Conor Coady has expressed his hunger to help Everton continue their impressive run under manager Frank Lampard as he insisted he “wants to do anything” to help the Blues. The defender, who joined on a season-long loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers in August, scored his first goal for the Toffees during Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Southampton at St Mary’s. Having fallen behind to a Joe Aribo strike, Coady and fellow summer signing Dwight McNeil bagged their first goals for Everton as Lampard’s men came from behind within the space of 120 seconds to claim their second consecutive victory and extend their unbeaten run in the division to six.
Conor Coady said: “Comeback wins always feel special but I feel like we deserved it. I felt that for the majority of the game we were in control, we knew what we were doing, we had possession of the ball and emphasising our way of playing. In the first half I actually feel like we could have gone up another level and been a little but more ruthless and relentless with it. But you have to dig in at times – you come to tough places and every game in the Premier League is a tough game, no matter who you come up against – especially away from home. To come back like we did is really pleasing but you can see the togetherness of the boys, the supporters and the feeling around the place. We’re trying to have possession more, we’re trying to keep hold of the ball a little bit more and I think you saw that at times. We want to go again – we want to get better.”
Alas, Coady’s goal was, after a passionate celebration, ruled out for offside as Jurgen Klopp’s men left the Goodison Park gates with a solitary point for their drab showing. But that instalment of the Merseyside derby, which has rarely seen players cross the Stanley Park divide, proved to Evertonians that Coady was more than up for the challenge of helping Lampard build something special at Goodison Park.
Conor Coady said: “My eyes lit up, I’ll be honest, when big Ama headed it down for me! I knew I was behind him, so I knew this one was definitely onside. We’re trying to get better and the manager is improving us. We need to keep listening to him every day because he’s a brilliant manager.”
And in a comment that will do even more to win over the Blue fanbase,
Conor Coady added: “It’s the greatest feeling ever (scoring for Everton)…I want to do anything to help the team, whether it’s a block on the line, a tackle, a goal at the other end…it’s a real special feeling.”
While it was only in September that former boss Rafa Benitez insisted he was doomed to fail at Goodison Park due to his previous ties with the red half of Merseyside, it appears Coady is using his previous connections as a burning incentive to win over the hearts of those in the Goodison Park stands. And if his first seven outings are anything to judge, Everton have themselves a fine leader of men amongst their ranks.
