Merlin Rohl has no intention of giving up on Everton’s right-back position following the arrival of Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
The 24-year-old spent much of pre-season there before starting the opening three Premier League games of the campaign, turning what initially looked like a temporary solution into a genuine option for David Moyes.
Maitland-Niles arrived on deadline day to strengthen a position Everton had been trying to address throughout the summer, but Rohl has embraced the competition rather than viewing his experiment at full-back as finished.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Rohl explained how seriously he is taking the change.
“I can see myself as a right-back and even in the future see myself playing there. I try to learn as much as possible every day to learn the position. I watch my games back, I watch other right-backs and I don’t see any reason why I don’t play there.”
Rohl puts in the work to learn Everton role
Rohl developed primarily as a midfielder at Freiburg and has been used in several positions since arriving on Merseyside. Right-back presented a different challenge, particularly defensively, but he has been studying his own performances and other players in the position as he learns the role.
There have been difficult moments. Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw caused him problems during the 2-2 draw with Manchester United, something we examined when looking at Rohl’s Premier League learning curve at right-back.
Moyes nevertheless kept faith with him. Rohl started Everton’s opening three league matches before injury interrupted his run, including the United game after Maitland-Niles had already joined the club.
His willingness to learn the position gives Moyes another option once he is fit again, even if Maitland-Niles has strengthened his claim since coming into the side.
Pre-season gave Rohl his Everton opportunity
Rohl’s opportunity was built during the summer. He played more minutes than any other Everton player during pre-season and took that momentum into the Premier League campaign. For a player who hadn’t previously regarded right-back as his natural position, the experience changed how he viewed the role.
“I was so happy to have a full pre-season with the whole team. To be there consistently and to have had an opportunity to play – I think I had the most minutes of any player in the squad in pre-season so that went really well for me and I started the first games of the season, it was kind of a dream.
“Even if it was in a position I was not playing before, I was so happy to play and see so much potential for myself in the position. It was going really well.”
Maitland-Niles has since shown what he can offer Everton, most memorably with his late equaliser against Manchester United, and has continued at right-back while Rohl has been unavailable.
That leaves Moyes with a decision once both players are fit, but it is a healthier situation than Everton faced during the summer.
Rohl also offers something different. His midfield background gives him confidence in possession and the ability to move into central areas, while the defensive demands of playing full-back remain an area he is still learning.
Rohl working towards Hull return after injury
First, he needs to get into the team. Rohl has missed Everton’s last three matches with a minor injury, but his recovery is progressing during the international break. Moyes had already said he hoped to have him available by the end of the break, while Rohl’s own positive injury update suggested he was moving in the right direction.
Everton return to Premier League action at Hull City on 11 October, which remains the obvious target for his comeback rather than a confirmed return date.
What happens after that will be interesting. Maitland-Niles has strengthened Everton at right-back, but Rohl’s performances during pre-season and the opening weeks of the campaign have given Moyes another credible option.
Rohl began the summer filling a gap in Everton’s squad. He now wants to prove that right-back can become much more than a temporary job.
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