BBC pundit Nedum Onuoha uses own career to provide positive view of Everton situation
For as long as Everton remain outside of the relegation zone they are in a relatively positive place according to Nedum Onuoha.
The former Premier League defender was involved in relegation struggles during his career and eventually dropped out of the top flight with QPR, and feels that things could be significantly worse for the Toffees.
Frank Lampard’s side are currently 17th in the league, three points above the drop zone, and have games in hand of many of the teams around them.
Onuoha told BBC Sport: “For now, they are the ones being chased and the people below them are worrying that should Everton win then the gap will get bigger.”
“I’ve been just above the line and just below it at this stage of the season, and it makes a huge difference.
“When you feel like you are dropping down towards the relegation zone it is a horrible feeling but, believe me, it is far worse when you are in it, with time running out.”
“That is the key thing to remember here – for all of Everton’s problems, they are still in a position that the other teams below them would happily trade.”
Glass half full
It is slightly refreshing to consider that things are not quite as bad as they could be for the club.
The panic if they were inside the bottom three currently would be off the charts.
But the fact remains, even if it could be worse it never should have got this bad in the first place.
The money spent, and the players at the club, should have been able to maintain the mid-table standard they have produced in recent seasons at least.
Various factors have combined to contribute to a horror show of a season, and very few at the club will come out of it with great credit.
Thankfully for the fans, there is the rare glimpse of what the team should look like to pin hopes on.
A complete performance against Leeds, and fight against Newcastle, produced six massively important points.
Even the valiant losing effort against Manchester City was commendable, but those performances are few and far between, and seem to appear at random.
At least a couple more will probably be necessary to secure survival, and one against Burnley on Wednesday (6 April) would provide some comfort.
In other Everton news, an expert’s prediction could spell legal wrangling with relegation rivals in the future.
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