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Ancelotti Must Address Everton's Midfield Issues This Summer

Gary McCarty 06/07/2020 0comments  |  Jump to last

Everton put in yet another insipid performance on July 6th, going down 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Carlo Ancelotti could only watch as several players underperformed yet again. The defeat all but ended the Toffees' vague hopes of qualifying for Europe next season, and despite the experienced Italian claiming squad morale remains high, he is slowly coming to terms with the extent of the rebuilding job he has on his hands this summer.

The club has already released Oumar Niasse, Cuco Martina and Luke Garbutt, and the departing trio are unlikely to be the last players to leave Goodison Park over the coming months. Midfield has been an area of concern for several seasons and it will almost certainly require the most investment this summer. Fans are becoming extremely frustrated at the lack of bite in the centre of the park and chance creation has become a big talking point among supporters. As a result, the future of several players is now hanging in the balance.Andre Gomes flatters to deceive and with just a single assist in 42 appearances, his place in the side is far from assured. He has the occasional flash of brilliance, but it isn't enough to merit his inclusion on a weekly basis and Ancelotti will surely be looking for an upgrade this summer. However, he could potentially thrive with better players around him, so he is probably worth keeping hold of.

Box-to-box midfielder Tom Davies has been given time to build up his confidence, although he often struggles to have a positive effect on games. He will probably remain at the club this summer, although he must improve his productivity in the final third. 

Gylfi Sigurdsson has struggled this year, and although he could potentially be weighed down by his sizeable price tag, he just doesn't seem to fit into the current system. The former Swansea man was criticised by pundit Gary Neville for pulling out of a challenge against Spurs, and despite playing his way back into the side last month, he may soon find himself back on the bench. There will be plenty of suitors for the Icelandic international this summer, and he is unlikely to be missed at Goodison Park. 

Fabian Delph arrived in Merseyside with a decent reputation, although despite featuring 16 times this season, the former England International has offered absolutely nothing, and its a gamble which appears to have seriously backfired. His former club Manchester City, who are 5/6 in the Premier League outright odds for the 2020-21 campaign, successfully deployed him at left-back, but with Lucas Digne a guaranteed starter this season, the former England International has barely had a look in.

Alex Iwobi has done very little to justify his fee, and despite showing flashes of brilliance at the Emirates, his career appears to have stalled at Goodison Park. His productivity in wide areas is extremely disappointing and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him leave the club in a cut-price deal next year. 

Theo Walcott may be worth maintaining and using sporadically as an impact sub, however, this summer, the club urgently require a midfield revamp. Wingers with end product and players who can break up play will be high on the shopping list, whilst a box-to-box midfielder who can bag at least ten goals per season would also be welcomed. Carlo Ancelotti has enjoyed a hugely successful managerial career, yet revitalising the Toffees midfield may be one of his toughest assignments yet. 

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