Jack Grealish is central to David Moyes' plans for his Everton this season that has been shorn of the talents of Iliman Ndiaye
Jack Grealish during the Premier League match Tottenham Hotspur vs Everto. Photo by Harvey Murphy/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Jack Grealish during the Premier League match Tottenham Hotspur vs Everto. Photo by Harvey Murphy/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images
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David Moyes will look to build Everton’s attacking threat around Jack Grealish now the playmaker is ready to take on a greater role in his plans.
The 31-year-old has made two appearances since his return on loan from Manchester City, both from the bench. After almost seven months without consistent first team football, the hope is Everton can now build on his improving fitness and make him a focal point to their tactics.
Grealish’s importance to the side has been clear against Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. On both occasions his arrival led to concerted efforts to play through the Champions League winner.
His introduction was important against Man Utd, bringing composure and intelligence to the attack and allowing Tyrique George to switch to the right, from where he scored the first of the Blues' goals in the 2-2 draw.
At Spurs, his arrival also helped to shift momentum as Everton grew in belief that an away win might be possible. It was the Blues who created the best chances in the later stages of the match.
Grealish’s growing fitness is crucial to Everton, whose wide options - namely George and Brennan Johnson - are needed to support Thierno Barry up front. His influence is likely to be greater this season with Iliman Ndiaye having moved in the opposite direction to Man City on transfer deadline day.
Asked whether Grealish’s role will change this season, in comparison to his stint at Hill Dickinson Stadiumlast season, Moyes said: “I think it's what Jack offers us really, as much as anything. I think we need to use Jack and then adapt ourselves around Jack.
“I don't think that I'm saying: ‘Jack, you'll need to adapt to everything we do’. There'll be bits Jack's very good at, and there'll be bits that he's not, and we have to try and pick up and cover the bits he's not so good at. I really hope that he can get back to the levels he was at when he first came in.”
Moyes, whose side host Wolves in the Carabao Cup third round tonight, has been pleased with the initial impact of Grealish, who scored two match-winners and provided six assists before suffering his season-ending foot injury at Aston Villa in January.
On how important it was that Grealish started well, Moyes said ahead of the draw at Spurs: “It was [important] because he'd not had enough minutes, really. Was he in a position where you think he should be playing? You'd be saying he wasn’t, so even when bringing him on we didn't know exactly what we were getting.
“And, more importantly, he’d had no football for six and a half months bar those small cameos [for Man City across the start of the season] so it was a bit of a risk for us. But he actually needs the football to develop. He needs the games to bring himself on.”