Schneiderlin Confident Silva Can Bring Out His Best

Morgan Schneiderlin is confident Marco Silva’s attention to detail can help bring out his best under the Everton manager.

The Frenchman started in midfield as Silva oversaw his first competitive game as Blues boss in the 2-2 draw at Wolves last Saturday and could be in line to face his former club Southampton this weekend after an assured performance at Molineux.

Schneiderlin was a vital cog in Everton's battling display in their Premier League opener – particularly after they were reduced to 10 men shortly before half-time - contributing three tackles, two interceptions and a pair of clearances, while also keeping the Blues ticking in possession as he completed 88 per cent of his 50 passes.

The 28-year-old, like the rest of his teammates, has enjoyed working under Silva since the Portuguese took over in the summer and says the manager’s constant communication has helped him develop.

“He’s very attentive to details,” Schneiderlin said. “He tries to make progress collectively and individually as well. He has shown me videos of my games and where I can improve. He’s shown videos to others, too.

“That’s very good for footballers as you need to see yourself after the game and understand what the manager wants from you. He is very good because he talks a lot and I can feel that I am making progress myself. 

“I need to have communication and know what he wants from me, then it’s easier to transmit that onto the pitch. It’s a normal process and I enjoy that very much.

“The manager’s ideas are the ideas that I like. I’m looking forward to this season. Now I need to show that on the pitch, I need to work hard and I need to do everything that I can to get better each week. Then I know that my quality will do the rest.

“You can see that the manager is implementing his ideas very well on the team. From day one in pre-season, you could see what he wants. He wants to keep possession, he wants pressing, he wants to play entertaining football which is demanding.

“That’s why we worked very hard in pre-season. The manager knows that game-by-game and week-by-week, by working, we will get better and improve. He’s someone that we all like working with.”

Schneiderlin spent seven years with Southampton after joining them from French side Strasbourg in 2008, helping them rise from League One to the Premier League.

He made 260 appearances of the Saints in that time and still has fond memories of the south coast side. However, they will have to be put on hold as Everton look to build on the point they earned at Wolves last time out.

Schneiderlin believes the acquisitions of Richarlison, Andre Gomes, Lucas Digne, Kurt Zouma, Yerry Mina, Bernard and Joao Virginia have improved the squad and he is optimistic the Club can “achieve things this season”.

“Southampton were my first club in England and I have followed them very much, who they have brought in, what their scores are,” he added. “I expect it to be a hard game. They have quality players and have switched from last season to three-at-the-back.

“They have some great wing-backs with Ryan Betrand and Cedric Soares, and they have brought in a player with quality from Germany in Jannik Vestergaard. They have very good players and we know what to expect. They will be very hard, so we need to be at the top of our game.

“But the players who have come in here at Everton are very good and they will improve the squad very much.

“They will help us to achieve great things. We need to concentrate on our work and the games, and not be carried away when we win one or two games. We need to be ready for any situation.”