Gabriel Agbonlahor baffled by Sean Dyche decision not to start Demarai Gray in Everton loss v Aston Villa
Gabriel Agbonlahor is baffled by Sean Dyche’s decision not to start Demarai Gray for Everton during their defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday (25 February).
The Toffees slipped back into the relegation zone after their first home defeat in Dyche’s tenure, as the team once again failed to score in a Premier League game.
And after seeing the game, Agbonlahor told talkSPORT (25 February) that Everton are in trouble and questioned the manager’s tactics as well as his decision not to play his best player from the start.
“Having Demarai Gray on the bench didn’t make sense to me. I do like Dwight McNeil, but having Iwobi on the right?” he said.
“Demarai Gray is your best player,” Agbonlahor added. “He’s your best player. Some of the performances he’s put in.. he’s their best player I’d say.
“Going forward he’s the one who’s going to get at a man, with speed. He can get past a player. You can play Dwight McNeil but play Gray on the opposite wing, or play him as a false 9. Neal Maupay isn’t going to give you anything.
“For me, he’s got to look at his tactics Sean Dyche. Everton are in trouble mate.
“Calvert-Lewin, they really, really rely on him and today showed it.
“Aston Villa had a top striker, five in five, five goals in five games for Ollie Watkins he’s got. Everton have got nobody. Nothing up front.”
Questionable
It’s definitely a fair question from Agbonlahor, but it does strike me as a case of right message wrong messenger on this occasion.
Gray is the club’s top goalscorer this season in the Premier League, but the team have only managed to net 17 times in 24 games so far this season.
Neal Maupay got the nod in the last two games as the number nine, but has really struggled to make any sort of impact in the first-team and the Dyche style of play where he is expected to hold the ball up and bring others into play doesn’t really suit him.
It doesn’t suit Gray much either, and with Gray not being a natural striker it may play a part in the decision that the manager is making.
But with the team struggling and desperate for results, something needs to change and it must surely be worth getting Gray into the team with his pace, directness and goal threat enough to provide some sort of spark in this relegation battle.