AT LAST THE SSON RISES AT GOODISON
Everton 1 Cardiff 0
NOW, finally, there is a Silva lining for Gylfi Sigurdsson, to the heavy clouds he endured under Sam Allardyce at Everton.
The £45million record
Goodison signing was a misfit in his first season with the
Blues, a creative player forced to perform a workmanlike role under a workmanlike regime with depressing results.
But since the arrival at the club of Marco Silva in the summer, he – along with the rest of the team – has flourished, and the dividends were there to see as he proved the difference in a tense victory over Cardiff.
Sigurdsson provided all the best attacking moments for Everton – and what proved to be the winner – when he burst into the box to gleefully convert after visiting keeper Neil Etheridge had brilliantly saved from Theo Walcott.
A return of six goals in his last nine games is impressive enough from Sigurdsson, but more importantly still, the Iceland star is now beginning to exert a creative control on games for his team.
He was that touch of class which a hard-working Cardiff side can only marvel at, and little wonder. He cost a fee the South Wales club can only dream about.
Their record signing is still Gary Medel at £11m from the last time they were in the Premier League, and it is a gulf boss Neil Warnock accepts his club can not bridge.
“That’s where we let ourselves down really, that ability that quality in the final third, that’s the difference with the top teams,” he said with a rueful smile. “Everton had that, for example they paid £40m for a striker and £45m for a midfield player here.”
Sigurdsson’s recent contribution suggests it is money well spent – the midfielder has now been involved in more goals than any other Everton player in the past 12 months. “He is understanding better now what I want,” said
Silva. “He’s a very good player with a lot of quality who can arrive well in the box, like I like. And he is a fantastic professional.”