David Moyes reacts to Everton's Premier League match against Manchester United | Carl Recine/Getty Imagesplaceholder image
David Moyes reacts to Everton's Premier League match against Manchester United | Carl Recine/Getty Images | Getty Images
Everton could do with a more reliable no.9 but did they let the perfect option leave in the summer?
If there is anything that Everton has struggled for this season, it is to score enough goals to kill teams off when they are on top.
The defeat to Bournemouth is the perfect example of what can happen when a striker fails to take their chances with Thierno Barry being the latest to fluff their lines. Consistent goal scorers don’t come cheap, but have the Toffees blundered by selling one who is now the talk of Scottish football and potentially about to fire his team to a league title from the most unlikely of positions.
Everton flop lights up Rangers title challenge
When Danny Rohl took charge of Rangers following Russell Martin’s disastrous rein, he inherited a team some 13 points behind Hearts at the top of the table and 10 behind city rivals Celtic. Now, after beating Hearts 4-2 at Ibrox, that gap is just two points with Celtic one behind, albeit with a game in hand. Front and centre of an exhilarating performance against the Scottish Premiership league leaders was Youssef Chermiti, the former Everton striker signed by Kevin Thelwell for the Toffees and then again for Rangers.
The hiring and firing of Martin cost Thelwell his job, but he might yet be proven right with the signing of Chermiti despite the £8m fee being in the top five for fees paid in Scottish football and his slow start to life north of the border. If Rangers do win, Chermiti’s goals against Celtic and Hearts could well prove to be the difference. In his two seasons at Everton, injury blighted his career and, at just 21-years old, he is only just adapting to senior football. There have been glimpses of what he is capable of and, if he is able to replicate his performance against Hearts, he could yet return to England.
What hat-trick hero Chermiti said about Hearts heroics
Chermiti is quick, not just for his 6ft 4inch tall frame, but in terms of being able to press and run in behind opponents. He has also developed his ability to use his frame as the season has progressed. On paper, Chermiti is exactly what Everton need and, with hiindsight, it is easy to see why he was signed. The Portugal youth international is clearly buzzing with his new found adoration, via Rangers’ website: "It was a great afternoon for us and obviously for the team. For me, it was very good to score a hat-trick, my first hat-trick, and I am happy for that.
"But it was a very important result for us. Every game is important for us. We are in the race now and it is getting tight. It was good playing up front with Ryan (Naderi) today. We have been building a good relationship and I'm learning more about him and about his movements. He is also learning more about my movements.
"That goal (Rangers’ second) gave us confidence for the half-time and then we came back out and we just scored two more goals, so it was good. Every goal for this club is a big moment for me so yeah, it was good and I enjoyed it. The stadium was really rocking today and the atmosphere was really good. As I said before, we now look forward to the next game and we are going to try and make more wins and just keep getting three points.
"The most important thing for me is the three points. If other players scored the hat-trick, that would be good as well. But it is always special scoring the first hat-trick for this club. It does give you more confidence and freedom to show my potential, my skills and my abilities, so yeah I think it is very good." Confident and in form, Rangers fans are seeing what Everton fans didn’t, only time will tell if Chermiti is the one that got away.
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