Henry Winter shares strange Sean Dyche verdict after Everton loss v Liverpool
The Times journalist Henry Winter has been left bemused by Sean Dyche’s “truly strange” decision to start Everton winger Demarai Gray on the bench against Liverpool.
Dyche opted to start with youngster Ellis Simms up top in a decision which seemed to backfire, the youngster never really got himself into the game.
Gray did, however, make an appearance at Anfield in the second half but by this time it was too little too late for the Blues to salvage anything from the game.
“Why Demarai Gray, a confident talent and Everton’s leading scorer (with five), began on the bench was bemusing, a truly strange decision by Sean Dyche,” said Winter as quoted by The Times. (13 February)
“Ellis Simms, the 22-year-old whose last start was on loan at Sunderland in the Sky Bet Championship, was out of his depth in attack.
“Simms has been on loan at Blackpool, Hearts and Sunderland. Now he was leading the Everton line in the 242nd Merseyside derby. Simms ran willingly but lasted only an hour.”
Bizarre.
Gray’s lack of a starting place in the Merseyside derby is rather bizarre, especially when you consider his at times frightening form this season.
Five goals to his name make him more lethal than any other Blue in the squad right now and in a team that needs goals, Gray must be starting.
The Merseyside derby yet again highlighted the lack of firepower Everton have up top in their ranks without forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
It’s a transfer window mistake that rears its ugly head every time the Toffees fail to get on the scoresheet and it’s a problem that should have been addressed by now.
Dyche really has it all to do now and the initial optimism gained from the win over Arsenal has turned into a sense of anxiousness as a must-win clash against Leeds United now awaits.
Three points taken from Dyche’s first two fixtures are still better than many expected and this is something the Blues will have to hold onto for now.