“He’s only over-hyped by fans and now become “Flop” Sean Dyche should ditch”- Sean Dyche Urged to ditch £20m Everton ‘hero’ vs Brighton for player who ‘changed the game’ yesterday
Everton’s pre-season has wrapped up, signaling that the Premier League campaign is just around the corner.
The Toffees will begin their new season at home against Brighton and Hove Albion, a challenging match to predict, especially since Brighton has just appointed a new manager—the youngest permanent head coach in Premier League history. Sean Dyche, eager to start the season strong, will likely do everything possible to spoil the new manager’s debut. Picking the right team will be crucial for achieving that goal.
One role in particular that Dyche, at 53 years old, cannot afford to overlook next week could be key to securing an opening-day victory.
Abdoulaye Doucoure should not start against Brighton.
The player who should be benched is Abdoulaye Doucoure, despite his status as something of an Everton ‘hero’ in the eyes of fans and journalist Chris Beesley. While his heroics in last season’s relegation battle are still fresh in memory, it’s clear that Everton has brought in a stronger alternative this summer.
Despite Doucoure’s £20m price tag and his importance in Dyche’s system, it’s likely that the £15m Iliman Ndiaye should be given the nod instead.
A comparison of their most recent performances against AS Roma provides ample evidence. Doucoure was largely invisible, often running into dead ends and misplacing simple passes.
In contrast, the Liverpool ECHO highlighted the impact of Everton’s new Senegalese shadow striker: ‘Iliam Ndiaye has come on and changed the game for Everton. He’s already hit the post and just helped Jack Harrison force Mile Svilar into a good save. His energy is something the Blues haven’t had for a while.’
Iliman Ndiaye has been electrifying for Everton.
Although it’s still early, the brief glimpses of Ndiaye in an Everton shirt should convince most that he deserves a starting place.
He brings a combination of pace, dynamism, directness, and skill—traits Everton has lacked for years—all of which he displayed against AS Roma.
Even though he only played part of the second half, Ndiaye produced several moments of brilliance, including a slick roulette that created space for him to hit the post from distance.
In another instance, he exchanged neat passes on the edge of his own penalty area before driving up the field and offloading the ball.
Ndiaye is a creative force with a goal threat, and although he has yet to score or assist in pre-season, he will soon become a crucial part of Dyche’s side.
Given Doucoure’s underwhelming performances over the past six months, it’s hard to justify starting him over Ndiaye against Brighton next Saturday.
