Journalist claims Everton have ‘real’ full-back problem
Everton have a “real problem” at full-back as no option has looked reliable this season, according to Paul Brown.
Speaking with GIVEMESPORT (4 October), the journalist claimed that opposition teams are targeting this weak area of Sean Dyche’s side amid a lack of quality.
Brown noted captain Seamus Coleman as an option but suggested his declining form means he won’t be able to solve the issue.
Brown said: “They have a real problem at full-back and it is becoming a recurring theme. I think clubs are beginning to target that area of the pitch. It doesn’t really look like they have a reliable performer on either side of that back four at the moment, which is a big worry.
“You know, even before he was injured you could see that Seamus Coleman wasn’t quite the player he once was so I don’t think when he’s back and fit that he’s going to potentially transform this team in that position either.”
Thin
The Toffees have just four options at full-back, Coleman, Vitaliy Mykolenko, Ashley Young and Nathan Patterson. With the Irishman still on the sidelines through injury, Brown’s worry becomes clear.
With just three options at his disposal, including just one natural available left-back in Patterson, Dyche’s “problem” could easily become an even bigger one through injury or suspension.
While many sides will have areas of weakness in their team, Everton can’t afford to have too many defensive liabilities based on their start to the season. Inconsistency has been seen throughout the Toffees’ season so far on both ends of the pitch, a strong defence would be the manager’s top aim.
While the Toffees were not blessed with a heavy transfer budget, it feels like an oversight to have not made an upgrade in this area of the squad. Granted, some other Goodison defenders have filled in at full-back, with James Garner and Ben Godfrey all moving to right-back this season, but this is not an ideal situation for a manager to be playing bodies out of position.
The three available full-backs have all proved effective in moments this season, but the defence is clearly an issue. January reinforcements, if possible, could be key in solving Dyche’s headache.
In other Everton news, 777 Partners have been accused of missing another payment as Goodison Park concerns grow.