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Player Valuation: £50m
David Moyes sets Everton star Mikel Arteta a new goals target - Everton Banter - Join the debate with EFC fans, staff writers and club legends
MIKEL ARTETA may have been subject to comparisons with one of Everton's favourite sons this week, but he should be aware that David Moyes is ready to raise the bar again. Having endured a spell in the doldrums at the beginning of the campaign, the Spaniard has roared back to form in recent weeks, a point proven by the sumptuous free-kick he smashed past Hull City's startled goalkeeper Boaz Myhill last weekend.
And, perhaps, it was fitting that strike whistled its way into the top corner of the Gwladys Street net - after all, some of Arteta's most memorable goals have come at that particular end of Goodison Park.
In November 2006, he settled a keenly-contested battle with Bolton Wanderers after skipping past a couple of challenges before unleashing a left-footed drive which left Jussi Jaaskelainen grasping at thin air.
Last season, of course, he conjured a similarly memorable effort in the epic tussle with Fiorentina, a swerving, jinking run that ended when Arteta launched a guided missile which was still gaining speed as it flew beyond Sebastien Frey.
Clearly he is a special player capable of magic moments and that is the reason why Bill Kenwright felt compelled to mention the Spaniard in the same breath as Alex Young, but Moyes is not the type of manager who will allow a player to rest on his laurels.
If anything, the opposite is true. Pleased as he is that Arteta has taken his tally for the campaign up to five, Moyes would like to see the 26-year-old, who made his 150th appearance for the Blues last week, hit the target more often from open play, rather than relying on set pieces.
No wonder. the only goals Arteta has scored in the past two seasons which have not come directly after a referee's whistle were against Fiorentina and Brann in the UEFA Cup and Derby County in October 2007, so what better place to change that than at Anfield next Monday?
"He is capable of scoring goals," said Moyes, who first brought Arteta to Merseyside in January 2005. "I want to see him score more goals from open play now, as well as free-kicks. We have talked to him about it and hopefully that will be the on-going process of him developing.
"He has to have the confidence to shoot. Maybe the key is for him to have confidence to go into those positions. But Mikel also sees himself as having a responsibility of not leaving us empty in the middle of the park. He's done a good job and he's helped us play better."
While his improvement in form may have led to some tedious speculation that he would soon be heading for pastures new - Everton, for the record, have not received one phone call about him - neither player nor manager paid any attention to such chatter.
Their only concern has been ensuring his recent performances become the norm once more and it certainly seems as if being switched from the flanks, where he had spent much of his career for the Blues, into the middle has rekindled Arteta's fire.
He has had the confidence to demand possession from central defenders once more and been eager to make the passes that keep Everton ticking over as an attacking force, leaving Moyes to suggest a man who has played for Paris St Germain, Rangers and Barcelona has matured.
"Mikel has come good after a difficult spell," said Moyes. "Probably even last season he didn't hit the notes. He had an injury problem which really set him back. But we paid £3.5m from Real Sociedad and I think it has proven to be really good value.
"Mikel has become a good player for Everton and a very important one, too. If people play well, you will always get recognised. It happens to any player in the country. Mikel is going through a good spell.
"He has done well for us and we have worked hard to bring him on. He has developed. Mikel came as a central midfielder but he wasn't quite ready for the role. He's played on the right and left and been in terrific form in those positions at different times.
"But maybe he's getting close to being a central midfielder again. He has matured, he has become stronger and understands the role a bit more. He maybe even understands the Premier League a bit more than he did in the past, such as the physicality.
"He is more complete and ready to be a central midfielder now. He is working really hard and preparing himself as best he can. You notice when someone of his ability isn't playing to the levels they can. But Mikel works hard and is a big influence. He's a very conscientious boy."
MIKEL ARTETA may have been subject to comparisons with one of Everton's favourite sons this week, but he should be aware that David Moyes is ready to raise the bar again. Having endured a spell in the doldrums at the beginning of the campaign, the Spaniard has roared back to form in recent weeks, a point proven by the sumptuous free-kick he smashed past Hull City's startled goalkeeper Boaz Myhill last weekend.
And, perhaps, it was fitting that strike whistled its way into the top corner of the Gwladys Street net - after all, some of Arteta's most memorable goals have come at that particular end of Goodison Park.
In November 2006, he settled a keenly-contested battle with Bolton Wanderers after skipping past a couple of challenges before unleashing a left-footed drive which left Jussi Jaaskelainen grasping at thin air.
Last season, of course, he conjured a similarly memorable effort in the epic tussle with Fiorentina, a swerving, jinking run that ended when Arteta launched a guided missile which was still gaining speed as it flew beyond Sebastien Frey.
Clearly he is a special player capable of magic moments and that is the reason why Bill Kenwright felt compelled to mention the Spaniard in the same breath as Alex Young, but Moyes is not the type of manager who will allow a player to rest on his laurels.
If anything, the opposite is true. Pleased as he is that Arteta has taken his tally for the campaign up to five, Moyes would like to see the 26-year-old, who made his 150th appearance for the Blues last week, hit the target more often from open play, rather than relying on set pieces.
No wonder. the only goals Arteta has scored in the past two seasons which have not come directly after a referee's whistle were against Fiorentina and Brann in the UEFA Cup and Derby County in October 2007, so what better place to change that than at Anfield next Monday?
"He is capable of scoring goals," said Moyes, who first brought Arteta to Merseyside in January 2005. "I want to see him score more goals from open play now, as well as free-kicks. We have talked to him about it and hopefully that will be the on-going process of him developing.
"He has to have the confidence to shoot. Maybe the key is for him to have confidence to go into those positions. But Mikel also sees himself as having a responsibility of not leaving us empty in the middle of the park. He's done a good job and he's helped us play better."
While his improvement in form may have led to some tedious speculation that he would soon be heading for pastures new - Everton, for the record, have not received one phone call about him - neither player nor manager paid any attention to such chatter.
Their only concern has been ensuring his recent performances become the norm once more and it certainly seems as if being switched from the flanks, where he had spent much of his career for the Blues, into the middle has rekindled Arteta's fire.
He has had the confidence to demand possession from central defenders once more and been eager to make the passes that keep Everton ticking over as an attacking force, leaving Moyes to suggest a man who has played for Paris St Germain, Rangers and Barcelona has matured.
"Mikel has come good after a difficult spell," said Moyes. "Probably even last season he didn't hit the notes. He had an injury problem which really set him back. But we paid £3.5m from Real Sociedad and I think it has proven to be really good value.
"Mikel has become a good player for Everton and a very important one, too. If people play well, you will always get recognised. It happens to any player in the country. Mikel is going through a good spell.
"He has done well for us and we have worked hard to bring him on. He has developed. Mikel came as a central midfielder but he wasn't quite ready for the role. He's played on the right and left and been in terrific form in those positions at different times.
"But maybe he's getting close to being a central midfielder again. He has matured, he has become stronger and understands the role a bit more. He maybe even understands the Premier League a bit more than he did in the past, such as the physicality.
"He is more complete and ready to be a central midfielder now. He is working really hard and preparing himself as best he can. You notice when someone of his ability isn't playing to the levels they can. But Mikel works hard and is a big influence. He's a very conscientious boy."
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