What The Papers Say - 21 January

Round-up of the day's paper talk.

The views on this page are taken from the local and national media and do not necessarily reflect the views of Everton.

 

 

DAVID Moyes believes hard-running Landon Donovan is ready to hit the heights for Everton again after his return was initially marred by poor results.

The USA forward began his second loan spell at Goodison with a dismal defeat by Bolton, and then featured in a patchy FA Cup win over non-leaguers Tamworth.

But Donovan, 29, helped the Blues bounce back with a much improved draw against Aston Villa at Villa Park last weekend, and the Everton manager paid tribute to the LA Galaxy's captain's impressive work-ethic.

He said: "I think he's done well. His first couple of games we didn't play well against Bolton or Tamworth really but he kept his head above water.

"After those two games he must have wondered what he'd come to.

"But after Villa he'd have said ‘this is more like it,' and more what he remembered.

"I thought he played well last week, and he'll take confidence from it. He made a couple of really big moments for us in the game. What he does that might not be appreciated is his levels of running and effort - they're up there with the best we've got at the club.

"He's a great athlete for us. Because of that he might not always be creating but I know I'll get a right good shift from him if nothing else.

"I see a little more maturity but also someone who's still finding his feet."

Donovan is set to start his fourth game of the month today against Blackburn Rovers, but Moyes is equally happy with the contribution of his bench so far this term.

Substitutes have scored 33% of Everton's goal so far this season, and Moyes hopes that impact continues.

"Maybe some players are better coming off the bench changing things," he said. "Roy (Drenthe) could come into that category sometimes, Victor (Anichebe) could, Tollos (Vellios) could. At the same time though if they score goals you want to see if you can start and they can continue it.

"We've needed them. They've made impacts. Roy can be better with 20 minutes impact. But he certainly puts the opposition on the back foot and makes them unsure. We just need to use him at the right times at the right places.

"We've not talked about getting him permanently at the moment, we're more concerned with signing a centre half or a centre forward."

Greek striker Vellios has failed to make the squad for recent games after bursting onto the scene earlier in the campaign.

But Moyes says he has done enough to force his way back into the set-up, after scoring a hat-trick for the reserves this week.

He said: "Tollos just dropped off a little bit. He's only 19 and young boys need to be put back sometimes when their training is not so good.

"He just dropped down a little bit in the last month. Sometimes the boys who come from abroad find Christmas and New Year a bit of a tough period because they're used to having a couple of weeks' break at least over Christmas and New Year.

"But his goals in the reserves will have done him a world of good and hopefully he's back on track."

Meanwhile, Moyes will make a decision on triallist Edson Buddle,30, after the weekend.

The USA striker has spent the week at Finch Farm in an attempt to impress Moyes and earn a move from German side Ingolstadt.

"He has been in for a few days and we will have a look at it over the weekend," confirmed Moyes, who has also been linked in the Portuguese press with Academica striker Eder, 24.

"I would like to (add to my squad) if I can. We are certainly short at centre-half right now and I have always said that if we can get a centre forward in then that would be great."

 

 

THE prospect of signing American striker Edson Buddle may not get the pulses of many Blues racing, but if the 30-year-old is given a contract at Everton he could yet prove a smart addition.

Buddle is believed to have impressed during his trial at Finch Farm, and although a tenure in the German second division raises question marks over his ability, it would not be the first time a player has had to drop down a few levels to prove himself in Europe.

People who have watched Buddle describe him as reliable in front of goal, with pace to burn.

Of course backing his ability to translate those qualities onto the Premier League stage after a week-long trial will always contain an element of risk, but Everton can't afford to be too fussy.

At the end of the market they must operate in there are fine margins between a player who will enhance Moyes' current squad and one who could become an addition for the sake of it.

Buddle will learn whether he has done enough to earn a move soon, after failing to quite convince Championship West Ham to take a chance on him.

But if he is recruited nobody should be too surprised if the New Yorker proves another canny trans-Atlantic addition by Moyes.

 

 

DAVID MOYES reckons Blackburn can escape the drop - but only if their fans lay-off Steve Kean.

Everton boss Moyes visited Ewood Park last month to watch a game but walked out in disgust at half-time after hearing the abuse directed at the under-fire boss.

But Rovers have won two of their last three top-flight matches, including a stunning 3-2 victory at Manchester United, ahead of today's visit to Goodison.

And Moyes reckons their improvement is down to Blackburn fans finally getting behind Kean.

Moyes said: "I actually think that Blackburn's surging performances have come from the crowd getting a bit more behind their team and the manager."

Blackburn's visit is the first of three successive home games for the Toffees.

They entertain Fulham in the FA Cup fourth round next Friday before hosting leaders Manchester City on January 31.

Moyes added: "This is a crucial period for us, which could have a say in what happens to us this season."

 

 

Everton are ready to end their search for a striker by moving for Portuguese U23 international Eder.

Manager David Moyes has moved quickly after personally running the rule over the 6ft 2ins powerhouse during Academica's 2-0 defeat by Vitoria Guimaraes last Sunday.

It followed a scouting trip by assistant manager Steve Round the previous week.

Eder, full name Ederzito Antonio Macedo Lopes, was close to joining Italian side Palermo earlier this month while Tottenham and Porto have also shown interest.

He is out of contract in the summer and free to talk to foreign clubs now although Academica will command a small fee now.

The one complication is that Academica only own 45percent of the player's registration. The rest belongs to his former clubs Ademia and Tourizense.

The 23-year-old Eder, originally from Guinea-Bissau in west Africa, discussed the move on Thursday and missed their training session ahead of last night's match against Uniao de Leiria.

Moyes had also used the match as an opportunity to watch Portugal U21 international Adrien Silva who is on loan from Sporting Lisbon. However, Sporting value the playmaker at around £5m and Everton are budgeting for more loans unless they sell again next week.

Moyes will wait until after the weekend before making a decision on American trialist Edson Buddle.

The 30-year-old United States international plays for Ingolstadt in the German second division and Moyes said: 'He has been in for a few days and we will have a look at it and talk about it over the weekend. I would like to add if I can. We are certainly short at centre-half right now and I have always said that if we can get a centre-forward in then that would be great.'

 

 

Everton manager David Moyes has revealed his attempts to get a Toffees 'B' team into the Conference were scuppered by red tape.

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has backed a change to the existing system for reserve teams by suggesting England should look to the example set by Spain, where top-flight clubs field second string sides in lower divisions.

Several years ago Moyes explored a similar option but was frustrated by the sheer depth of the non-league football pyramid.

"Four or five years ago I would have liked to have put an Everton reserve team into the Conference because it would have been better football for them," he said.

"My hope was that we could have used Widnes' stadium as the home ground and that when Everton were playing away the B team would have played in the Conference there.

"That was my long (term) idea because I thought the games would have been better, more competitive and more realistic for the players.

"But we would have had to have gone into Division Nine of the North-West Outer Counties or whatever you want to call it and it would have taken 10 or 11 years to get through.

"I would have been happy just to be in the Conference - no promotion, not involved in cups or anything - just so I could have got a good reserve team and given young players a game against the men.

"If clubs had the right facilities to play on a Saturday I thought it might have helped the Conference as well.

"We have the North and South conferences so it would have been ideal if we had had two or three clubs who had wanted to go into it and it would have maybe boosted the Conference a little bit as well.

"But I think it would be unfair for any team to go into the Championship, the tradition in this country would see that not as the right thing to do."

Moyes said the benefit of playing in a senior competitive league at weekends would extend beyond the experience players would get from the matches.

"Because the games would tend to be on a Saturday or a Sunday the young players would be able to follow the same programme as the senior ones," added the Scot.

"The training week is similar and the players can do similar work.

"When your reserve games are Tuesday or Wednesday night it makes it difficult to follow programmes and your weekends become difficult because they (younger players) may have to come with the first team.

"Before you know it you have young boys missing training sessions and, first and foremost, we have to make sure their development is right."