Martinez: The threat Naismith gave us won us the game
Roberto Martinez has said that Steven Naismth hasn’t been himself while at Everton but says that the Scot is now starting to feel at home and get back to the player that he was at Rangers and Kilmarnock.
The Everton manager was full of praise for the striker and says that he transformed the game when he was introduced against Fulham.
“I don’t really think Steven has been himself since he arrived at Everton,” said Martinez after the striker had fired Everton to a 1-0 home victory over Chelsea.
“I want him to forget about the past, I want him to forget that he’s at Everton. I want him to feel that he’s on the park enjoying his football and showing his quality, because when he does that he’s a very effective footballer.”
Now the Blues boss feels Naismith has rediscovered that swagger in the final third.
The Scotland international was named man of the match at Craven Cottage on Sunday after his seventh goal of the campaign put the gloss on a 3-1 victory over relegation-threatened Fulham.
And Martinez says his half-time substitute was the difference between Everton earning three points rather than one.
“I think it is fair to say that in the last three months he has become the player I saw coming through at Kilmarnock and Rangers,” Martinez said in the aftermath of Sunday’s win.
“When you arrive at a new football club and a new league you need time to adapt.
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