Benitez tactical shifts bring Everton opening day win

Well it was nerve-wracking at first but Rafa Benitez gets his first season as Everton manager off to a winning start following a 3-1 win over Southampton this afternoon.

It wasn’t easy and at half-time and one nil down, many Everton fans must have been feeling ‘here we go again’ but after some clever tactical changes and a fantastic response from supporters drive the Blues to come back with three fine goals to claim all the points.

The run up to the match was dominated by questions about transfer policy and the absence of James Rodriguez and other players with further uncertainty over the Colombian’s future.

Benitez went with a similar eleven to that he had generally used in the pre-season games but with Mason Holgate in for Ben Godfrey and the addition of Richarlison who despite his summer excertions was ready to play.

Everton started brightly and looked reasonably in control until an individual error committed by Micheal Keane this time let Adam Armstrong in to score on his debut for the Saints.

These sorts of unforced errors have repeatedly cost the Toffees dear over the past few seasons and while opening day nerves (and maybe the unusual sound of fans in the stadium!) could have played their part, it’s something the Blues players must cut out of their game.

That mistake and the goal it led to seemed to distract the whole team and so began a familiar wobble that saw Everton eventually limp into halftime one down and looking in trouble.

We don’t know what Benitez said at half-time but at any rate the players looked a different team once the second half began.

The manager had also made a few shifts in tactical positions switching Holgate and Keane and pushing Richarlison more centrally to link up with an isolated Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

It worked almost straight away as the Brazilian forward nipped in to poke home the Toffees equaliser just a few mintues into the second half following an assist from Andros Townsend.

If Richarlison does stay at Everton (and it looks like he will at least for one more season) then it is essential for the team that he is able to rediscover the goal-scoring form of previous campaigns and this was certainly a positive start.

Now the home team had the wind in their sails and were pushing for more goals with a raucous Goodison crowd behind them. It’s so good to see and hear fans back in the Grand Old Lady.

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Then came probably the best goal of the three and it was scored by a player who didn’t contribute enough in the attacking third last season; midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure with Alex Iwobi who replaced Townsend centrally involved.

I wrote about how important it was for the team that the Blues midfielders, especially Doucoure, contribute a lot more in the final third this season.

This is also something Benitez is very keen to see and he was rewarded with a thunderous strike from the Frenchman as he finished a good move and put Everton in front. More of the that this campaign will certainly be a great boost for the side.

Then a few minutes later came the third as again Everton worked it well before a superb cross from Richarlison was met by Calvert-Lewin’s diving header reminiscent of a vintage Andy Gray and it squeezed into the net.

That always looked enough and so it was as Everton saw out the rest of the match to get, in the end, to a dream start to this brand new Premier League season. Next a tricky away trip up the motorway to Yorkshire and a Leeds team smarting from a 5 goal thumping at Old Trafford.