28 Nov 2013 22:30
Deulofeu’s impressive second-half cameo in last weekend’s Merseyside derby has increase calls for him to start
Gerard Deulofeu in action for EvertonSo ingrained is he in the Barcelona way, don’t expect Gerard Deulofeu to go banging on the door of Roberto Martinez demanding a place in the Everton FC team.
Instead, the on-loan Spaniard is content to state his case on the field.
And Martinez admits the youngster is now on the verge of earning a full Premier League debut.
Deulofeu’s performance during an impressive second-half cameo in last weekend’s thrilling Merseyside derby has increased the clamour for his inclusion.
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Since arriving on a season-long from the Camp Nou giants, the 19-year-old, while given two starts in the Capital One Cup, can now boast an unusual honour for Everton in that no player has come on as substitute in a league match – eight times – without starting.
That record, though, will surely be shortlived provided he continue to grab his first-team opportunities.
“His desire to play shows he is ready, but he is respectful of the team and he’s never come to see me,” says Everton manager Martinez.
“At Barcelona it is never brought up in that manner – they are not allowed to speak with the manager, which I like!
“But he has started to get frustrated to not start a game and that is fantastic.
“Early on when you arrive in a new league you take time to assess everything, and that time is over for him. The player needs to do that before he can perform.
“I can see he’s ready and he feels he can help the team. But it’s up to him now – the way to prove you’re ready is to take the opportunity when it comes on the pitch, and against Liverpool he showed he is bringing something no-one else has in the squad.
“That is very important as a weapon, but we have real good competition. We’ve got Kevin Mirallas and even Steven Naismith, who have been fighting for that spot and Ross Barkley can play in that position so we have healthy options.
“When you are on the pitch you can’t take your position for granted and it’s great to have that sort of situation.”
The 19-year-old was perhaps betrayed by his inexperience last Saturday when failing twice to beat Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet having been sent clear on goal.
Deulofeu, though, has exceeded all expectations, with Martinez admitting he did not expect the youngster to be competing for a place in his starting line-up until the New Year.
“His progress has been quicker than I expected,” adds Martinez.
“His talent is there for everyone to see; he is an exciting footballer and when you see him on the ball you know something is going to happen.
“It was always going to be the case adapting to the British style and physicality of the league would take a few months but I never expected him to be ready to play in the league until January or February.
“It was a shame we were knocked out of the Capital One Cup because I thought that was a perfect introduction for him into the British game.
“It is safe to say Gerard has exceeded my expectations in terms of how quickly he has adapted and has become someone very important to the side.”
Deulofeu had his first taste of a Merseyside derby last weekend when he was the surprise replacement for the injured Leighton Baines five minutes after half-time.
Martinez had two defenders on the bench but opted to switch midfielder Gareth Barry to left-back and throw his young attacker into the fray, which corresponded with their best passage of play as they came from 2-1 down to lead 3-2 before Daniel Sturridge’s 89th-minute equaliser.
It may have been viewed by observers as a bold decision but it undoubtedly contributed to one of the more thrilling cross-city encounters of recent years and served as an example of the mentality Martinez brought to the club after his summer arrival.
“We always want to win, and that will never change,” he adds.
“The most important aspect is that the players are not shocked by it.
“We work in a certain way so the players are ready for it, and they understand it and everyone is aware of what is expected of each individual to make sure the team is balanced.
“They know how to adapt, how to be well-balanced and that mentality of scoring goals and controlling games will always be successful over 10 months of games.
“The team is ready to make those sort of changes. They are brave changes but they are controlled changes.”
Meanwhile, 19-year-old Everton midfielder John Lundstram is set to join Yeovil Town on loan until January 1.
Lundstram will be reunited with Everton team-mate Shane Duffy, who has also been on loan at the Championship club since the end of September.
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