Sky Sports pundit defends Everton midfielder Allan after damning recent stat
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Allan “put a shift in” in the Merseyside derby despite the stat that he only completed a single pass from kick-off, says Kevin Campbell.
Much was made of the unusual number, which Sky Sports shared on Twitter following the game at Anfield after it controversially ended 2-0 to the hosts.
But while admitting it was “disappointing”, Sky Sports pundit Campbell says it was part by-product of the way the team was instructed to play by Frank Lampard, which nearly got the desired effect.
Speaking exclusively to Goodison News the former Toffees striker said: “I just think because the way Everton set up, one pass and from kick off or whatever, that’s disappointing.
“I just think the spirit and the way Everton approached it, there was going to be a lot of contact and a lot of traffic.
“So to get passes precise sometimes, when everything’s frayed and your nerves are there, you just can’t get it going, which is disappointing but no one can say he didn’t put a shift in or he didn’t play decent.
“He made a lot of challenges, he broke up a lot of stuff. His passing was a little bit off, yes it was. But hey, it’s one of them.
“It’s one of those things where if Everton had’ve taken the lead I wouldn’t have cared if he only had one right pass, that would have put Everton in a lot better position.”
The change in style has produced a noticeable improvement in the fight shown by the squad, and has brought results with it.
Jamie Carragher, so critical of Lampard’s side during the derby which he was commentating on, has since analysed the philosophical switch and spoke of his admiration for it on Monday Night Football (2 May).
After the defeat of Chelsea in the subsequent game, the approach has now yielded two wins and a draw in four outings, so the occasional statistical anomaly like Allan’s won’t be concerning many Toffees fans.
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