Carlo averts disaster by sending in the cavalry
TO understand how seriously Carlo Ancelotti is taking the FA Cup — and what peril Everton were in — the cost of his game-defining substitutions told the story.
With Rotherham, next to bottom in the Championship, having secured parity and appearing capable of causing shock and embarrassment, Everton’s manager turned around and summoned four players deep in the second half worth a combined £95 million.
That Ancelotti was forced to take such measures shows how uncomfortable the afternoon had become. Everton needed one of those changes — £22m midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure — to conjure a winning goal in extratime that secured their progress.
‘I think any manager who was under the cosh would put those subs on,’ said Rotherham boss Paul Warne. ‘I have the utmost respect for Carlo Ancelotti and I thought he paid us massive respect with the team he picked.’
This was absolutely the case. Though he called for the cavalry in the shape of Doucoure, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Yerry Mina and Bernard, Ancelotti unexpectedly started James Rodriguez too, along with Michael Keane and Lucas Digne, who was returning from injury.
Everton eventually found a way to win thanks to their superior ability and fitness but, for much of the day, they were scruffy.
Warne’s side — who arrived here on the back of eight defeats in 10 games — were the better team for long periods and defeat hurt them.
‘I’m proud of the lads and they make my soul shine on a daily basis,’ said Warne. ‘For us to come here and compete against a team three or four points off the top of the Premier League shows how well we performed.’
Everton started brightly enough. A mazy run from Anthony Gordon in the third minute carried him into Rotherham’s box but his shot was blocked. Another effort from Andre Gomes fizzed wide of the post. A goal quickly followed when Gordon slipped a ball through to Cenk Tosun, who held his nerve and dinked his finish over goalkeeper Jamal Blackman on what his first start for 14 months. There were only eight minutes gone and you anticipated a procession.
Not so. Everton, remarkably, failed to muster another shot on target before the final whistle and were continually hemmed back by a team who played without inhibitions. Whatever difficulties Rotherham have endured in the Championship, they were not apparent here.
Rotherham changed the course of the contest in the 25th minute when Matt Olosunde got the better of a clearly unfit Digne and charged into the box, forcing a save from Robin Olsen before Dan Barlaser followed up with a drive that required the Swede to take decisive action.
It provided an injection of confidence and, suddenly, Everton were vulnerable. A corner from Barlaser, shortly after, was met at the near post by Matt Crooks but his header skimmed the crossbar.
‘The only disappointment for me was the first five or 10 minutes,’ said Warne. ‘I think we showed them too much respect which I warned them about. We took the game to them after we conceded, I thought we were the better side in the first half.’
Nobody disagreed. Eventually, Rotherham’s reward arrived. Early in the second half, Olosunde got away from Digne again and, this time, placed his shot beyond Olsen.
A shock looked on the cards but Ancelotti took decisive action. On came the big guns and Everton found some balance.
They thought they had won it in the 84th minute, only for VAR to rule out a Tosun strike.
No matter. Early in extra-time, James provided a beautiful pass for Doucoure and the midfielder galloped away before curling his left shot drive past Blackman. The celebrations were muted. Relief was the main emotion.