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Post by Everton News. on Apr 1, 2021 13:55:43 GMT
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Post by Everton News. on Apr 1, 2021 14:02:01 GMT
Richarlison insists Everton have everything in place for a prosperous future – and Carlo Ancelotti boasts the insight and knowhow to oversee the Club’s evolution from contenders into trophy winners.
Everton are engaged in a fight for European football next season and on Monday resume their Premier League campaign with a visit from Crystal Palace.
Brazilian Richarlison delivered a series of match-winning displays to inspire a charge up to fifth in the standings following victory at West Bromwich Albion last month.
Successive defeats before the March international break, however, leave Everton with “no room for manoeuvre” in their closing 10 matches, according to Richarlison.
The 23-year-old forward maintains Champions League qualification remains within reach.
And, claims Richarlison, the leadership of Ancelotti gives Everton a “competitive edge” in pursuit of success.
“With him joining the Club, everything changed… the [revised] mentality means we can win trophies, because he’s won everything,” said Richarlison.
“Having him here means we will be fighting for more trophies.
“We’ve been looking for this competitive edge, so we have everything it takes to have a bright future.
“Carlo has worked with the best players in the world and I am here to learn with him and develop.
“We have a lot of young players and I have learned a lot with him.
“I’ll keep on developing with him in training and I am keen to listen, as he will teach us a lot.”
Richarlison scored 29 goals across his opening two seasons with Everton following a summer 2018 transfer from Watford.
He was the Club’s joint-top scorer in both campaigns – tying with Gylfi Sigurdsson, then Dominic Calvert-Lewin – and gained international recognition early in his Goodison Park career.
After a relatively dry first half of this season, Richarlison, who has scored eight goals in 23 Brazil appearances, took his concerns to Ancelotti.
He has netted seven times since the turn of the year, including a burst of six in six games that began with a double in February’s FA Cup win over Tottenham Hotspur.
“I had some difficulties at the start of the season, so I went to speak to the boss and said I was doing a lot of marking, defending a lot," said Richarlison.
“I was back there with [centre-half] Yerry Mina.
“I said I wanted to be closer to the opponent’s goal, closer to the box.
“He changed my positioning and that’s the point when the goals started flowing and I began helping the team even more.”
Richarlison opened his Premier League account this term – half his 12 goals have come in league games – with the decisive penalty in Everton’s success at Crystal Palace in September.
The reverse fixture next week ushers in the business end of the season.
Everton are on the fringes of the European positions with 10 games remaining, three points behind fifth and two more adrift of fourth – but with at least one game in hand on all seven teams above them.
“I think we have everything it takes to achieve our objectives,” added Richarlison.
“There are 10 games to go and no room for manoeuvre, we have an important game on Monday and have to do ourselves proud and get three points.
“Crystal Palace are a really competitive team and we have to give our all. We are aware of their strengths and are going to put in a big effort, so they don’t cause us to trip up.
“We are five points away from the Champions League, with a game in hand, so that is what we are aiming for.
“We have some games against our close rivals and are going to fight to the end to make the Champions League or Europa League.”
Paul McNamara / Everton FC
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Post by Avinalaff on Apr 1, 2021 14:06:42 GMT
Everton have to start turning these teams over if we want any chance of Europe.
Strictly speaking, we want to be looking at 5th at least, as 6th depends on who wins the FA Cup and 7th depends on who wins the Carabao Cup, but doesn't offer Europa league, but instead Europa Conference.
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Post by jimmy on Apr 2, 2021 8:16:33 GMT
Everton have to start turning these teams over if we want any chance of Europe. Strictly speaking, we want to be looking at 5th at least, as 6th depends on who wins the FA Cup and 7th depends on who wins the Carabao Cup, but doesn't offer Europa league, but instead Europa Conference. We won't get Europe mate. |
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Post by Everton News. on Apr 3, 2021 10:36:14 GMT
Carlo Ancelotti's programme notes
We are in a strong position for the last part of the season and, with the right attitude and concentration, can reach our target of qualifying for Europe.
The past two weeks were really important, we didn’t lose many players to their countries and could work together on aspects we have to improve.
There was a chance for rest for some players who needed it and others could recover their conditions after injuries.
We prepared really well for this match, planning to face a tough opponent and also thinking how to change the story at Goodison Park.
When you are back in the stadium, I am certain the pattern will be different and our home form can be a big strength, like is usually the case for Everton.
This season, though, to achieve our goal, we have to win here with no supporters.
There are five more matches at Goodison and if we continue the same way as the past three months there is no chance to finish high in the table.
It was frustrating to miss some opportunities to take points at home.
But what I like is how the players were hurt by these results.
I can see their desire to find a solution and make sure we have a reward for all the good work we did.
There was no regret about the performance in our match before the international break, when we lost to Manchester City in the FA Cup.
For more than 80 minutes, our plan worked. There were few opportunities for Manchester City, we fought and had focus and spirit and showed, again, we can compete with the best teams.
The only disappointment was losing our chance for a cup this season.
We believed we could win the game. My players improved in a lot of ways in the past year and in a one-off match I am sure there is the possibility to beat any opponent.
In both cups we went to the quarter-finals. This performance is okay, it shows how we want to challenge in every competition.
But the job is to go to the end, and that is the ambition in the next stage of our development.
I said from the beginning, the idea for Everton is to be in the top positions in the league and win trophies.
If I talk about the biggest objective this season, though, it is to reach Europe.
This is an important step towards bringing our club to the highest level.
I was really pleased to have Jean-Philippe Gbamin coming back to train with us.
The feeling is always good for all the players when one of your teammates can join the sessions after a long time.
I understand how difficult the process was for JP, so far, physically and in the head, because I had the same thing in my playing career.
When we talk about difficulties in football it is always being aware of more serious things in the world.
All of us in the game are really lucky this is our job.
But when you are a footballer and you cannot play for a long time it is a hard period in your life.
JP, I am sure, can return a stronger character and better player – but we will not hurry him.
The most important thing is he has the best chance to play for many years with no more serious problems.
We welcome Roy Hodgson and the staff and players of Crystal Palace.
Roy is a fantastic guy, a football man with huge knowledge. The energy and passion he has for his work is clear.
The match we played earlier this season was competitive and it will be the same [on Monday].
Crystal Palace are organised in defence, with a solid structure, and really dangerous on the transitions.
They had some excellent results away from home and if our focus drops, they will take advantage, no doubt.
We learned last week about the Government approval for our new stadium.
This can be a project that transforms Everton.
The plans are spectacular and will create a special home for us, raising the profile and status of the Club.
I said already, I want to be the manager who takes Everton to Bramley-Moore Dock.
It would be a privilege – and mean we did well in the final years at Goodison because this is the only way Everton will ask me to stay.
The plan to keep contact with our community around Goodison makes me proud, this is a good example of why I say I found a family at Everton.
Finally, some restrictions on our lives were relaxed last week.
Please enjoy the extra freedom but take care and stay within the guidelines and we can have you with us again soon.
Carlo Ancelotti - Everton FC
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