Moyes hails Gravesen on Everton return

Sep 3 2007 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

DAVID MOYES hailed the impact of Thomas Gravesen after the Dane inspired Everton to a 2-1 victory over Bolton Wanderers at the weekend.

Gravesen made a surprise return to Goodison last week when he was signed on a season-long loan from Celtic.

And he stepped off the bench during the second half at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday to turn the game and create an 89th-minute winner for Joleon Lescott.

“Tommy came on and gave us a calmness to our play,” said Moyes. “We know what Tommy can do and what he can’t do, and he’s aware of that.

“He hasn’t come back with any grand illusions, he is here to be part of the squad and what we have got.

“If he contributes, he’ll be happy. He’s someone who wants to play, loves his football and we’ll try to provide him with as much of that as we can. He’s told us that whatever he gets, he’ll be delighted.”

Moyes believes the performances of Alan Stubbs over the past 18 months are proof that returning players can prove a success.

“I don’t tend to like to bring players back, but the best example of that is Alan Stubbs,” he added. “A lot of people thought he wouldn’t be up to it when he came back, but what a difference he has made to us over the last two seasons and still is making. If Tommy is anything like that, then we’ll be on a winner.”

There were first starts on Saturday for Phil Jagielka and Steven Pienaar and a debut to club record signing Yakubu, who netted Everton’s opener.

And Moyes reckons Everton’s victory – only their third in 12 visits to Bolton – was evidence of the strength in depth his squad now possesses.

“We’ve got players now who can change things,” he said. “We had Tommy who came on at Bolton, and Steven Pienaar started for the first time and contributed.

“Maybe a season or two ago we’d have had to have settled for a point because we wouldn’t have had enough on the bench, but I knew that we could change the game and I think we had to because we hadn’t done as well as I thought we could up to that period.”

Moyes also moved to praise debutant Yakubu and his strike partner Andrew Johnson, who was the game’s outstanding performer.

“It was a terrific start for Yak,” said the Everton manager. “I thought he played well and his goal was good. When we gave him the ball in the right areas he always looked a threat.

“But it would be difficult to praise him without praising Andy Johnson at the same level. Andy did a lot of the spadework, especially for the goal, and I’m sure that there will be times when Yak will do that for AJ.

“Yak probably isn’t fully fit, but I thought he did really well in the time he was on the pitch.”