Marco Silva gave the Portuguese midfielder his Everton debut against Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Andre Gomes was something of a gamble for Everton this summer, although a completely understandable one.
He arrived at Goodison Park on loan after a spell with Barcelona that appeared to strip him of his confidence; the Portuguese had become a sign of mediocrity at Camp Nou, despite arriving as a player of great potential.
Gomes’s reputation seemed to put off many clubs, but Marco Silva and Marcel Brands were happy to give him his chance to rebuild, and Sunday’s game against Crystal Palace was the beginning of that.
The 25-year-old played 82 minutes from the start on his Everton debut – his first competitive football since May – and, while he was off the pitch by the time the Toffees grabbed their winning goals, Silva was pleased with the performance.
“He did well – like we expected,” Silva said in quotes reported by the Daily Mail. “He is working really hard and well. He is a player who can give us different things in that zone.”
Gomes came into the side for Tom Davies, and the Everton boss was happy to explain the qualities that his new player can bring in games like these.
“I expected a tough game with our opponent having good defensive organisation and we needed Andre to control the ball, to give different solutions for us – a little bit different profile than Tom,” said Silva.
It is the kind of role that Everton have lacked in recent years but one that should prove vital in games that require a bit more control.
Alongside more combative midfielders like Idrissa Gueye and Davies, Gomes feels like a very good fit for the way Silva wants his side to play – especially with Gylfi Sigurdsson there to add creativity.
It is only the beginning for Gomes but he may have finally found a place where he truly fits in.
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