Gbamin return will give Everton boss new options
As Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti begins to think about his team for Saturday’s home game against Leeds United his main focus will be on how to improve his leaky defence.
While Sunday’s win at Fulham was obviously welcome and it was essential Everton got back to winning ways and claimed the points, the Toffees again conceded two goals and their defensive frailties gave supporters a very nervous last half an hour or so.
The Blues boss changed his formation to basically a 3-4-3 and although it didn’t seem to make much positive difference with Everton again letting in their now trademark brace, the lack of consistent protection from midfield also contributed to the problems.
Although Allan had a solid game, at times especially in the second half he was a bit isolated and as the Toffees sat ever more deeper, there was a lack of connection with the team’s backline.
Another issue is that Abdoulaye Doucoure hasn’t been quite as effective as his first few weeks in an Everton shirt and sometimes in his wanderings he can leave his Brazilian colleague isolated.
So that meant that Fulham could often move the ball swiftly and cut through the Blues midfield and then they were at the defence all too easily.
One of the issues for Ancelotti is that if he is to play a back-three (and there are solid arguments that it isn’t a bad idea and should probably be persevered with), it does leave him with fewer options in midfield.
If Ancelotti goes with three centre-backs plus his two wing-backs, he only really has two central midfield places if he’s also going to play James Rodriguez, as he obviously will do.
The Colombian is of course not in the team for his defensive work and so that requires Doucoure to play in a more disciplined fashion than he naturally wants to.
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One additional factor that might complicate things is the possible return to fitness of midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin very soon.
We’ve been waiting to see the Blues 2019 signing again for nearly eighteen months ago after a series of dreadful injuries have kept him out of the team almost since he joined the club.
Now he is nearing that long-awaited return. If Gbamin can recover his fitness and something like his top form he’s going to be difficult to leave out as the former Mainz player is, at his best, certainly a powerful and effective defensive enforcer.
He would perhaps give Allan more consistent support and provide a stronger screen for the still too erratic and porus defence.
He can also play in central defence as well giving Ancelotti another option at the back if he’s not convinced of his usual options given the number of goals they are conceding.
At any rate having Gbamin back might give the manager a little welcome additional headache as to where he can fit him in as he searches for a more reliable and miserly defence going forward.