Arteta offers Fellaini support

Spaniard backs new-boy to settle soon

By Ben Collins   Last updated: 13th October 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Arteta offers Fellaini support

Fellaini: Arteta praise

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Mikel Arteta has backed record signing Marouane Fellaini to settle in after a shaky start at Everton.

The 20-year-old has struggled to adjust to his new surroundings since his £15million move from Standard Liege while the Blues have won just two of their opening seven league games and been knocked out of the Uefa Cup by Fellaini's former club.

However, the Belgium midfielder signed off for the international break by scoring in the 2-2 draw against Newcastle United and followed that up with another goal in his country's 2-0 win over Armenia on Saturday.

European champions Spain are next up for Belgium on Wednesday and Arteta is hoping Fellaini can start to show his full potential on his return to Goodison Park.

Overloaded

"When you come to a club you are overloaded with information early on but it becomes even harder to settle when everything is not right," Arteta told the Liverpool Echo.

"We are trying to explain every single thing to him - about the videos he sees, the meetings we go to, situations on the pitch - to try to help him settle. But his attitude has been very good.

"He is starting to improve. He is talking a little bit more, he is working hard. It is not easy when you come to a club and the club is not in its best moment.

"He needs some credit for the way he is trying to adapt. He has got the ability to score a goal, he has got stature at set pieces to cause problems and hopefully he can help us with that."

Presence

Meanwhile, David Moyes has urged the Goodison Park faithful to get behind Fellaini over the coming weeks.

The Scot insists the youngster should not be viewed as a direct replacement for former favourite Lee Carsley and must be given time to display his true credentials.

"People might think he was another Carsley, but he definitely isn't that," he said.

"In fact he's closer to Tim Cahill than Lee Carsley and probably combines bits of both players' games.

"I think he has done well so far. He is comfortable in possession and is not embarrassed by the ball, that's for sure.

"He has certainly given us a bit of presence for a start, which we were short of."

Honour

Arteta can communicate with Fellaini in French having spent a loan spell at Paris St Germain early in his career.

The 26-year-old Spaniard was named captain against Newcastle in the absence of Phil Neville and may retain the captain's armband at Arsenal on Saturday if Neville fails to recover from a hamstring injury.

"I have been captain a few times before - once with Paris St Germain when I was 18 and I captained some of the national teams too but it was a surprise to be made Everton captain," Arteta added.

"I am a foreign player, so maybe it would have been natural to give it to somebody else. But it was a great honour and I really enjoyed the experience to lead out the lads we have here. I just wish we could have got the win for everyone at the club.

"To represent them on the pitch is a pleasure. When the team is playing well and the confidence is up, everything comes easy. At the moment it has been hard but we all need to stick together to turn things around."