It’s always nice to score goals, isn’t it?
Yeah, it is. It’s been a while but it’s always nice to score goals and I’m happy to help the
team. I think it was a good result. There’s things we need to improve on - it’s still pre-season,
still early - but we can be happy with the performance. We know what we need to work on.
They were poacher’s goals - right place, right time...
I was kicking myself after the opportunity I had in the other game.
It was a chance I should have taken and today was a chance to put that right.
I got two goals so I’m obviously happy, but overall, it was a good team performance
and at times like this, that’s what we’re looking for - not individual moments, it’s
how we’re improving and building as a team.
I think today was a step in the right direction, but we need to keep going now.
The results in America didn’t go the way we wanted to and it is only July,
but we really needed that today, didn’t we?
We did. Pre-season is always tough, coming back in and
it’s not about being ready for those games - it’s about being ready for the first game of
the season and this all build-up to that. It’s not been good enough, we know that.
There’s no hiding places for any of us. We know what we need to improve on and work at.
There’s some great coaching staff and players here. We all need to click and work together.
Today was a good sign of that.
Two assists from the full-backs today, which is important if you want to get in those positions…
I think the way football is going and the way teams are attacking and setting up, full-backs are
a key part of that for most teams. As an attacking player, it’s nice to have defenders helping and
being an attacking threat and I think that’s a big part of football now. We have
some quality full-backs in this team and it’s good for them to be getting involved in goals as well.
We’re happy, but we know we need to keep improving.
Has the message from the manager and coaching staff been that
places are up for grabs for the first game of the season?
I don’t think the manager doesn’t need to say too much about that.
As players, we know of the quality that we have in the side.
We all want the same thing. We have the same goals.
To achieve anything, we need to be fighting for places.
No one’s place is guaranteed. We have to work hard in every game and training session.
Everything we do, we need to apply ourselves correctly. We have to fight.
When you’re at a club like Everton, it’s not for the manager to say that places are up for grabs.
You have to know that and feel that whoever is in that starting 11, it’s not a guarantee.
If you’re on the bench, you need to work hard to make sure you’re playing.
Did confidence take a knock after the result in America?
It was an eye-opener. Obviously, it’s hard to say, but coming off the back of a high at the
end of last season and going into this season, you don’t know what to expect. The first few
games were an eye-opener - we know it’s not going to be easy and we know what we need to improve on.
I think we showed today - and at times in the other games - the quality we have.
But we have to keep improving and it’s about being ready for that first game of
the season. This was a chance to play and to work against a good Blackpool side that
gave us some problems - they tested us and we had to overcome that. We’ll keep working and
building and finding out what areas we need to build on and where we need to strengthen.
Are you enjoying life at Everton, Dele?
Yeah, it’s been good. I’m just working hard every day, making sure I give my
all for the Club when I’m on the pitch and training, helping the team. It’s been good.
What about the turnout from the away fans?
It was fantastic support again. We wanted to - not put on a show for them,
but show the right attitude and go out there and get the result. We did that,
it was for the fans but it’s about the first game of the season. That’s what our eyes are on.
This was a chance for us to work, build and see where we need to improve.