Mason Holgate baffles pundit with blunders that dragged down two Everton teammates at Leicester
Mason Holgate left pundit David Phillips bemused with his repeated involvement in communication errors with Everton teammates at Leicester.
In the early stages the English defender went up for the same header as teammate Yerry Mina, leading to clumsy collision, similar to one which caused the Colombian to lay on the hosts’ equaliser when he bumped into Seamus Coleman.
Then again in the second half the 25-year-old was involved in a similar incident with Mina’s replacement Michael Keane, which saw a chance fall to the Foxes attacker Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall but went unpunished.
Speaking on the world feed of the match coverage (8 May, 2.40pm) ex-Wales international Phillips said after the latter mix-up: “Just a comedy of errors… Two players wanting to go and head the ball.
“Once again the lack of communication, especially with Holgate, and this time with Michael Keane, it was with Yerry Mina before.”
Oafish
Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern.
Considering the Toffees’ extensive issues in defence this season, especially on the road, it is perhaps no surprise to see such confusion occur multiple times.
What is more surprising is that it only led to one goal conceded, and the colossal display from Jordan Pickford in goal was enough to otherwise preserve a crucial win.
It had appeared that Mina was the one at fault early on as it was his header that fell kindly for Patson Daka to equalise, in the mix up with Coleman too.
But once he went off injured and the same situations arose with the much-improved substitute Keane the focus then fell onto Holgate as well.
In mitigation he did score the winner at the other end to make up for his role in the equaliser.
But the defenders are going to have to remember which headers to go for and which to leave to their teammates very fast to avoid problems in the last few games.
Of course the repeated switching of the back line will not have helped teammates build up understandings, but all four defenders have been at the club long enough to know each others’ tendencies.
For Holgate to be surprising both the other two during the game doesn’t inspire much confidence, but his goal was enough for the points so on balance he just about comes out on top this time.
In other Everton news, Frank Lampard has provided an update on yet more injuries for the Toffees.
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