FC’s Craig Burley and Alison Bender evaluate Ronald Koeman’s debut as Everton manager in a 1-1 draw with Spurs.
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It appears unlikely that Williams will be the last new face through the door at Everton’s Finch Farm training base after the club were heavily linked to Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie and Sunderland centre-back Lamine Kone this week.
Last seasons Premier League Golden Boot victor hopes to put the images of Tottenham’s title collapse and England’s Euro 2016 failure behind him.
“I was focussed on today’s match but we are waiting for two or three new player and the board are working hard to bring them in”.
“The first 45 minutes was really excellent – the energy we put in the game and the reaction of the fans supporting the team”.
Everton striker Romelu Lukaku is out of his side’s first game of the season against Tottenham at Goodison Park. Being a regular full-time starter for two years now, Lamela has gradually come into the category of one of Tottenham’s better players.
“We were a young team so that is good for us”.
Mauricio Pochettino saw enough and sent Vincent Janssen on for Eric Dier before the hour mark, allowing Kane to drop deeper to see more of the ball.
“I have spoken that we may get one or two”, he told the BBC.
The Dutch coach also affirmed Everton’s desire to keep hold of Lukaku, scorer of 18 Premier League goals last season, with the British media widely reporting that Chelsea are keen on the Belgian worldwide. Our aim is top four and whatever is better is better.
“It will be a very interesting league this year”.
Everton manager Ronald Koeman has declared his players are only at 70 per cent in terms of their fitness ahead of their season-opening clash with Tottenham on Saturday.
Pochettino said he was not satisfied with the point away from home. “We wanted to finish second, we did not so he was disappointed just like us”. In the second half we looked like the team we were last season, so we need to analyse that, but it is only the first game of the season.
“We are a team who have stuck together”. That is what they did.
“We want to do better, we want to improve”.
“I don’t really know about Vincent Janssen, I just know that he made a great season with his club in Holland”. It was my responsibility too, and I tried to change things so we could create chances, score and win the game.
Mousa Dembele is suspended but fellow Belgian Jan Vertonghen is available again after an ankle injury picked up during Euro 2016. It was hard, especially the way they play – with lots of running.
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“I feel fit and ready to go”.
