Everton: Dyche could soon bench Gueye for ‘energetic’ academy star

The Toffees need to unearth some inspiration after another poor start to the season…

Everton has struggled over the past few years, but the noisy, threatening atmosphere of Goodison Park has always provided comfort to the fans. Recently, though, Merseyside power has faded.

The Toffees’ home record in the Premier League last year was only better than that of relegated Leicester City and Southampton; this year, Sean Dyche’s team has lost all three of their league games at home by a score of 1-0.

While Mikel Arteta’s team had to grit their teeth to get over the finish line, they proved once again that they are capable of fighting for the league title with a well-deserved victory. Arsenal was the latest team to defeat the struggling Blues, ending a run of five games without a victory at Goodison Park, losing four.

While Everton demonstrated far greater resilience and desire on Sunday afternoon, it was once again the lack of quality and inspiration that confined Dyche to misery, and with an away trip to Brentford now looming, there will be escalating panic that the club will sink further and further into the mire before the season really gets going.

There were a number of players at fault for their subpar performances against the Gunners, but Jarrad Branthwaite was not one of them. He once again shone in defense and received plaudits for his “absolutely fantastic” performance from several media members.

The formidable Abdoulaye Doucoure had a difficult day at work, but Dyche may change the starting lineup sooner rather than later due to Idrissa Gueye’s on-going struggles.

Idrissa Gueye’s performance has been how?

Since joining Everton from Aston Villa for under £7 million in 2016, Gueye has become something of a stalwart, but since returning from Paris Saint-Germain in 2022, he has begun to deteriorate.

Ell Bretland, a former author, admitted: “Honestly, I adore Idrissa Gana Gueye. He has been outstanding for Everton, a masterful tackler, a huge influence, and an expert in his field. But we simply cannot allow him to be that careless with the ball. He constantly misplaces things. I think it’s having a negative impact.

The 33-year-old midfielder only ranks in the top 42% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion over the past year, but his defensive prowess is evident from his ranking among the top 2% for tackles, the top 5% for interceptions, and the top 11% for clearances per 90, according to FBref.

The Premier League is harsh, merciless, and will swallow you up in a heartbeat, but Gueye has established himself over the years as a dependable and strong defensive midfielder. However, he currently seems to be at the center of Everton’s problems.

The Senegalese ace has started all five of Everton’s league games this season and has displayed his signature versatility, averaging 2.8 tackles and 8.2 ball recoveries per game. However, against Arsenal, his weaknesses were made clear.

In fact, he only completed 72% of his passes and only won 50% of the eight contested duels he engaged in, demonstrating a lack of control that allowed Arsenal to gain and keep a lead.

This is not to argue that Dyche should fire him right away, but after such a disastrous start to the season, it might be sensible to make some changes. With a quality midfielder like Tyler Onyango waiting in the wings, perhaps it’s time.

Tyler Onyango: who is he?

Since he was eight years old, Onyango has been a member of the Everton squad. He made his senior debut at the age of 17, under Carlo Ancelotti, in a 3-0 FA Cup victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

Onyango is described as a “skillful, athletic midfielder, Onyango reads the game well and boasts impressive stamina” on his official club profile. These qualities make him the ideal candidate to succeed Gueye.

Onyango, a former England U17 international, has spent time on loan at Burton Albion and Forest Green Rovers. However, during the latter stay under former Everton manager Duncan Ferguson, he only made three appearances due to a damaging hamstring injury.

In all of Everton’s games this season, he has been a member of the matchday squad, and he played one minute against Aston Villa in the Premier League. He will now be expecting to start getting some playing time as Everton continues to struggle.

Is Tyler Onyango any good?

Although Onyango hasn’t been given a big role on the field yet, Dyche must think highly of him because he consistently names him in the matchday squad, suggesting that 2023–24 could be Onyango’s breakout season.

At 6 feet 3, the towering midfielder, 20, is an intellectual and elegant player on the pitch and might provide the Toffees the much-needed spark to start scoring goals; thus far, Everton has gone goalless in four of its five games in the English top division.

Journalist Adam Jones says he is a perfect fit for the Premier League because of his “good amount of pace” and “energetic” presence in the middle of the field.

It’s important to point out that Dyche’s tenacious approach, which places a strong emphasis on winning aerial duels, intense running, and enjoying success in attack through making effective use of set pieces and crosses, also benefits from the height of his physique.

Onyango’s youthful eagerness and energy may enable him to succeed in the midfield, where he can use his technical skill to launch assaults before sprinting forward to catch soaring passes from players like Ashley Young and Dwight McNeil.

Everton’s defensive play hasn’t been all that bad so far this season, and barring a humiliating loss at Villa Park, this might continue with players like James Tarkowski and Andrew Branthwaite in front of Jordan Pickford’s goal.

Once again, it seems as though the team lacks offensive vigor. However, Onyango could help change that, and Dyche must immediately think about benching a struggling star like Gueye in favor of using the Finch Farm grad to give the team some much-needed hope.