Michael Ball has criticized Everton forward Jack Harrison for his performance in the Toffees’ stalemate with Tottenham, describing him as “erratic”.
Sean Dyche’s team drew 2-2 with Spurs at Goodison Park on Saturday (3 December), with Harrison’s first-half strike and a late equaliser by Jarrad Branthwaite canceling out Richarlison’s brace for the visitors.
Harrison’s performance was far from flawless, as he struggled to affect events aside from his goal, which he knew little about, and Ball has chastised the Leeds loanee for his “passive” performance.
On Monday (5 February), he wrote in the Liverpool Echo: “Harrison is continually looking over his shoulder, trying to figure out where the opponent is trying to pass. That’s good when everyone is set up, but when things are so unpredictable, you have to really commit.
“His work ethic is excellent, and he appears to be busy, yet he is inefficient and wastes too much energy by being too deep and lethargic. He doesn’t always deliver sharpness and pressure when you need him to.
“Jack’s work ethic is impressive, and I’m sure he’ll be a stats man’s favorite in the analysis room because he probably runs more than anyone else, but is he productive on the field?
“As for Everton’s first goal, it looked like Jack Harrison was a little bit embarrassed by it.”
‘Erratic’ Harrison might fuel Everton’s relegation fears.
Ball’s claim that Harrison would have been embarrassed by his goal on Saturday seemed harsh, since the Everton winger made a point of saying he understood very nothing about the strike, smiling alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
However, his idea that the Leeds loanee should do more to impact games both in and out of possession is quite reasonable, and most fans would like to see Harrison work on this for the rest of the season.
The 27-year-old was dispossessed twice and failed to find a teammate with any of his four attempted crosses throughout the game, as he frequently gave up control. He wasn’t the only one who did this; Ashley Young and Dwight McNeil also overhit crosses on multiple occasions.
However, if Everton hopes to avoid relegation this season, their greatest and most creative players must be firing on all cylinders. Harrison is one of those starters who needs to step up to help Dyche’s team win.
In other Everton news, Moshiri apparently has begun to have questions about 777 Partners’ takeover and approval.
