Sky Sports pundit reacts to Richard Keys Everton criticism over missing Conor Coady
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…
Conor Coady’s absence against Wolves can’t be blamed for Everton losing the game on Boxing Day, according to former captain Kevin Campbell.
The on-loan defender was ineligible to play against his parent club as the Toffees went down to a last minute winner in stoppage time, with beIN Sports anchor Richard Keys subsequently suggesting that the club’s “player of the season” would have made a difference if his deal had been made permanent by now on his blog.
But Sky Sports pundit Campbell has refused to put the defeat down to Coady’s absence, especially when the only goal Everton managed to score came from his replacement Yerry Mina.
Speaking exclusively to Goodison News he said: “You could say that [it affected the stability] but it is what it is at the end of the day.
“Conor Coady plays all the games for Everton but he just couldn’t play against his parent club, and how the deal was structured it could only be a loan at the start. That was it.
“You accept it. And let’s be honest, the lad who came in for him scored the goal, Yerry Mina.
“Who’s to say Everton even score if Conor Coady’s there?
“That fact is Everton fell asleep and let Wolves off the hook, broke on them deep in the game and that’s what cost Everton.”
Perhaps Coady could have done something about one of the Wolves goals had he been playing, with both sloppy ones to concede.
But he plays at the opposite end of the pitch from where the problems lie, and wouldn’t have been there to finish off one of the many chances that were created in the first half.
The question of why he remains on loan rather than be made a permanent signing as soon as possible remains valid, but in terms of the Wolves game Mina outshone the rest of his teammates in terms of finishing and had he been matched in any way the points would have been secured.