Selection headaches are something a manager can often dream of, and David Moyes could have them heading towards Everton's game against Tottenham in the Premier League this weekend.
Everton’s draw with Manchester United might have ended in defeat if it wasn’t for the impact of David Moyes’ substitutes.
It’s very rare that Everton have a squad filled with enough quality where you can bring on a number of players and expect them to make an impact. Our squad is currently one of the smallest in the league, but there’s no doubt, when everyone is fit, there is a decent amount of quality throughout.
Moyes has been criticised for his use of substitutions in the past, but it’s safe to say everyone will be happy with how it played out on Sunday afternoon.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Jack Grealish, and Hayden Hackney were the three players to come onto the pitch, and it’s safe to say they made an impact.
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Subs give Moyes a selection headache
Starting with Maitland-Niles. Well, you’ll do well to find a better impact than that. It might not have been his performance that caught the eye, but the goal certainly did.
Merlin Rohl was having a difficult afternoon against Marcus Rashford, and Maitland-Niles was called into action for his Everton debut. This might not mean Maitland-Niles is now suddenly our right-back saviour, but it’s giving Moyes something to think about.
Having an experienced right-back is always going to benefit us, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him in the starting XI before too long.
Then there is Grealish. This isn’t a huge talking point, as Grealish could have had a disappointing afternoon, and he’s likely to come into the starting XI this weekend.
Action Images via ReutersBut the English winger showed what he’s about during his cameo. Carrying the ball from deep, drawing players in, finding overlapping and underlapping runs. We saw that multiple times, and he played a role in the goal for Maitland-Niles, finding Hackney in behind.
Grealish adds that bit of extra quality that massively benefits Everton in the final third. There’s been a lot of talk about him slowing the game down for Everton in the past, and I don’t disagree mainly, but it did look like there was a bit more emphasis from him to up the tempo a little bit.
It would be a huge surprise if Grealish wasn’t in the XI against Tottenham, but it does create a Tyrique George headache, which is a topic for another day.
Finally, Hackney. Although he might only have one assist to his name, he effectively created both goals. His performance was everything he’s about in abundance. Carrying the ball, picking out a pass, and simply being a threat in the final third.
He’s probably given Moyes the biggest headache of them all. Hackney has loads of strengths, and they were on display against United, but there could be concerns about him in a more defensive role.
What I will add, I don’t think James Garner and Harrison Armstrong showed enough defensive solidity to justify not having Hackney in the side.
If Hackney is going to offer similar from a defensive perspective, but more going forward, then he could be in with a shout of coming into the starting XI.
Moyes has some headaches heading into the weekend, but they are good headaches to have.
