TIM Howard hopes that Everton are not becoming too reliant on midfielder Tim Cahill coming to their rescue.
The Australian has become the catalyst to Everton's emerging season, nine games unbeaten and striding on in Europe, where they are now assured of topping Group A in the UEFA Cup to secure a place in the last 32.
The dramatic 1-0 win over Zenit St Petersburg, the recently-crowned champions of Russia, means that David Moyes' European novices will now miss the Champions League drop-outs and are assured of a opponent from the sides that finish third in their groups.
Cahill grabbed a late winner against the richest club in Russia, his sixth in the last nine games.
Howard, like former Manchester United colleague Phil Neville, has been able to pass on his European experience to Moyes' rookies, but he reckons Cahill needs little advice at the moment.
He said: "Tim's goals are worth their weight in gold. The way his 'engine' is and the way he pops up at the right time. It is almost as if we are too dependent on him.
"When things are not going well, you look for him to get in there and nick a goal. He does it time and time again, it is so nice to have him around even if we should not allow ourselves to be too dependent on him.
"Some players have a knack for getting goals from midfield positions, they sense where they ought to be. Some say it is luck, but he makes his own luck on the pitch."
Howard added: "Tim scored again, but that's why he gets paid the big money! Seriously, though, he has done really well, great. He has returned from injury and he is now on fire.
"Long may it last. The thing about Tim is that he just knows where to be. He pops up when you need him and sticks in 10 a season for us, which is just great."
Everton can now head for the 'dead rubber' of their last group match at AZ Alkmaar in a fortnight without a care in the world, and Moyes is promising to rest players who are in a run of nine games in 24 days.
They will face Manchester United three days after the December 20 trip to Holland, and Moyes admits to wanting "to have a look at a few other players."
But Moyes and his players are privately surprised at the confident nature of their progress in Europe, four straight victories and a draw against varied opponents from Ukraine, Greece, Germany and Russia.
And they are doing it with precious little top-level experience in the squad. Howard, Neville, Nuno Valente and Steven Pienaar have played 152 European games between them.
The other seven of yesterday's starting line-up - Cahill, Joleon Lescott, Phil Jagielka, Mikel Arteta, Lee Carsley, James McFadden and Andrew Johnson - possess a combined total of 32 European games.
Howard though reckons they are coping well. He says: "How far can we go? Who knows, this is all very new to the majority of the lads.
"We sat in the dressing room afterwards and realised that we were top of a difficult group and now we avoid the Champions League drop-outs and get a team who has finished third in their group.
"But there are some pretty tough sides hovering around third place in the other groups so we will have to wait and see now how it pans out.
"But we know it will be tough. Out of the group stages things will get more difficult, but everyone is confident we can keep this European run going.
"European nights are special, they were special for me and Phil (Neville) at Manchester United and they are special here.
"That is why Yak (Ayegbeni Yakubu) came to Everton as well. He knew Europe was special and he wanted that from this club.
"I suppose we can help the other lads who have not been involved in Europe much before. It is more by how you act, you pass on experience by showing that big moments, big games, do not affect you.
"Phil is fantastic. I take his lead, he has more European experience than me and I have more than others so it is passed on like that.
"But we are learning as we go, learning on the run if you like. Games are tough and we have found different ways to learn and we are getting better."
The dramatic 1-0 win over Zenit St Petersburg, the recently-crowned champions of Russia, means that David Moyes' European novices will now miss the Champions League drop-outs and are assured of a opponent from the sides that finish third in their groups.
Cahill grabbed a late winner against the richest club in Russia, his sixth in the last nine games.
Howard, like former Manchester United colleague Phil Neville, has been able to pass on his European experience to Moyes' rookies, but he reckons Cahill needs little advice at the moment.
He said: "Tim's goals are worth their weight in gold. The way his 'engine' is and the way he pops up at the right time. It is almost as if we are too dependent on him.
"When things are not going well, you look for him to get in there and nick a goal. He does it time and time again, it is so nice to have him around even if we should not allow ourselves to be too dependent on him.
"Some players have a knack for getting goals from midfield positions, they sense where they ought to be. Some say it is luck, but he makes his own luck on the pitch."
Howard added: "Tim scored again, but that's why he gets paid the big money! Seriously, though, he has done really well, great. He has returned from injury and he is now on fire.
"Long may it last. The thing about Tim is that he just knows where to be. He pops up when you need him and sticks in 10 a season for us, which is just great."
Everton can now head for the 'dead rubber' of their last group match at AZ Alkmaar in a fortnight without a care in the world, and Moyes is promising to rest players who are in a run of nine games in 24 days.
They will face Manchester United three days after the December 20 trip to Holland, and Moyes admits to wanting "to have a look at a few other players."
But Moyes and his players are privately surprised at the confident nature of their progress in Europe, four straight victories and a draw against varied opponents from Ukraine, Greece, Germany and Russia.
And they are doing it with precious little top-level experience in the squad. Howard, Neville, Nuno Valente and Steven Pienaar have played 152 European games between them.
The other seven of yesterday's starting line-up - Cahill, Joleon Lescott, Phil Jagielka, Mikel Arteta, Lee Carsley, James McFadden and Andrew Johnson - possess a combined total of 32 European games.
Howard though reckons they are coping well. He says: "How far can we go? Who knows, this is all very new to the majority of the lads.
"We sat in the dressing room afterwards and realised that we were top of a difficult group and now we avoid the Champions League drop-outs and get a team who has finished third in their group.
"But there are some pretty tough sides hovering around third place in the other groups so we will have to wait and see now how it pans out.
"But we know it will be tough. Out of the group stages things will get more difficult, but everyone is confident we can keep this European run going.
"European nights are special, they were special for me and Phil (Neville) at Manchester United and they are special here.
"That is why Yak (Ayegbeni Yakubu) came to Everton as well. He knew Europe was special and he wanted that from this club.
"I suppose we can help the other lads who have not been involved in Europe much before. It is more by how you act, you pass on experience by showing that big moments, big games, do not affect you.
"Phil is fantastic. I take his lead, he has more European experience than me and I have more than others so it is passed on like that.
"But we are learning as we go, learning on the run if you like. Games are tough and we have found different ways to learn and we are getting better."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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