Right Wing/Right Midfield - One Half of the Wide Picture

 

Right Wing or Right Midfield is often a position that takes more of a supporting role to the stars that lead the line up front, the Strikers. But they have a shine all of their own and can often be fantastic goal scorers themselves. Here is my list for the top three Right Mids/Wingers to have passed through Everton’s doors.

 

Number Three – Mikel Arteta

I remember Mikel Arteta being mostly a right mid in his time at Goodison Park, although I know he switched to a more central role later on. Mikel was a player I loved and would do my best to emulate in the street with my mates. His technique was exceptional and rightly so for someone who graduated from La Masia. He was a key component to David Moyes’ team and scored some vital goals for the Toffees over the years. His free kick against Crystal Palace for his first, the blast from distance against Fiorentina and, of course his perfectly placed shot against the other lot all immediately come to mind. But he was also a great provider; he made countless assists for the likes of Andy Johnson, Yakubu and even Duncan Ferguson. The goal against Manchester United at Goodison, under the lights, still gives me chills; the delivery, the diving header, the roar from the fans all etched into the memory.

 

Mikel never won anything with Everton but that’s only because of the timing of his injury, just before the 2009 FA Cup final. Arteta injured his knee badly and missed that and the semi-final; one might argue if Mikel was fit and had he played, we would have stood a much better chance of beating Chelsea that day in the heat at Wembley.

 

It’s fair to say Mikel Arteta may have had a better career at Arsenal, in terms of trophies won and their overall performance in the league at the time, but Everton is always a place close to his heart and he will always get a favourable reception from Everton fans whenever we see him.

 

Number Two – Andrei Kanchelskis

Andrei Kanchelskis moved to Everton from Manchester United after falling out with Alex Ferguson for what was then a club record fee of £5 million. His impact at Everton was massive and he eventually gained cult status with the Toffees faithful, which was boosted by his brace against the Spiceboys; he always seemed to find goals against them.

 

He didn’t win anything with Everton but Andrei Kanchelskis definitely won hearts with his ability. He was unbelievably quick and had great technique in his crosses and could find a goal when it was absolutely desperately needed. In his first season on Merseyside he pocketed 16 goals, a tally that no Everton player had reached until Romelu Lukaku in 2016.

 

Kanchelskis would only spent a short time on at Goodison, two years and he was sold to Fiorentina for £6 million

 

Number One – ‘Tricky’ Trevor Steven

Yeah, I know, it’s another player from the great 80s side in at Number One again. But can you blame me? Trevor Steven was massive in that team; Andy Gray and Graeme Sharp don’t score as many goals as they did without the service from Tricky Trev and Kevin Sheedy on the opposite flank.

 

As with pretty much every player from that period, Trevor won just about everything apart from the European Cup and the League Cup, obviously. He was quick, could cross a ball onto a pinhead and also had an eye for goal; famously scoring in both the comeback win against Bayern Munich and again in the final in Rotterdam against Rapid Vienna.

 

Trevor Steven seemed to win trophies no matter where he went in his career, winning the Scottish League title with Rangers seven times and the French Ligue 1 with Marseille, even winning the Third Division Title with the club he began his career at Burnley. It could be argued, though, that Steven’s medals with Everton made the most impact on his life, he played in more finals for Everton than any other team and is remembered more fondly by Evertonians than any other club.

 

Trev was also an England international, capped 36 times and scored 4 goals.