Everton left-back Adam Aznou is going through a difficult spell at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, struggling to break into David Moyes' side, but it could be time for the Scottish manager to give him a chance.
Aznou made the move to Merseyside in the summer transfer window, joining the club from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. Aznou spent last season on loan in La Liga, showing he's capable of playing at a high level, but he's found it difficult to make an impact since his move to the Premier League.
Moyes has predominantly opted to play Vitalii Mykolenko at left-back this season, while we've also seen James Garner and Seamus Coleman used in this position instead of Aznou. Against Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend, Moyes implemented a tactical tweak, and it could have been better suited to a player of Aznou's profile, rather than Mykolenko.
Moyes Needs to Show Faith in Everton Youngster Aznou
Everton boss David Moyes watching on from the touchline
It could be time for Moyes to bite the bullet and give Aznou more of a prominent role in the side. Against Spurs, Moyes deployed Mykolenko higher up the pitch, also inverting him into a central area, something which is arguably outside of his skill set.
Aznou is a lot more comfortable in advanced areas, which is no surprise after spending time with both Bayern Munich and Barcelona. Moyes has previously hinted that Aznou is perhaps not ready to play regularly in the Premier League, but with the Toffees on a disappointing run of form, something needs to change.
Having an attacking full-back could also help Jack Grealish take his game to the next level, something that would benefit Everton immensely. Aznou is yet to play a single minute in the Premier League for Everton, and considering he's already played in La Liga for half a campaign earlier this year, there's no doubt he's ready to at least feature for the Merseyside outfit.
The defeat against Spurs could be a turning point for Moyes to really freshen things up in his squad. Whether Aznou is one of those who could be brought in remains to be seen, but there's an argument to suggest that he deserves more of an opportunity than he's getting at this time.