Alan Stubbs: There's no substitute for Mikel Arteta class

Oct 1 2007 Ben Rumsby Liverpool Daily Post

ALAN STUBBS paid tribute to the returning Mikel Arteta after Everton’s win over Middlesbrough.

Arteta was back in the side after an ankle problem and set up both goals in the 2-0 win.

Stubbs said of the influential Spaniard: “There is no substitute for class, and he is a really important part of the team.

“When he’s not playing it shows, but it is the same in every team when your big game players aren’t playing.”

Stubbs was also delighted to see Everton rise to fifth spot in the table, following two league defeats against Manchester United 1-0 at Goodison and 2-0 away to Aston Villa last weekend.

“We dropped back a bit when it was 2-0 rather than going for the third but with the way the results have been going lately it was just a matter of getting the win and it puts us nicely into fifth,” said Stubbs.

Arteta himself was just delighted to be back in action: “We needed to get back to winning at home,” he said.

“We have needed to show character because we have had so many important player injured.

“I wanted to be back quickly because we are playing so many games and we need as many players back as possible.”

Everton boss David Moyes sang the praises of star midfielder Mikel Arteta after he returned to inspire his side to their first home win since the opening day of the season.

The slick Spaniard orchestrated the 2-0 Barclays Premier League win over Middlesbrough to underline his importance to his club’s cause.

He had been sorely missed in last weekend’s defeat at Aston Villa and the UEFA Cup first round first leg draw with Metalist Kharkiv and proved as much by having a hand in both goals against Middlesbrough.

“He gives us a composure,” Moyes enthused after the game.

“Not only that, he can eliminate players. He can play in the middle of the park, as you saw. He can go past players in the wide areas. He can pass it as well when need be.

“He’s got an ability not to give the ball away and keep it.

“At times we gain free-kicks from it because he does very well getting his body between the ball and the opposition.”

Moyes acknowledged Arteta has proven the difference this season between winning and losing games.

Moyes said: “The creativity Mikel gave us today has certainly been missing.”

He added: “Today I thought we made chances. Aston Villa last weekend, we probably had as many passes but we didn’t create any chances.

“Today I thought we did make some chances. Albeit, Middlesbrough made chances as well.

“The games have been tight. Man Utd here, nothing in the game. The Villa game, nothing in the game.

“Today, it was a bit like that as well but we got the goals at the right times.”

Those goals came courtesy of free-scoring defender Joleon Lescott and on-loan South Africa midfielder Steven Pienaar’s first in English football.

Lescott netted his fourth already this season when he nodded in on the rebound after Arteta’s corner caused havoc in the Boro box.

Pienaar then wrapped up the points when he slid home Arteta’s cross.

In between, gilt-edged chances came and went for Ayegbeni Yakubu against his former club and at the other end Gary O’Neil and Dong-Gook Lee.

Moyes acknowledged his side were lucky not to concede.

He said: “I felt we were due a change of fortune and maybe we had it at different times today.

“A lot of games in the Premier League, teams haven’t been playing particularly well and getting results.

“We’ve been a little bit like that but hopefully that will change.”

Meanwhile, Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate believed his side were lacking more than just a cutting edge.

He said: “We probably had enough chances to go in level but we didn’t take them and we paid the price.

“But we haven’t lost just because of that.

“I don’t think we won enough individual battles on the day to deserve to win the game and I think we’ve paid for that.”

Southgate also applauded the performance of Arteta but felt poor defending was more responsible for the goals than the Spaniard’s good play.

“I don’t know how much of a role he had in the first goal but obviously it was a poor goal for us to concede,” Southgate said.

“The second wasn’t too clever either.

“He’s an outstanding footballer – there’s no question about that.

“But whether that was the difference between the sides, I’m not sure.”