Everton's Steven Naismith given new lease of life
Despite a disappointing start to the season for Everton, Steven Naismith has shone in a no.10 role for the Toffees. Pete Hall looks at how Roberto Martinez has engineered such an improvement, and why he needs to utilise his latest find
By Pete Hall
The Japanese philosophy of Kaizen is all about looking at ways to continuously improve, no matter how successful you are.
Given a football manager is one of the most precarious occupations there is, it’s fair to say bosses must adhere to this thinking as strictly as possible; a previous season’s exploits must be at least matched, or questions will be asked.
Roberto Martinez guided Everton to a fifth place finish last term, with the Toffees amassing their highest ever Premier League points tally with five games to spare.
However, success attracts attention, and opponents this season have shown that they have planned ahead, and done their utmost to stifle the Toffee’s most effective weapon – their marauding full-backs.
Leighton Baines and Seasmus Coleman created a remarkable 94 chances between them for their team-mates last season, weighing in with a combined 11 league goals.
This season, their effect has been limited by opponents doubling up on their ventures forward, with Coleman especially targeted, having made just three key passes in his two appearances.
However, in an attacking sense, the Toffees have hardly suffered having already notched seven goals in three matches, mainly thanks to Martinez’s use of a man who has shone under the radar, as other supposedly more potent threats have been nullified.
Steven Naismith has been at Goodison Park for two solid, if not spectacular seasons, with nine league goals to show for his time on Merseyside prior to this campaign.
However, with his work ethic and enthusiasm for the game clear for all to see, a tactical switch from the Spanish supremo has reaped rewards in the early stages of this campaign, and brought the best out of his multi-faceted Scottish forward.
Naismith has scored in each of Everton’s three games so far, taking advantage of the space afforded to him by more illustrious team-mates being marked more tightly.
“I’ve been lucky enough to kick on. It’s down to confidence. That comes from the manager who allows me to express myself,” Naismith eulogised of Martinez’s trust in him.
“He knows my best position and he’s given me my chance there.
“I feel I belong here now.”
It is to his credit that Martinez foresaw that his star performers and high profile acquisitions would be targeted by opponents, looking to nullify have the Toffees’ attacking talent.
To date Leicester, Arsenal and more emphatically Chelsea have done just that, with Martinez’s men without a win and garnered just two points from their opening three encounters.
However, it would be churlish to ignore the fact that Everton’s initial problems lie in defence, with an ageing Sylvain Distin and Phil Jagielka both having struggled thus far.
Twice Everton had been looking comfortable in winning positions thanks to swift counter attacking, with Naismith at the forefront of such dynamism.
Three goals from six shots and three chances created for team-mates already is a far cry from five goals from 31 games last campaign, where Naismith managed just a 19% shot conversion rate.
The marked improvement is down to Martinez once again recognising talent he has at his disposal, and utilising a relatively unknown entity in the no.10 role to devastating effect.
Gareth Barry was full of praise for the former Rangers striker this week, explaining these seemingly new found qualities Naismith has shown have not surprised his team-mates.
“He knows his role and is a very clever player,” Barry told the Liverpool Echo
“He is doing exactly what is asked of him and his work-rate is second to none – there are not many players out there that put in the shifts he does."
Having covered 1500m than Wayne Rooney, and 6000m more than Daniel Sturridge, while scoring more than both combined, Naismith has certainly grasped his opportunity in the absence of Ross Barkley this season. And he has no intention of showing down either, with Champions League winners competing for a first-team spot.
“Even when Samuel Eto’o joined, you can’t not be in awe of him because of what he has done in the game,” Naismith said.
"But then during training, you link up with him really well and it all just feels natural.”
Everton had to spend big money on Romelu Lukaku this summer to signal their intentions, and prove Martinez’s feats last season were no flash in the pan.
One major signing was all Bill Kenwright could facilitate, but in Martinez the Everton chairman has a rare breed that is always looking to maximise the personnel he has at his disposal.
It would be easy to sit back, observe what he masterminded after years of supposed Everton over-achievement under David Moyes, but employing Naimsith’s footballing brain in a new role has reaped rewards, even if the results haven’t yet materialised.
The only question is what else does the Spaniard have in his repertoire to ensure his work at Goodison remains a project, rather than become a legacy.