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“An abundance of talent” – Pundit claims wasted Everton men thrive under Ancelotti

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Former England international Paul Robinson has lauded the spirit in which Everton were able to come back and beat Watford on Saturday, having found themselves two goals behind.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men conceded in the tenth minute at Vicarage Road when Adam Masina smashed home, and Roberto Pereyra would later double the Hornets’ advantage approaching half time.

A valiant end to the opening period saw Everton charge forward and snag a few corners, which our hosts could do little to defend before Yerry Mina would score and ensure there was nothing to separate either side as they headed into the break.

Finding it within them to refuse to be beaten over the weekend has impressed Robinson, who feels the fighting spirit showed Ancelotti is already getting more out of the first-team than those who stood on the touchline before him.

“It was a fantastic result that they managed to pull off,” Robinson told Football Insider. “After being two down, you could not see any way back for them.

“Mina’s two goals were brilliant. Then to get the goal at the end with ten-men shows the fight and desire that Everton has got now. They did not have it at the beginning of the season.

Was Mina your MOTM vs Watford?

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“Everton have spent hundreds of millions on an abundance of talent, but nobody has been able to put that talent into a formation that starts producing results.

“He [Ancelotti] seems to have done that and got the fight back in the players and the passion back in the shirt. Between now and the end of the season, I think they will continue to improve.”

Mina was certainly a star for Ancelotti on Saturday as he struck home our first two goals of the day to pull level with Watford, having poked in a goal-line scramble and broke free from Craig Cathcart in the space of three stoppage-time minutes.

The towering 6 ft 4 behemoth also produced a solid defensive display in the second-half to ensure the Hornets did not score again, with Mina recording a 100% tackle success rate, two clearances and two successful defensive aerial duels after the break, per WhoScored data.

A solid close to the match from Mina – and 73rd-minute substitute Michael Keane – was particularly important at the weekend following Fabian Delph’s red card, as Ancelotti moved Mason Holgate into midfield to help plug the gap caused by the England international.

Delph will need to avoid further mistakes like getting sent off needlessly at Vicarage Road if he is to avoid his name joining those who Robinson feels the club wasted millions on, as they have failed to deliver at Goodison Park under our previous head coaches.

In other Everton news, the club plan to hold talks with a ‘key’ part of Ancelotti’s side over a new contract.

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