Sky Sports pundit insists ‘crazy’ Everton problem that plagued survival fight must be fixed
We’re delighted to welcome former Everton striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week the former Toffees captain will be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Goodison Park…
The challenge for the most recent Everton red card was “horrendous” but the number of sendings off the club have got is “crazy” says Kevin Campbell.
Salomon Rondon was shown a straight red in the defeat to Brentford on Sunday (15 May) for a two-footed lunge in the closing minutes, after young defender Jarrad Branthwaite was sent off for a last-man challenge in the same game.
They were the fifth and sixth reds the club has got this season, to give them the league lead by two heading into the final day, and while Sky Sports pundit Campbell puts it down to pressure he insists it has to stop.
“Look it was a horrendous challenge, let’s be honest,” he said of the latest red, speaking to Goodison News.
“I don’t know what was going through Rondon’s mind. Obviously he’s come on and he wants to get to the pace of the game.
“But the more I look at that challenge the worse it got. It wasn’t good.
“And then Everton, down to nine men, missing two players for the rest of the season.
“I know there was only two games but they were very important games. Very important games.
“You know I think if Everton could keep 11 players on the pitch they’d be okay.
“But they haven’t been able to do it, especially against Brentford it was very difficult.
“They need to keep up their quota and keep 11 players on the pitch.
“It’s crazy the amount of players that get sent off.
“It’s pressure. It’s what pressure does. Pressure makes people do crazy things.”
It ultimately didn’t cost the Toffees their place in the Premier League thanks to the drama against Crystal Palace on Thursday (19 May), but it very nearly did.
Michael Keane picked up two bookings as they lost at West Ham (3 April), Allan’s yellow was upgraded by a VAR review in the Newcastle win (17 March), while Jonjoe Kenny was shown two yellows in the previous game during defeat to Wolves.
The previous red was for Mason Holgate in November, but five dismissals once the relegation battle had set in suggests the temperament of too many in the squad has caused extra problems, and is sure to be in Frank Lampard’s mind as he makes plans over the summer.
In other Everton news, doubt could now linger past the end of the season over what division the club will be in next year.
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