Koeman’s double dismay
Musa goals dump out Everton and where are the new signings?
ALL afternoon Ronald Koeman was smouldering. He waved his arms in frustration, he scowled, shouted and even when Everton scored there was no hint of a smile.
Then, 30 minutes after Leicester had bounced his side out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle, Koeman could contain himself no longer. He did not rant or rave but his message was clear and his words put plenty of issues under the microscope.
A 2-1 defeat would have been hard enough for Evertonians to take. They had seen their side take what seemed to be a decisive lead through Romelu Lukaku but their dreams of ending a 22-year trophy drought were extinguished by a double from Ahmed Musa.
Yet what will have angered them just as much is Koeman’s assertion that the club is not doing enough to sign his targets — or more specifically, director of football Steve Walsh is not moving quickly enough.
Koeman is desperate for Everton to sign Morgan Schneiderlin from Manchester United almost since he arrived at Goodison Park. Right now, though, negotiations are deadlocked after United rebuffed Everton’s bid of £19million.
‘First of all, everybody is disappointed,’ said Koeman. ‘We are still in a good position in the league. But I know what we need to change. If everybody had their eyes opened today, maybe we will get further in our improvement as a team because that’s what the team needs.
‘I have that in mind and the board knows because we spoke together about what we need, what the team needs and that’s the job of Steve Walsh. It’s my job [to coach the team] and I hope everybody realises what the team needs to play and to get results that meet the expectations in this club.
‘I can explain more but they are talks we need to have inside the club. If a young player of 19 is one of the best on the pitch [Tom Davies, who is 18] then that says enough.’
For all that Koeman is unhappy, he must take his share of the blame for the way this contest unfolded. He selected the team, he deployed the tactics and he failed to make a decisive change when Leicester began to take the game by the scruff of the neck.
It took an age for the game to catch fire. Lukaku wasted the best chance, heading wide from almost under the crossbar, but the most significant action was the injury that forced Leonardo Ulloa to be replaced by Musa after he damaged his thigh.
Musa had been regarded as a near £17m misfit before this match. He had not scored since October 29 but, with Andy King and Jamie Vardy ill and a number of attacking options away at the Africa Cup of Nations, Claudio Ranieri presented him with an opportunity. Leicester had to do it the hard way. They fell behind in the 63rd minute, when substitute Gerard Deulofeu went through the gears and raced to the byline before firing in a cross that, this time, Lukaku could not miss. It should have given Everton lift off.
The way Koeman reacted, however, suggested he was anything but happy. He waved his players back into position, urging them to retain their concentration and hold their shape. The next 10 minutes were going to be crucial.
Imagine his fury, then, when Leicester hauled themselves back in the game. It was a poor goal for Everton to concede but it was one the champions merited, with Musa bundling in at the second attempt after fine work by Demarai Gray.
Koeman flung his arms in the air in exasperation but worse was to follow as Leicester settled the issue with a move befitting their status as champions when Musa exchanged passes with Danny Drinkwater, slicing Everton’s defence in half, before crashing a shot into the net.
The hosts tried to summon a response but, other than a thumping effort from substitute Kevin Mirallas which Kasper Schmeichel parried around the post, there was nothing to unduly trouble Leicester.
‘I’m very pleased with our performance and it is important for Musa — he is more confident now,’ said Ranieri. ‘We wanted to win and go through in the FA Cup. It’s an important competition and more because we lost against Everton at home, so we wanted revenge.’