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Season run-in important for several Everton players

By Matt Townsend

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 20: Alex Iwobi of Everton and Phil Foden of Manchester City chase the ball during the FA Cup Quarter Final match between Everton and Manchester City at Goodison Park on March 20, 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 Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 20: Alex Iwobi of Everton and Phil Foden of Manchester City chase the ball during the FA Cup Quarter Final match between Everton and Manchester City at Goodison Park on March 20, 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 Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images) /
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Everton play Crystal Palace on Monday night as their Premier League campaign resumes and this final portion of the season is crucial for some of the Toffees players to secure their future.

There are several players in the Everton squad and team who are probably playing for their future at the club. For me those players are Seamus Coleman, Bernard, Alex Iwobi and possibly also now Yerry Mina.

I say Mina because the rumours of a possible move by the Blues for Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly might well mean that it would probably be Mina’s place in the team that is in doubt. We shall see what comes of this.

As for the others I’ve mentioned, one other player I considered including is Gylfi Sigurdsson, but while he still probably divides opinion amongst Evertonians I think Carlo Ancelotti sees him as an important squad player and as a sort of back-up to James Rodriguez.

Turning to Coleman, the Irishman has had an up-and-down season. He started the season very well for the first month or so but then he got injured again something that has plagued him for a number of seasons now.

Since he’s come back he’s struggled to rediscover his best form and has been in and out of the Everton team over the past few months and Mason Holgate has often stepped into that position.

There are lots of rumours about possible new right-backs being brought to the club and so given Coleman’s age, inconsistent form and injury problems, it seems very likely that the Toffees will sign a new right-back this summer. And that would almost certainly spell the end of Coleman’s long career at Everton.

Moving into midfield one player who still has an awful lot to prove before the summer if he still wants a future at the club, is Iwobi.

The former Arsenal man has been hugely disappointing during his time at Goodison Park and he looked like a classic example of a massively over-rated player and another expensive bust.

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But then earlier this season he was moved to the right hand side of the team and seemed to breifly blossom into a player who could contribute something to the Everton team with his ability to carry the ball well from midfield.

Since then though he’s once again gone backwards and his form has dropped off. This might in part be the consequence of his not having a consistent run in the team as I think he needs that to show whether he can have a future with the Blues. It’s an open quesiton whether he will get that run in these last ten games or so.

Another midfield/attacking player who is probably leaving this summer but might still want to stake a claim for a future, is Brazilian Bernard.

Like Iwobi, Bernard has never been able to hold down a regular place and prove he can be effective in the Premier League since his summer 2018 move from Shaktar Donetsk. 

His lack of size and strength has always been an issue, but he does have great technical and creative skill and although he made a decent start and produced some bright performances, he hasn’t managed to find any kind of consistency in the past few campaigns.

Like Iwobi he’s also never had an obvious place or position in the team and with transfer stories and rumours linking the Blues with new wide attacking players, he is very likely going to be out of the door this summer. He was almost on his way in January to the Middle East before that deal fell through, so perhaps that will be revived.

All these players and perhaps a few more are facing an important few weeks to try and persude their manager they can still play a part in his continuing evolution at Goodison Park as another big summer of transfer dealings looms.