RONALD KOEMAN admits Everton’s players have a mental block over his plans for a Goodison revolution.
The Toffees crashed to their second defeat on the bounce with a dismal 1-0 loss at Bournemouth last week.
Koeman could accept the result but not the performance.
The Dutch boss was unhappy at his side’s inability — or unwillingness — to press, which left huge spaces for their opponents to exploit.
Now Koeman is demanding the players get their heads around his ideas if they hope to challenge the top dogs this term.
He said: “For some players it’s difficult. If they’re used to not pressing, it’s hard.
“For some it’s a big problem because they don’t know what to do. So some will change their attitude and you wait, and finally you make up your mind yes or no.
“It’s a mental aspect not fitness — it is about attitude.
“Sometimes it’s difficult because our strikers are not used to pressing how we tried to press the opponent and it takes time.
“They have found it difficult to do it in the way we want.”
Koeman was at pains to insist it was not a personal dig at attacking spearhead Romelu Lukaku, but every man in a blue shirt.
Yet it was a crafty pop at former chief Roberto Martinez, who modelled his style around Pep Guardiola’s methods. The basis of the Spaniard’s approach in turning Barcelona into the world’s best team started with winning the ball back as swiftly as possible.
So the fact Koeman insists it is so alien to Everton’s stars was a shrewd swipe at his predecessor.
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He added: “We have given more attention to the aspects of playing compact, and of how we need to press, because we have to improve in that area.
“That has been the attention in the sessions this week and we will see if we do it better than we did against Bournemouth.”
Koeman gets a swift chance to see if his ideas have sunk in when Crystal Palace come to Goodison this evening.
Lukaku will again lead the line, despite having ongoing problems with an injured foot.
Yet the Everton boss insisted the hitman must shrug off the pain — like he had to during his own playing days for Holland and Barcelona. When quizzed about the Belgian’s fitness, he tapped his head and said: “It is most important here when you start.
“I cannot remember any time when I was playing that I didn’t have pain.
“Rom has had a problem with his toe, he’s had it several times over the last few years, but it’s OK. Sometimes you have to start with a little bit of pain.”
Koeman also revealed how he has encouraged feedback from his players as they aim to regain the winning thread after two straight defeats.
The Bournemouth loss followed a League Cup KO by Norwich at Goodison — and everyone has had a chance to air their views in the analysis sessions.
He added: “It’s about communication. It’s good to have meetings, because they need to think about how we can do better.”
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