CARLO THE EFFECT
Everton on march as Italian shows his worth
MAYBE it is time to acknowledge Carlo Ancelotti has more in his locker beyond picking world-class players.
When the legendary Italian landed at Goodison Park, cynics questioned how he would cope with a relatively modest squad having been used to working with the likes of Kaka, Ronaldo and Didier Drogba throughout his career.
Yet here we are with Everton in a European spot just two months after Marco Silva was sacked with the club languishing in the bottom three.
Duncan Ferguson deserves so some e credit for initially stopping the e rot as interim but since then Ancecelotti’s famous arched eyebrow w has overseen a stunning revival with the team now up to seventh, usually good enough to qualify for the Europa League.
Yesterday’s win against Crystal Palace had a bit of Brazilian magic, with the first t two goals scored by Bernard rd and Richarlison, and an English lish centre-forward Dominic CalvertLewin applying the coup de grace.
Even goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was able to redeem himself for a horrible blunder t hat allowed Christian Benteke to make the score 1-1. Pre-Ancelotti, Pickford’s howler would have proved critical in dropping points, but on this occasion he was able to later save brilliantly from Benteke again to help his side to victory.
There was even a bit of slapstick to enjoy. Defender Djibril Sidibe had to delay his entrance as a substitute for Theo Walcott because he had forgotten to put a left sock on. Ance lot ti did not seem impressed — it wasn’t something that happened to Paolo Maldini at the San Siro — but Sidibe raced down the tunnel to collect the errant sock and reappeared moments later to enter the pitch.
‘ We weren’t so good f or 60 minutes but I prefer to win than have a good performance and lose,’ acknowledged Ancelotti.
‘The most important part of this team is the spirit. The work we’ve done in this period has been really good; players, staff, club. And now we can fight for the European place in the remaining games. We have the quality.
‘I enjoy coaching. If there are top players it’s better because you can win easily easil but here we have Richarlison who is a top player. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, I don’t know if he is a top player now, but he can be. We have a lot of young players who can be, Jordan Pickford, Mason Holgate, others.’
Both sides went into the lunchtime kick-off in vastly contrasting form. Everton had only lost one of their previous 10, Palace had only won one in the same period.
It was not a major surprise therefore when the home side struck first after 18 minutes. Walcott produced some great oldfashioned wing play to dart down the right flank past two Palace defenders and whip in the perfect delivery for Bernard to meet with a si de- f oot volley. Typical of Walcott’s career, he had to limp off soon afterwards.
Palace, the lowest scorers in the division, reached t he i nterval without a shot on t arget and Wilfried Zaha denied a penalty by VAR when he fell i n front of Seamus Coleman, a decision not disputed by Hodgson. The visitors improved after a half-time team talk from their 72-year-old manager, though their equaliser after 51 minutes owed a lot to Pickford.
Benteke beat Michael Keane in the air in the centre circle and then raced on to the return pass from Zaha. The Belgian’s low shot lacked power but Pickford allowed it to slip through his hands to gift Benteke his first goal since April.
‘ It can happen,’ said Ancelotti calmly when asked about the gaffe. His mood might have been different had Pickford not pulled off a brill i ant st op f rom Benteke’s header four yards out to deny Palace a second equaliser. ‘A wonder save,’ was Hodgson’s description. By then, Palace had spurned their chances — Patrick van Aanholt hitting the post and Everton’s clearance rebounding off Benteke’s chest on to the bar — and Everton took advantage to regain the lead on 58 minutes.
Calvert-Lewin’s flicked header set Richarlison goalwards and, with a backpedalling Gary Cahill reluctant to make a challenge, the Brazilian correctly chose to cut inside and shoot rather than pass and buried a low finish into the bottom right-hand corner.
Once Benteke had missed his close-range header, Everton took full control. Gylfi Sigurdsson was denied Goodison’s goal of the season by a save from Vicente Guiata after his mazy dribble.
But they did get a third late on when Richarlison hit the bar with a header and Calvert-Lewin snaffled the rebound from close range.
Only Liverpool have gained more points than Everton since the Blues changed managers, but Palace need to find potency to avoid being dragged into a relegation fight.
‘Of course we are worried by a lack of goals,’ said Hodgson. ‘You have seen the team and the amount of opportunities. If we continue to do that, I am sure the goals will come.’