Röhl Discusses Right-Back Target & Everton Cup Hopes 

Merlin Röhl has reflected on a “frustrating” defeat away to Arsenal – but says he’s enjoying his minutes on the field and relishing the chance to learn from the right-back position. 

Röhl started at full-back at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday – a 2-0 loss to Mikel Arteta’s reigning Premier League champions.

“Always when you lose a game, there’s frustration,” he told evertontv. “You want to give everything on the pitch and always choose the right choice. 

“I think we tried to find our way back into the game. We tried to defend everything, every corner. 

“The one corner we didn’t get decides the game.” 

Looking ahead, Everton face a Carabao Cup fourth-round clash against Newcastle United on Thursday (7.45pm GMT).

Röhl says the Blues are especially keen for success in the cups this season, explaining it’s something his side “have their eye on”. 

“It’s a big game for us,” he continued. “I think before the season, in our squad, we made it clear the Carabao Cup is something we want to go 100 per cent on.

“Of course, we always want to go 100 per cent, but it’s something we have our eye on. 

“We’ll try to fight on Thursday.” 

The fans’ hunger for success is another driving factor behind Thursday’s fixture, says Röhl, who added: “It motivates everybody in our team and myself also. It pushes me to – now get the position as right-back – and give everything for the team and improve in that position.

“[I want] to give something the fans love, running up and down and try to win every duel.

“I know it’s not always possible, but they’re the expectations and I love it.”