With 12 games of the season remaining, Everton still have plenty to play for as we look to secure a top-10 place in the Premier League.
To achieve that, we must first maintain our good form at Goodison Park, where we have won three and drawn two of our six games under Sam Allardyce, but also find a way to become more resilient away from home.
We came in for some criticism after last week’s defeat at Arsenal, which was only to be expected because there was no escaping the fact it was a disappointing team performance.
There are two things you can do when you suffer a setback like that: pick the bones out of the game, or put it to one side, move on and focus on bouncing back quickly, which is what we intend to do against Crystal Palace this weekend.
The mood in training this week has been positive and we must now take confidence from the form we showed when the manager first came in, which saw us go seven games undefeated, and use that to go on another run.
Momentum is massive in the Premier League and as soon as you string a few wins together, you can fly up the table.
If we can find some consistent form then even seventh position could be within reach, which is where we finished last season.
From a personal point of view, I’m delighted with how much game-time I have had this season. Everton has given more minutes to young players this season than any other team in the Premier League and for me to have featured in 37 of our 39 matches to date has been an invaluable experience and I’m just embracing it all – the wins and the losses – because it will only serve me well in the future.
New @Everton magazine out now! Includes interviews & features with @theowalcott @seamiecoleman23 @Elia22Mangala Gylfi Sigurdsson @funesmoriofi25 @JPickford1 Craig Shakespeare @DennisAE7 Yakubu Adrian Heath Sam Allardyce Paul Tait @EvertonAcademy @Chloe_Kelly98 @EvertonLadies #EFC pic.twitter.com/BlXhMboU2v
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I’m also enjoying working with Sam Allardyce. He’s an experienced manager who has worked with many players over the years. For a young player like myself, he’s a good man to learn from and any little pointers that he gives me, I am taking on board.
There’s a certain pressure that comes with playing for a big club like Everton, partly because our fans are so passionate. They love their football and they love the club. When you don’t perform well, they are right on you, and when you do they are right behind you. It’s something you have to take on your shoulders as a player and use it in a positive way.
The recent signings of Theo Walcott and Cenk Tosun mean the competition for places up front is now more intense than ever, but I welcome that challenge because I know it will ultimately make me a better player in the long run.
As for the rest of the season, all I am focused on is playing as much as I can, and scoring as many goals as possible, to help the team climb the table. This has been a breakthrough season for me and I’m determined to finish it strongly.
