What Merlin Röhl can take from Leighton Baines's Everton patience

Merlin Röhl, like many of last year’s signings, would have wanted his first season at Everton to have gone better.

The first half of his campaign was interrupted by injury and, despite some positive performances over the festive period and into January, the German did then not get another chance to show what he could do until the start of May, when he was surprisingly given the nod on the right of midfield against Manchester City.

Röhl took his chance, though once again it was David Moyes’s seemingly desperate need to play a central midfielder out of position out on the wing that saw the 23-year-old keep hold of his place.

While it is clear that Röhl is no winger, he demonstrated enough for his season not to be classed as a failure. He has pace to burn, he is physically powerful and has good size — he is also good on the ball and his first thought is to get it forward.

There was an obligation to buy built into the loan agreement Everton struck with Freiburg, which would be activated upon the Toffees’ safety being assured.

And while Everton are still on the lookout for midfield reinforcements, they have spent the best part of £20M to bring Röhl in permanently, and he must be utilised next season.

However, off the pitch, Röhl seems to have slotted straight into not only the club, but also the city.

His photography has been featured on Everton’s social media accounts, and he has struck up a great relationship with Leighton Baines.

Indeed, Röhl commented on his friendship with Baines in a recent interview with Everton, saying: “It’s so rare that I will find somebody that really has exactly the same cameras and has maybe some thoughts that are so similar to football… I think we both have the desire of being the best at what you can do. He wants to be the best.”

But more than just being a fantastic all-round bloke, Baines also has an Everton story that Röhl could well learn from.

When Baines initially joined from Wigan Athletic back in 2007, he was not an instant hit.

Injuries and a lack of form restricted his minutes in 2007-08, as Moyes (typically) went with centre-back Joleon Lescott playing out of position at left-back for a good chunk of the campaign.

Now, Everton did finish 5th and had a good run in Europe, and Lescott scored a whopping 10 goals, so it’s hard to say Moyes got it wrong, but Baines will no doubt have been frustrated.

Baines finished that first season with 29 appearances and 17 starts, so not awful, but certainly not a mainstay by any means.

Yet by the midway point of the 2008-09 campaign, Baines had overcome his niggles, earned Moyes’s trust, and from there, the rest is history.

Given Röhl’s bond with Baines, perhaps there’s a lesson there.

Röhl had clearly earned Moyes’s trust by the end of the season, now it’s just about being able to play in his best position, regularly.

There is a worry that a 4-2-3-1 doesn’t really suit Röhl, but then again, that same point can be made about most of Everton’s midfielders. One could argue Carlos Alcaraz, who seems to be up for sale anyway, is the only out-and-out Number 10 Everton have, with the rest of the midfield options more suited to playing in a 4-3-3.

With Everton still attempting to sign Hayden Hackney, but doubts over the futures of Idrissa Gana Gueye and Tim Iroegbunam, hopefully Röhl has done enough to ensure he is going to be utilised in his proper role next term.

Like his good friend Baines, he’s needed to have patience, but he now deserves his reward for biding his time.

 

 

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