Can Gylfi Sigurdsson adjust to new Everton role?

Gylfi Sigurdsson’s role in Everton’s midfield has changed but whether he can make it work remains the issue.

There’s no doubt about Gylfi Sigurdsson’s ability to strike a ball, but in Carlo Ancelotti’s midfield, a lot more is expected of the Icelandic midfielder.

Consistency has never been the 45 million pounds buy from Swansea’s strength as he has drifted in out of matches and seasons. Last season may well have been his worst in an Everton jersey. Expected to build on a 13-goal, six-assist season in 2018-2019, Sigurdsson never really seemed to gain a foothold. He finished 2019-2020 with two goals and three assists. Perhaps even more concerning was the fluctuation in his individual game rating, according to Whoscored.com

Sigurdsson ranged from a miserable 5.41 (out of 10) in the home defeat to Norwich to a high of 7.54 in a home victory against Burnley.

The 30-year-old has been asked to play a different, more deeper role under Carlo Ancelotti and it has been question whether Sigurdsson is up for the job.

Gary Neville criticised him after Everton’s 1-0 loss to Spurs. In his post-match comments, Neville came down hard telling Sky Sports,

That Sigurdsson’s performance had “bugged” him all night and singling him out for pulling out of a tackle. Ancelotti came to his player’s defence, but the question had been raised.

Was Sigurdsson a fit in Ancelotti’s midfield?

Sigurdsson has admitted he has had to go against his natural game to fit in the new system. Sigurdsson came to Everton as a creative, attacking midfielder, but Ancelotti expects him to play deeper and that has taken some time and adjustments.

It has taken him some time to adjust to the new role and admits he has to damp his natural game. He told the Liverpool Echo,

"I’m more comfortable playing there now, definitely.“But I’ve always said that it’s completely different… when our wingers have got the ball and about to cross it I’m normally getting into the box and trying to score, but now I’m sitting back and trying to stop the other team from counter-attacking us.“Sometimes I still want to get in the box but I’ve got someone like Mason saying ‘stay, stay, stay’. It is completely different and you’ve got to think differently. My job at the moment is to try and start attacks, rather than finish them.”"

And while it’s nice to imagine Sigurdsson as a sort of Andrea Pirlo-clone, playing defence-splitting passes and dispensing nasty free kicks, however, the question is whether Sigurdsson can make the same sort of adjustment Pirlo did as he moved from an attacking midfielder to a deeper role.

It is no secret Ancelotti has wanted midfielders who for a better choice of words are tougher and more physical than Sigurdsson. The Royal Blues have targeted Allan from Ancelotti’s old club, Naples and depending on the source, the deal is either near completion or completed.

Everton have also made a bid for Watford’s Abdoulaye Doucoure, who wants to return to the Premier League after the Hornets’ relegation.

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According to Phil McNulty of the BBC, Everton had also been interested in Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Southhampton, but the Dane chose to go to Tottenham.

Everton have spent a lot of money recently and given out some big money contracts and McNulty said Director of Football Marcel Brands is trying to lower the club’s wage bill and winnow a bloated first-team squad.

If and when Everton bring in the kind of central midfielders Ancelotti wants, it’s likely Sigurdsson would see his playing time diminish.

Sigurdsson says he knows what he has to do to keep a place in the side, but the question is can he? Or will, he turn out to be another waste of Farhad Moshiri’s money?

What do you think, can Gylfi Sigurdsson change the way he plays?