Manchester Utd (a) Singing in the RainHow was that team going to work? Couldn’t work out if it was 5-4-1, 3-4-3, 3-4-1-2, but this is Duncan Ferguson’s Everton, so naturally Mason Holgate went into midfield to form a 4–4-2...mind blowing.
I’ll address the elephant in the room straight away, why was Kean taken off? Personally I think it was for 2 reasons, you have different views, but I believe he wasn’t doing what he was told, and after breaking on the left to play the ball to Iwobi, once he played the ball he looked absolutely gassed. There was absolutely no way DCL was coming off, and Richarlison was auxiliary left back in front of our left back. No chance either of them were coming off, so it had to be a forward, it was always going to be Kean. The PL is far quicker and far more demanding than Serie A, quite frankly Kean doesn’t look up to it from a fitness perspective and I lay that squarely at the door of Marco Silva. It is very evident that based on the levels of performance in this game and the Chelsea game last week, fitness, intensity, passion and desire have been injected into these players. Also it’s most likely to be the cause of all these muscle injuries we seem to be getting!! I understand people saying we should consider Kean’s feelings, it wasn’t fair etc, but Everton’s points tally is more important to me than Moise Kean’s feelings.
I’m going to come to the defence of Alex Iwobi, I saw loads of posts and tweets having a go at him today. He’s played out of position pretty much since he came to the club, the last 2 games he’s been asked to play in 2 completely different roles and be more defensive than he’s ever been. He never stopped running in both games, always showed for the ball, always was happy to take the ball in tight situations. I pretty sure we can name players in this squad who would go missing in these circumstances. He’ll be a big player for us, just give him time.
The players have found something from somewhere, a mixture of bottle, bravery and luck. Long may it continue. I did worry after just 3 minutes when card happy Michael Oliver couldn’t wait to run after Tom Davies and brandish his authority, but it was Ok for Lingard to get away with worse later... 88 mins for Tom Davies to remain disciplined with a make shift holding midfielder in Holgate, thanks Mr Oliver..like it wasn’t hard enough already.
Lots of endeavour in the first half, the game plan was clear, absorb and counter. For some teams it’s called playing smart diagonals, in Everton’s case it’s long ball, nobody will give us anything will they? Ridiculous..
Digne off, Baines on, when are these injuries going to end? We get a corner, vintage Leighton!! Ball whipped in, but with height, DCL challenges DeGea, both miss the ball and it cannons of Lindelof and into the goal. Luck!! Of course it’s going to VAR, amazingly it’s given. In the eyes of the most fair and gentlemanly player to ever have played the game and now Sky pundit Graeme Souness, it was a clear foul! Of course it was Graeme, just like Sheff Utd’s first goal at Goodison. Get this dinosaur off TV, he is an absolute embarrassment to himself and to the £100 a month I give to his employer to listen to it.
So we’ve had some luck, and now we showed bravery, not content to sit on the lead we go for a second. Pushing hard, working hard, Richarlison and DCL are forming a hugely effective partnership. They have not given the Utd and Chelsea defenders one minutes peace in the last 2 games. Their work rate allowed Holgate and Iwobi efforts on goal, even with the team cobbled together as it was, they went for the win. The manager in a shirt, no jacket, in the pouring rain barking orders. If that doesn’t inspire his players to put his level of effort into this game, what will?
I was really hoping for the same start to the second half as last week, but Utd were starting to get behind Coleman and Baines and pressing high. Both Keane and Mina were playing quite a high line, but were side on so not to get caught on the turn and with Holgate sweeping in front there was enough defensive concentration to keep the door shut and limit Utd to shots from distance and crosses from wide. I’ll give Mr Oliver a modicum of credit for resisting the urge to fall for Martial’s blatant diving, last season you will remember John Moss guessed a decision from the Hot Dog stand as Gana clearly won the ball, only for Martial to fall over and the unsighted Moss to just guess from 40 yards away. Fat buffoon. Rashford for the 9th game against us failed to score, enter Mason Greenwood. Within minutes he puts the ball in the only place he can, Pickford’s near post. 1-1. Queue the onslaught, and serial Everton slayer, Juan Mata.
Bottle has been a problem for this team, and this club over the past 4 years. We choke, we’ve shown very little intestinal fortitude over this time, not this week. More running, more tackling, more blocks, punches and catches. Clever diagonals for DCL and the lessor spotted Niasse to chase. Full time.1-1 away end in full voice, as they were all game, home fans fighting amongst themselves and the stewards.. A brilliantly well deserved point, a manager finding a tune out of these players that just infuriates the life out of you because this season could have been so very different.
Mason Holgate was my man of the match, a Lee Carsley like display of grit, determination and discipline in a position that he hasn’t played before, at a time where it was just about the result and not the performance. Top class.
So onto next week and a league cup quarter final under the lights, followed by a battered and bruised Arsenal. Also the possibility of a new manager. If Duncan is still in charge next week for both games I’ll be delighted. He clearly is getting his message across to the players and they are reacting in the right way.
It’s been a good week!! UTFT
By Matthew Barry
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