It didn’t take that long. It was November, prior to the 2022 Qatar Qualifying break, and the sharpest criticism against Yerry Mina was being heard at Everton.
Slow, erratic in his decisions, disjointed. Ancelotti claimed it when, after seeing him suffer against Newcastle (defeat 2-1), Manchester United (0-3) and Fulham (victory 2-3), he left it out against Leeds (defeat 0-1), after that trip to Colombia to be expelled and have a match against oblivion against Uruguay.
But Yerry has an amazing ability to assimilate blows: the worse he is talked about, the more acidic the criticism, the lower his head to understand that there is no personal attack if the work is not done well and the more motivated he feels to close mouths. You have to have a bit of that festive character of yours so as not to get lost in the ego trap into which so many … Colombians even, colleagues.
It is true that it helped him a lot to go from the module of three in the back, which exposes him a lot to attack from behind, to that of four improvised centrals on the sides (Holgate and Godfrey) because that allows him to better delimit his space and make coverage With more precision. Ancelotti, that when he decides to help, he really helps.
Mina showed signs of recovery against Burnley (1-1) and took off definitively against Chelsea (1-0), Leicester (victory 1-2) and Arsenal (2-1) and not content with doing his job impeccably, he reached him to score a header goal in the last Premier outing. He was not in the good grade average, it would be unfair to say: he was among the highest rated!
Like this Wednesday, despite the elimination of Everton at the hands of United in the quarterfinals of the Carabao Cup. “He put his body on the line to make sure he kept the level in the opening attacks. Good in possession and improved his performance when Michael Keane lost. Excellent positioning, “said Liverpool Echo, which gave it a 7 rating. It was the best valued by the specialized newspaper, the one with the highest note, the best in Goodison Park.
And they are not exaggerating: the Cavani annulled Cavani until the 88th minute (they sent him to the lead of Godfrey in the second half when they saw that he could not win the duel against the Colombian), he was awake, alive to anticipate the plays, putting saving points , invincible from above, concentrated, fine. If not for the elimination it would have been consummated as a figure.
Mina is ending 2020 where she wanted: holder, figure, key to Ancelotti, indisputable. It’s the difference between collapsing in the face of criticism and using it to fuel recovery. It is a joy for him to be at the level expected of a defender who cost 30 million euros and who was waited patiently in the first year when he was the victim of successive injuries. Everton is your place in the world. If today were March, it would be nice to see that same elongated image in the Colombian National Team …
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