Goodison Park witnessed a disastrous afternoon as Brentford dismantled Everton in a 4-2 victory. The result left the home support stunned and frustrated. Igor Thiago proved unplayable. He netted a brilliant hat-trick that ruthlessly took advantage of every defensive mistake the Toffees made.
The core issue came down to the backline setup. David Moyes put Jake O’Brien in an unfamiliar right-back role instead of using a natural full-back. This tactical gamble backfired immediately. Brentford saw the mismatch and kept attacking down that side because it worked so well.
Everton suffered a 4-2 defeat against Brentford
Thiago isolated O’Brien over and over. He used his superior pace and agility to get past the makeshift defender before finishing past Jordan Pickford with clinical precision.
Everton tried to fight back through their own attacking phases. However, the constant defensive shakiness ruined every positive move they made during the match. Brentford’s wingers stretched the play. They forced the remaining central defenders to drift wide.
This movement opened massive gaps through the middle for Thiago to run riot. So, the visiting side controlled the tempo. They silenced the crowd by halftime as the home defence fell apart under pressure.
The home side’s inability to track runs or close down space showed a real lack of teamwork. It wasn’t just a case of individual errors. Ultimately, letting in four goals at home was a new low for the season. It showed clearly that the current defensive plan cannot handle high-intensity teams.
Is The Defence To Blame?
This humiliating result highlights a massive hole in the team’s setup. This flaw now threatens to ruin Everton’s push for European football. Relying on central defenders like Jake O’Brien to fill full-back positions creates a rigid, slow backline.
Modern wingers easily tear this setup apart with pace and movement. Injuries might force a manager’s hand once in a while. However, sticking with this strategy leaves the team wide open to pace. It also takes away the width the team needs to attack. A centre-back playing wide naturally moves toward the middle. This invites pressure and stops the overlapping runs the team needs to break down tough defences.
The blame for this defeat lies with this tactical imbalance. It is not just about the players struggling in positions they aren’t used to. If the manager keeps picking height and physical strength over speed in wide areas, opponents will keep targeting these obvious weaknesses every single week.
To save the season, Moyes must scrap this experiment right now. He should trust specialist full-backs or change the formation to protect the wings better. Without a quick fix to this defensive blueprint, the dream of European football will disappear. Teams like Brentford will keep profiting from Everton’s lack of energy. The fans want to see a change in approach before the gap to the top six gets too big to close.
