Michael Ball reflects on the big issues at Goodison Park following Everton’s 3-2 win at Crystal Palace
Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Everton tussles with Joachim Andersen during the match between Crystal Palace and Everton at Selhurst Park.
I agree with what Sean Dyche has said about James Garner because to be a top Premier League player you’ve got to have that side to you.
You need dedication of course to get where you are but you’ve also got to have that nasty streak and being a so-called ‘nark’ is not just against the opposition but with your own team-mates because you’re demanding more from each other and when that happens, you don’t want to let people down. It raises your game and if you can get everybody to have the same mindset, it’s a manager’s dream.
The manager will manage the players of course but if you’ve got leaders and individuals who want to lift the bar in training and match scenarios, it’s only going to help when it comes to being successful.
We’ve been talking about the importance of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and how much of a difference he makes to this Everton side but like all players, you can’t be 10 out of 10 every week. The opposition are going to know that he’s the threat and they’re probably going to overload on him to make it more difficult.
They’ve stepped up to the plate and it’s good to see the confidence from them. They’re not being passive, they’re being confident that they’ll get a shot on goal.
That’s come over time because how many times have we seen this team get into good opportunities and not pull the trigger? When you’ve got that, you’re going to be knocking on the door more times than not.
We’re playing more as a team. We’re not performing as individuals where maybe one or two step up to the plate like Alex Iwobi raising his game under Frank Lampard but the rest weren’t.
