The Toffees ex-player named the Spurs model of keeping the team’s main players together and suggests Everton should look into that.
Everton ex-player Michael Ball has spoken of the importance of Marco Silva balancing the addition of new players with the Tottenham Hotspur model of keeping as many of the first-choice starting XI together.
The Toffees have endured a topsy-turvy season which has seen Silva come under criticism on numerous occasions but the last few weeks have been mostly fruitful for the club, with several superb results.
In their last six Premier League games, Everton have triumphed over Chelsea, West Ham United, Arsenal and Manchester United, but as testament to their inconsistency, they’ve also lost to bottom-half sides Newcastle United and Huddersfield Town.
Ball believes that Everton – the players and the manager – are finally starting to show what they’re capable of, and while admitting the ranks need to be bolstered, the Toffees ought to do like Spurs have done in ensuring the bulk of the team remains in one piece.
“The improvements in defence are just one facet of the improvements of late and we are really starting to see what Silva is trying to do with this team, at both ends of the pitch,” Ball wrote in his Liverpool Echo column.
“Look, there is still a long way to go with this squad and the summer needs to see us add quality. I’m confident that will happen. But also, it could be about following that Spurs model of keeping the players in your first choice starting XI together.”
Everton travel to Crystal Palace in their next Premier League game, at 3pm on Saturday, before seeing out the season with a home game against Burnley and a trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to face the Lilywhites of Mauricio Pochettino.
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