NIGEL MARTYN: Everton FC face massive challenge to recover from sloppy start

FOOTBALL has changed dramatically down the years - especially so when you consider how victories and defeats now tend to be perceived. Should a team win one game, suddenly predictions will be made that great things will beckon for them but lose in unexpected circumstances and those on the receiving end inevitably find themselves being written off - that's just the way it is. Look at our neighbours from across the park; Liverpool only lost twice in the whole of last season but the fact they have been turned over the same amount of times already has left a number of judges proclaiming that they can't win the title. That, of course, is nonsense - a more accurate synopsis is that Liverpool are now walking a fine line and must beat Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United if they are to flourish. Not surprisingly, given the events we saw unfold at Craven Cottage on Sunday, Everton are being written off and certain critics are only to happy to suggest our time as a top five club is all but over. Again, it is ridiculous to make such declarations at this early stage - remember there are still a maximum of 102 points to play for - but there is no disputing the Blues are facing a mammoth task to repeat their efforts in the league of the last two years. Tottenham, Manchester City and Aston Villa have all made fine starts to the campaign and our hopes of pegging them back have been lengthened following Sunday's frustrating result at Craven Cottage. It was such a disappointing day - made worse by the serious injury Phil Neville has sustained - but one that could so easily have been avoided. We were in cruise control in the first half and while it wasn't a game for the purists, it suited us down to the ground - it had all the hallmarks of another Everton away day win. So what worried me most of all was the way we folded in the second half and seemed prepared to accept that Fulham would inevitably fightback; when they scored their first goal, we looked as if we were feeling sorry for ourselves. It's not what you expect from an Everton side and now we must hope that the lads will find a suitable response in the coming weeks. Quite simply, you see, we can't afford any more unnecessary setbacks.

Source: Liverpool_Echo