Paul Tait has expressed his excitement over Braiden Graham’s versatility, which is something that David Moyes will value at Everton.
The 18-year-old forward has burst onto the scene in the Everton academy and climbed up the ladder into Paul Tait’s U21s side.
Graham has been playing across the age groups and will be expected to feature once again for the U18s in the FA Youth Cup on Friday evening.
Does David Moyes need to put more trust in Everton’s academy players? 😤
Surely some of these players can do better than Beto and Dwight McNeil! 😡
Everton striker Braiden Graham. Everton manager David Moyes.
Credit: Getty Images/Andrew Kearns – CameraSport/Visionhaus.
With eyes firmly on the forward’s development, Moyes will be impressed with just how versatile the youngster is proving to be at Finch Farm.
Tottenham Hotspur v Everton - Premier League 2
Photo by Kevin Hodgson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
David Moyes informed whether Braiden Graham’s ready for Everton debut
Tait has changed Graham’s position on a number of occasions recently to try and get the very best out of the youngster.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Tait has shared his thoughts on where Graham is at his best when playing for the U21s.
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TalkingPoints user on Braiden Graham.
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“I’ve played him as a nine and I’ve played him as a 10, not very much as a seven because I think he does his best work cutting in from the left on his right and he’s played as an 11. I think it’s important that we give him the variety of playing in those different positions,” he said.
“The reality of it is, if he’s going to get into somebody’s first team, and certainly in our first team, it will probably be off the sides. To put a lad that age, as your main number nine, in the Premier League is a big ask – we don’t see it now do we?”
A number of Everton fans want to see Graham handed his debut having seen what he has been able to produce in the Premier League 2.
Braiden Graham 25/26 Appearances Goals Assists
Premier League 2 16 8 1
Premier League Int. Cup 4 2 1
National League Cup 4 3 0
FA Youth Cup 3 4 0
However, there has to be some realism surrounding this, with Tait admitting that Graham would not be able to start as a striker in the Premier League.
That being said, Graham’s versatility is something that Moyes will be encouraged by.
Moyes will be intrigued by Graham’s versatility
Throughout this season, Moyes has valued James Garner’s versatility very highly having played him in a number of different positions.
Being able to potentially use Graham across a number of different positions in the frontline will surely intrigue Moyes.
The one concern among this is that Graham could also fall victim to not nailing down one specific position.
In the U21s, Graham has been spotted dropping so deep almost into the Harry Kane role just to get a touch of the ball.
This is something that is unlikely to happen in the first team if he were to get the call-up.
It is interesting, however, to hear Tait suggest that Graham may not be as far away from his senior debut as some may fear.
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