Albania coach Sylvinho has spoken about Everton loan player Armando Broja's performance in the 3-0 win over Andorra
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Albania coach Sylvinho has expressed his big wish for Armando Broja after the Everton loan man starred in 3-0 win over Andorra. After coming on as a 63rd minute substitute for Rangers’ Nedim Bajrami in the 2-0 defeat to England at Wembley on Friday, the Blues player was handed a start in his country’s next World Cup qualifier in Tirana on Monday.
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Broja, who joined Everton on a season-long loan from Chelsea on deadline day last summer but his time at Goodison Park has been blighted by fitness issues. The 23-year-old was in rehabilitation from an Achilles tendon problem when he moved to Merseyside and after a clutch of half a dozen appearances in December and January – all but one were off the bench – he was stretchered off during the 2-0 victory over League One Peterborough United in the FA Cup third round on January 9.
The Slough-born player, who suffered ankle ligament damage, had to be given oxygen on the Goodison pitch before being taken straight to hospital and following his appointment, new manager David Moyes admitted the Blues were exploring the possibility of sending him back to Stamford Bridge to potentially free up a domestic loan space.
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Having made his first appearance under the Scot in the final 11 minutes of the 1-1 draw at home to West Ham United on March 15, Broja has now made a brace of outings on international duty with his coach pleased by his progress.
Liverpool World quote Sylvinho, the former Brazil left-back who had spells in the Premier League with Arsenal and Manchester City, as telling Koha: “I’m very happy with Broja.
“I hope he doesn’t suffer any more injuries. I’m happy with all the players who played a very good match.”
Broja, who provided the assist for Albania’s second goal for Rey Manaj on 19 minutes, played 76 minutes before being replaced by Myrto Unuzi. What was potentially intriguing for Evertonians though was that rather than spearheading the attack, he was deployed on the right wing in 4-2-3-1 formation, similar to the tactics that Moyes deploys with the Blues.
Given that wide men Iliman Ndiaye and Dwight McNeil are both still injured and fellow loan men Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom have both struggled to impress on the right wing – finally combining to put Everton ahead in the 1-1 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers on March 8 after previously not having a goal or an assist between them all season – the possibility of utilising Broja on the flanks is a tantalising prospect when it comes to getting more attacking players on the pitch.
It must be noted though that turning it on against a bunch of part-timers from a microstate in the Pyrenees is of course far easier than thriving in the role in world football’s toughest domestic division.
As the player himself remarked though following Everton’s goalless draw in December: “I just try to play my game. I’m obviously a big, strong lad and I like to run in behind and I’m quite quick at things.”