Digne is loving life at Everton

Friday, 23 November, 2018 18comments  |  Jump to most recent

It would appear that Lucas Digne couldn't be happier about his move from Barcelona to Everton.

The French defender wasted no time in supplanting Leighton Baines as the Blues' first-choice left back and he has earned a recall to the French international side on the back of his performances in the Premier League so far this season.

Digne sees this period of his career as another opportunity for growth and he is confident that he can fulfil his potential with Everton after battling to break into the first-team picture at the Nou Camp.

“The people are so friendly here,” he told evertontv. “I love playing at Goodison Park and I will never forget my first game. It was a friendly against Valencia but the atmosphere was amazing. It was just unbelievable.

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“I hope away teams look at coming here and know it will be difficult because of the atmosphere. I hope Goodison continues to be a fortress for us.

“I think I can play my best football here. I developed myself playing seven years in France and in different leagues around Europe. But now I need to grow again and Everton is the perfect club for me.

Digne credits manager Marco Silva for how much is enjoying life at Goodison Park. He isn't the first player to have sung the manager's praises so it is no surprise that the feel-good factor that is permeating the squad is being reflected in positive performances on the pitch.

“The coach, Marco Silva, wants offensive full-backs and it is a pleasure for me to be involved in our attacking play,” Digne continued.

“His mentality is perfect for the Club and for the team. We work hard every week tactically and physically as well. When you work hard, you improve every time, and we have to use every session to continue to develop.”

 

Reader Comments (18)

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Tony Sullivan
1 Posted 23/11/2018 at 20:56:34
It is amazing how much of a positive difference a good coach is making, long may it continue.
Gordon White
2 Posted 23/11/2018 at 21:18:03
Happy days.

I've gone from absolute despair under Sam Allardyce to hope and excitement and always looking forward to the next game.

Long may it last. And a huge Thank You to Mr Moshiri. You're the man!

Les Moorcroft
3 Posted 23/11/2018 at 21:25:31
Nice to see players going to play for there country and not asking for a move or slaging there clubs off. Then telling us all how good they are. Nice one lad.
Jim Bennings
4 Posted 23/11/2018 at 21:46:02
We are loving having you, Lucas, mate!
Jack Convery
5 Posted 23/11/2018 at 22:44:38
Good to hear - real quality footballer and guy too.
Frank Wade
6 Posted 23/11/2018 at 23:14:56
A great signing. I didn't expect we could replace Baines so well and so quickly.
Robert Leigh
7 Posted 23/11/2018 at 23:52:02
Agree, Frank – Great to see him thriving.

I was disappointed when we didn't get Tierney from Celtic in the summer, Digne came out of left field but he's been brilliant; long may it continue.

Jerome Shields
8 Posted 24/11/2018 at 01:01:17
A really top-class player. Consistently performs at a high level and has the stats to prove it. Good at the dual role in his position that Silva has given. Other players have struggled with the dual role in their position, eg, Tosun and Walcott. Digne performs it at ease.
Derek Knox
9 Posted 24/11/2018 at 02:49:07
No complaints about any of the signings Marcel Brands has brought in thus far; as has been mentioned, Lucas seems to have slotted in so well, and so quickly.

Very encouraging too, to both hear and see a player enjoying being at the Club, as opposed to the mercenaries of the past, and present, who will all soon be gone.

Terence Leong
10 Posted 24/11/2018 at 06:29:07
If we can keep him happy and motivated, we have a real player on our hands. The fact that he has been at PSG, Roma and Barca, and has done well in them.

He is more accomplished than Baines was at his age. Though it's still some distance for him to get to Baines' level (at least in terms of attacking play and set pieces) of the 2012-13-14 seasons.

We probably can't expect a like-for-like replacement (Baines's set-pieces are quite something), but he doesn't have to be.

Tony Everan
11 Posted 24/11/2018 at 09:33:24
Remember the dark ''why haven't we signed a left-back'' days? They are like a distant memory.

What a fantastic signing Lucas Digne has been, a quality player with a personality to match. You just know, when a player has his quality, you are going to get consistent performances from him.

Left-backs don't get as much of the limelight as a striker but I am every bit as pleased with the signing of Digne as Richarlison.

Jer Kiernan
12 Posted 24/11/2018 at 11:38:37
I have been very impressed with this lad... he seems very focused, confident and a down-to-business approach to his play. Add to that those sweet crosses he is swinging in, he is looking a great signing. All good.
Peter Gorman
13 Posted 24/11/2018 at 17:13:40
Class player, that is obvious. But I'd expand on Gordon's point and ask could you imagine him waxing so lyrical if Koeman was still manager, a man who allegedly insisted that everybody waited at the table until he got his chips, or just generally ostracised players and threw them out of their lockers.

By contrast, Silva seems to be a great man-manager.

Steve Hopkins
14 Posted 25/11/2018 at 11:17:45
Arguably the most successful of our recent signings in terms of how quickly he's adapted and fitted into a new team in a new country and ousted an iconic, albeit ageing, Leighton Baines. Long may it continue.
Steve Ferns
15 Posted 25/11/2018 at 19:09:13
Agree with almost every word of the above. The lad is class, he is genuine, and he seems to be loving it here.

Gomes's recent social media comments imply that he too is loving it here. Richarlison falls into that bracket, Mina as well. Zouma seems content, but more in line with how previous signings have been happy.

Can anyone ever recall where so many new signings all came in and immediately seemed so happy to be here? It's been one of the most surprising aspects of this season, which is very refreshing after how long it took each of them to get into the side.

Fran Mitchell
16 Posted 26/11/2018 at 19:55:06
Been very pleased with him, and he will improve more, which seems exciting.

How rare for 6 new signings to come in and all seem to be 'hits', and none have flopped. Bernard still has much to improve, and Mina is still settling, but that is some record.

Look at Liverpool, spent £40 million on Fabinho and looks like he'll soon be gone. Man Utd spent £50 million on Fred, and he isn't getting in the team and has looked poor when playing. And there are countless examples of seemingly top players signed for big money and it quite simply not working out.

Shows how Silva & Brands having a 6 out of 6 'hit' record is quite the achievement.

Simon Smith
17 Posted 27/11/2018 at 01:00:59
Wow! — all seems to be well at Goodison Park and on ToffeeWeb, it's been a while since we've been able to say that!

All the right comments seem to be coming out of our club, the signings all look like they've improved us dramatically, and the manager seems to not only want to play the football the fans want to see, but deliver results whilst doing so.

I can accept being a team who are the best of the rest, especially if it's with a view to catching up to the big boys, but if we have to settle for 6th to 8th then I want to watch attractive football whilst doing so.

We pay the money to enjoy our matches, this is something I've not really done since Roberto's first season. I was only speaking to my dad about the Cardiff game today, saying although we weren't quite at it, I still enjoyed the game, and the funny thing was I'd watch Koeman's team win games 3-0 and not have the same feeling.

Digne is a part of what makes the game so good to watch nowadays, his attacking play is great, he's like a breath of fresh air especially as poor Bainesy has suffered with injuries over the last year or two, leaving us watching Martina playing left-back.

I'd also like to give Bainesy a bit of credit too for the Digne situation as he started the season in decent form, so Digne had to earn the spot and also has to maintain a good level as I'm sure Baines is showing plenty of ability in training too.

It's genuinely great to hear Digne speak so highly of his short time at the Blues and long may it continue. He seems like he's a driven footballer, he's played at the top level with Barca, PSG, Roma and the French national side and he is still just 25 years old. Players like this don't come around all the time and signing him was very astute.

Pickford, Coleman, Mina, Keane, Digne is a back 5 that can be together at the peak of their powers over the next couple of years, table that with Gana and hopefully Gomes in front of them, throw in Lookman, Sigurdsson, Theo, and Richarlison and we have a bright few years coming up.

Hopefully Moshiri will continue to back Silva and Brands and allow us to have a real go at catching the top few, because looking at the above, along with the exciting group of talented lads we have coming through, we genuinely have a chance at a bit of success at long last.

Joseph O Brien
18 Posted 27/11/2018 at 17:27:46
Simon @17,

I think we are 3 players away from having a team capable of breaking the top 4:

Right-wing — I'd like Lozano whom Brands knows well or Malcolm from Barca who isn't getting much game time

Right-back — No idea... but I'm sure Brands has a few in his book

Finally, that all elusive >20-goal-a-season centre-forward.

We had Lukaku, Andy, but we hadn't got the squad to suit him and now our squad is better but wouldn't suit Lukaku.

Those 3 players of the same quality we have already signed would push us close if not into the top 4.


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