Source: Liverpool_Echo
Howard Kendall: Arteta needs to find his form as underdogs make life tough
IT IS the season of the under-dogs so far. Teams who most pundits probably had down as relegation fodder before a ball was kicked, are turning up and getting results in the unlikeliest of places.[LNB]Look at Wolves at Anfield on Wednesday night, and think back to when they came to Goodison Park and frustrated Everton, a disappointing point which began their slow start to this campaign.[LNB]You need something a little bit special to play through these teams.[LNB]They are packing midfields with strong, athletic players who press the ball relentlessly, and deny oppositions any space.[LNB] There is probably only Arsenal who have the players to play their way through these tough midfields. They can cut through thanks to their finesse players, but even sides like Chelsea have struggled and you only need to glance at the league table to see how the under-dogs are thriving.[LNB]So, Everton's ability to open up teams is going to depend increasingly on Mikel Arteta. Unfortunately he is struggling, although now is not the time to judge him after one game back from his suspension.[LNB]The worrying thing is that the supporters are talking increasingly about what the Spaniard earns, after he signed a lucrative new deal with the club in the summer.
