Digne: We're building something at Everton

Friday, 16 August, 2019 12comments  |  Jump to most recent

Digne scored a stunning stoppage-time equaliser from a free-kick against Watford at Goodison Park last season

Lucas Digne says with fresh competition in the squad, Everton can improve on last season's eighth-place finish if they can get off to a strong start in the Premier League.

The Blues were disappointed to only come away from their season-opener at Crystal Palace with just a draw but they picked up a point nonetheless and go into their first home fixture of the season in confident mood despite being depleted by injuries and a suspension in midfield.

Marco Silva's men face Watford without Morgan Schneiderlin, who was sent off at Selhurst Park last Saturday, and Fabian Delph who hasn't yet fully recovered from a muscle injury sustained in pre-season, while André Gomes's ability to start is unknown due to the ankle knock he picked up against Palace.

Nevertheless, with seven summer signings in the door, Digne is confident of Everton's medium-term prospects.

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"We have a big ambition this year. We are building something," the French international told Sky Sports News. "We started last year with some new players and now we [also] have [more] new players coming in. They help us.

"We are building something to be better and better. I think we can do something this year."

"Of course. When you look at last season, we finished well and we played well against the biggest teams. I think we can do something this year. If we start better than last year maybe we can finish [higher].”

Digne stressed the importance of making Goodison Park an intimidating place for opposition teams to come which Silva had managed to do during a season run-in last term that saw the Blues keep five successive clean sheets at home, with four of those games coming against top six sides.

"It is important to win at home and build a fortress at Goodison because it is our stadium," he continued. "It is an amazing place to play."

"Everybody is excited to play their first home game of the season at Goodison. It is the best place for playing football. The atmosphere is amazing."

Digne scored a stunning free-kick goal against Watford in this fixture last season to rescue a point in dramatic fashion at the end of a match that had not gone to plan for Silva's men.

He would score twice at Burnley on Boxing Day in a 5-1 romp that included a near carbon-copy goal from a dead-ball situation as the one he scored against the Hornets but he says that first strike in Everton colours was particularly memorable.

"It was the best personal moment in my career,” he said. “It was my first goal at Goodison. It was mixed [emotions] because I was disappointed with the result. But I was so happy with the goal."

Digne lost one compatriot as a club team-mate over the summer when Kurt Zouma returned to Chelsea following a successful season-long loan with the Toffees but gained another in the form of Djibril Sidibé.

Also a French international, the 27-year-old arrived on loan from Monaco on transfer deadline day to compete for a place on the opposite side of defence with Seamus Coleman.

"He won the World Cup with the national team, he has played with the national team a lot and he is very good right-back,” Digne said of Sidibé to the Liverpool Echo.

"He looks to get forward and cross the ball, he has a lot of quality and I think he will prove that in England. He is a very good player and he is my friend," he added.

"I have known him since Lille and we have grown together and I played with him in the national team too, so it is always a pleasure when you can play with our friends. I am happy he is here."

 

Reader Comments (12)

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Jimmy Salt
1 Posted 16/08/2019 at 20:34:01
Hope its the stadium.
Derek Knox
2 Posted 16/08/2019 at 20:37:27
Love Lucas Digne and he deserved the Player of the Season, but in some ways it is a sad indictment when 'his highlight' was scoring a last minute wonder goal against Watford to 'rescue' a point.

I say that with no disrespect to Lucas whatsoever, but come on, 'Fortress Goodison' and we are retrospectively acknowledging narrowly avoiding what would have been, the double by Watford over us.

Don't get me wrong Watford are a fairly decent side, but they're not a Man City, Spurs or whatever.

Mike Keating
3 Posted 16/08/2019 at 20:48:09
If he had said ‘we have no ambition to improve this season’, that would be news.
What do you expect a player to say at the start of a new season?
Gordon White
4 Posted 16/08/2019 at 22:01:18
I think he's an excellent player and I take what he says at face value. And I agree with him. I think we will improve on last season. At least we should.

Joe Corgan
5 Posted 16/08/2019 at 22:02:30
Fast becoming my favourite player.
Tommy Carter
6 Posted 16/08/2019 at 22:30:49
Excellent player. We are lucky to have him and his emotional investment in the club. Should easily be playing champions league football
Jay Harris
7 Posted 16/08/2019 at 23:04:38
Lets hope he will be next season, Tommy.
Jack Convery
9 Posted 17/08/2019 at 04:15:00
I just hope he sticks around until the roof is fixed into position.
Martin Berry
10 Posted 17/08/2019 at 08:39:50
A fans favorite already and I believe him in his assessment, this young team will bond and be something special when settled, all the ingredients are there.
Liam Reilly
11 Posted 17/08/2019 at 08:55:36
Cracking player; there's very few Premier League sides he wouldn't start in..
Sean Kelly
12 Posted 17/08/2019 at 10:11:16
Brilliant player and captain in the making. He exudes proper attitude on the pitch. We must on to him.
Sean Kelly
13 Posted 17/08/2019 at 10:11:59
Hold on to him

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