Sean Dyche should bring Amadou Onana on at half-time in Everton v Brentford
Sean Dyche should consider bringing Amadou Onana on at half-time to help Everton get a result against Brentford.
The game at Goodison Park is goalless at the break, but the Toffees have found it difficult to progress the ball into dangerous areas with regularity.
They have taken plenty of shots regardless – registering 10 efforts before the break – but none have been on target and the introduction of Onana could help add greater precision to their attacking build-up [FotMob].
Amadou Onana could help Everton generate more attacking threat
Everton are a notoriously direct side and do not look to dominate the ball – even at home.
However, even within the confines of their direct attacking game plan, the Toffees have struggled to move the ball into the final third with no real purpose or regularity.
Without the target of Dominic Calvert-Lewin to aim for, many of the hosts’ balls forward have been hopeful rather than precise, while young striker Youssef Chermiti has struggled to affect the game or hold the ball up.
But the Englishman’s absence, along with fellow centre-forward Beto, who suffered a concerning head issue after coming on as a substitute against Nottingham Forest, means Dyche has limited options to alter the state of play.
Onana, though, could help with both those problems. His 73.3 per cent long passing accuracy in the Premier League this season ranks in the 85th percentile among midfielders in the competition, evidence of his ability to pick out teammates reliably across the pitch [FBref].
However, he is equally useful on the other end of those long balls forward. He has won 2.27 aerial duels per 90 in the English top flight this term, doing so at an extremely impressive rate of 73.4 per cent [FBref].
Onana could play the role of both provider and target in the second half and help Everton pose more of an attacking threat at Goodison.
In other Everton news, Don Hutchinson sent a message about the relegation battle.
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