4th MARCH 2006, LONDON ENGLAND, (L-R) Mikeal Arteta, Tim Cahill, Alan Stubbs, James Beattie, Tony Hibbert and Nuno Valente celebrate a goal during ...
4th MARCH 2006, LONDON ENGLAND, (L-R) Mikeal Arteta, Tim Cahill, Alan Stubbs, James Beattie, Tony Hibbert and Nuno Valente celebrate a goal during ...
When discussing the most popular Everton players of the Premier League era, names like Seamus Coleman, Leighton Baines, and Steven Pienaar often dominate the conversation.
However, the Everton community knows that there is plenty of underappreciated talent that has graced both Goodison Park and the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Everton News put the feelers out on TalkingPoints to see which player in the Premier League era fans felt was the ultimate ‘underrated’ Toffees player.
And we can now provide a definitive breakdown of the top unsung heroes according to the fans, in no particular order.
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Mikel Arteta: The Creative Engine
While Mikel Arteta is heavily discussed today as the manager of Arsenal, his playing days on Merseyside deserve far more recognition from general Premier League watchers.
Arteta joined Everton in January, arriving as the replacement for Thomas Gravesen, who had surprisingly made a move to Real Madrid.
The Spaniard brought real panache to the Toffees’ XI, regularly showcasing his technical ability in the middle of the park. He was not a physical brute, but his intelligence and understanding of the game saw him thrive, and he would also help Moyes out by playing out wide.
Tim Cahill even called Arteta the most skilful player he’s ever played with recently, which further emphasises how great he was.
Given his achievements in his post-playing days, it is perhaps forgotten just what a brilliant player in the Premier League he was.
Gareth Barry: The Team Brain
Barry arrived at Goodison Park on loan at the age of 32 and people didn’t really expect too much, it’s safe to say.
But the midfielder was consistently superb under Roberto Martinez, striking up a great partnership with James McCarthy in Everton’s engine room. The club finished fifth in 2013/14 with Barry playing 32 games in the top-flight. He even chipped in with a combined seven goals and assists.
In a sense, he was extremely underrated for the level he was able to display consistently for Everton, despite being past his prime years.
He certainly did not have much pace. But Barry patrolled that midfield with remarkable tactical discipline that often went unnoticed by rival fanbases. Former Everton assistant boss Graeme Jones famously described Barry as the ‘brain of the team’, calling him the finest professional he ever worked with, which rather says it all about him.
Tony Hibbert and Sylvain Distin: The Defensive Bedrocks
Tony Hibbert was absolutely not flashy and, like Barry, certainly not the quickest. But he was most definitely solid and consistent for Everton.
He is perhaps underrated by many because of what Seamus Coleman was able to achieve coming in after him. Coleman was a swashbuckling right-back who rather changed the perception of right-backs, and was very different to Hibbert.
But what the Irishman did should not take away from Hibbert’s consistency, his no-nonsense approach and his uncanny ability to quietly shut down so-called elite, multi-million-pound wingers.
Sylvain Distin was another underrated Everton defender of yesteryear.
Like Barry, he came to the club after his prime, signing at the age of 31. The Frenchman was physically dominant, and remains one of the most consistent and reliable overseas defenders in modern Premier League history. There is an argument to say he was underrated not just at Everton, but at the likes of Manchester City and Portsmouth too.
Yakubu: Peak ‘Barclaysman’ Centre-Forward
Those on social media will be familiar with the term ‘Barclaysman’, but for those who are not, the term refers to players who played in the Premier League when it was sponsored by Barclays. And more specifically, it refers to players who were great for teams not necessarily competing at the top of the table, and/or cult heroes.
Yakubu had an explosive start at Everton, scoring 21 goals across all competitions in 2007/08. But he then struggled with injuries. In November 2008, he ruptured his Achilles. This would lead to a decline and a departure in the summer of 2011.
Despite the big injury, though, he is still fondly remembered by Evertonians for his blend of raw strength and hold-up play, which caused endless nightmares for top-flight centre-backs.
Leon Osman: Longevity Personified
He didn’t have the pizzazz of the likes of Mikel Arteta, Steven Pienaar or Tim Cahill, but Leon Osman represented the ultimate standard for longevity and loyalty.
Sections of the Everton faithful deeply rated Osman, but the midfielder was largely ignored by the wider football media. His technical comfort on the ball and relentless work rate certainly merited more than the two England caps he ultimately received.
Who wins?
Of course, it’s always difficult to provide a definitive answer to this kind of question. Football is a game of opinions, and certain players resonate more than others and it differs from person to person.
At the time of writing, the poll we put to fans shows Seamus Coleman is actually leading, but Osman and Leighton Baines are hot on his heels. But this could very well all change as more people cast their votes and give their opinions.
To give yours, head over to our TalkingPoints discussion point about the most underrated Everton players of the Premier League era.