Everton got most of what they wanted from their opening afternoon against Crystal Palace.
Two goals, three points and a clean sheet represented a very decent return, particularly given some of the uncertainty surrounding David Moyes’ squad during the final weeks of the transfer window.
There was also another good performance from Merlin Rohl at right-back.
That, though, should not change Everton’s plans.
Rohl has handled the position well enough to make it less of an immediate problem than it appeared earlier in the summer. He is comfortable on the ball, gives Everton some quality on that side and has taken to the defensive demands of the role better than might have been expected.
Yet, he is still a midfielder playing at right-back.
Everton still need a specialist
Moyes confirmed after the Palace game that Everton remain in the market for a right-back, even joking that whoever arrives will have to play better than Rohl has been doing.
There is some truth behind the joke.
Everton do not need to rush into a deal simply because they began the season without a recognised senior right-back available to Moyes. Rohl has bought them some time and, after a summer in which several options have been considered, that could prove useful.
But Palace also offered a reminder of why the position remains on the list.
They caused Everton problems before Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall put the home side ahead, hitting the woodwork twice and forcing Jordan Pickford into an excellent save. A 2-0 scoreline looked comfortable by full-time, but it could easily have been the other way round by half-time.
The issue is also about what Everton want Rohl to be over the course of a long season. His versatility is valuable, but using him regularly at right-back removes an option from midfield and leaves Moyes dependent on a player learning on the job.
There is no longer the sense of urgency that surrounded the position earlier in the window. That is largely down to Röhl.
The need for a right-back, however, has not disappeared with one good result.
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