Why James McCarthy Should Leave Everton

Jun 11, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; Republic of Ireland midfielder James McCarthy (6) controls the ball in front of Spain forward Pedro (11) during the first half of a friendly match at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Charlie Adam did it with Blackpool, David James did it with Portsmouth, Michael Owen did it with Newcastle United and lastly, Lukas Podolski did it with FC Koln. These are just a few instances of footballers abandoning a sinking ship in order to salvage their careers. In this instance the ship is Everton and the footballer in question here is James McCarthy.

The Republic Of Ireland international jumped ship along with manager Roberto Martinez and switched the DW Stadium for Goodison Park for a fee in the region of £13-£15 million pounds not so long ago. And, since he’s made the move, the 24-year old has grown into one of the most precious jewels at Everton – so you can be sure they won’t want to part with him in the foreseeable future.

In his first season as an Evertonian, McCarthy fabricated a climacteric partnership  with British midfielder Gareth Barry. The duo gelled together incredibly well and anchored play from the middle of the park tremendously, thereby setting up loanee signing Romelu Lukaku for some drool-worthy strikes. Nevertheless, the one factor which led to the duo forming such a cracking alliance was because of the way they complimented each other’s skills and shortcomings. Barry played in an advanced role and preferred sticking in attack as he possessed an enviable passing range, but lacked pace to track back with purpose.

On the other hand, McCarthy possessed blistering pace, and proficient tackling skills which helped him to develop into a buzzing figure on the pitch. As reported by WhoScored.com back in December, the former Wigan man is averaging 2.7 tackles per game which is a testament to the combative style of play he adopts.

Of McCarthy’s legion of attributes, the one which captivates people the most is the aplomb he shields the back four with, as well as an unrivalled sense of awareness and concentration.

However, this is an account of the happenings of last season which saw Everton grab a Europa League spot by amassing 72 points on the table; this time around, the story couldn’t be more contrasting. Dwindling in the 13th spot on the Premier League table and currently on a win-less streak of 5 games, Martinez’s men have fallen from grace.

McCarthy has grown into one of the most precious jewels at Everton – so you can be sure they won’t want to part with him in the foreseeable future.

One aspect which is worth focusing on is the reason behind Everton’s success last season. A strong back-line? Yes. A fantastic striker? Yes. A solid midfield? Yes, and that’s the most important ingredient missing this season.

McCarthy sustained a hamstring injury in the Goodison Park outfit’s match against VfL Wolfsburg and has been out for an elongated period of time. This has forced Martinez to field a midfield duo comprising Gareth Barry and Muhammed Besic. The former has endured an extreme sinkhole in terms of performances, while the latter’s inexperience in the Premier League has cost Everton dearly.

Although, the bigger issue is that they don’t complement each other on the pitch. Besic’s style of play is analogous to that of Barry’s and that is what has done the damage. The Bosnian prefers to support the attack and press forward like Barry, which inevitably results in gaps in front of the back four. And it’s this weakness which has been exploited by other sides and has led to Everton’s dismal run of results.

They have declined from a burgeoning power to a sinking ship, and it would be wise of McCarthy to part with them soon and join a superior side. Arsenal’s yearning for a central defensive midfielder is probably the worst kept secret in football and McCarthy could perfectly fit into Wenger’s side.

The Gunners’ bitterest rivals Tottenham Hotspur are also on the lookout for a robust shield in front of their back-line, and have been trying to prise Morgan Schneiderlin away from Southampton. However, the Frenchman’s hefty price-tag has resulted in the deal hitting a snag, and McCarthy could be a cheaper yet equally effective alternative for Pochettino’s men.

With the kind of quality McCarthy possesses, there is no doubt about the fact that he will be an important cog in any team’s jigsaw.

Do you think McCarthy will leave Everton soon?