Gomes return timely with lack of key midfielder evidently hurting Everton

The return of the Portuguese player has been probably largely unnoticed by Everton supporters. In truth, I think many including myself thought his time at Goodison Park was over.

After falling out of favour under Frank Lampard following a number of average performances and indifferent spells when he had last been playing for the Toffees, Gomes went out on loan to France last season and had done well.

There was a good chance he would return to France but for injury and so the 30-year-old midfielder eventually came back to Merseyside.

Gomes offers qualities that the Blues have missed in midfield for a long time, in particular the ability to get on the ball, carry it from midfield and and pick a pass.

Everton have a number of similar players in the centre of the pitch with Idrissa Gueye, Amadou Onana and Abdoulaye Doucoure all essentially defensive or box-to-box players.

And while James Garner is a bit more of a creative individual, he too has often had to be a player operating out of position and required to do a lot more defensive spadework.

In one sense the Toffees don't need more creativity as the team is certainly making enough changes to win games and should have won many more than they have done this season.

That was certainly true in the early weeks of the campaign with those hugely frustrating defeats at home to Fulham, Wolves and Luton Town when Everton made more than enough chances to win and didn't take them.

And, that was also true to some extent yesterday when again the Blues had plenty of opportunities to take the points and couldn't.

One reason was the highly contentious denial of Dominic Calvert-Lewin's goal for an alledged foul by Gomes as he won the ball before putting the centre-forward through.

Had that strike not been chalked off then it is possible Everton would have gone on to win the match as they certainly dominated the second half after going behind due to a sloppy start in the first twenty minutes or so.

With Doucoure absent at the moment due to his hamstring injury, having Gomes back could be a an unexpected bonus for Sean Dyche as the games come thick and fast.

Doucoure is the leading goalscorer with six and his injury is a significant blow to Dyche as the Mali international has become integral to his formation and tactics.

While Gomes doesn't replicate the former Watford player's attributes he looked effective operating in that more advanced midfield role,

At any rate having another option in his small squad is surely a positive during such a critical time of the season.