David Moyes applauds his players after Everton's Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest in Liverpool | Naomi Baker/Getty Imagesplaceholder image
David Moyes applauds his players after Everton's Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest in Liverpool | Naomi Baker/Getty Images | Getty Images
Everton have been fighting through a number of selection problems but how could they line up if David Moyes gets his wish?
Everton still have a long way to go to build a squad that is capable of enduring a 38-game Premier League season as well as international and other fixtures throughout the campaign.
On several occasions, David Moyes has been down to the bare bones through injuries, suspensions and a major international tournament halfway through the year, his luck meaning that, of course, Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gana Gueye won with Senegal and they were away for over a month. Despite having new owners, PSR remains an issue and a quiet January was always to be expected, but could there be any late deals done by The Toffees?
David Moyes on potential Everton transfer business
Speaking ahead of the trip to the south coast to face Brighton, Moyes was asked about whether or not there could be any movement in his squad, to which he replied, via the club’s media team: "I'd like to say we're out there looking and I think I've said in every press conference – we're certainly looking and it's not that we're shying away from it.
"I would say it's probably less likely than likely [to bring someone in]. Moyes did not rule out players leaving, adding: "People might, yes, but at the moment, we're not planning to – but they may well do."
"I certainly won't make a decision until after Brighton,” Moyes added about Harrison Armstrong returning to Preston on loan. “I'm in regular contact with Peter Ridsdale and Paul Heckingbottom at Preston – I'm on the phone to them every couple of days about it. We'll wait and see how things go but he's not looked out of place in the Premier League. That's the biggest compliment I could give Harrison, that's for sure."
How Everton could line up if Moyes gets lucky
There have been players linked with a move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium though and Moyws would love to add these players to strengthen his starting XI. The obvious issue is at right-back where, even though he has performed admirably after a long absence and when called upon recently, Moyes just doesn’t seem to trust or rate his compatriot Nathan Patterson. A starting right-back remains a priority with Genoa’s Brooks Norton-Cuffy said to be top of the shopping list. A player who would offer Patterson’s athleticism with Jake O’Brien’s physicality.
The defence, if all goes well, could look like this: Pickford, Norton-Cuffy, Mykolenko, Branthwaite, Tarkowski.
The midfield has been strengthened purely by Gueye returning from AFCON with Harrison Armstrong and Tim Ireogbunam offering depth and support to other main characters like James Garner, who has really excelled in the middle of the park rather than being stuck at right-back. Everton have had to battle on without Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall recently but Moyes could add goals and assists to the final third, if he gets his way.
Thierno Barry has looked better recently, however, Everton have been linked with Jhon Duran, who lit up the Premier League for Aston Villa before heading to the Middle East. There has been another name mentioned who would strengthen the attack and a familiar one to those who follow English football, Harry Wilson. The Wales international prefers to play on the right, but Ndiaye could easily move given Grealish’s injury and leave a starting XI that looks like this: Pickford, Norton-Cuffy, Mykolenko Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Gueye, Garner, Ndiay, Dewsbury-Hall, Wilson, Duran.
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