David Moyes must reconsider Tim Iroegbunam selection ahead of Everton vs West Ham
David Moyes has a chance to throw Nuno Espirito Santo off by starting Tim Iroegbunam in Everton‘s upcoming game against West Ham.
The Toffees will travel to the London Stadium this Saturday to take on Nuno’s relegation-threatened West Ham in an all-important game for both teams.
Moyes watched on as the Blues were cruelly beaten 2-1 by Liverpool last time out in first-ever Hill Dickinson Merseyside derby, and will be looking for a response.
To do so, Iroegbunam may be called upon, as his inclusion has wavered in recent weeks.
Moyes will simply have to shuffle his selections up, as Everton now sit 10th in the Premier League, with European football still uncertain.
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Why should David Moyes play Tim Iroegbunam?
Iroegbunam was linked with Lazio in the winter window, but the Toffees were keen to keep hold of the young midfielder.
That’s because Moyes and Co. know the ceiling of the former Aston Villa star, and that he can one day be a regular starter for the Blues.
| Area of game | Stats |
| Appearances | 24 |
| Duels won | 54.4% |
| Pass accuracy | 81% |
| Tackles per game | 4.24 |
| Goals conceded while on pitch | 0.88 |
However, more faith is needed in the Englishman, who has only started in 13 matches this season.
As seen in the table above, the 22-year-old has a pass accuracy of 81 per cent, while winning the majority of his duels at a win rate of 54.4 per cent.
Iroegbunam has an impressive tackles per 90 rate of 4.24, which will be up there as one of the highest among the Everton squad.
More interestingly, the Toffees only concede 0.88 goals per game while he is on the pitch, which suggests they are a harder side to beat.
Should Idrissa Gueye be dropped?
Idrissa Gueye has aged like wine for Everton, but Moyes will know that the veteran midfielder will one day need to be replaced.
This summer window is emerging as the perfect time to do so, especially if the Toffees don’t believe that Iroegbunam can fill that gap.
| Area of game | Stats |
| Minutes | 90′ |
| Tackles | 0 |
| Ground duels won | 80% |
| Was fouled | 4 |
However, the only way to find out is by giving Iroegbunam a proper chance, and a consistent run of games in the side.
As seen in the table above, Gueye didn’t make a single tackle against Liverpool, but was solid in other areas of his game.
Depending on what Moyes wants against West Ham, Iroegbunam could be an obvious change to make, with his bite in the middle of the park sorely missed right now.
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