GOODISON GALACTICOS!
Free-scoring Everton set the bar high
Everton are benefiting from the Galactico effect but their revival under Carlo ancelotti really began with an old- fashioned rollicking from skipper seamus Coleman.
the long-serving Coleman was so incensed with a 3- 0 defeat at Wolves towards the end of last season that he publicly told his team-mates to look in the mirror and ask if they could do more.
Behind closed doors, the defender was equally demanding. everton returned to pre-season with ‘more ambition and motivation’ , according to ancelotti. and the triple swoop of James rodriguez from real Madrid, allan and abdoulaye Doucoure has triggered a flying start with maximum points.
‘We are all aware our standards dropped last season,’ said Coleman. ‘there are ways of losing games but I thought the fight wasn’t there in some games and wanted to make sure the lads understood what it means to play for this club.
‘We have a top- class manager who won’t accept anything else. since we came back, the standard and work rate has been fantastic. It’s important that, if we do hit a little poor spell, our attitude doesn’t change.’
rodriguez has been the icing on the cake and marked his Goodison debut with his first everton goal and an assist.
his impact on the team is marked, particularly on Dominic Calvert- Lewin, who scored a hat-trick on saturday having gone 10 games without a goal at the end of last season.
‘James has improved us without a shadow of a doubt,’ added Coleman. ‘he has got unbelievable quality when we get him the ball. his range of passing and decision making are fantastic. We are very fortunate to have him.
‘ Dominic is benefiting from James and the whole team at the minute and he’s turning into a leader along with the likes of Mason holgate. Dominic is driving the team forward from no 9.’ on ancelotti’s prediction that 31-year- old Coleman could carry on until he’s 40, the Irishman quipped: ‘I believe everything that comes out of that man’s mouth!’
ancelotti is embracing the growing expectation at everton rather than being cowed by it. ‘It is not a problem,’ said the three- time Champions League winner, who voluntarily mentioned that they went top of after winning the lunchtime fixture.
Poor albion would relish some of that confidence after being thrashed despite playing well for 45 minutes.
Grady Diangana struck first for the visitors before everton hit back through CalvertLewin and rodriguez and the turning point came on the stroke of half-time when albion’s Kieran Gibbs was sent off for pushing rodriguez in the face. slaven Bilic also saw red for arguing with referee Mike
Dean as the teams walked off for half-time. Matheus Pereira levelled after 47 minutes but everton eventually made their extra man count, with Michael Keane scoring before
Calvert-Lewin added another to complete his treble.
‘We’ve got to scrape ourselves off the floor quickly,’ said West Brom’s Jake Livermore. ‘We don’t want this to be the story of our season.’
Bilic will have new man Branislav Ivanovic for their next league game — against the defender’s old club, Chelsea. next for everton are fellow 100 per cent side Crystal Palace.
EVERTON (4-3-3): Pickford 6; Coleman 7, Keane 7, Mina 6.5, Digne 7; Gomes 6, Allan 6.5, Doucoure 6 (Sigurdsson 65, 6); Rodriguez 8 (Kean 76, 6), CALVERT-LEWIN 8.5 (Iwobi 71, 6), Richarlison 8. Subs not used: Virginia, Kenny, Davies, Bernard.
Scorers: Calvert-Lewin 31, 62, 66, Rodriguez 45, Keane 54. Booked: Doucoure. Manager: Carlo Ancelotti 8.
WEST BROMWICH (5-3-2): Johnstone 6; Furlong 5, Bartley 5, Ajayi 6, O’Shea 5, Gibbs 4; Pereira 7 (Phillips 71, 6), Livermore 6, Sawyers 4 (Field 75, 6); Robinson 6, Diangana 7 (Edwards 71, 6). Subs not used: Button, Kipre, Harper, Robson-Kanu. Scorers: Diangana 10, Pereira 47. Sent off: Gibbs, Bilic. Manager: Slaven Bilic 6.5. Referee: Mike Dean 6.