Everton have won just one of their first nine matches across all competitions.
Jamie Redknapp has told Sky Sports, during their live coverage of Everton’s match with Southampton yesterday, that Ronald Koeman will have to pay a lot of money to solve his major problem at Goodison Park.
Everton struggled defensively last season and, despite tightening up since Koeman took charge, the Toffees have started to look vulnerable at the back once again this term.
Everton have kept just one clean sheet in their last 10 matches across all competitions.
And Redknapp is concerned by the age of Everton’s defenders, with many of them reaching the twilight stage of their careers.
“He’s going to need a lot of time there – they’ve got a back four who average age is 31,” Redknapp said to Sky Sports (as quoted by the Liverpool Echo).
“You have Baines who has been a tremendous left back and the two centre backs – you’ve got Phil Jagielka who has been there and been a mainstay but he’s not getting any younger – your right back Coleman is 28 and he’s still a good player. Ashley Williams who they signed in the summer is 30 plus.
“The manager will be scratching his head because it’s going to cost a lot of money to sort that out because that back four is going to need some major surgery. I’m not dismissing them but it’s going to have to be soon.”
Everton were beaten 1-0 by Southampton in their latest outing, and they were poor during the contest.
The Toffees conceded early on, when Charlie Austin hit the back of the net for the Saints, and they never recovered.
Everton have now won just once in their last nine matches, and they have slipped down the Premier League table as a result.
Everton are now in seventh place in the top flight table, with their next match coming against Manchester United at Goodison Park.
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