BBC journalist makes Everton admission ahead of clash v Crystal Palace, ‘grossly unreliable’
Everton are an “improving team” heading into their clash against Crystal Palace on Saturday (11 November), according to Mike Hughes.
Writing on the BBC Sport website on Thursday (9 November), the BBC Radio Merseyside journalist insisted that possession statistics are often a “grossly unreliable” way of measuring how a game has gone after the Toffees recorded just 20 per cent of the possession against Brighton on Saturday (4 November).
He added that it was “hardly daylight robbery” that the game against the Seagulls ended in a 1-1 draw as the Blues look to build upon their solid recent form at Selhurst Park after picking up five wins and one draw in their last eight matches.
“Everton managed just 20 per cent possession against Brighton, suggesting Roberto de Zerbi’s men dominated proceedings,” said Hughes. “Yet Everton had more shots than Brighton and double the shots on target. Possession statistics are one way of measuring games – and quite often they are grossly unreliable.
“When the same two sides met at the Amex Stadium in May, the possession stats were similar. Then, Everton had just 22.5 per cent possession and won the game 5-1 against one of the division’s in-form teams. It was not fortunate either, just as the draw at Goodison Park on Saturday was hardly daylight robbery.
“What is evidential right now though is that going into Saturday’s Premier League match at Crystal Palace, Everton are an improving team. After all, they have won five and drawn one of their last eight matches.”
Keep building
It’s pretty clear that Everton are moving in the right direction and their recent good form seems to have largely gone under the radar.
But that will certainly suit Sean Dyche as he once again looks to put his side in with the best chance of picking up a positive result against Crystal Palace at the weekend.
The victory over West Ham – backed up by a solid point against Brighton – will have shown the Toffees boss that he has more than enough quality in his side to keep them from being dragged into another relegation battle.
Selhurst Park can be a fairly tricky place to go in front of a hostile crowd and Roy Hodgson will be looking to set his team up to be organised and allow the Blues very few chances.
These are the type of games, though, where the Merseysiders should fancy their chances of heading to South London and adding more points to their total on the back of their recent form.
In other Everton news, a BBC pundit has shared an “intriguing” admission amid Dyche’s style of play.