Everton slumped to an another away defeat in the Barclay’s Women’s Super League on Sunday afternoon at the Chigwell Construction Stadium losing 2-0 to West Ham. The result means Everton are still winless on the road this season. The Halfway Line got the opportunity to have an exclusive interview with the Toffees head coach Brian Sørensen post match to get his thoughts on a difficult afternoon in East London for his side.
‘We dig ourselves in a bit of a hole’ explains head coach Sørensen
As the rain continued to unrepentantly fall upon the East London ground, Sørensen shuffled his way over to the press, trade mark cap on his head with droplets of rain bouncing off it intermittently. The Everton head coach gave us his thoughts on the match as a whole:
“We dig ourselves in a bit of a hole in that first half in terms of, like, the score line. I don’t think performance wise, it was, you know, it was that bad from us. Just we had two really good chances where we also could have scored. We didn’t and they, yeah, they score on a set piece, on a penalty. And then in the second half we actually get around, creating a lot I think we have, okay, high like xG, creating chances we’re just not getting to the end of it. That’s the, you know, like being clinical and making sure we get a final product out of it. So, so that’s disappointing, but no, it’s, you know, it’s early, early on, with a lot of loop players in, so we need to get the relations right and gel even more. But I’m sure it’ll come.”
Everton need to be ‘more clinical’ affirms Sørensen
Everton had 17 shots in the match five more than their East London opponents however none of those shots were on target while eight of West Ham’s found the target. These statistics make it clearer to see why Everton lost the game, The Halfway Line asked the Everton head coach how to solve this issue in front of goal, he replied:
“I think it’s just about being more clinical, like having the composure, the coolness, the calmness to finish it but also maybe some of the ones to get in on the back post, like, really, you know, put your body on the line in those moments and make sure you get to the end of it. So, so yeah, we’ll, for sure, work on that. And, yeah, disappointed, of course. But, but, you know, we, we have games coming up. And then, yeah, we could, we can turn it around.”
Snoeijs ‘struggling’ for fitness says Sørensen
The Halfway Line asked Sørensen about Katja Snoeijs who was substituted at half time for Emma Watson and whether it was a tactical change or whether the Dutch international had picked up an injury. Sørensen clarified: “No, no she was struggling with something.” He did not elaborate further but the news will come as a blow to Everton fans, with Snoejis already being their side’s most potent goal threat in a side that is largely bereft of attacking prowess.
Sørensen keen to make ‘relationships sharper’ at Everton
On Sunday Sørensen handed Kelly Gago her first WSL start, a new signing from the January window Gago was nearly on the scoresheet just under a minute in flashing her effort just over. With Hayley Ladd and Martina Fernández also starting and Louna Ribadeira and Watson introduced off the bench the Halfway Line asked Sørensen how the new signings were bedding into the side. The Danish manager noted:
“I think really, really well. But of course, relationships are super important in football, and that’s why we are trying to develop. You know, we are with we are flying while we are building the plane. So that’s, that’s how it is. And then we’ll do everything we can to to make these relationships sharper. And I’m sure there will get there.”
Next up for Everton they welcome Tottenham to Walton Hall Park in their rearranged Adobe Women’s FA Cup fourth round encounter on Wednesday night.
