Danny Murphy discusses how Dele Alli and Donny Van de Beek will fit into Everton side
Dele Alli and Donny Van de Beek will give Frank Lampard tactical options after signing for Everton, according to BBC pundit Danny Murphy.
The Blues started Lampard’s reign with a 4-1 win over Brentford in the FA Cup without their two deadline day signings, with both players being cup-tied.
The Toffees had an excellent performance which saw questions raised about how the new signings would fit into the team. But Danny Murphy told BBC Match of the Day that there should be no worries about how they fit in, because of the strength in depth that they provide.
“We’ll have to wait and see,” he said. “They played a 4-3-3 today and what those two have done is provide competition in those areas. It gives him the ability to change formation depending on the opposition because they’re both good technically and can play in different positions.
“Whereas two or three weeks ago a lot of those players were comfortable knowing they were going to play because they didn’t have the strength in depth.
“So I don’t think we should worry too much about where they might play, it’s how they galvanise the other players with their performances because they might lose their place.”
Options
Under Rafa Benitez you could probably guess what the starting lineup would be for Everton most weeks, depending on the availability of players.
But with Lampard coming in, there are a whole host of opportunities for players to stake a claim for a place in the team.
The new signings will likely be part of his plans early on, but if they don’t perform or meet his standards then he will drop them knowing that he has other options capable of performing well.
The likes of Demarai Gray and Anthony Gordon did themselves no harm in the advanced positions, while Andre Gomes and Allan performed admirably in their deeper roles too.
That means competition and spirits at the club are high for the first time in months, which bodes well for their battle against relegation.
In other Everton news, Paul Merson says what Richarlison did in Everton win v Brentford he’s never seen before