West Brom 0-1 Everton: Player Ratings

 

Starting XI:

Jordan Pickford - 7

Pickford’s most notable moment in this game came in the opening three minutes as he made a fabulous left handed save to deny Diagne. From that moment on Pickford was relatively untroubled, as West Brom struggled to find the target. One of Pickford’s big issues over the last couple of seasons has been losing focus in games where he has little to do which has led to him making an error in the moment he’s needed. However, it’s something he seems to be getting out of his system in the last few games. Didn’t have a lot to do once again but was there when needed.

Mason Holgate - 6

It was another particularly dogged, hardworking display from Holgate. He’s not great going forward, which is frustrating at times as he had chances to put a ball into the box and just made a mess of the cross or didn’t attempt it at all. That said he’s a centre back and isn’t there for his attacking exploits, he defended well all game and won his individual battles with Phillips. Distribution let him down at times again when he tried to be more intricate then he needed to, but he generally kept it simple, so a solid performance overall.

Michael Keane - 7

Keane was locked in a physical battle with Diagne for the majority of the game, with the Senegalese proving to be a difficult player to handle. The baggies striker seemed to get the better of him in a lot of the aerial duels early on, but Keane then seemed to drop back and allow him the space before then moving in to make the tackle. He adapted his game part way through and it made a difference in limiting the threat Diagne posed throughout the second half. He lost his man right at the end as West Brom thought they had got the equaliser but ultimately it was offside, so I won’t hold that against him.

Ben Godfrey - 7.5

Godfrey just edges out his centre back partner here as I think he made some vital blocks and recovery tackles at the back when we looked vulnerable. With Diagne almost exclusively going up against Keane, Godfrey didn’t really have a lot to do when the ball was played long. However, there were several occasions in the second half when West Brom looked to have superior numbers, only for Godfrey to win the ball back with some excellent, aggressive tackles and blocks. He doesn’t put a foot wrong and I’d say he was the best of the back four.

Lucas Digne - 6

Digne’s performance was very similar to Holgate’s in many ways, he was solid defensively but often wasteful in the final third when it came to his delivery. However, I’d rate his performance below Holgate’s because we expect so much more of him. When it came to putting the ball into the box he just didn’t deliver and his set pieces were uncharacteristically poor, often failing to beat the first man. I was relieved to see Sigurdsson heading over to take the corner in the lead up to the goal and ultimately it paid dividends as I don’t think Digne would have put in as good a cross. Ultimately though, he played his part in yet another clean sheet so a 6/10 seems about right.

Abdoulaye Doucouré - 5

I think the midfield was Everton’s weak point with just the two of them against West Brom’s midfield three. Doucouré tried as he always does to provide energy and fashion openings but with the lack of cover, he could never commit too far upfield. He also gave the ball away too easily on a number of occasions with some sloppy passing. He’s played an incredible amount of football this season and has been so important for this team. It may be an element of fatigue that’s finally caught up with him. Ancelotti brought him off for Sigurdsson after an hour and it seemed the right call to give him a rest.

André Gomes - 5

Off of the first 50-55 minutes Gomes would have been heading for, at the very most, a 3/10. His passing was incredibly sloppy so often trying to play unnecessary balls and gifting the ball back to West Brom. He wanted too much time in possession and when he wasn’t giving the ball away he was passing backwards. However, he’s never been a player well suited to a midfield two, so when Allan was introduced and he switched to a three in midfield he was much improved. His passing sharpened up and he looked much stronger on the ball to retain possession. He made 16 ball recoveries in the game, granted that most of them came off the back of his own poor passes but it was a decent defensive performance nonetheless.

Alex Iwobi - 4

This genuinely may even be a generous score for Iwobi, if we hadn’t won the game it may well have been a lot harsher but it truly was a really poor performance from Alex in this one. He seems to struggle more the less games he plays as whenever he has started recently he just looks miles off the pace. He spent the majority of this game running down blind alleys, always in two minds as to what he was going to do with the ball and once he reached the final third his end product was incredibly disappointing. He either didn’t beat the first man, blasted it over everyone’s head or he just didn’t put the cross in at all. It wasn’t a memorable night for Iwobi who was taken off in favour of Allan just shy of the hour mark.

Bernard  - 6

The biggest surprise when the lineup was announced was the inclusion of Bernard on the left side of midfield. Making his first Premier League start since New Years Day and it was lively performance from him in this one. Had some nice moments and injected some pace to progress up the pitch when it was needed. Didn’t have a huge impact but a solid return to the team.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin - 6

Struggled to get into the game by a large, he couldn’t find much joy in the air against Bartley and had very little service otherwise, so he wasn’t able to make much of an impact. Had one great chance to make it 1-0 before half time as the ball fell to him in the box but it was a poor finish one on one with the goalkeeper. Often had to resort to dropping deep to get a touch on the ball as he received very little otherwise.

Richarlison - 8 (MOTM)

Always looked to be the biggest threat on goal for this Everton side. Whilst Calvert-Lewin tussled in the air to little effect, Richarlison used his body to hold off the West Brom centre backs and get in behind their defence. Got back well and helped out defensively as he always does and once again stepped up to score the match winning goal. He has to play up front every game from now on because he’s wasted on the left-wing, he looks such so much more of a threat when he plays as a striker.

Subs: 

 Allan - 7

The first of two game changing substitutions by Ancelotti. Allan came into the midfield and instantly the side looked far more organised. He stabilised the side in a spell that West Brom were looking threatening and from the point on we started to get out foot on the ball and take control of the game. Was also very good defensively after going 1-0 up to see the game out.

Gylfi Sigurdsson - 7

The second of Ancelotti’s substitutions and it instantly payed dividends with Sigurdsson setting up the winner within a minute of coming on. With the likes of Digne, Iwobi & Bernard always missing the final ball, the game was crying out for a quality delivery and Sigurdsson provided it. It was the Icelandic Midfielders ninth assist of the campaign and it was another that ultimately set up the match winning goal.

Josh King - 5

Came on in place of Bernard for the final 10 minutes and did a decent enough job. The team were already looking to hold on to the 1-0 by that point which meant that he didn’t have any real chances to get on the ball. Went on a decent run down the right hand side but ultimately only had Calvert-Lewin in the middle amongst a crowd of West Brom defenders.