Saturday’s draw at Swansea saw the welcome return of Steven Pienaar in a blue shirt. It was just his 11th appearance of the season, and it has to be said there was a noticeable improvement in our performance once he replaced Leon Osman. The left side has been a problem position all season, with the likes of Barkley or Naismith asked to do a job out there. It hasn’t worked for either. Osman himself has played there in recent weeks and done well, but its Pienaar’s natural position and the difference was stark once he came on. Everyone knows he links up well with Baines, but his ability to hold onto the ball, draw opponents out of position, turn quickly and find space has been sorely missed this season. He is an extremely intelligent footballer, and perhaps doesn’t get the appreciation he deserves. Do people still hold the move to Spurs against him? Possibly.
For me, he was crucial to the success we had last season, with him on one side and Mirallas on the other, we had a balance. If you get a chance, watch some of the goals from last season, Pienaar is involved more often than any assists or goals statistics would suggest. He might not be the one finishing or putting in the final pass, but his movement creates space for others to exploit. It’s not all about going forward either. His understanding with Baines works both ways, and Pienaar always does his shift defensively.
So his return is a welcome one, but what does this mean for his long term future? Up until Saturday, it looked as though it may have been the end for Pienaar at Everton. He’d been out for so long and if we’re honest, no one really seemed to know what was wrong with him. Like Distin, he just seemed to have vanished completely. Roberto though, as he does, has waxed lyrical about the South African’s return, claiming he is “key” to how we play. It’s hard to argue with that assessment.
Of course, it would be wrong to say his return will fix everything. There have been a multitude of reasons why this season hasn’t worked out in the way anyone wanted or expected, but I firmly believe his prolonged absence has been a contributing factor.
At 33, it’s obvious he doesn’t have too long left in an Everton shirt. But having looked like it was already over, it appears now that there may be one last encore for the veteran midfielder who has been a terrific servant for the club over two spells, and that has to be good news.
