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Gerard Deulofeu

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I honestly hate it when players are subbed early and sit on the bench smiling and joking. If I've been subbed after 45 minutes I'm pissed because I've clearly had a poor game. Koeman has wanted to try him all over the pitch so far, up front, left, right and it looks like the left side is not for him. Think he'll start on the right against Spurs though, be very surprised if he's not in the starting eleven.
 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...tml?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

Everton winger Gerard Deulofeu says conceding late goals 'became a habit' under Roberto Martinez but holds no grudges towards the Belgium boss
  • Gerard Deulofeu believes he has 'natural connection' with Romelu Lukaku
  • Former Barcelona starlet does not know why he was dropped last season
  • Deulofeu also expressed his gratitude and sadness for Roberto Martinez
  • The 22-year-old thinks Everton will improve on their poor previous season
By Adam Crafton for MailOnline

Published: 08:00 EST, 4 August 2016 | Updated: 08:21 EST, 4 August 2016




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Gerard Deulofeu is pinpointing the moment he felt Everton reached the point of no return last season.

'The FA Cup semi-final in April was really hard on us,' the Spanish winger says, blowing out his cheeks.

'We played brilliantly in the second half against Manchester United. I came on and I felt we played really well. We equalised and created a lot of opportunities. It was really tough to concede that goal by Anthony Martial at the death.'

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Gerard Deulofeu says Everton's last season is 'hard to explain' and wants to see improvement

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The Catalonian impressed many with his old-fashioned wing play last season

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The 22-year-old winger developed a fruitful rapport with Belgian forward Romelu Lukaku

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DEULOFEU 2015-16 STATS
Games: 33

Starts: 11

Goals: 4

Assists: 11

'It wasn't the first time,' Deulofeu says, shaking his head.

'It happened at Bournemouth when we conceded a late goal that cost us victory and it happened at Chelsea too, although we were unfortunate because John Terry's equalising goal was offside. It's hard to explain why this kept happening.

'It can become a habit. Nerves can play a part but sometimes luck plays a part too. English football is also unique in the way teams don't give up and keep pushing and pushing. I think that if we were in our best form and in the top six, we wouldn't have conceded those goals. We know we have to be a team that defends well and attacks well as well.'

Over the course of this interview, Deulofeu, the fleet-footed winger that was central to so much of Everton's stylish attacking play during the first half of last season, delivers an honest and frank assessment of the campaign and indeed the departure of manager Roberto Martinez, who was appointed Belgium manager on Wednesday.

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Deulofeu does not think Everton started poorly last season but believes 'things got worse'

Everton were 7th in November but won only six of their last 25 games of the Premier League season, with four of those victories coming against relegated teams Newcastle, Aston Villa and Norwich.

The team's defensive record was a particular concern, as only Bournemouth and Aston Villa conceded more than the 30 goals Everton let in at home.

'We didn't start too badly, actually. However, as the season went on, things got worse. Yes, we reached the semi-finals of the League Cup and FA Cup and we were close to a final, but in the Premier League a team like Everton never wants to be eleventh, twelfth or thirteenth, as we were towards the end of the campaign.'

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Deulofeu was one of Everton's main creators before being dropped by Roberto Martinez

For Deulofeu personally, it was a peculiar season. The 22-year-old made an inspired beginning to the campaign and featured in 27 games by the end of January. His trickery and direct wing play yielded rave reviews and his whipped crosses from the right flank were a constant source of supply for Romelu Lukaku.

However, as Martinez searched for answers to correct his side's form, Deulofeu was sacrificed and started only three games between February until the end of the season.

'I don't know really why I played less. That would be a question for the manager. I felt I was playing well and reaching a good level. After that, I was on the bench quite often.

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The former Barcelona youth starlet does not understand why he was taken out of the side

'The manager makes the decisions, I respect that, and Aaron Lennon, who came in, is a very good player. I'm not someone who moans. If I don't play, I train even harder. I want to start every game.'

'I have a natural connection with Romelu. We stay most days after training and meet up to practice my crosses and him getting on the end of them. He is a top player and he takes up the best positions for an old-fashioned winger like myself.

'I am trying to improve the defensive side of my game and become an all-round wide-player but my USP is that I am an attacking winger that takes players on, commits opponents and excites fans. I think we are an increasingly rare breed. Many managers prefer to play with wingers that cut inside a lot and don't hug the touchline.'

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Deulofeu does not hold a grudge towards Martinez, who signed him first on loan for Everton three seasons ago and then re-signed him permanently from Barcelona last summer.

Martinez had been scouting the winger since he was 16 years old in the La Masia academy and Deulofeu insists that the Spaniard remains a 'great manager'.

'I am sad for him, of course. He is a great manager. I'd have liked to carry on working with him but these things happen in football. Let's not forget, though, that the players have to shoulder the blame too.

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Though Martinez did drop him, Deulofeu said he was 'sad' for his fellow Catalonian

'Yes, OK, the manager gives instructions but it's the players who go out there and it's the players who have to perform on the pitch. We absolutely had a responsibility of their own.

'On a personal level, Roberto has always put a lot of trust in me. He has been a huge person in my career. He signed me twice for Everton. He is a very good manager and he will bounce back.'

Deulofeu returned to Barcelona to visit family in June before heading to Ibiza on holiday. Now he is back training with Everton under new manager Ronald Koeman and optimism is in mind.

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The former Sevilla loanee believes Ronald Koeman can bring positive times to Everton

'This can be a positive time for Everton. We have to think that way. A new manager has arrived. We have a new owner. We have a balance between young players like myself, John Stones, Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku and experienced heads like Leighton Baines and Gareth Barry.

'John is a great player with big qualities. He's a young guy. If sometimes he makes a mistake, that's because everyone does at this age. He is a very special talent. He works extremely hard and he will be a great player.

'The new season can be good, that's what we are hoping for. We have a great squad and we know we will get better as well.'




Gerard Deulofeu was in Shoreditch for the launch of Overwatch, a first person shooter game by Blizzard, out now.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ds-no-grudges-Belgium-boss.html#ixzz4GNhLXHiu
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It was a strange formation in the first half as ross was making it a front 3 and the balls up was rubish plus we got out numbered in the middle. I would have liked ross sat in between barry and mccarthy so once they win the ball they have a short pass to find ross and then he can wither break forward or hit the direct ball for rom or gerry to run on to.
 

I feel like I'm losing my love for him. What was going on last season that he couldn't complete 90 minutes for us ? Fading in the second half of games, that's not just down to the manager, he's got to take responsibility for his own fitness. In pre-season he's started brightly enough, scored a couple of goals, but the last couple of games I've watched him play and he's been woeful, wayward passing, giving the ball away too often. He's one of the reasons why we're not creating enough chances and not scoring enough at the moment. I may be singing a different tune in 3 months time, I do hope so, but right now I'd be happier if he wasn't on the starting sheet next Saturday, and happier still if we bought a quality attacking midfielder before then.
 
I feel like I'm losing my love for him. What was going on last season that he couldn't complete 90 minutes for us ? Fading in the second half of games, that's not just down to the manager, he's got to take responsibility for his own fitness. In pre-season he's started brightly enough, scored a couple of goals, but the last couple of games I've watched him play and he's been woeful, wayward passing, giving the ball away too often. He's one of the reasons why we're not creating enough chances and not scoring enough at the moment. I may be singing a different tune in 3 months time, I do hope so, but right now I'd be happier if he wasn't on the starting sheet next Saturday, and happier still if we bought a quality attacking midfielder before then.
Look at the opposition last two games, it was a step up in class and geri (and a few other players) were found wanting. After watching today we are crying out for a player like mata (no.10) to act like a playmaker. There is a role still for geri in the team, but defensively I don't think he offers enough for koeman, when playing against better calibre teams. Used to be worried about our defence (still am to a retain extent) but the lack of creativity from our midfield is very worrying.
 


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