Ally McCoist and Alan Brazil argue live on air after controversy in Everton v Tottenham
Ally McCoist and Alan Brazil argued live on air about whether Jack Harrison’s opening goal for Everton against Tottenham should have stood or if there was a foul on Guglielmo Vicario.
Brazil was adamant that standing on the toes of the goalkeeper to prevent him from reaching the ball was obstruction, and therefore a foul, slamming the referees for not doing their job.
McCoist, meanwhile, insisted that Dyche had been clever by targeting the Tottenham goalkeeper, and told him to be stronger when coming to claim balls from set-pieces.
Speaking live on talkSPORT [7 February, 08:58], McCoist explained: “Sean Dyche, who is a very intelligent man, swarmed him. I think it was Jack Harrison on him at corners. Everton benefited from it.
“The first goal, which if I’m Calvert-Lewin by the way, I’m taking that all day, but that aside Vicario has got to be stronger. Sean Dyche saw the weakness, and they got their reward from it.”
Brazil hit back, insisting: “When you stand in front of the goalkeeper and stop him coming out it’s obstruction, it’s a free kick. It’s obstruction. The numpties at the moment keep getting it all wrong.”
McCoist then argued: “He should have been stronger, simple as he should have been stronger. You’ve turned over a new leaf with your protecting goalkeepers every five minutes.”
Finally, Brazil rounded off the debate by simply saying: “I just think it’s ridiculous what’s gone on there, I really do.”
McCoist is right, Dyche was smart
Claims of obstruction on the goalkeeper are farfetched. If it had been Jordan Pickford blocked by James Maddison, the call would more likely have been that it was a smart tactic to use.
Realistically, it was never a foul on the goalkeeper. For far too long they have been protected with every slight touch being deemed a foul. Blocking isn’t a foul on the attacking players in the box, so why would it be given as one against the keeper?
Even former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher, live on Sky Sports, shared his view that it wasn’t a foul on the keeper, also suggesting he should have been stronger as all Harrison did was stand in front of him.
Dyche deserves praise for the way he set up his team on set pieces. It wasn’t necessarily pretty, and neither of the goals were, but it’s effective and it works for Everton. It gets points on the board and at this stage, that’s what they need.
In other Everton news, Kieran Maguire shared what will have happened at the appeal.
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