Three things I think after watching Everton’s 3-2 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday.
First, when you watch a match, you should see the referee only when the whistle blows at the start and the end. Do they make big calls, yes, but they should not be controversial. Yesterday, Sam Barrott was exactly what a referee should be, decisive, confident and a part of the game but not the decider of the game. Players should decide the game and today. They did! Five matches in the Premier League before this, perhaps there needs to be a larger group of Premier League referees than are currently in the system. Well done, Sam Barrott!
Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images
Second, when did Everton’s Ukrainian full back Vitalii Mikolenko turn into Kieran Trippier? Before this season he was a defender who needed to improve his game at the back end and add an offensive spark to the team going forward. This season, he is both. For two weeks in a row he has been the most advanced player who has stuck with the ball and finished what he started. Another MOTM performance. Well done, Vitalii!
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Third, when we were ready to commit hara kiri as a result of the start to our season, we wanted to blame someone. That someone could have been any player or just anyone….we needed someone. We couldn’t see anything other than the fact that we were back in the bottom three and at one moment, bottom. Well done, Sean Dyche! Focusing us on the fact that we were doing so many things so well without the outcome that we wanted. We are now looking up and not down. Sean Dyche, we are with you! Everton, we are with you!
