The Toffees need to quickly release their subsequent James Garner…
Some of the best young players in the league have come out of Merseyside, according to Everton, which has a long tradition of youth development.
Wayne Rooney naturally takes the top spot, but there are a lot of other well-known individuals, such Ross Barkley, Leon Osman, Francis Jeffers, and David Unsworth, who have also built wonderful careers.
However, the former is certain to receive all the praise after briefly being both Manchester United and England’s best scorer. After all, he was developed at Finch Farm and will always be remembered as one of the finest players of his generation.
Since then, there has been a strong focus on emulating that accomplishment, and while few will ever achieve what the former manager of Derby County did, he has established the standard by which other young products will be measured.
What Sean Dyche wouldn’t give for a player who was even half as excellent as Rooney is right now, to get his team out of their current bind and lead them in the direction of a more promising future.
Even while there isn’t a single creative midfielder who can score goals like the legendary 120-cap Red Devils scorer, there is one who comes close.
After all, given how frequently Charlie Whitaker scores goals at the minor level, it could soon be time to offer him his chance with the first squad. especially in light of how very desperate the Toffees are to get some extra firepower to support their engine room.
Who is Charlie Whitaker?
In order to execute his pragmatic, defense-first play style, the former Burnley manager clearly prefers a workmanlike midfield trio of Amadou Onana, Abdoulaye Doucoure, and Idrissa Gana Gueye. There isn’t much opportunity for more competition in this position.
However, when given the initiative against weaker sides that would attempt to occupy a deep position against them, they freeze. They are duped by a marked lack of inventiveness, and as a result they are forced to repeatedly try the unusual but to no avail owing to a lack of technical ability.
James Garner could easily fill one of those three positions, but Dyche appears keen on ignoring that advice and instead preferring the 22-year-old to fill in on the wings.
Whitaker may be the one to convince him otherwise by providing the offensive dynamism that the Manchester United academy graduate would provide—possibly with a little more attacking flair.
After all, the 20-year-old shone against U21 teams as well as against senior teams last season. While his one goal and one assist in the EFL Trophy came against resolute Hartlepool and Harrogate Town first-team squads, his three goals and four assists across 11 Premier League 2 games constituted an exceptional record for a midfielder.
| Youngest players in Everton’s squad | Age | Games Played |
|---|---|---|
| Youssef Chermiti | 19 | 3 |
| Lewis Dobbin | 20 | 4 |
| Tyler Onyango | 20 | 1 |
| Nathan Patterson | 21 | 8 |
| Jarrad Branthwaite | 21 | 6 |
Given how good his tenure in 2021/22 was, though, such form was always anticipated. He played in no less than seven different positions there, from center forward to central midfield, and contributed to six goals over the course of another 15 Premier League 2 games.
Such mastery was inevitable to get acclaim, and former U23s manager and academy alum Unsworth even praised the goal-scoring prowess Dyche is yearning for: “I have really loved the last few months working with him! I have, truly. He scores goals, which is the hardest thing in the game, and he makes it look extremely simple.
“For his stature, he is terrific in the air and daring. We only need him to join up with the team, and his future is promising. I’m not very excited since it’s too early for that and I can’t. However, the signals are excellent. Whitaker is unquestionably next in line to break through and present the seasoned senior manager with a genuine selection dilemma if Garner is to continue playing in his improvised right midfield position.
How good is James Garner?
Before diving into Garner’s excellent numbers, it is important to put his season so far into perspective because the majority of his appearances have come from a position in which he is not at all at ease.
Nevertheless, he did make a statement indicating his readiness to play wherever, which speaks more to his dedication than to his desire. The £30k per week virtuoso declared: “I’ll play wherever I’m needed. I believe I possess the necessary talents to perform either a higher function—let’s say, a No. 8 or a No. 10—or a lower role. I’m eager to perform the grunt job and have a lot of enthusiasm.
“However, I also bring inventiveness to my game. This suggests that if I play the No. 10 position, I may be able to score a goal or assist someone else in doing so. I can assist the team keep possession by playing deeper and encourage forward movement.
Therefore, it is commendable that you were able to sustain 1.7 crucial passes, 1.6 tackles, and 4.1 ball recoveries each game via Sofascore.
However, the England U21 international’s best performance of the season thus far came in the Carabao Cup, when he was used alongside Onana in his preferred midfield position as they traveled to play Aston Villa.
Garner would score the game’s first goal and lead the engine room press that neutralized the hosts with his enthusiasm and technical skill. As a result, according to Sofascore, he received an 8.2 rating that evening, which was further backed up by his one critical pass, 81% pass accuracy, winning 12 of 14 ground duels, and seven tackles.
When Gueye starts in his place, they will greatly lack his relentless yet persistent creative threat. A performance like that didn’t help Dyche much, though, and he was moved back to the wide position for the team’s loss at Luton Town the following weekend.
Whitaker may be the one to turn his head if he insists on being difficult with Garner. This teenager would undoubtedly score goals for a team that last season scored the second-fewest goals in the whole division.
He is very identical to their £15 million player, with the only difference being that Dyche has not yet acquired him and given him a new identity as a winger. He could thus have a far greater chance if he sticks with his preferred position.
