We’re into January and the games are coming thick and fast. Capping off what has to go down as a transformational 2025 for Everton – both off the pitch under new owners, the Friedkin Group and on it under David
Moyes – the Blues did the double over Nottingham Forest midweek, emerging with a handy 2-0 win. Considering the heavily-weakened state the Blues arrived at the City Ground in, it’s fair to call this a major achievement, and something which they can build on this month.
Reinforcements are clearly needed if the club is to build on its current favourable position at the halfway stage of the campaign, and it’ll be a pity if all efforts are not undertaken to at least bring in some players on loan. The Toffees play six games in what’s an unusually packed January, though four of them are at Hill Dickinson, including the next three. First up, Everton welcome surprise package Brentford, who sit just a point below them in the table.
Form
The West Londoners punched above their weight under widely-respected manager Thomas Frank, finishing a highly creditable 10th last term, but losing the Dane to Tottenham Hotspur, along with a number of key players seemed to indicate that they’d struggle this season. Brentford saw attacking tandem Bryan Mbeumo (€75m, Manchester United) and Yoane Wissa (€57.7m, Newcastle United) depart, along with club captain Christian Nørgaard (€11.6m, Arsenal) and goalkeeper Mark Flekken (€11m, Bayer Leverkusen).
The club brought in five significant arrivals to aid rookie new boss Keith Andrews, who was elevated from the position of set-pieces coach: a major surprise and one which felt like a gamble from the outside. The Bees spent on Bournemouth winger Dango Ouattara (€42.8), Fiorentina right back Michael Kayode (€17.5m), Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher (€14.8m) and Feyenoord midfielder Antoni Milambo (€20m), though the latter is currently sidelined with an ACL injury. In addition, veteran England international midfielder Jordan Henderson was signed on a free transfer.
Most had Brentford amongst the favourites to go down, but unexpectedly, the 45-year-old Andrews has – at this stage anyway – indicated the club’s wisdom in promoting internally, maintaining the structure that Frank had helped to put in place. As a result, the team has barely missed a beat. The Londoners made it to the EFL Quarter-finals, where they were beaten by Manchester City, but it’s in the league that they’ve caught the eye. Losing their opening three away suggested trouble may lie ahead, but at home they’ve been little short of excellent.
Their only defeat at the Gtech Community Stadium has been to City, against six victories and three draws, resulting in the Bees sitting in ninth spot ahead of the weekend’s schedule. On the road, it’s been a different story, and this is what concerns Everton. They’ve won only two – against strugglers West Ham United and Wolves – and lost the other seven. Brentford arrive in Liverpool coming off two home matches: a big 4-1 win over the Cherries, followed by a 0-0 draw with Spurs.
Team Assessment
Kelleher had proven to be an able deputy to Alisson at Liverpool, but at 26 needed an opportunity to stake a place as a starter, which Brentford provided him. His long kicking suits the team’s direct play style, though in other respects he’s been merely competent. Kayode is an inspired signing at right back, the 21-year-old adding an athletic presence and a surprise weapon in his long throw. Rico Henry, afflicted with serious knee injuries in recent seasons, has been favoured recently at Left back. Nathan Collins is ever-present at centre half, and will be partnered by either Sepp van den Berg or Kristoffer Ajer.
The hard-working Yehor Yarmoliuk has been a regular in the midfield, partnering Henderson and – at least until recently – Brentford’s player of last season, Mikkel Damsgaard. The Danish playmaker, who has assisted from the bench in his last two appearances, was left rooted to the pine against Spurs, leading to questions being put to Andrews as to why he was not getting into the starting lineup. It appears that this is down to the Irishman’s more direct approach, which largely bypasses midfield.
With Ouattara away at AFCON, Keane Lewis-Potter, who has typically been used on the left, as a wing-back, occupies the right flank. He’s a very different player than the pacy Burkina Faso international, but is a clever player who scored twice against Wolves last month. On the left, Kevin Schade is continuing his form from last season, when he scored double figure goals. The German has six so far, and bagged a hattrick against Bournemouth. Igor Tiago leads the line. After missing almost all of his first campaign at the club, the powerful Brazilian has eleven goals, though five are from the penalty spot.
Prediction
Despite Brentford’s poor form on the road, they present a serious challenge to Everton this afternoon — primarily due to the parlous state of the hosts’ squad. Moyes could field only three senior outfield players on the bench at Forest, and of those, Adam Aznou has yet to play for the first team, and Jack Grealish was still recovering from illness. Things may be slightly improved today, with Grealish now fit, Michael Keane being a late fitness call, and Harrison Armstrong having been recalled from his loan at Championship side Preston North End. This at least gives the manager a few options, though little real scope for rotation, with a packed fixture calendar.
Barring fatigue, or last-minute knocks, I can see the only change to last Tuesday’s lineup being the return of Grealish on the left. Whether Dwight McNeil then drops to the bench, or replaces Merlin Röhl behind Thierno Barry, is a difficult call. The German played the full 90 minutes, in what was his full debut for the Blues, even finishing the game at right back, and may find starting again less than five days later tough, so soon after recovery from a hernia operation. He worked hard, though looked a little out of place in an advanced midfield role, and is still trying to gel in the side.
McNeil provided the assist for James Garner’s opener against Forest, and was involved in Everton’s second, so deserves to retain his place. Otherwise, the only conundrum revolves around Keane’s fitness, and whether Jake O’Brien, impressive again in his natural position should stay in alongside James Tarkowski, rather than reverting to right back. Assuming Nathan Patterson has recovered sufficiently, I’d retain the defence that shut out Forest, as it offers more balance to the team, which could be especially vital as the hosts will enjoy a lot more possession against Brentford, than they did midweek.
The visitors have a strong target man striker, a hard-working midfield, aerially dominant centre backs, a pacy wide attacker in Schade, and like to move the ball forward quickly, as well as employing long throws effectively. Schade against Patterson presents a potential problem, but moving the giant Irishman to right back unbalances the side. There’s no ideal solution. I feel that – with the return of Grealish, along with Tyler Dibling’s growth in the side and the major strides taken by Garner this season – Everton will have enough in the tank to deal with the threat posed by the Bees today.
Scoreline: Everton 2-0 Brentford
Statistics provided courtesy of transfermarkt.com and fbref.com
