Everton Right-Back on Track

Functionality. It’s a word defined as the quality of being suited to serve a purpose.

Of course, as a fan, you want to see your team play with style but substance and functionality is the bedrock of good football. Without it, you’ll always struggle.

On Saturday at Hill Dickinson Stadium, Everton functioned much better than recent weeks. Sure, we’re still some way off this team being a well-oiled machine but putting James Garner at right-back allowed the Blues to move around the pitch more freely having been too rigid and restricted in previous matches.

Central defender James O’Brien has been an able deputy at full-back but it was always apparent that running up and down the flank was far from his natural game. Garner too is not a specialist right-back but certainly boasts the skillset required to slot in and work well in that position.

It made for an upturn, not necessarily in brilliant football, but in how Everton set-up. The game felt easier for the Toffees and there was a greater understanding across the pitch. There is still so, so much to fine tune but at last the balance felt more level.

James Tarkowski was much improved and some may point out that the defender looked more at ease and could better focus on his own job now that the backline didn’t feel as makeshift as before. He was a commanding and assured presence after a season beset by little errors that have at times proved costly. Michael Keane alongside him was sound once again and did his job well. For the goal, Tarkowski had two Fulham players hanging around his shoulders but simply took them with him when the corner came in and Keane headed home.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was in the game more and made Everton tick. Tim Iroegbunam, meanwhile, gave the midfield some extra bite alongside Idrissa Gana Gueye who was industrious, influential and covered plenty of ground. Iroegbunam though, is like an old iPhone at times. In minute one he’ll be fully charged but after an hour, you’ll suddenly realise he’s down to 1% and running on empty. It seems he can suffer a dramatic drop in energy in some games and suddenly the midfield gets overrun. Moyes was right to make the change when he did, bringing on Merlin Rohl to replace the tiring Iroegbunam.

Thierno Barry put in a very commendable performance up front and this was reflected in the fact he lasted 79 minutes on the pitch. He held the ball well and brought others in ably. Going down in pain after his strapping had seemingly come loose across his left shoulder was a reminder you don’t always know the full story when it comes to the knocks and niggles players are dealing with on a weekly basis.

Barry received a rousing ovation as he sauntered off the pitch to be replaced by Beto, more in acknowledgement of sticking in to keep going than anything else. Spotting the young forward may be despondent at being subbed, Gueye jogged over to give him a pat on the back and a well done for encouragement. It seems he may have also hinted to acknowledge the crowd who were clearly with him and behind him. It was good to see a senior player showing such leadership and recognising the need to give a team-mate a boost and backing.

Beto too, had a ball land right in front of him to run onto shortly after being introduced and it was moments like that which suggested it would be Everton’s day. It’s the type of pass the forward always wants and his endeavour led to the corner for the second goal.

The left side remains a problem with Mykolenko just not a natural foil for the talents of Jack Grealish. If Leighton Baines and Steven Pienaar were on the same wavelength, Mykolenko and Grealish couldn’t be further apart. While the Ukrainian puts in plenty of effort, you can tell his brain is doing over time when it comes to working out where to run and when to run any time Grealish is in possession. From my seat in the South Stand, I could be wrong, but it feels like there are times Grealish simply doesn’t trust in Mykolenko enough to utilise him. For the time being, Grealish’s effectiveness and influence feels stunted at a time his immense quality should be flourishing. Left wing-back is a position which needs urgent attention when the next transfer window opens.

Saying that, this isn’t a team lacking confidence I don’t think. They have faith in each other. Jordan Pickford couldn’t hide his delight at pulling off sumptuous balls to play in Ndiaye and later Grealish. The likes of Gueye, Dewsbury-Hall and Barry all tried little flicks and balls around the corner when opportunities presented themselves. Three disallowed goals points to a team who regularly got into good positions today.

All in all, if this Everton team was a car and you were a mechanic, you’d still be wondering where the humming was coming from and struggling to put your finger on what was stopping the engine from purring. Saying that, it’s drivable and on the road. It may be that the din in the background continues to irritate us while the journey takes longer than first hoped.

Right now though, a team with Garner at right-back functions and means Everton can at last play with purpose.

An Everton season ticket holder and football writer, you can subscribe to all of Ell Bretland's work at https://ellbretland.substack.com