RAFA’S MIND GAME
He demands time to iron out ‘weakness’
RAFA BENITEZ believes the time has come for Everton to get real and understand the problems which cannot be solved overnight.
After a flying start to his Blues career they have hit the buffers spectacularly, with a disappointing defeat by West Ham followed by a desperate display against rampant Watford.
Both lame losses came in front of an angry Goodison Park support with fans venting their frustration. And while Benitez accepts that response, he argues it will take time to change the mentality of a side that has shown frailty for some seasons now.
“We have to understand the starting point here, and the characteristics of this team, because last year they were really good at times and then could not manage,” he said.
“And this year we had similar players, a team that finished 10th last season and we did not spend because of the FFP rules. We are missing some important players too.
“So then you have to make sure you are working on the mentality, on the approach, on the tactics and everything to give them this belief, this confidence that will be crucial during the season.”
Benitez revealed that he has held wide-ranging discussions with many figures and former players connected to the club and they have all told him the same thing – this squad has not responded well to setbacks.
So his work even before taking charge was centred on plans to make Everton more consistent so that they can avoid nightmare scenarios like the final 13 minutes against Watford when they shipped four embarrassing goals.
“I was talking recently with some former players and they were telling me, ‘We are like that,’” he said of the team’s inconsistency and apparent weakness in mentality.
“I want to be sure the team is strong enough mentally, tactically, physically, that you approach the games and you know you have a possibility to win.
“But we have to see it is impossible to go from zero to 100 if you consider things normally.
“We go little by little changing things. We are trying to do that.
“I want to be sure that when we go to the games we are competitive. I don’t want to see teams that you never know what they will do, and then the next game they lose confidence and you never know what will happen.
“That is a question of time. I would say again I have confidence we will do it and in the meantime we have to change things.
“Yes, we have to change things because if not we will be repeating the same mistakes, and we don’t want to repeat the same mistakes because we will finish in the same position.”
Benitez could have Fabian Delph, Andre Gomes and perhaps even Jeanphilippe Gbamin back for the visit to Wolves tonight which will help in the absence of the injured Abdoulaye Doucoure.
But Yerry Mina is still missing which could see a return for Mason Holgate.