Alan Curbishley: Rafa Benitez is making excuses
Everton boss Rafa Benitez is making excuses to defend his side, claims Alan Curbishley.
The former West Ham manager, who managed 328 times in the Premier League with the Irons and Charlton, saw his ex-club beat the Toffees 1-0 at Goodison Park on Sunday.
They scored courtesy of Angelo Ogbonna’s headed goal from a corner after Michail Antonio beat Jordan Pickford in the air, which according to Benitez, should not have been given in the first place. [Liverpool Echo]
Discussing the incident and Benitez’s comments on Premier League Productions, Curbishley said, “That’s ridiculous. I think he’s looking for a bit of an excuse. Both of them went for it and Antonio won the ball.”
Making excuses
After the game, Benitez said: “I have a problem because I am from Spain and normally in Europe the six-yard box is to protect the keeper.
“When you have a player blocking the keeper in the six-yard area it is a free-kick – and then you can argue whether there is a corner or not. You have to protect him.”
While there’s nothing wrong with what he said, time and again goalkeepers fabricate even the slightest of contact and then the refs tend to give decisions in their favour.
Here, Antonio’s eyes were solely on the ball and both Pickford and him had an equal right to go for it, unfortunately for the Toffees, it was the Hammers player that one it.
When looking at the replay, Pickford actually had a bigger leap than the West Ham forward and the advantage of his hands.
Benitez cannot attribute the loss to that one incident as there is plenty to ponder and he needs to get his message across to some of the players.
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