David Moyes screams at Micky van de Ven in a round overlay
Everton may have lost their unbeaten record at the new stadium against Tottenham but one player came away from the game feeling great.
Spurs left the Hill Dickinson Stadium with a 3-0 victory on Saturday afternoon thanks to a brace from Micky van de Ven and a late extra from Pape Matar Sarr.
Everton saw a Jake O’Brien equaliser ruled out by Craig Pawson after a VAR review in a frustrating game where the final score probably didn’t reflect the contest.
But despite the loss making it just one Premier League win since the end of August there was reason to be cheerful for one of the club’s newer recruits.
Merlin Rohl enthused by increased backing from David Moyes
Merlin Rohl joined the action as a late substitute against Tottenham but too late to turn the tide, although his involvement was a major positive for him personally.
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German Rohl arrived at Everton on loan from SC Freiberg as a late-window addition to David Moyes‘ squad earlier this season with an easily-triggered obligation to buy added to the deal.
Injury has hampered his progress and restricted him to just three substitute appearances in an Everton shirt so far, but he expressed his pleasure at the third of those outings to Alan Myers after the Saturday loss.
He told the former Toffees communications man, for Everton News: “I’m delighted to get a few more minutes on the pitch, it’s good that the coach is trusting me. I want to keep improving.”
Ex-Sky Sports journalist Myers himself has high hopes for the attacking midfielder on the evidence so far, expecting big things as he establishes himself at the club.
Marlin Rohl in action for Everton away at Man City
Credit: Imago
David Moyes signings positive but striker position remains concern
With the conditions for Rohl’s permanent stay on Merseyside believed to be as simple as staying in the top flight [Kicker] he will likely be at the club for the foreseeable future and so his slow-burning development should have plenty of time to come good yet.
Moyes and the fans, like the 23-year-old himself, would no doubt like progression to be quicker at this stage in the context of one league win since the end of August though.
Alongside Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s arrival from Chelsea and the headline-grabbing loan deal for Man City star Jack Grealish, Rohl’s arrival has helped flesh out a midfield unit that would have been the envy of some recent Toffees bosses.
But it remains up front where the major questions marks lie. Long-term top choice Dominic Calvert-Lewin is gone, as is investment project Youssef Chermiti, but positive signs from Beto after the New Year haven’t carried into the new season and Thierno Barry’s big-money Everton move has yet to pay off.
Moyes needs more cutting edge from his goal-scorers or mid-table might be the best he can hope for this term.
