View: Sigurdsson must step up following shock passing stat
Since signing from Swansea for £45million in 2017, Everton midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson has divided opinion on Merseyside.
The Iceland international had become a prolific goal contributor for the Swans during his final season at the Liberty Stadium, scoring nine goals and registering 13 assists in the Premier League.
Other than the 2018/19 season, where Sigurdsson scored 13 goals and registered six assists, the 31-year old hasn’t come close to replicating his Swansea figures.
Sigurdsson has often provoked the ire of the Everton fan base, with words like lazy and passive sometimes used in conjunction with his performances, and a recent statistic has underscored his underwhelming performances for the Blues in recent weeks.
According to WyScout, Sigurdsson has managed zero successful passes into the opponent’s penalty box in his last three appearances against Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Brighton.
Sigurdsson is a playmaker by trade and is often considered to be one of Everton’s more technically gifted players, yet he hasn’t been able to directly contribute in a meaningful way in his last three games, none of which saw Everton claim three points.
Everton will be without Dominic Calvert-Lewin against Tottenham on Friday, meaning that Richarlison will once again play up front for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
The Brazilian played as the club’s lone striker against Brighton earlier this week, where he registered zero shots for only the fourth time in the Premier League this season. [WyScout]
Everton played particurlarly defensive against the Seagulls despite being desperate for a win and away from home, meaning that Richarlison was starved of service for large portions of the game.
However he may have stood a greater chance at earning himself a goalscoring opportunity had he received service through the middle from Sigurdsson, who played for the duration.
Sigurdsson is likely to start against Tottenham on Friday due to Everton’s lack of options in that area. Andre Gomes has been passed fit to play, but given his own inconsistent form he could be left out for the Icelandic midfielder.
If Sigurdsson is picked to play, he must step up against Spurs and show what he can offer. Ancelotti confirmed in March that Sigurdsson was in talks over a new contract at Goodison Park, but if he cannot pass successfully into the box he isn’t much use to Everton moving forward.
In other Everton news, an ‘outstanding’ star is keen on signing for Everton as Marcel Brands is given price to seal big deal.
Be sure to follow Goodison News on Facebook and Twitter for 24/7 updates on Everton and more exclusive interviews with Kevin Campbell.