Richarlison was the pre-match centre of attention as Spurs played Everton, but it was Harry Kane who had to break their visitors down.
There comes a point at which questions will start to be asked. The departure of Richarlison, who’d become something of a talisman at Goodison Park, from Everton to Spurs during the summer was considered a substantial blow to Frank Lampard. But it is undeniable that he has not yet caught light for Spurs, and on the evidence of Everton’s visit to north London he doesn’t really work as part of a front three, all of which raises the question of how he can be used.
Richarlison has been lowered into the Spurs team this season rather than dropped. But we’re into October and he still has just two goals, both scored in their opening Champions League game against Marseille at the start of September. Of his eight appearances, five had come from the substitutes bench, with only three starts. That’s not much of a window of opportunity, but there’s a World Cup in six weeks’ time, and it can hardly be said that there isn’t serious competition for a place in his international team.
But it should be added that Everton’s defence was impressive, noticeably better organised than it was last season. The acquisition of James Tarkowski and Conor Coady have given them solidity, shape and experience. Frank Lampard, one suspects, went into the game perfectly happy to leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a point from a goalless draw and maybe more, if Spurs got a bit defensively careless in their frustration.
They sat back and absorbed, and hit on the break when they had the chance. After 23 minutes during which Spurs had dominated Everton had the best chance of the game to that point, Demarai Gray getting in behind the wing-back on the right-hand side before contracting the sudden-onset yips and firing over. Spurs had huffed and puffed, dominating possession but unable to carve the chances that their front three needed.
Half-chances did fall, but sparingly. Richarlison headed over early on, Son had a free-kick in a good position which he couldn’t get over the wall, and Harry Kane had their only shot on target of the half, charged down by Jordan Pickford, but otherwise their first half storm amounted to very little.
By the time the half-hour mark had passed frustration in the stands was starting to become clearly audible, and when there was a clear chance again it fell to Everton, again on the break, and again fired…
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