Everton assistant boss Alan Irvine admits international week can be frustrating.

"It always is frustrating," he told evertonTV.

"It is a strange week for us, we don't have as many players training and it's a week where you can't do very much towards your next game because you are left with a very small squad."

The pause in Barclays Premier League action does allow Irvine to take stock of the fledgling campaign so far.

"Ten points out of 15 is good," he said. "If we maintain that throughout the course of the season we will finish in a really good position."