ECHO subscribers get the lowdown on new boy Merlin Rohl, who has emerged as one of the quickest players in the Everton squad and has been helped settling in by a growing friendship with Leighton Baines
Merlin Rohl on the ball during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Everton at Selhurst Park. Photo by David Watts/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Merlin Rohl on the ball during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Everton at Selhurst Park. Photo by David Watts/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
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Merlin Rohl seized the imagination of Everton supporters with his breakout display against Manchester City.
His selection, ending a near-four month absence from the starting XI, came as a surprise. His performance then stunned as his raw pace exposed the title challengers’ defence in a lung-busting display that saw him excel in both attack and defence.
It was a remarkable intervention from the tall, lean Germany youth international who is a central midfielder by trade but played that game on the right wing. His selection came with a view of restricting Nico O’Reilly’s threat from left-back but instead he was the one causing issues in the final third. It was also one that showcased the problem Everton are trying to solve - given his range of attributes, what is his best position?
One of the most striking comments after the game was Rohl’s insistence he had the trust of David Moyes - something that felt at odds with his lack of minutes since excelling in the win at Aston Villa in mid-January.
Asked by the ECHO how he managed to build that relationship without providing opportunities on the pitch, the Blues boss said: “Well, the biggest thing I can say about Merlin is he's willing to speak - he's very communicative. He's actually also got a great relationship with Bainsey and he's done a great job with him.”
Rohl and Leighton Baines are not unexpected allies - the pair both have a real interest in photography, as shown by the black and white stills the 23-year-old posts to his Instagram. They were at Goodison Park together to watch Everton Women recently and their relationship is clearly important to the summer signing having settled on Merseyside.
The job now, given his loan from Freiburg will be made permanent this summer, is to settle him in on the pitch and that is where Everton are facing a challenge.
Rohl played on the wing again on Sunday and had moments but allowed Tyrick Mitchell the space to cross for the second equaliser at Crystal Palace.
The reality is that while they can see a talented player in the German, Moyes and those around him are still figuring out how they can best utilise him.
He aid: “We are generally still trying to find the best [position for him]. We've had some thoughts on how we work and we brought him with an idea because we knew about his physicality and what he could do.
“He is a good player as well and he can score. But he just found that we couldn't really get him in the side at the start. We started quite well, he was not really able to find a place and he had a few injuries.
“He's now certainly got used to it. So it takes a lot and I think that I'm hoping that we can find a way of getting him more football and getting him a chance, next season especially. He'll need to be the one who does that but he's a really good boy to work with.”
When Everton signed Rohl they were aware he was pacey, but it was in training when they realised just how quick he was. The youngster is up there with Jarrad Branthwaite as the quickest in the squad - over distance at least.
Moyes said: “There have been days in training when we have registered the players’ top speeds and what speeds they can get to, and Merlin is right up there with the top ones. Jarrad Branthwaite is very quick, but Merlin is right up there as well.
“He is so powerful. He is like a big 400-metre runner, if you know what I mean. Where he has found it a little bit difficult at times is when we have needed shorter intensity, quicker changes of direction, turning and checking.
“So a lot of the training with Merlin has been towards trying to get him used to that. If you said to him: ‘Run up there as far and as fast as you can’ he would probably beat most. But it is the other part of the game we are trying to improve: quicker changes of direction, quicker feet and his awareness around him.
“Those are probably some of the things we are trying to improve as well.”
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