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Against all odds, Everton beat Chelsea 1-0. And it is unexpected because he is one of the leaders and candidate for the Premier League title, because Carlo Ancelotti’s team had a slump in results and because, right at that juncture, he had to improvise at the last minute due to injuries , including that of James Rodríguez.
The result, in the midst of these difficulties, exceeded expectations. The ‘Toffees’ went from the ninth to the seventh box, now they are only 2 points behind European positions and, what is better, the DT has confirmed that he does have ‘wardrobe bottom’ and could be enough to sign the season that the club bosses are waiting.
The question then is no longer the what, since the result resolves the doubts, but the how: does the team improve when it does not depend only on the creative talent of James Rodríguez? The answer must link the perception and the reality of the numbers.
Perception
First, it is worth analyzing the form. Everton was able to beat a particularly imprecise Chelsea in its attack at Goodison Park, largely pressured by the good disposition of Ancelotti’s team on the field, now that it returned to the four backs that give more security and that it used a midfield with three men, who was not only robust in brand with Allan and Doucouré but also incorporated a man with sacrifice in the defensive task and qualities for the attack like Sigurdsson. That gave Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin and Iwobi comfort but also committed them to being the first defenders.
There is the basis of the criticism of James: Iwobi, the man who took his place on the right, was much more sacrificed than the left-hander on the mark and that detail, without a doubt, gave balance to the entire team. In fact, few but very dangerous times were reached the rival area, a detail that Ancelotti surely took note of, since he no longer rested with the ball but more damage was done without it.
Statistics
However, it would be unfair and inaccurate to say that Everton improves without James, at least from the numbers.
It must be said that the first four victories and even the draw in the classic against Liverpool and the victory over Southampton laid a good base of 13 points, which allowed them to endure the subsequent slump: today the team has 20 units, added the victory against Fulham and the draw against Burnley, games in which James was well rated.
And more than that: of the 10 games that the left-hander played, in the 12 Premier League dates, his team was more offensive and had a higher average of goals scored (1.9%), with more clear goal options manufactured, on average 2.6, according to data from the newspaper AS
In 846 minutes he adds 3 goals and 3 assists, a performance that has not yet been achieved the two times he was absent, both due to physical problems.
The lesions
The little fortune that the Colombian has had with physical problems is an issue that, although it is not anyone’s fault, has begun to worry.
James was first affected by a problem, apparently in one testicle, and another, apparently, in the calf. The mysteries are a priority in the clauses of their contracts and that is why you always have to assume. It is the same with the amount of your transfer from Real Madrid: nobody knows how much it cost.
And in the intermission there were five games without winning with Everton, which added to 3 of the 4 that he played with the Colombian National Team, give the idea that he forced himself physically and is now paying the bill.
Will there be patience? In your case yes. The football director, Marcel Brands, recently explained that from the beginning James was thought of as a man dedicated to the offensive task and that for that reason other brand positions were strengthened, without requiring him to fulfill that task. As DT Ancelotti explained at the time.
“Not only does he bring us the exceptional qualities we were looking to add to the team, he brings a level of experience and excellence that has clearly improved us as a team and squad,” said the manager.
So there is no reason to sound the alarm bells yet and there is no sense in Everton that it gets better without the most expensive man on the payroll. Sadly, in Colombia more than in England it is judged with such severity.
