Thomas Myhre has praised Everton goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.
Everton’s Maarten Stekelenburg saves a shot from Tottenham’s Vincent Janssen
Former Everton goalkeeper Thomas Myhre has told the club’s official website that he has been impressed with Maarten Stekelenburg so far this season.
With Tim Howard leaving Goodison Park to join MLS side Colorado Rapids in his native United States, Everton needed to bring in a new goalkeeper – and manager Ronald Koeman decided to reunite with one of his former players.
Maarten Stekelenburg at Southampton
Veteran goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg worked with Koeman at both Ajax and Southampton, and and with no future at Championship side Fulham, Koeman swooped to work with him again.
Whilst some fans expected a younger goalkeeper to be brought in to take the No. 1 jersey, Stekelenburg has started the season as Everton’s first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Joel Robles – and he’s been impressing too.
The 34-year-old not only turned in a superb performance against Tottenham Hotspur on the opening day of the season, but has been a reliable shot stopper throughout the campaign as Everton chase a top six finish.
Everton’s Maarten Stekelenburg
There are still suggestions that Everton could move for another goalkeeper – The Sun reported that Koeman is keen to work with Southampton stopper Fraser Forster again – but for now, Stekelenburg is impressing.
With the international break upon us, Stekelenburg has earned a recall to the Netherlands squad, and has now been praised by former Everton goalkeeper Thomas Myhre.
The Norwegian, 42, has told the Everton official website that he thinks Stekelenburg doesn’t have any weaknesses, and has been ‘very good’ so far, contributing to Everton getting ‘back to normal’ defensively after frailties under former boss Roberto Martinez.
Everton’s Maarten Stekelenburg
“He’s done ever so well,” said Myhre. “He’s very good overall, in all aspects. He’s calm, he commands his area well and his presence is very good. You can see that in the way his defenders show trust in him – and that’s very important. I don’t think he has any weaknesses and he’s now coming into the prime of his career.”
“Maarten made a couple of fantastic saves on his debut against Tottenham to earn us a point and there is no doubt that will have helped his confidence. The one goal we have conceded inside the box this season – against Middlesbrough – was a clear foul and he wasn’t at fault at all.”
“When you look at the start of our season, it looks like we’re back to normal in terms of being solid at the back. That’s the Everton way – being creative and good to watch going forward but also being very stable at the back. It’s impressed me,” he added.
What have you thought of Stekelenburg’s performances so far?
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