Dwight McNeil has been talking about yesterday's game against Chelsea, the chance he had to score after he came on as a substitute, and the 'new role' David Moyes had him playing as an inverted winger.
“I haven’t seen it back, but I think at the time I didn’t see it until late. For me it was a bit of an awkward height to generate the power that I wanted.
“But they are the chances that we need to create more, especially against a team like this, and be more ruthless in front of goal.
“We knew before the game it's always difficult to come into places like this. I think it was just that one mistake.
“Against teams like this, that's all it takes, and we got punished for it. But yeah, we were better in the second half, but we’ve got to create more chances.”
“We’ve had that problem the last couple of years. We don't create chances, but when we do we’re not as ruthless in front of goal. The goal that they scored today was one chance from our mistake and they scored.
“It’s a new position for me but I just want to be on the pitch as much as I can to try and help the team.
“I definitely feel like I’m getting back to that fitness that I want to get to every day in training, which is helping. Now I’m just waiting for my chance to try and help the team.”
“It was my first serious injury and it was really difficult to not be involved, especially when I was doing well, playing inside, before I got injured, contributing goals and assists. Now I just want to get my fitness up and try and have a chance to get back on the team.
“It’s been a tough season. But before getting injured I think I was playing well, playing inside where I want to play and impacting games.
“Like I say, you’re with the lads but you're actually not a part of it. You only see them after training. Meg (his partner) and my family have supported me really well through this difficult time.”
“The gaffer is the main one who drives it. He’s already looking ahead to next season, trying to improve the team. He doesn't want to be where we've been in the last few seasons, he wants to be looking up.
“So that’s starting to rub off on us. We want to try and implement it in the last four games of this season and carry it on to next season.”
Reader Comments (21)
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2 Posted 27/04/2025 at 17:12:03
4 Posted 27/04/2025 at 17:21:29
I put him in the same kind of bracket as the likes of Mykolenko, Garner, Doucoure, and Harrison really.
All players that have some use in terms of work ethic but very limited and we are probably the biggest club they'll ever play for.
5 Posted 27/04/2025 at 17:33:01
But he doesn't create or score enough to be anything more than average.
6 Posted 27/04/2025 at 17:45:33
Between 10 - 15 players will go. Most having zero effect on the footballing ability of our club, other than a physical presence of making up numbers in the squad and bodies on the pitch.
How we got here is obvious, but no longer matters.
New ownership. New board. New investment. New stadium. New optimism.
But a juxtaposed reality. Due to regulations, we cannot resolve this terrible situation in a positive manner.
For me, Dwight McNeil is a squad player at best. Occasional starts perhaps. Not much more. However, due to our dire situation, he is going to be a guaranteed name on the sheet for next season and probably the season after.
7 Posted 27/04/2025 at 17:49:00
If so, we have needed this sort of input and improvement for years.
8 Posted 27/04/2025 at 18:43:32
Next season, he should be competing with Alcaraz for the playmaker role. We should have 2 faster wingers capable of playing on both sides.
9 Posted 27/04/2025 at 19:46:39
It interests me that Moyes uses it but I suppose he did employ similar with Baines and Pienaar.
Several of our players, like Alcaraz, Ndiaye, Lindstrom and McNeil, can play it, so I would expect to see more of this next season.
10 Posted 27/04/2025 at 23:16:54
It also means that Ndiaye is doing the same on the other wing. This is a 4-4-2 formation and is a negative defensive formation.
Moyes has morphed into Dyche.
11 Posted 28/04/2025 at 08:21:13
He's too inconsistent for me, the odd dribble and goal maybe, but he can't defend very well. Cash in for the rebuild.
12 Posted 28/04/2025 at 09:16:31
It is the full-backs who often resemble conventional wingers. When the winger or forward cuts inside, the full-back goes on the outside.
McNeil is a pretty good player – a bit slow but decent technique and work rate. But the team is not set up for this approach because we're desperately in need of the attacking right-back who makes it work.
If we can get a quality right-back, then McNeil may be better playing more centrally (the No 10-ish spot). He's got much better technique than Doucoure. We could then bring in a faster right-winger to give us more dynamism on the counter-attack.
Whatever the case, McNeil to me is a bit like Garner. Both good players. Both unlikely to ever play for England. In time, this is the sort of quality we need on the bench – not in the starting XI.
13 Posted 28/04/2025 at 09:56:41
That was a great No 10 performance. He was right up close to Lukaku, almost in a 4-2-4, when attacking.
14 Posted 28/04/2025 at 10:17:49
Did you notice a certain Che Adams was playing for Torino?
Also, Gilmour and Billings were on the bench for Napoli.
15 Posted 28/04/2025 at 10:41:19
£25M for McTominay is looking like good value now. Unfortunately, that fee was beyond us last summer.
16 Posted 28/04/2025 at 11:18:31
For those who don't know what one is… think Steven Pienaar.
17 Posted 28/04/2025 at 11:59:13
Whilst these days teams line up with three at the back the new fullback/wing back setup is crucial in the modern game and I think Everton have come up short.
Seamus in his prime was excellent, as was Bainsey.
Soucek is just like Doucoure an odd goal here and there but not good enough as supporting midfielders.
I would sooner get Bowen but he will be over-priced.
18 Posted 28/04/2025 at 17:59:27
19 Posted 28/04/2025 at 18:30:53
Not surprised he's doing well.
20 Posted 28/04/2025 at 18:48:48
He gets a few goals but for me has never resolved some clear deficiencies.
Probably better suited to Serie A than the Premier League.
21 Posted 01/05/2025 at 08:52:21
Such successful teams usually have a play making midfield that can pass the ball and move into space.Something under Moyes selections Everton don't have.
Dyche to his credit never turned McNeill into a inverted winger and he worked with him for years, though he favoured their use in his formation.
22 Posted 02/05/2025 at 19:43:25
McNeil was without a doubt one of our best players. He has a great left foot, creates, can cross, shoot and works bloody hard.
To say he's only a squad player is suggesting we already have a title-challenging team. Did I skip 5 years or something?
As for the inverted winger, until we get better, faster, attacking full backs on either flank I'm more for keeping him central or on the left.
He and Ndiaye can learn to play in tandem, swapping positions, creating space, mayhem and plenty of chances.
Then hopefully in several seasons, McNeil could be a squad player in a fantastic, winning team.
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1 Posted 27/04/2025 at 16:49:43
Does he stand on his head?