Rival player admits they tried & failed to ‘unsettle’ Everton duo, shares who’s ‘world-class’

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Andros Townsend has admitted to the ITV Football Podcast (07/10/20) that Crystal Palace tried to ‘unsettle’ Everton’s new boys James Rodriguez and Allan when the two sides met last month.

Everton won that encounter towards the back end of September and Townsend shared that his side’s tactic to try and be ‘aggressive’ with the midfield duo because they were new to English football didn’t work out.

Whilst the game in itself wasn’t one of Everton’s best performances of their 100% start to the campaign so far, they did still walk away from Selhurst Park with Rodriguez and Allan doing bits in midfield.

Townsend started the game and actually got an assist for Palace’s equaliser, as he shared what it was like coming up against this new-look Everton team and he labelled Carlo Ancelotti as ‘world-class’.

“We knew it was going to be difficult,” Townsend told the ITV Football Podcast. “We knew they had world-class players, but tried to play on the fact that a couple of them hadn’t played in the Premier League before.

“Allan and Rodriguez, it was quite early. If we were very aggressive with them then we could unsettle them. Unfortunately, James, on the day, had a very good game.

“I think he set up the first goal, so, unfortunately, on the day, it wasn’t to be. But they have strengthened incredibly and they have a world-class manager. They have given him money. He has spent it in the right way and I am pretty sure they will be tough to beat this season.”

Only a couple of months ago, when football restarted, Ancelotti’s players looked lacklustre, a team that had no speed to their game, lack of ideas and hardly a sign that they were going to score goals.

But the summer transfer window that followed the conclusion of the last campaign has resulted in the Toffees being transformed by their Italian craftsman.

Whilst Dominic Calvert-Lewin cannot stop scoring and there is a sense of calmness to their backline, the new midfield trio of Abdoulaye Doucoure, Rodriguez and Allan have made the world of difference to the now thriving Merseyside giants.