Sky Sports pundit unconcerned by Everton failure to sign Ben Brereton Diaz amid key successes
We’re delighted to welcome former Everton striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week the former Toffees captain will be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Goodison Park…
Fixing the midfield and defence was “key” to the Everton transfer window and there is enough up front in spite of the deadline day failure to sign Ben Brereton Diaz, says Kevin Campbell.
The Toffees tried on the final day of the transfer window to sign the Blackburn striker [Mike McGrath], having started the season with only Salomon Rondon available at the position with Dominic Calvert-Lewin injured and Richarlison long-gone, but came up short.
However, Sky Sports pundit Campbell is pleased with the addition of Neal Maupay and feels that the priority had to be adding further back on the pitch which was successfully achieved over the summer, and isn’t worried about the options up front.
“You can say that [they are light at striker], of course you can,” he said, speaking exclusively to Goodison News.
“[But] you’ve still got Rondon at the club who didn’t move on, so let’s say there’s three strikers. Normally the way Frank Lampard wants to play he plays one, or two at times, so you’ve still got one spare if you play two up and you’ve got two spare if you play one up.
“And we’ve seen Anthony Gordon and Demarai Gray do a job there when there were no strikers, so realistically you do have enough players who can do a job at the top end of the pitch if your main guys aren’t there.
“Could Everton have done with another striker? Possibly. But I don’t think it’s a deal-breaker for Frank Lampard that he didn’t get anybody else in.
“I think fixing that defence and midfield was key. And I thought Maupay did well [against Liverpool]. He was unlucky not to score. It was a great save by Alisson.”
The defence was a major issue last season and was quickly strengthened by James Tarkowski signing from Burnley, and when the same injury issues from the previous campaign arose again Conor Coady also arrived to give the back line a new look and greater security alongside the newly-elevated Nathan Patterson.
And the deadline day arrivals for Idrissa Gueye and James Garner in midfield, on top of Amadou Onana earlier in the window, have given the Toffees a formidable selection in the centre.
Maupay’s first action was encouraging if not spectacular, and if Calvert-Lewin’s return can be sustained and successful it would seem like the squad is largely covered in all areas, but the England forward’s fitness and form have been running issues for some time now so that is easier said than done.