da winzada777： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
da fazobetai： Sky Sports pundit Danny Mills has claimed Everton midfielder Andre Gomes has been “a big miss” at Goodison Park since suffering a rib injury, with the Portuguese’s absence helping to show his true worth to the Toffees.
What’s he said?
Everton turned Gomes’ temporary stint on loan from FC Barcelona into a permanent arrangement this summer for £22million, per BBC, after the midfielder featured in 29 games across all competitions last season, assisting twice.
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The 26-year-old began the new campaign as a regular in Silva’s plans, as well, with a starting role in each of the Blues’ opening four games of the Premier League season, but has featured for just six minutes since, coming in his return appearance from the bench at Burnley.
His absence from defeats against AFC Bournemouth, Sheffield United and Manchester City through a rib injury has helped to show what Gomes brings to the table, in the eyes of Mills, who believes the 29-cap international often goes under the radar.
Speaking with Football Insider, Mills said:
“He’s one of those players you don’t always notice until he’s not there. A lot of people go: ‘Yeah, he’s alright, he does this, does that, but what does he really do?’ Then he goes missing and they go: ‘Oh yeah, that’s what he does.’
“He doesn’t have those outstanding performances where he’s bossing it and driving through the midfield, scoring and shooting and all those types of things.
“He has been a big miss. It’s no excuse, Everton have got strength in depth and some quality and they should have coped better without him, but if they can get him back fit and firing that’s a massive plus.”
Schneiderlin showed why Gomes was missed
Since featuring from the bench at Burnley, Gomes has had the international break to help finalise the closing stages of his rehabilitation in the hopes of earning his fifth start of the term against West Ham United on Saturday.
So long as Silva has no doubts over the 26-year-old’s fitness, the Everton boss will likely be keen to hand his compatriot that start, as Schneiderlin and Delph were not able to fill the void Gomes’ absence created, as Mills pointed to.
Particularly against Burnley last time out, Schneiderlin showed why Gomes was missed, as the Frenchman often tried to keep things simple and play it sideways or backwards at Turf Moor, rather than advancing play up the field.
The 29-year-old offered no defensive support, either, with no tackles attempted or interceptions recorded, while WhoScored registered his central partner Delph as making one of each.
Gomes was not statistically superior to his Everton teammates in his first four outings of the season, with both Delph and Schneiderlin recording more successful tackles, interceptions, and accurate short and long passes, but it is in the things you often do not notice, as Mills said, that saw Gomes prove himself as Silva’s first-choice midfielder.