Lazarou II wrote: ↑Sun Aug 23, 2026 6:47 am
Do we need him to do much more than score and or create chances?
One of the few that can consistently do that for us.
Of course you do, he isn’t playing up top.
When we are under the cosh, like we were in the first 30 mins, the game passes him by. He plays in a no-man’s land area not affecting anything or helping the lads behind him.
I’m not being overly critical, it’s an observation.
We have players like Hackney this season who it would be good to have a run in that area at some point too.
Very good footballer was gutted when Ireland approached him a few years back to come and play for us and he didn’t want to very clever and great eye for goal
Bumble wrote: ↑Sun Aug 23, 2026 6:53 am
Of course you do, he isn’t playing up top.
When we are under the cosh, like we were in the first 30 mins, the game passes him by. He plays in a no-man’s land area not affecting anything or helping the lads behind him.
I’m not being overly critical, it’s an observation.
We have players like Hackney this season who it would be good to have a run in that area at some point too.
I agree. I thought he was miles off it for the first 30-40 minutes yesterday. Not taking care of the ball, heavy first touches, not really pressing effectively etc.
But the good thing is we know he'll still try to get on the ball and make decisive contributions, and his head won't go down.
Sometimes disappears to the periphery of matches, especially when we need the attacking midfielder to receive the ball back to goal or hold the ball under pressure to let other players get involved.
All his best stuff happens when he pulls out into the channels and has options for quick interchanges with the winger, fullback, and striker. His movement in those situations is so good, he always knows where the space is going to be, and he is equally comfortable running in behind like a winger to get into a crossing position or playing someone in and arriving late in the box to provide another goalscoring option.
Think he can be a bit infuriating to carry when he’s off it or when the match doesn’t suit his strengths but he’s fortunately never off it for long and usually finds a way to pop up in a productive situation even if that interplay in the channel isn’t clicking.
David Moyes felt his young Everton team might have been uncomfortable chasing the game against Crystal Palace and were therefore indebted to Jordan Pickford’s save from Eddie Nketiah, plus Jean-Philippe Mateta’s finishing, for not having to do so. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s guidance was instrumental too. The performance of both teams altered once the midfielder imposed himself, while his superb strike beyond Dean Henderson underlined the quality of a player who will be crucial to Everton’s aspirations. “I want to be better than last season,” said Dewsbury-Hall, who delivered eight goals and four assists in his first Premier League campaign at Everton. “That’s not just goals and assists, it’s my overall play. A couple of years ago I probably wasn’t getting goals and assists but was influential in play. I want to mix that together and when you do that that’s when you become a complete midfielder. I know I have the ability to do it so fingers crossed I do.” Andy Hunter
I don't know what else you could want from him, I'll take his goal contributions above all else tbh. If we got a midfielder that could cover him a bit it wouldn't even be a discussion.
