Sean Dyche reveals Demarai Gray talks as forward fights for his Everton place
Sean Dyche has warned Demarai Gray he needs to find the right “balance of his talent” if he is to regain his spot in the Everton team.
The former Leicester City ace has only played 29 minutes since Dyche’s arrival at Goodison Park despite being the club’s top goalscorer this season with three goals.
With the Toffees currently lacking quality firepower after Anthony Gordon’s departure and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury problems persisting, there’s a chance Gray could reclaim his spot back.
However, Dyche admits the player needs to find ways to match the work ethic of the whole group and find some consistency if he is to start matches under his watch.
Speaking to Liverpool ECHO [24 February] ahead of Everton’s clash with Aston Villa, he said: “I think just finding that balance of his talent, the work ethic of the group and how the group tactically play.
“That mixture. To find those combinations. I’ve already spoken to him about it, his role and his continued development and how he sees it.
“He’s still only 26 and he’s been in and out at clubs, Leicester and stuff like that. Finding that platform for consistency. And he shared that back – about when he found himself in that position in the past and could he find that consistency in the role and not just his technical performance but the actual role within a team.
“So I have been speaking to him about that.”
Baffling
Considering the Toffees’ need for attacking quality and pace in Dyche’s favoured tactical setup, it is incredibly baffling that Gray doesn’t get the starts his talents warrant.
However, to get in Dyche’s team, the player certainly does need to fit the ethos of the whole group and work tactically in tandem with his teammates and the manager before he can get a run of games going.
Throughout his career, the player has struggled heavily for consistency in his performance levels and fitness, two ingredients which are of paramount importance to Dyche.
Nonetheless, if the Toffees are to steer clear of the drop zone, they desperately need a consistent source of goals which any of Dyche’s current trusted starters aren’t giving him right now. Gray still deserves a chance to impress, starting this weekend against Villa.