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Yerry Mina appears
How does Carlo Ancelotti solve a £ 70 million problem?
Probably with a raised eyebrow, but with an additional headache or two, just in case.
Ben Godfrey was bought for £ 20 million, Yerry Mina for more than £ 25 million and Michael Keane for the same. That’s £ 70 million of talent. In its current form, Mason Holgate’s worth is anyone’s guess.
And while Everton keeps winning, and at the same time recording a clean sheet, Ancelotti can be pleased with the performances of his makeshift defensive quartet.
But what will the pecking order be centrally when Seamus Coleman returns in the first place? And then Lucas Digne too?
Mina, at Leicester, had the kind of performance you expect from someone who has lined up alongside Lionel Messi. Comfortable on the ball, he reveled in battle with Jamie Vardy. Not many advocates can say that.
Holgate played alongside Keane until his injury at the end of last season but, by doing work for the team as a right back and becoming a true leader, he may well find his position under threat.
And what about Jarrad Branthwaite too, who has made good progress on his comeback from injury with the U23s? It’s a shame of riches for Ancelotti and Marcel Brands at the moment.
Decisions will have to be made eventually, but the contribution, at a crucial momentum in terms of momentum, by the four defenders at King Power Stadium cannot be overlooked.
When was the last time Everton had such an overflow of defensive quality? Many European rivals will look at Ancelotti with envy.
I need more, Andre Gomes!
The Most Released Man award at King Power Stadium on Wednesday night went to Andre Gomes. Hands down.
An inning that, in real time, looked awkward and slow was finally disallowed after Lee Mason conceded a penalty when substitute Ayoze Pérez sank into the area.
There were eight minutes of regulation time remaining and Everton, comfortable at 2-0, would have been under real pressure had VAR not reviewed the penalty.
So we can point to it as a good challenge, but Gomes had more than 45 minutes to impress after replacing the affected Allan in the first half.
In all honesty, he is a long way from the player who first arrived from Barcelona with Marco Silva.
Granted, the injury he suffered last year was horrible, and Gomes himself has admitted that he still doesn’t feel in top shape.
But Everton need more dynamism from him if they want to get into the starting lineup in Allan’s absence. He’s certainly neat and orderly, and he can pick a pass, but when was the last time you took the ball and moved Everton forward?
That side of his game hasn’t been shown enough since his return.
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A win and a clean sheet allowed Gomes to cross out a symbol of work done for now. However, the real test begins when Everton have a proper diagnosis on Allan and Ancelotti begins to consider what his midfield will be like without his trusted lieutenant.
Gomes’ quality has never been in doubt, nor has his commitment. However, you feel that now is the right time for you to start finding your place right now.
It almost feels like now or never.
Carlo the player
Carlo Ancelotti bet. And it was generously worth it.
The Everton manager made a clean-sheet change against Chelsea on Saturday, and was a pivotal man for the shutout, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who was rotated with Robin Olsen.
Olsen stepped in for his second Premier League appearance of the season after arriving from Roma on loan on the deadline and scored his first clean sheet, courtesy of a disallowed penalty, an offside goal and a pair of smart saves .
Overall it turned out to be a good night’s work for the Swede, who has shown quite a bit in his 180 minutes in the first team that he is a more than capable substitute for Pickford.
But what about the other goalkeeper present at King Power?
Jonas Lossl traveled to Leicester, along with Niels Nkounkou, and donned gloves to help Pickford and Olsen warm up alongside goalkeeping coach Alan Kelly.
However, once kick-off came, he returned to the stands. And what does the future hold?
He left Goodison Park in search of first-team football last January as Euro 2020 approached. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, he faces a Groundhog Day decision when the window reopens in two weeks.
Does it make any sense for him to stay at Finch Farm as a training keeper? At 31, he is in his prime and impressed after returning to Huddersfield Town last year.
But Huddersfield was the right club at the right time. He is a legend there after helping them stay in the Premier League during his first term and they needed a replacement after Kamil Grabara suffered a serious head injury.
Things may not fit together so conveniently this time. Joao Virginia and Harry Tyrer may take on the third-choice role at Everton if he leaves, but Lossl is definitely one of the most curious transfers in recent memory.
With Olsen and Pickford inspiring each other for increasingly positive performances, it seems inevitable that Lossl will leave Goodison Park sometime in the next 18 months without a Premier League appearance to his name.
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