- Rohl made his first start for Everton since January in their draw against Manchester City.
- Currently on loan from SC Freiburg but the Toffees are likely to sign him permanently.
- Impressed as an effective winger even though he is a central midfielder.
Merlin Rohl had his best game in an Everton shirt last night.
Since making the move from SC Freiburg, the midfielder has only featured in three full matches all season.
But the German cashed in on a rare starting opportunity against Manchester City, even though he was surprisingly used as a traditional winger.
As a tall central midfielder, Rohl has primarily been used for his physical presence in the middle of the pitch, but the draw against City showed a new side to the 23-year-old.
It was a night that ended in much disappointment for the Blues, but it also spotlighted that Rohl has an exciting future ahead on Merseyside.
Merlin Rohl showed his impressive adaptability
Prior to kick off, it appeared David Moyes was going to setup with a flat midfield trio of James Garner, Tim Iroegbunam and Rohl.
But the Scotsman opted to push the young German out on the right wing, and it was here that the midfielder was so influential.
With a mixture of his pace and physicality, Rohl proved to be a handful for one of the league’s finest left backs, Nico O’Reilly.
The 23-year-old’s darting run helped create Everton’s third goal, and Rohl was also tackled to the floor by Bernardo Silva, but was unfortunately not awarded a penalty.
On top of his effective performance, the German also highlighted his ability to play in multiple areas on the pitch.
His performance on the right wing was an extremely promising one, and made a statement that he can become one of Everton’s most valuable players.
Marouane Fellaini, Tomas Soucek, now Merlin Rohl?
Two of Moyes’ most successful periods in his managerial career were at Everton from 2002 to 2013, and for West Ham United between 2019 and 2024.
For the Blues the Scotsman made effective use of Marouane Fellaini, and for the Hammers, Tomas Soucek was a key man in midfield.
Rohl’s build as a player is comparable to the two aforementioned midfielders, who like the German, were powerful outfielders, but also technically gifted.
Some of Everton’s most promising moments against City, came from driving runs on the right wing, yet Rohl also helped out defensively by tracking back to aid Jake O’Brien.
The German midfielder displayed his ability to adapt and help his team, but on top of this desirable quality, Rohl has the foundations to be a functional player in every third of the pitch.
He is still relatively young, and has much to prove, but in what has been a disappointing final stage of the season for the Toffees, they might have unearthed a diamond who could be so influential to their future plans.
