Sport
Three things Moyes must address to save Everton from relegation
11 years later, David Moyes is back at Everton. The 61-year-old has been hired to guide the Toffees away from relegation trouble near the foot of the Premier League table. This will be a challenge considering Everton’s steady slide towards the drop in recent seasons.
With a new stadium set to open this summer and the Friedkin family recently installed as new owners, Everton must do all they can to preserve their place in the English top flight. Here are three things Moyes must address immediately.
Everton’s attack must start firing
Only Southampton have scored fewer goals in the Premier League this season than Everton who have drawn a blank in four of their last five outings. This simply isn’t good enough for the Toffees to avoid finishing in the bottom three.
Dwight McNeil and Iliman Ndiaye are joint-top scorers within the squad, but they have only found the back of the net three times each. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is Everton’s best attacking focal point. However, he has scored just twice in 1,389 league minutes this season.
This could force Everton into the transfer market to find a new centre forward. It’s not yet known if the new owners will make much money available in January, but the Toffees’ survival could depend on signing someone to convert chances in front of goal.
Better wide players required for Moyes-ball to work
For Moyes’ approach to work, Everton simply need better wide players. McNeil has been the Toffees’ only consistent performer on the flanks this season and Moyes-ball require more creativity and forward thrust in those areas to turn around the form of the Goodison Park outfit.
Jaden Philogene was linked with a January move for Everton, although it now seems Ipswich Town have won the race to sign the 22-year-old from Aston Villa. Lyon’s Ernest Nuamah is also believed to be on the Toffees’ radar and could arrive on Merseyside before the end of the week in a deal worth £25m.
It’s not just new wingers Everton need to restore their wide areas. They need new full backs too, particularly on the right side of the defence where 39-year-old Ashley Young is still a first team figure. Nathan Patterson could come into the team, but the Scotland international is extremely injury prone.
Vitalii Mykolenko has been a solid enough performer for Everton on the left side of the defence, but the Ukrainian must offer more in an attacking sense. Indeed, Mykolenko has yet to register a single goal involvement this season when the Toffees require him to overlap and offer a route into the final third.
Reconnect with the Goodison Park faithful
Goodison Park can produce one of the most raucous atmospheres in the Premier League. Most recently, though, the environment at the stadium that has stood since 1892 has been somewhat toxic. This has reflected the underwhelming performances of the team on the pitch.
Sean Dyche has never truly embraced by the Everton support. Many accepted the former Burnley boss’ tactics were necessary to keep the team in the Premier League, but there was a disconnect between Dyche and the fans.
This disconnect must be repaired. Moyes wasn’t the most popular of figures at Goodison Park when he departed for Manchester United 11 years ago, but there is now an acceptance that the Scot still has a place for Everton in his heart. Fans also saw the admirable job he did over several seasons at West Ham.
If Moyes can ensure Everton are a Premier League club by the time they move into their new stadium this season, his legacy will be strengthened further. There is, however, a lot of work to be done before the Scot and his players can celebrate survival.
