Tyler Dibling is still awaiting his full debut for Everton since joining in a £40m transfer from Southampton.
Everton manager David Moyes is being patient with Tyler Dibling and has preferred Iliman Ndiaye on the right.
Ndiaye has made a sensational start to the new season, so there’s little chance of him dropping to the bench for Dibling.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is also impressing in an advanced midfield role, so there’s no room for him there either, at the moment.
However, Moyes could shock us all with one Dibling decision for Everton’s trip to Liverpool this weekend.
Tyler Dibling in action for Everton.
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
David Moyes could trial Tyler Dibling as a false nine for Everton
Everton haven’t found their settled number nine yet this season, with Thierno Barry and Beto yet to really convince.
There have been some suggestions to play Iliman Ndiaye through the middle, however, Dibling is probably best suited to play the false nine and so Moyes could deploy him there against Liverpool on Saturday.
His former Southampton manager Russell Martin explained that he was their best player playing in that role during pre-season in 2024.
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“He’s the most talented player I’ve ever seen – ever worked with,” Martin told the Rest is Football Podcast.
“I worked with James Maddison at that age at Norwich, he was outstanding. He’ll play as a No.8 or a No.10 eventually, but he’s 18 so we played him out wide and he was incredible.
“He can play wide, we played him as a false nine in pre-season and he was our best player.”
Why Tyler Dibling could work as a false nine
Dibling isn’t your typical wide player, as he stands at 6ft 1 inches tall, so he has the frame to play centrally.
Indeed, he’s not a physical player and his best work would come from dropping in and having runners in behind.
That’s why having Dibling as a false nine could really work, as it’d give Ndiaye, especially, the space to make runs beyond the back four.
Dewsbury-Hall could also interchange with the summer signing really nicely, so it should certainly be something Moyes considers.
Beto and Barry just haven’t managed to really stake a convincing enough claim to start, so Dibling should get the opportunity in a role that he has played well in before.