On a cold and breezy Friday night at Walton Hall Park, manager Paul Tait saw his young Everton team fall to a narrow defeat to Sunderland. The team lined up as below with Malik Olayiwola in the #10 position behind leading scorer and at centre forward once again, Braiden Graham.
The conditions on Friday were difficult but, of course, the same for both sides. The first evidence that the night might prove challenging was in the 7th minute when Blues ‘keeper Lukjanciks had to be alert to tip a swirling right wing cross onto his crossbar and to safety.
Olayiwola, in the 12th minute, made a great cross-field run from the right flank before seeing his shot deflected wide for a corner. That corner award proved decisive as Thomas’ in-swinging corner from the right caused mayhem in the Black Cats’ defence and a sliced clearance fell to **Demi Akarakiri** who fired home, 1-0.
The aggressive high press deployed by the visitors began to cause problems for the Blues and when the impressive Sunderland striker Abdullahi was afforded too much space on the edge of the Blues’ area, his shot was too powerful for Lukjanciks to hold, 1-1 and the young ‘keeper would be unhappy with the goal.
If he was unhappy with that then he’d have been furious with the next meaningful piece of action two minutes later. The Blues looked to play the ball out from their own goal-kick but when Lukjanciks, a little unwisely, played in the tightly-marked Callum Bates, the latter’s pass backwards towards Aled Thomas was a little underhit and Thomas upended the Sunderland player trying to intercept. The resulting spot-kick by Geragusian was too accurate for Lukjanciks, 1-2.
It was frustrating as the Blues had tried to play football but in truth they were a little untidy in their execution..
The Blues were in danger of immediately conceding a damaging third as they became ragged before half-time but a good block by Thomas saved the day in the 24th minute.
It was “more like it” in the 42nd minute when a very patient passage of play involving 20 passes without a Sunderland player touching the ball, saw it culminate in a great spin by Akarakiri, an incisive short pass by Olayiwola and a shot that was a whisker wide by Boakye. It was the first time in the game that the Blues had looked like their normal selves.
The second half saw the bigger Coby Ebere and Graham switch positions and the team looked better balanced for it.
A couple of good saves by Lukjanciks were followed by a much more threatening series of attacks as firstly Ebere shot narrowly wide before Graham, revelling in the extra space slightly wider, curled a delightful effort an inch wide of the far post. It was a beautifully judged strike, using the wind to bring the ball closer to the target.
The Blues looked better for a raft of substitutions, Shea pita particularly impressing on the left flank as Graham switched to his third position of the night on the right wing.
Graham had a shot too close to the goalkeeper following a good exchange with Bates before the chance of the match came the Irishman’s way with 4 minutes of added time left. Boakye delivered a great cross from the right and Graham found space and timed everything perfectly but sadly headed straight at the goalkeeper. The game ended 1-2 and it was typical of the match that, with seconds ticking away and all centre backs sent forward for one last free kick, the Blues decided to take ta short free kick in their own half and lost the ball. Frustrating for everybody and the team will definitely get back to winning ways soon.
**Braiden Graham’s best position?**
There has been pretty widespread clamour from several quarters to give Graham his chance in the first team as the Blues’ first choice strikers struggle. I have been amongst those asking the question.
Having watched Graham (above) an awful lot this season and last, it is abundantly clear we have a massive talent on our hands at this current stage of his development. The big question is _**how**_ he could fit in Moyes’ plans right now?
In my view, he could play at senior level in the position Jack Grealish has been playing, wide left in an attacking midfield 3. He’s played that position mainly this season for Paul Tait. If the Blues switched to a different formation where two strikers were played, perhaps alongside Beto or Barry, he’d be also good at that but it doesn’t seem to be a planned change (4-4-2 or 3-5-2). What is abundantly clear right now is that he could **NOT**, in my opinion, play as a lone striker in Moyes’ first team system. Not a chance!
His obvious assets are his eye for goal, ability to get shots off quickly, his speed and stamina. I saw several quotes from manager Paul Tait that he was “robust” being conveniently (or otherwise) misinterpreted as meaning he has real strength. Tait was _clearly_ referring to young Graham’s ability to play a number of games in quick succession as Graham is also involved leading the FA Youth Cup charge this season. That is not to say Graham is too physically weak for the first team. In my opinion, pound for pound, he is as strong as they come and has an undoubted “winner’s” edge. That alone will not make him a modern centre forward in the Premier League but he _could_ and maybe _should_ get other routeways. For those who say he should be sent out on loan, likewise I think he could suffer in the lower leagues if played as a lone striker.
This boy is a diamond but we need to accommodate him properly at senior level, give him every opportunity to succeed not a fleeting chance to fail.
The next game for the Under 21s is away to Southampton in a week’s time.