Iliman Ndiaye set for position change in West Ham vs Everton after David Moyes admission
Iliman Ndiaye could be set to start up front in Everton‘s clash with West Ham on Saturday.
The Blues’ usual striking option, Beto, has been ruled out of the contest with a concussion suffered in the 2-1 loss to Liverpool.
David Moyes could turn to Thierno Barry, but his comments ahead of the same seem to suggest that he will go in a different direction.
The Senegal star has featured 51 times at centre-forward in his career, with 10 goals and 13 assists when operating there.
Ndiaye is a legitimate option to lead the line for Everton at the London Stadium on 25 April.
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What did Moyes say about Barry?
Moyes clearly feels that Barry needs to do more at Everton, that was obvious from his admission about the 23-year-old.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on 24 April, he said: “Beto has a concussion and will miss this week’s game.”
“I’ve got other people who could do it [play up front instead of Barry]. I could consider that.”
That is shown by his stats against Arne Slot’s side, as the French youth international did not attempt a single shot, completed just 50 per cent of his six passes and lost possession with five of his nine total touches.
| Barry’s stats in Liverpool loss | Barry |
| Shots | 0 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Pass accuracy | 50% |
| Clearances | 0 |
| Tackles made | 0 |
He also did not make a single defensive contribution, so there is much more to be desired.
That is in stark comparison to Ndiaye, who should get the nod ahead of him, as he offers much more at both ends of the pitch.
Why Ndiaye may be the answer for Everton
Ndiaye was subdued in Everton’s defeat against Liverpool but a move to the centre may be just what he needs to rediscover his form.
He recorded one shot, which was on target, for an expected goals tally of 0.07, per data from Sofascore.
The 26-year-old attempted two crosses but was unsuccessful with both, and completed 88 per cent of his passes.
He had 19 carries for a total distance of 188.2m, and completed three of the six dribbles that he attempted for a 50 per cent success rate.
| Ndiaye’s stats vs Liverpool | |
| Shots (on target) | 1(1) |
| Cross attempts (successful) | 2(0) |
| Carries (distance) | 19(188.2m) |
| Tackles won | 3/4(75%) |
| Ground duels won | 9/13(69%) |
Perhaps most importantly though, he won three of four tackles that he attempted and nine of 13 ground duels that he contested.
If he can do that from the front instead, it may be the key to the Toffees winning the contest and enhancing their chances of European qualifcation.
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