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Everton must solve right side problem

By Matt Townsend

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 13: Dwight McNeil of Burnley is challenged by Mason Holgate of Everton during the Premier League match between Everton and Burnley at Goodison Park on March 13, 2021 in Liverpool, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Peter Powell - Pool/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 13: Dwight McNeil of Burnley is challenged by Mason Holgate of Everton during the Premier League match between Everton and Burnley at Goodison Park on March 13, 2021 in Liverpool, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Peter Powell - Pool/Getty Images) /
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Perhaps the biggest single issues that Everton face and was underlined yet again last weekend in the Burnley defeat is the chronic weakness of the right side of the team.

This is the side of the Everton team that has been weakest for a while. The Toffees have been struggling to find a balance there for a long time.

It was an issue for Marco Silva and since Carlo Ancelotti has taken over he to has found it difficult to improve this area of the team as well.

He’s been hampered by the problems he’s had such as the injuries and decline of Seamus Coleman and the lack of a quality successor to replace him, in particularly Jonjo Kenny who hasn’t ever impressed that he can be the replacement right-back in the Premier League.

During the summer Ancelotti didn’t bring in another right-back or winger even though the Blues were strongly linked to a fair few. Instead his focus understandably was strengthening the midfield and adding more creative quality up front.

This season Coleman actually started well as did Everton, but then after he got injured again Ancelotti was forced to re-jig his team and formation trying Kenny briefly again and then also Alex Iwobi playing as a wing-back. Despite some decent moments none of this really worked.

Then as results continued to decline and with the team struggling badly he went with the four centre-back defence including Mason Holgate coming in at right-back.

This also worked for a while, especially away from home. But recently with another injury to Yerry Mina forcing the manager to shift the defence around and the decline in Holgate’s form, it’s not proved as successful as it did early on in the season.

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Thorughout all this upheaval on the right side of the team, the one constant was Abdoulaye Doucoure. The Frenchman was a consistently reliable presence in front of and alongside whoever was playing in defence or the wing.

His injury and absence last week was very telling. Without Doucoure’s energy, hard work and willingness to track back and cover, the problems Everton have on this side of their team were much more evident and exposed.

Even when Doucoure comes back, it’s clear there is a lack of pace, defensive stability and attacking drive on the right. And while there are also major problems in central midfield and up front it does seems as though this area of the team simply has to be improved this summer.

The Blues are being heavily linked with new right-backs as we’ve covered many times. And again there are more stories that Everton are seriously considering a bid for Brighton’s Tariq Lamptey.

However, Ancelotti has hinted that he wants a bigger player than Lamptey to come in a play right-back and so that raises question marks about whether he will go for the young Englishman when the window opens.

Whoever is in his sights I also think the Blues must bring in right-sided attacking player who can offer pace to get round and behind a defence and an additional goal threat.

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