Naismith attributes improved form to more natural role under Martinez

Lyndon Lloyd , 22 May, 0comments | Jump to most recent

Scot doubled his goals tally this season

Steven Naismith has been reflecting on a successful second season at Everton in which he weighed in with nine goals in all competitions and emerged as a viable starting option in the Blues' attack.

The Scot's fortunes at Goodison Park have undergone a marked improvement this term under Roberto Martinez thanks largely to the Spaniard's desire to play him in his favoured role as a central forward where he excelled at Rangers in partnership with Nikica Jelavic and first came to the attention of former Blues manager David Moyes.

Moyes tended to deploy Naismith in a less familiar role wide on the right of midfield and the 27 year-old struggled to make the impact he would have liked despite finding the net on four occasions in 2012-13.

"Although I contributed with four goals, I was very much a bit-part player (last season)," he said on evertontv.

“This season I wanted to improve on that and I have doubled the goals I have scored, I think something else which has helped me is that the manager has played me more centrally.

“That is where I feel more comfortable and I am glad I have been able to show the manager that I have been able to contribute for the team there."

Naismith, who arrived at Goodison last summer on the back of a serious knee injury, also attributes his form this past season to the fact that he was now settled in his surroundings and was able to remain injury-free.

“For me, I look back each season and see if there needs to be an improvement," he continued, "and this season there has definitely been a bigger improvement than last season when I was getting used to new surroundings and coming back from injury."

Quotes sourced from EvertonFC.com

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