Jack Harrison has spoken about the extra work he’s been putting in and the changes under David Moyes afrer scoring his first goal of the season for Everton at Wolverhampton Wanderers
After breaking his scoring duck for the season, Jack Harrison has lifted the lid on the work he’s been putting in behind the scenes while also explaining why Everton’s players love life under David Moyes. Asked about their respective absence of goals and assists this term in his pre-match press conference, the Blues boss issued a stark warning to wingers Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom ahead of their trip to Molineux, stating they wouldn’t have longevity in his side if they couldn’t provide.
However, the pair issued a timely response to their manager with Lindstrom setting up Harrison to put Everton ahead in their 1-1 draw.
The 27-year-old, who netted four goals for the Blues last season and grabbed 10 in all competitions during Leeds United’s first campaign back up in the Premier League said: “It wasn’t quite how I imagined it but I’ll take it and hopefully I can continue to contribute a lot more.
READ MORE: James Tarkowski fumes with striker as Wolves get it wrong about EvertonREAD MORE: ‘It was evident’ – national media ask Iliman Ndiaye question as Everton and Wolves ‘accept’ result“I’ve been working hard on and off the pitch to get off the mark. Sometimes you just need that bit of luck and I had that.
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“I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve been getting recently and just trying to take advantage of that. Hopefully I can contribute a lot more.
“I had a trainer I’ve been working with in Miami to look at clips and do some extra training on the side. Also, I’ve been working pretty closely with Billy (McKinlay) and Bainesy to try and look at different parts of my game and where I can improve.
“There’s a lot of work that’s been put into this little moment behind the scenes and I’ll continue doing everything I can to contribute more.”
In terms of where his main areas of focus have been, Harrison said: “It was overall things, defending and attacking with Billy and Leighton. But for myself, just the positions where I receive the ball.
“Tonight, I was receiving the ball a bit more inside rather than being wider. Little things like that.
“Then just some individual things in training: how I can obtain more goals and assists, whether it’s crossing or finishing positions. There’s a lot that goes into it and we’re all working very hard to try and add a bit more.”
Although Harrison and Lindstrom have spent large parts of the season competing for the same spot in the side, with the pair of them occupying the two wide berths by default, the former acknowledges it was nice to combine for the goal – the 9,000th in all competitions throughout Everton history – and he hopes they have now turned a corner. He said: “It was a nice ball he put across! It’s always difficult in football.
“On one side you have the competition for positions, but the time comes when we’ve had to work together the last few games and that rapport is important as well. He’s always been a great team-mate and very supportive no matter the situation.
“I like to think of myself as the same. At the end of the day, we’re a team and it’s important we all try to achieve the best for the team.
“It’s been very frustrating all season. I’ve been working really hard to try and get off the mark and have some good performances.
“Sometimes you just need a bit of luck. I feel I’ve not quite hit the level I wanted this season.
“I still think I’m a few levels away from where I can perform. But it’s definitely been a positive step in the right direction and hopefully I can keep building on these performances.”
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Everton’s big lift in the second half of Goodison Park’s final season has been the return of Moyes as manager. Despite the Blues being just a point off the relegation zone at the time of his appointment, they are now 16 points clear of the bottom three after extending their unbeaten run in the Premier League to eight matches.
Highlighting how things have changed under the man who steered Everton to nine top eight finishes during his first spell in charge, including a best-ever Premier League position of fourth in 2004/05, Harrison said: “It’s been a lot more detail oriented, the work we’ve been doing on and off the ball. Defensively, he puts a lot of effort into the set pieces and how we want to press from the front which has been good.
“Then on the attacking side, how we want to build from the back and create chances. That’s definitely been a key focus point. He and his staff have brought a lot and it’s showing in our results and performances at the moment.
“It just goes to show (Everton’s move away from relegation danger) the amount of work that everyone has been putting in on the training ground with David Moyes coming in and what he and his staff provide. The team have been buying into that.
“It’s not always easy when you change managers, but everyone seems to be on the same page. We’ve got a lot of talent in the squad and I think we can improve on the way we’ve been playing as well.
“There have been a lot of positives recently and we just want to keep continue building on that.
“He’s demanding. The Scottish side to him brings a lot of character but I think he’s also very approachable and clear with what he wants from his players as well.
“It’s been great having him in and he’s a legend at this club as it is anyway. There are a lot of happy faces around the club to see him back.”
