Everton are back in action again today, seeking to end their Goodison Park nightmare and finally pick up some points in front of home support.
Having played there four times now, the crowd have only been treated to a sole goal, and even that marked a consolation as they handed Luton Town their first win in Premier League history. Today's clash with AFC Bournemouth has thus become a must-win, seeking to avoid five straight home defeats to start the new term.
Whilst Sean Dyche has plenty of headaches to contend with, one he can quickly solve is to drop the underperforming Ashley Young.
How has Ashley Young been playing?
When he was brought in on a free transfer over the summer, it was a piece of business largely lauded, as a shrewd investment set to offer ample cover for a cut price.
However, for some reason the 38-year-old has started all seven of their league matches, with his lack of pace so painfully evident.
His 6.50 average match rating is indicative of these poor performances, whilst Sky Sports co-commentator Andy Hinchcliffe sought to highlight one moment of madness in their 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Aston Villa, speaking live: "The throw-in from Ashley Young is diabolical,” Hinchcliffe said. “It’s just appalling. There’s no other word for it. Disgraceful defending. How do you recover from this?”
The Hatters even sought to exploit his lack of dynamism at the weekend, firing balls in behind for him to chase, and subsequently conceding fouls and corners which allowed them to threaten. Both of their goals would come from set pieces, with Young receiving a 5.8 rating, having been dribbled past once and also noted as at fault for one of the goals, via Sofascore.
Dyche cannot keep allowing the ageing liability to start, and as such he must be dropped in favour of the far more athletic Nathan Patterson.
How good is Nathan Patterson?
Whilst not perhaps quite as experienced or technically proficient, at the very least the Scotland international boasts enough pace to compete with the tricky wingers the Premier League's finest often poses, with today being no different.
Injury-free, he would have the likes of Luis Sinisterra, Dango Ouattara and Justin Kluivert to choose from, all of whom would pose a potent threat.
Fortunately, when he has played, the £28k-per-week defender has remained largely solid, averaging 2.3 tackles and 3.8 ball recoveries per game in the league, whilst also managing 0.8 key passes per game, via Sofascore.
At the very least, starting Patterson is a far smarter option purely to continue his development, of which huge potential still lies waiting to be unearthed. After all, pundit Danny Murphy had suggested it would take little time for Evertonians to latch onto the 21-year-old before injuries curtailed his progress: "I think the fans are going to love him, the way he bombs forward and gets a foot in. They love that, the Evertonians.
"Late in the game he has the fitness levels and concentration to defend properly. He is a diamond, they really have got themselves a good player in the market. He is a terrific young player."
That athleticism could be key in stirring the Goodison Park crowd after numerous games now where they have been left with little to shout about. Patterson at least deserves the opportunity to shine, with Young's disastrous recent displays the perfect reason Dyche has surely been searching for.