Harrison Armstrong problem exposed after Everton vs Manchester United reveal
David Moyes may have a Harrison Armstrong problem on his hands after Everton’s defeat to Manchester United on Monday.
Everton were defeated 1-0 by the Red Devils at Hill Dickinson Stadium on 23 February, with Benjamin Sesko’s strike the difference between the sides.
It was a disappointing evening for the Blues, as they failed to enhance their European qualification credentials.
The result may have exposed an issue involving the 18-year-old midfielder that Moyes must be aware of ahead of the Newcastle clash.
What is Harrison Armstrong issue at Everton?
Armstrong featured from the left flank, rather than his traditional attacking midfield role, and he struggled desperately.
He had one shot in the contest, creating a total of 0.09 expected goals for the Toffees, per Sofascore, which is not good enough from the flanks.
The former Preston loanee completed 81 per cent of his passes against Michael Carrick’s side and failed to attempt a single cross.
Armstrong had 38 touches in the clash, but lost possession nine times, and he also struggled to get the Blues up the pitch, despite 13 total carries.
Only four of his carries were progressive, and he recorded a total progression of 82.1m.
Defensively, he won the only tackle that he attempted, and made five recoveries, but won only one of the three ground duels that he attempted.
Overall, his performance was not good enough, and he clearly does not have the ability to play from the wing.
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How does Moyes solve the problem?
The simplest solution would be to play Tyrique George on the left flank, as the Chelsea loanee is a natural winger.
That would require Armstrong to move back into the number 10 position, which is currently occupied by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, which is not a genuine solution, as the 27-year-old is probably the Toffees’ most dangerous player.
Moving the youngster back into the midfield two may be a better option, as he has the passing range and the defensive ability to make it work, and could give Idrissa Gueye and Tim Iroegbunam a run for their money.
It remains to be seen how Moyes attempts to solve the issue, but he cannot keep Armstrong on the flank.
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