Moyes backs Saha to continue form

Posted Sunday, September 20, 2009 by PA

Everton boss David Moyes believes that striker Louis Saha is hell-bent on proving that his injury-jinx days are behind him.

Saha scored two - his fifth and sixth in five games so far this season - as Everton cruised to a comfortable 3-0 win over Blackburn at Goodison Park, with defender Joseph Yobo also on the score sheet.

Moyes described the French striker as giving "something extra" as his team pulled themselves out of the relegation zone and added another fine victory to Thursday's Europa League 4-0 win over AEK Athens.

Moyes said: "We signed Louis when we were very short of forwards through injury, and he had been having his own injury problems. Many people said it was a bit of a gamble.

"But his ability is outstanding. I have not worked with that many players with that sort of quality.

"Louis is right up there with the best I have ever managed. A lot of people beforehand had signed him for his talent and goals.

"But he now looks like he is enjoying himself, and the goals he is getting are the bonus.

"Louis wants to prove that he is not injury-prone, like lots of people said he was, when he came here.

"He had a year or two when he had bad injuries, but he wants to show everyone that he is not injury-prone, and he is getting a run of games and goals now to make his point."

But whereas Moyes was delighted with his side's improving form, Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce was furious with his own team's dreadful display.

Allardyce said: "No player deserves to keep their shirts for the midweek Carling Cup game (at Nottingham Forest), apart from Chris Samba and Paul Robinson, for his fine saves in the second-half.

"Michel Salgado, on his full debut, did okay in a team that defended poorly. We made some very bad defensive errors and that after we had worked hard on the training ground to counter what Everton do.

"Leighton Baines has a good delivery from wide areas. We worked on those things and they did not seem to take any notice of any of that.

"Steven Reid and Brett Emerton will both come into the team on Tuesday night for the cup tie.

"And I can promise that whoever plays well at Forest will keep the shirt for the next Premier League match."

Moyes can now start to see signs of Everton hitting the form that impressed so many last term.

He said: "To win any Premier League game 3-0 is not easy, it was a very good performance.

"There were a few scary moments in the first half when the ball was coming into the box and there was something of a bombardment.

"But we still had a couple of opportunities ourselves before we scored.

"In the second half we were much more in control and looked far more likely to score.

"We are improving, there were the signs of the style that we were starting to show last season. But we are still a bit sticky, I am still looking to get things better.

"The introduction of some new players has meant that things have not quite flowed like we would have wanted, but that is understandable.

"Maybe confidence has not been as high as I would like, but after these last two wins that looks like it is getting a lot better."