Everton manager David Moyes will be without his star winger Jack Grealishplaceholder image
Everton manager David Moyes will be without his star winger Jack Grealish | AFP via Getty Images
Everton will need to strengthen in the summer with the defeat to Man United highlighting a big problem.
Everton huffed and puffed against Man United, even if the numbers suggest that the post-match optimism is a little misplaced.
Statistics can be twisted to suit the narrator, but on this occasion, they tell their own story. The Toffees’ xG (expected goals) tally of just 0.62 saw only five attempts on goal from inside the box. The closest was from the six-yard line, a blocked header from James Tarkowski and with an xG of 0.19 that contributed almost a third of the overall tally on its own. The next highest attempt was a shot from the edge of the box that registered 0.09. No big chances, no clear-cut chances, just a lot of pressure and shots under pressure and with no real sight of the goal.
Who Everton could sign to solve winger problem
Moyes had Harrison Armstrong playing on the left wing with Iliman Ndiaye playing on the right. Dwight McNeil and Tyler Dibling were on the bench, neither got off. It is a glaring recruitment priority in the summer, players who can create space and create chances. When United were 1-0 up, everything Everton threw at them was in front of their defence. It was easy to deal with. David Moyes isn’t stupid, and he will know that ball carriers with pace who can add numbers to his attack are a must if European football is to be achieved.
With money needing to be spent throughout the squad, utilising the free agent market could add depth and variety to Everton’s attack. Harry Wilson of Fulham has been linked and he has posted the sort of numbers that would make a real difference at the Hill Dickinson Stadium as he approaches 20 goals and assists for the season. Another player, but with a different profile, is Allan Saint Maximin. After a nomadic few years following his departure from Newcastle, the 28-year old is back in France on a short-term deal until the summer and has already scored one and assisted two in just three Ligue 1 appearances. His pace and trickery could have made a difference against United.
Everton mentality needs to change
Everton need to get out of the mind-set of being plucky underdogs or unlucky losers with Jarrad Branthwaite’s post-match comments, via BBC Sport, giving an insight into the current mentality: "You can see the way we started the second-half, we came out with a lot of momentum. There was a 15-minute spell in the first half where maybe they dominated possession but overall it's been a good game from us. As I say, a lapse of concentration and we get punished.
"You can't do it in the Premier League. We've been punished. They had one [chance] in the first half where Mbeumo went through the middle and if it's a better pass, he's probably through again. That was on a counter attack, so we were aware of it at half-time. It's disappointing to come in and not pick up any points."
United realised where their best chance of beating Everton lay, on the counter-attack, so they let Everton have the ball without ever being in any real danger other than at corners. United, and other teams wouldn’t be so comfortable conceding possession and territory if the forward line had more pace and a bigger one v one threat.
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