Despite Liverpool sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League table heading into the Merseyside derby, Everton would have felt some comfort in the fact that Arne Slot’s Reds have conceded several goals, even amid their table-topping status.
Indeed, the early pace-setters had managed to leak four strikes in the league heading into this crunch contest, and they would give up yet another clean sheet against their arch rivals after falling victim to an Idrissa Gueye stunner.
Yet, while Everton did find a way back into the contest courtesy of their experienced midfielder, the Everton attack looked rather sheepish throughout at Anfield, with Beto only given one half before being handed his marching orders by David Moyes.
Everton's struggles in attack
Beto looked to have turned a corner donning Everton blue after a goal-shy start to life in Merseyside.
Indeed, when Moyes was reintroduced to the helm last season, the Portuguese attacker suddenly reclaimed his shooting boots, with the lofty 6-foot-4 centre-forward managing to bag seven of his eight Premier League goals last season under the Scotsman’s new reign.
1. Iliman Ndiaye
5
2
= 2. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
5
1
= 2. Idrissa Gueye
5
1
= 2. James Garner
5
1
= 2. Beto
5
1
However, this season so far, Beto finds himself on just the solitary effort, with the ex-Udinese attacker only managing to register two accurate passes at Anfield as Virgil Van Dijk dealt with the number nine with ease.
Moving away from Beto, Moyes isn’t exactly spoiled for choice, with lots of hope in the air that Thierno Barry will come good eventually, but with a recognition that it will take time for the 22-year-old to get up to speed to break his Toffees duck.
Everton’s frustrations in the striker department, away from Jack Grealish’s stylish darts forward, could, therefore, see Moyes look for some more inventive options away from having to solely depend on Beto and Barry, with this makeshift striker option not the most outrageous shout.
Moyes could now unleash "dynamite" ace in new role
Drastic times up top could call for drastic measures.
While Moyes could persist with Beto in the hope he recaptures his best form, he will also be aware that being proactive could take his side up a notch in the attacking department, with Iiman Ndiaye being drafted into his position, not the most out-of-the-ordinary shout, considering he is the Toffees’ top scorer in league action so far this season with two efforts.
This poacher-like finish against Brighton and Hove Albion shows off Ndiaye’s instinctive nature inside the box, and while Everton would miss the former Sheffield United attacker’s trickery down the flanks, Tyler Dibling could take over from the 25-year-old to push the number ten into the main striker spotlight.
This wouldn’t be an unusual position for Ndiaye to take up, either, when considering his career numbers by position, with the Senegal international managing to collect a blistering 12 goal contributions when leading the line for the Blades here, away from being deployed down either channel.
CF
49
10 + 12
LW
36
7 + 1
AM
35
8 + 2
SS
16
7 + 3
RW
10
2 + 1
LM
5
3 + 0
RM
3
1 + 1
When adding in his numbers for Marseille, too, the “dynamite” 25-year-old – as he was once labelled by Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp – has a stunning back catalogue of ten goals and 12 assists from 49 games in this position, with Moyes now potentially tempted to shake things up and remove a lacklustre Beto to push the Toffees star-man into his spot instead.
Obviously, the worry would be that Ndiaye would find himself more removed from contests moving forward if he were to lead the line, as opposed to constantly being gifted the ball down the flank.
Yet, it’s a gamble that is worth exploring at this early stage of the season, with Ndiaye perhaps turning into even more of a terrifying beast unleashed into this fresh spot on the pitch.
