Everton v Blackburn round-up: Beto’s future sealed as Moyes handed simple decision on star
Everton slipped to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Blackburn Rovers in their second pre-season outing on Saturday (19 July).
David Moyes named a strong starting XI for the trip to Ewood Park, but the Premier League outfit were ultimately beaten by their Championship opponents.
It was a frustrating afternoon for the Toffees, who struggled to fashion clear-cut goalscoring opportunities, but the clash will have provided plenty of food for thought for Moyes.
With that in mind, Goodison News rounds up all the major talking points as the Toffees’ summer preparations continued.
Ndiaye put in a bright performance
Iliman Ndiaye looked bright despite Everton’s quiet afternoon in the final third.
The Merseysiders seemed disjointed in the attacking half for large parts of the game, but any threat they did carry came through the Senegal international.
The 25-year-old didn’t have his usual level of impact, but still showed flashes of his trickery and dribbling ability when his side got the ball out to his flank.
He will turn in plenty of stronger performances once the Premier League campaign gets underway, but for now, Ndiaye was a rare positive in a performance that was otherwise slightly concerning.
Patterson hands Moyes an easy decision
Nathan Patterson appears to have handed Moyes a simple decision regarding his future after he struggled against Blackburn.
The right-back received limited opportunities to impress in the Premier League last term, and his performance at Ewood Park will not have done him any favours in that regard.
The former Rangers man was arguably at fault for the hosts’ goal, as he got drawn to the centre of the box, leaving space for Dion De Neve to apply the finishing touch at the back post.
Patterson was substituted in the 58th minute, and his display could well have been enough to convince Moyes that he needs to head out on loan for the first half of the season at least.
Beto could be set to stay at Everton as Moyes shows faith
Moyes could have dropped a huge hint as to where Beto’s future may lie with his team selection for the pre-season clash.
The Scot handed the striker 70 minutes of football, which is a sizeable chunk this early into a pre-season campaign.
That shows his continued faith in the frontman, who has been linked with an exit for large parts of the summer so far.
Thierno Barry’s arrival is cause for great excitement at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, but Moyes will still need an effective backup for his new star.
Beto certainly has his limitations, but the boss seems to still have plenty of faith in his ability, which suggests he could still be wearing an Everton shirt by the time the season starts.
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