EVERTON haven’t been pretty lately, but they’ve certainly been effective.

As expected, they’ve not played an awful lot of great football since losing Mikel Arteta, but they’ve not lost a single game either as they’ve progressed to the semi-final of the FA Cup and to within four points of that last Champions League spot.

The ability to adapt has been key, with players filling unfamiliar positions and making the best of a bad situation.

At other clubs, where the team spirit is not as strong as at Everton, someone like Phil Jagielka, who has broken into the England team as a central defender, might sulk if asked to deputise at full-back, but the ex-Blade has sacrificed himself for the cause and just got on with things.

With that attitude it’s certainly no surprise that the Blues are keen to tie him down to a new, improved contract.

An even better example of the Toffees’ ad hoc approach to their team selection problems though is Marouane Fellaini.

No one expected the big Belgian to operate as a centre-forward when he was brought over from Standard Liege, but that’s where he is, out of necessity, and he’s making a good job of it.

Where he plays in the long term is a bit of a conundrum, because while he insists that his best position is as a more defensive midfielder, he has been overrun whenever he’s played deeper, hence the swarm of yellow cards.

Pat Nevin believes that Fellaini can eventually become one of Europe’s best midfielders, and David Moyes says he envisages him eventually playing further back, but if they are right and he’s to cut it in an unforgiving Premier League then he has to seriously improve things like his tackling and awareness.

That’s perhaps something to worry about next season though, when we should have the likes of Yakubu back in the side and there’s some competition for places up front.