Everton have only lost one of their past eight Premier League matches, but this is a facade that covers up the deep-fissured issues at Goodison Park.
Bereft of colour and attacking intent under Sean Dyche, whose days may well be numbered, Everton need to spark some improvements – and fast.
While the Toffees sit 15th in the Premier League, they are only two points ahead of Ipswich Town in the drop zone and have scored just ten times across 12 matches – with bottom-placed Southampton the only side with fewer goals (9).
01/12/24
Man United
Old Trafford
04/12/243
Wolves
Molineux
07/12/24
Liverpool
Goodison Park
14/12/24
Arsenal
Emirates Stadium
22/12/24
Chelsea
Goodison Park
26/12/24
Man City
Etihad Stadium
29/12/24
Nott’m Forest
Goodison Park
A tough December lies ahead. Dominic Calvert-Lewin isn’t scoring and creativity is negligible. If only the Merseysiders could call upon some of the fine playmaking architects from over the years.
Everton's finest number tens
Tim Cahill deserves the first mention. The Australian’s Premier League career stretched across 226 games and 56 brilliant goals, with Phil Neville once praising him as a truly “special” part of the Goodison make-up.
The very embodiment of what it takes to be an Evertonian, Cahill’s legacy remains intact over a decade beyond his departure, with his performances and dedication to the cause something that can be used by up-and-comers to try and emulate even to this day.
Not long after Cahill signed for the New York Red Bulls (in 2012), Ross Barkley exploded into action, rising from the youth ranks to establish himself as the latest homegrown hero at the club, becoming a mainstay before completing a contentious £15m transfer to Chelsea in January 2018.
The England international, now 30, hit 29 top-flight goal contributions across his final two terms with his boyhood club, but could have been so much more on Merseyside.
Now, the rise of another creative marvel is occurring at Goodison…
Everton's very own Cole Palmer
Dyche has fashioned principal winger Dwight McNeil into a central attacking midfielder to great effect. There might be concerns over the former Burnley star’s impact on the midfield fluency, but his return rate bespeaks his quality.
He could be the difference-maker. After all, McNeil’s performances have led to comparisons with none other than Cole Palmer.
McNeil has been the spear driving Everton forward throughout the opening months of the 2024/25 campaign, from an attacking standpoint at least.
Three goals and three assists apiece in the Premier League after 11 matches have showcased a potency that hasn’t always been on show at Everton. After all, last year’s return produced three goals and assists across 35 matches.
But now, his clinical edge and creativity have seen him produce results that have led statistical site FBref to rank him alongside Palmer in the Premier League this season.
The Chelsea sensation is of course enjoying superior success, but it’s promising for Dyche’s cause that McNeil’s form is from the same vein as the Blues man.
Goals scored
0.28
0.60
Assists
0.28
0.43
Shot-creating actions
4.88
5.08
Passes attempted
39.89
41.43
Progressive passes
4.79
6.46
Progressive carries
2.40
3.36
Crosses
7.46
4.74
Ball recoveries
4.88
3.62
While Palmer ranks higher across the lion’s share of the pairs’ metrics in the top flight this term, it’s intriguing to see how close McNeil runs to the pre-eminent number ten’s numbers.
More squarely, he’s been an excellent creative outlet despite operating in a team more insular and restricted in its attacking play. It bodes well, looking forward and assessing the exciting eventualities for Everton in a potential Friedkin Group-led world.
Toward the end of October, Squawka’s player comparison matrix revealed that Palmer was the only attacking midfielder in the Premier League outperforming McNeil, who has plateaued since but remains a keen-edged threat for Dyche’s side.
Of course, the Three Lions superstar is quite patently outstripping his countryman, but that’s not to the discredit of McNeil’s campaign, for he is playing admirably within the confines of Dyche’s pragmatic Toffees system.
Who knows what the future might hold for Everton, but it could be a brand new world, one that might herald a freer and more expansive style of football that could see McNeil rise closer to the ceiling of his potential.
It could reap a lucrative reward. Palmer, for example, is understood to have a market value of £118m presently, according to CIES Football Observatory’s player valuation model, which makes an exciting comment on McNeil’s future.
Everton signed Burnley’s chief creator in 2022 for a £20m transfer fee, following their relegation from the Premier League under the wing of… Dyche.
The incremental progress on display has been exciting to see, for his playmaking prowess has led him to create eight big chances in the Premier League already this term, as per Sofascore, averaging 2.7 key passes per fixture too.
Of course, it’s not levelled alongside Palmer’s, but he has the quality to become a true Premier League sensation, and his stylistic approach mirrors that of the Chelsea man.
Where Everton will go this season is anyone’s guess at this stage. However, McNeil’s success in a central attacking midfield role might prove to make the difference in the fight to escape the relegation battle and perhaps mount a concerted effort toward the upper level of the Premier League.
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