We’re near top of table on merit, says Arteta

Sep 4 2007 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

Mikel Arteta applauds the fans (158)

MIKEL ARTETA believes Everton’s lofty Premier League position is just reward for their encouraging start to the campaign.

And the Spanish midfielder is confident David Moyes’s side can improve further once their influx of summer signings fully acclimatise to life at Goodison.

Saturday’s dramatic 2-1 victory at Bolton Wanderers mean Everton sit in third place, behind leaders and neighbours Liverpool, on goal difference.

It’s a throwback to the days of the mid-80s when both Merseyside teams were regularly challenging at the top of the table.

For Everton, the standings are another sign of their progress made over the past few years with the Goodison outfit having been fourth at the same stage last season.

And Arteta reckons the introduction of club record signing Yakubu, Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines and on-loan duo Thomas Gravesen and Steven Pienaar will have a major impact in the coming months.

“We’ve started the season really well and we’re happy with it,” said the Spaniard. “We deserve to be where we are and we could even have got more points from the games we’ve played.

“Hopefully, we’re going to be a better team than last season but we have to show that on the pitch.

“I think we’ve signed some really good players, and if they settle well and the rest of the players continue playing to their level, we can do some good things.”

Arteta was particularly impressed by the contribution of Gravesen at the weekend, who came on as a second-half substitute and helped turn the game in Everton’s favour.

“When Tommy came on, he started helping us play better in the middle,” he said. “He gave us something different, and that’s what we need from the new lads.

“With all the long balls and second balls from Bolton it was hard for the wide men to get into the game, so after Tommy came on we started moving the ball better and began creating more chances.”

Arteta also revealed that Everton’s players are bursting with confidence following the manner of their victory at the Reebok.

“We wanted to win to make sure we stayed up at the top of the table, and to do it in the fashion we did makes it much better,” he said. “The players are flying now.

“We know how hard it is to come to Bolton and win because they make it very difficult for the opposition with a physical game. They always put you under pressure with the long passes, the second balls and their aggression and they do it really well.

“We could have scored a few more towards the end if we had taken our chances, but we’re very happy with the result.”

Meanwhile, Victor Anichebe says the arrival of Yakubu can push the rest of Everton’s strikers to greater heights.

He told evertonTV: “Yakubu will bring out the best in everybody. There are a lot of strikers so everyone will have to fight for their place and you will only play if you do well. Every one of us offers something different.

“Yak is a great player. He is strong, fast and he scores a lot of goals so he is a great addition to the squad.”