Wolves 3-0 Everton reaction: Carlo Ancelotti slams Everton display while Seamus Coleman says attitude needs to improve

Everton's miserable performance at Wolves was branded as unacceptable by Ancelotti, while Coleman was even more damning as he slammed his team's attitude as "shocking" after their 3-0 reverse.

These are strange times football is being played in, and in general we're finding that quality counts without fans being present, as the better teams usually get their way. It's also a time when attitude almost counts double.

Getting the adrenalin going is one thing, and players can be excused for not quite hitting those heights, but being professional, sticking to plans and tactics and putting in the required effort are must-haves for players right now.

They are non-negotiable, and Everton's players simply aren't producing it. There's no lack of quality here, and when the manager and even senior players themselves, are questioning the attitude, you know there are problems.

"It was shocking, really, really bad," Coleman told Sky Sports after the game. "No hiding places. We need to ask some serious questions of ourselves. We can all play bad, misplace passes but when the attitude isn't there and the desire isn't there..."

Everton's woeful away run

Everton have now kept just one clean sheet in their last 17 away games in the Premier League as their travel sickness persists - and they've conceded at least twice in 10 of those games.

The Toffees are especially bad at facing top half sides - winning just three of 32 of such fixtures and the display at Molineux may have been the final straw for Ancelotti, who could look to make wholesale changes this summer.

The stats prove that this is more than just a mid-table side struggling to find the energy and intensity needed to win games in the Premier League - plus their problems started way before the crowds were taken out of the equation.

Ancelotti has had a lot of poor results to put up with, but a manager of his quality and experience just will not settle for players going onto the pitch with the wrong attitude.

"It was a really frustrating day and performance," said the Italian. "The spirit of the team was unacceptable.

"There are some excuses but I don't want to have excuses, the performance was not acceptable. I spoke to the players and we have to prepare and work differently and have a different attitude.

"I don't want to talk individually about every single player. I said to them this attitude is not acceptable for me and we have to change immediately. I want to see a different spirit."

Could Carlo make sweeping changes?

This is a huge problem for Ancelotti, and one that has dogged Everton for years now, as they’ve continually spent a decent amount of money with little by the way of reward.

Managers have come and gone, false dawns have been plentiful, but at some point you’d think that with the fan base, the history and the now obvious financial backing from the club’s owner and his pals, they must get it right sooner or later.

In Ancelotti they have one of the best and most experienced coaches around, but even he is struggling to get a tune out of this current crop – and that points the finger at recruitment.

Everton spent over £100m on signings this season, £89m last season and a whopping £180m in the 2017/18 campaign, but have precious little to show for it.

Coleman has been one of their best and most consistent performers over the last few years, and it seems now even he’s had enough of the attitude within the squad.

With Everton having had the likes of Roberto Martinez, Ronald Koeman, Sam Allardyce and Marco Silva all try and fail to turn things around, Coleman knows the players must now stand up and be counted as Ancelotti will not accept their current attitude.

"Maybe we're not where we think are - we're 11th in the table for a reason. As individuals and as a club we expect better. We need to dig in - myself included - as that won't be good enough for this manager.

"Quality-wise we've got good players but the attitude and desire wasn't there today. We need to have more commitment on daily basis and really come together.

"That won't be good enough for this manager. If we're not giving our all then that will be that, see you later. He's not going to put up with performances like this. As a team we need to be better. And ask ourselves if we're good enough to play for this football club.

"He's a top manager. We can't keep hiding behind managers. We've hid behind managers for long enough."

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