Everton manager Sean Dyche wants to use two strikers.
Sean Dyche has previously expressed his desire to set up his Everton side in a way which allows him to field two strikers.
In £26 million summer signing Beto and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the Toffees have two forwards on the books at Goodison Park who could conceivably combine into an effective partnership.
However, Dyche is yet to deploy a two striker system this season, and for good reason. Everton are still too weak in one area of the pitch to allow for this attacking change to be made.
The two most obvious ways that Everton could accommodate two strikers would be by either dropping one of their midfield trio and converting to a 4-4-2 formation, or by removing their wingers and playing a 5-3-2 formation.
The second of these options is the least viable. 38-year-old Ashley Young does not have the legs to function effectively as a wing-back, and this Everton squad lacks the required depth to rely on a system with three starting centre-backs. Equally, winger Dwight McNeil is one of their key players, and this formation would remove his natural position.
Midfield issues holding Everton back
The only possible option for Dyche if he wants to play with two strikers is by setting up in a 4-4-2. However, this is where Everton’s midfield weakness will undermine his ambitions.
The Toffees have deployed Abdoulaye Doucoure, Idrissa Gueye, and Amadou Onana as a starting midfield trio in each of their Premier League matches so far this season. This collection of players is simply not good enough to cope with one of them being taken out of the equation.
Until Dyche is able to add some real quality in the middle of the park, he will only be able to field a lone striker in his starting line ups.
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