What can Delph bring to Everton
So Everton have added Fabian Delph to their squad following his move yesterday from Manchester City. The question is what can Delph bring to the Blues?
Delph’s arrival has I think taken most Everton supporters by surprise. I certainly didn’t expect it and wouldn’t have predicted that he would have been on the Toffees radar.
But I’ve said that I feel Delph will prove to be an astute addition to the Blues ranks and I believe he will be.
He is a player with ability, versatility and plenty of experience at the highest level. Of course he’s played for the champions Manchester City and has certainly contributed to their last two season’s of sustained success.
That kind of experience winning trophies regularly is something the Toffees could certainly do with. And such a winning mentality could be important if Everton are to progress and genuinely challenge for honours.
Delph has also been integral to England manager Gareth Southgate’s plans at the last two international tournaments as well.
The former Leeds and Aston Villa man is not only someone who can do a solid job as a holding midfielder but can also offer genuine creativity with his passing ability and maybe even chip in with the odd goal as well.
Additionally I think he will bring a degree of calmness to the Toffees midfield play as well. Gana has been a really solid servant to the club over the past few seasons but occasionally he can run about a little like a headless chicken!
Maybe having Delph alongside him will bring added stability and give Gana more license to play his natural game.
Delph is also a very capable stand-in left-back and as I previously suggested this might have influenced the decision to sign him. And playing at left-back was where he perhaps made his biggest contribution to City.
So assuming Gana stays and Delph comes straight into the team, he might link up and play with him giving Everton a very strong central midfield pair to use as a base to build on.
That’s one possibility. Alternatively the Blues might try a midfield three with Gomes playing alongside them as well.
I think Everton should look at possibly playing a 4-3-3 system given the players at their disposal.
This is especially the case with the forwards. The biggest question going into this transfer window and still during it, is who if anyone will the Blues bring in to give the team a reliable striker and goal scorer.
The Toffees have though also been linked with a succession of players who can play in a wide attacking position mainly on the right hand side.
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One solution then if they can’t find the right frontman is to go with a front three of Bernard, Richarlison and that other forward, whether it is Malcom or David Neres or someone else.
It would be a gamble but if Everton can’t find the right striker and Marco Silva isn’t convinced Dominic Calvert-Lewin can do the job, then it might be a way forward to consider.
However it would mean that if Delph comes straight into the side then probably one of either Gomes, which seems unlikely, or Gylfi Sigurdsson would have to make way, a tricky choice.
Well these are all questions for Silva and his coaches to ponder as the new season draws nearer.