Paul Robinson found issue with the ‘blame culture’ Jordan Pickford and the Everton defenders showed in their 1-1 draw away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
The Toffees looked set to fall to a potentially costly defeat at Molineux as Sean Dyche’s side fight for their Premier League survival. Hwang Hee-Chan (34’) put Julen Lopetegui’s team in the lead late in the first half after Pickford could only parry Adama Traore’s initial attempt.
Traore charged almost the length of the pitch from an Everton attack before Hwang handed Wolves the lead. The Goodison Park side started well on the road in the West Midlands. But Dyche’s squad could not make their early pressure count following an array of early efforts.
Pickford and the Everton defenders worried Robinson at Wolves
The way that Pickford and the Everton defenders reacted to Wolves taking the lead worried Robinson this Saturday, as well. The former England goalkeeper did not like how the Blues’ backline began arguing and pointing fingers at who was the most at fault for Hwang’s goal.
“Everton are looking around for some direction,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “Shoulders have started to drop.
“The conversation between Pickford and his defenders has been constant throughout the first half. But you could see the shouting and blame culture coming in after the goal. They need togetherness, they need camaraderie, not criticism.”
Losing at Wolves could have proven costly for Everton as they fight to be a Premier League side next season. But Yerry Mina emerged as Dyche’s hero in the ninth minute of second-half stoppage-time. The centre-half swept the ball home to rescue a possibly crucial point.
Dyche may share Robinson’s concerns ahead of the final day
Everton looked set to suffer a frustrating time in the West Midlands before Mina equalised as time almost expired. But they will host AFC Bournemouth at Goodison Park next Sunday likely still needing a result. It still remains a close-fought battle to avoid suffering relegation.
But the blame culture between Pickford and the Everton defenders at Wolves, as Robinson spotted, will also concern Dyche. He will not want to see his players go into the final day of the season not trusting each other. They may have to be a cohesive team to avoid the drop.
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