Graeme Souness slams Rafa Benitez tactics in Everton defeat v Crystal Palace
Everton manager Rafa Benitez has been criticised by Graeme Souness for the way he set up against Crystal Palace this afternoon.
The Toffees fell to a 3-1 defeat to the Eagles at Selhurst Park, with Conor Gallagher scoring twice.
Salomon Rondon got his first goal in an Everton shirt, but it was not enough to save the team from losing.
Speaking after the game on Sky Sports, Souness questioned Benitez’s tactics.
“I’m mystified,” the pundit said. “The mood after Monday night’s game in Everton’s dressing room would have been buoyant. But in that first 45 minutes, maybe an hour, they were so negative and so passive.
“I’m not sure how you prepare a team, having had the high of doing so well against Arsenal, by saying to them: ‘the way we’re going to play against Crystal Palace, who have lost three games and have got no confidence, is we’re going to be negative, we’re going to have Delph sitting in front of the back four and we’re going to try to nick the game’.
“I think that’s a hard sell for a manager to a player. I’d be questioning it if I was player. They were a shadow of a team in the first half.”
Worrying
Today was incredibly disappointing, particularly off the back of such an encouraging win over Arsenal on Monday (6 December).
Beating the Gunners in such dramatic fashion, and after a really positive display, should have been a confidence booster.
Yet the way in which Everton went back into their shell at Selhurst Park is a worrying sign that Monday’s victory was only a one off – quite literally, as it is now just one win in 10 matches.
With two holding midfielders, the Toffees were far too defensive. For example, Abdoulaye Doucoure is a player who needs freedom to get forward, but he was restricted in a deeper role.
It was only when Salomon Rondon and Anthony Gordon came on that we began to look threatening, but it was not enough.
It seemed as if a corner had been turned on Monday, but now Benitez and the team have gone backwards again.
In other Everton news, see how we rated the Toffees players in the defeat at Selhurst Park.
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