Michael Ball delivers verdict on Everton display v Fulham
Michael Ball was far from impressed with the second-half performance from Everton as the Toffees managed a 0-0 draw in the Premier League against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The former Toffees player turned pundit has described the second half as “shocking”, saying the final ball was “non-existent”.
Ball, however, was left impressed with Everton defenders, with Vitalli Mykolenko particularly outstanding.
Via Twitter, Ball wrote: “Deserved f-all after that shocking second half performance. Didn’t threaten. Final ball nonexistent. Couldn’t stop crosses on our right side. Defended crosses in the box brilliantly. Both centre halves (clap emoji). Man of the Match – Mykolenko. Not what we wanted but one point away [from home], move on.”
We move on
Frank Lampard needs to take a hard look at why he can’t win games away from home.
There is no doubt that the Toffees have improved a lot from where they were last season. The home performance has been very good, and the overall performance has improved.
However, the away record has become a thorny issue for the side.
The Toffees were excellent in the first half at Craven Cottage. They created some good chances and remained tight at the back.
Last season, whenever Everton conceded a goal, they struggled to come back into the game.
The central defensive pair of Conor Coady and James Tarkowski has been outstanding for the club this season. Against Fulham, they were equally brilliant.
Probably, the Toffees still try to play safe when they are away from Goodison Park. They need to attack more and create chances, and for that maybe, they need to change their mindset a bit.