Ancelotti strikes positive note despite Everton defeat at Tottenham

Everton looked tired and insipid in a flat performance that ensured they left the stadium of a top six side with their heads hanging in defeat yet again. The Blues had been unbeaten since the resumption of play, with a genuine chance to throw their hats into the ring fighting for a Europa League spot, but completely failed to wake from their stupor against a pretty woeful Tottenham Hotspur side in a 1-0 loss.

Speaking after the game, manager Carlo Ancelotti addressed the question that most fans had, why were his side not showing any effort or interest?

We did compete. We could have competed better, yes. In the first half we lost a lot of second balls but we were in the game until the very end.

We were a little bit unlucky, we could do more I think.

We have to keep fighting. It’s a defeat but we have to look forward to the next game. The dream is still there to go to Europe.

Everton were dire in attack, much like they have been in every loss of his tenure so far, all away at top six sides.

The game was equalized. It was a midfield battle.

In the second half we created more opportunity, we had more space in the middle. We did not have a lot of chances, but in possession we were better.

The Toffees now have only two away wins at top six sides in the last twelve seasons, a total of 72 games. Ancelotti was asked if his team needed to change from within to get over what is at this point clearly a mental block.

Yes I think so, we have to change the mentality.

This is normal, we want to do a step more but we cannot do it in one day, so day by day you improve your quality, confidence, spirit to reach the next step.

Ancelotti was forced into making an early change with Mason Holgate’s injury, but also replaced Alex Iwobi then Gylfi Sigurdsson in the second half.

I wanted to use fresh legs for the game.

Iwobi had a little problem in his hamstring so I took him out, after that I put in a fresh player for the end of the game.

Is the European dream still alive?

There is still five games, next five games we have to keep fighting. We have three games away and a chance still, we are working on that.