is no further forward. They miss Idrissa Gueye, that's obvious. At the back, I honestly don't know what Yerry Mina has added."

"I think this sums up where the manager is going. They spent £125m in the summer, they've given him the funds. I honestly don't know what they're trying to achieve. I've said that since Day One. You have to identify what you're buying. It still looks like the setup when Wayne Rooney was there. Everything doesn't seem to fit in right. The balance is wrong," added Nicholas

The commentator didn't mince his words even for Everton's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford lamenting at his inability to stop the first goal. He said, "He was totally at fault for the first goal. A simple corner comes in, he tries to come across the big defender and it ends up hitting Mina and going in." 

Nicholas claimed warning signs are already hovering over Silva's head, having seen the recent run of bad results. 

Even the Everton manager admitted to defensive mistakes being the bane for his team in the defeat. His concern to get back into the game saw him take out experienced right-back Seamus Coleman for Theo Walcott, but the move backfired. 

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The hosts' lack of penetration and defensive organization came to bite them in the second half, when Lys Mousset rounded off an easy move to put the match beyond Everton's reach. 

Everton play Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup, before returning to the Premier League against Manchester City, in what could be a crucial week for Silva and his men.