"Under-eights defending" ... Steve Evans has another dig at Rotherham United's Cameron Humphreys
MANAGER Steve Evans put Cameron Humphreys in his firing line for the second time this season as he accused the centre-half of “under-eights defending” following another Rotherham United League One loss yesterday.
The 26-year-old was substituted at half-time in the 1-0 reverse at Crawley Town after being at fault for the home side's goal.
Rotherham have now lost four of their last five third-tier outings and have slipped to 18th in the table.
When it was put to him in the after-match media questioning that Humphreys hadn't lasted the match, Evans responded: “Did you see the goal? Cameron was poor today. And there was a change of system. We went (from 3-5-2) to a 4-3-3.”
Humphreys' lack-lustre marking allowed William Swan to get inside him and turn in Tobias Mullarkey's low cross.
“We can't concede goals like the one we did today,” Evans said. “Under-eights concede a goal like that.
“We can't set up any better, we can't go and close down their cross any better, we can't make sure people are picked up in the box any better. But if someone loses the will to defend you're going to concede.”
Many observers felt Mullarkey was given too much time and space to make his right-flank delivery.
The boss first pointed the finger at Humphreys last month following a 1-0 loss at Leyton Orient. The former Manchester City youngster missed a headed chance when the score was 0-0 and was then blamed by his manager for Orient's winner which came only seconds later.
Evans included the defender in “five or six” players he thought were “going through the motions” against Crawley at Broadfield Stadium.
When asked how he could get more out of them, he said: “It becomes a ‘self’ thing: self-pride.
“We can't afford for people to be down. It's my job to go into training in the early part of the week and lift the players.”
Rotherham don't play again until a week on Tuesday when play-off contenders Lincoln City travel to AESSEAL New York Stadium.
Evans has promised a push for the top six and knows he is running out of time to deliver on that pledge.
“We'll regroup, work hard and see what Tuesday brings,” he said. “It's now or never. We have to step up in the month of December.
“Fortunately for us, when my staff show me the results today, there is no team running away with things. It's difficult to win points but we have to find a way.”