Everton's Ndiaye Problem
Iliman Ndiaye needs to be more involved if Everton are to be successful this season.
After a frustrating 1-1 home draw with West Ham on Monday, Everton’s bright start to the season has swiftly turned into a mediocre one.
There are several reasons, several caveats and several issues. It is not all bad, and still a far cry from some of the dour days of recent campaigns.
Everton made a huge mistake in not signing a right-back this past summer. They also made a mistake in not bringing in another striker, though it is fair to have expected better from the experienced Beto and new arrival Thierno Barry, albeit the latter is adjusting to the Premier League and has not yet had the run of starts he will need to find his rhythm.
However, one issue Everton did resolve this summer was signing that much-needed right winger.
Tyler Dibling will need time, and was never likely to be thrown in straight away following his £40million arrival from Southampton. Instead, Iliman Ndiaye has been deployed down the right flank.
At first, it looked like a masterstroke — Ndiaye cropped up with two goals in as many matches, both excellent examples of what he can provide from that side of the pitch, as he drifted into space at the back post and applied a neat finish.
But otherwise, playing on the right side seems to be stemming Ndiaye’s strengths. And if he is unable to pick up the pockets of space to be effective for that final touch or finish, it is a problem.
A big issue is where Ndiaye is receiving the ball in the build-up. The Senegal international tends to drop deep, but when playing on the left, he looks much more comfortable at taking the ball onto his stronger right side and opening up the pitch, taking on multiple defenders and allowing Everton to get up the pitch.
Jack Grealish is rightly stationed out left, but on the right, Ndiaye’s ability to carry the ball is somewhat negated. He is turning onto his weaker side, and then is not a natural winger — he isn’t going to get chalk on his boots or deliver a killer cross; that is simply not his game.
As the below heatmaps show, Ndiaye is generally staying wider this season, while last term, a fair amount of his touches were in the half-space and channel between the edge of the 18-yard box and the touchline.
In transition, as Everton demonstrated against Wolves, Brighton and even Liverpool, Ndiaye can be extremely effective, especially with the quality of Grealish to create the opportunities from the opposite wing.
But against compact or deep defences, Ndiaye is too often finding himself in positions from which he cannot generally be as impactful as Everton need him to be.
So, how can David Moyes fix it?
Perhaps the most unlikely option will be for Ndiaye to move back out to the left, but that would mean Grealish moving from his preferred position.
Grealish, of course, could play in the number 10 role, and with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall suspended for Sunday’s clash with Crystal Palace, perhaps this is something Moyes will try.
There is also the option to move Ndiaye into the number 10 — Dewsbury-Hall, however, occupies this position, and there is certainly a strong argument to suggest Everton’s best shape is a 4-3-3, which does not accommodate a traditional 10 anyway.
A wildcard option links to Everton’s striker issues.
Neither Beto nor Barry have so far proven themselves as adequate options to lead Everton’s line, and in matches in which the Toffees can expect to have the majority of possession, they need something different to break teams down.
Ndiaye, perhaps, could provide that spark.
He would have to play as a false nine, but this would enable him to drop in, create space to turn and drive at defenders. It would also mean he occupies the central area of the pitch, without necessarily getting dragged into a midfield tussle, which could be the case if he plays deeper as a 10.
This latter option would mean Everton need to sharpen up. Moyes’ tactics could not be to go long directly. It would require an approach of building up through midfield and playing into Ndiaye’s feet, and midfielders would need to make runs beyond to ensure some penetration.
What is clear, is Moyes should not just continue to keep things the same. Everton risk becoming far too predictable, and in matches where the onus is on them, they cannot afford a player such as Ndiaye to be on the fringes.
Whatever Everton’s aims are this season, Ndiaye will be integral to them achieving those targets, so Moyes must get the best out of him.
By Patric Ridge
As you say, Ndiaye looks when he can carry the ball inside on his right foot; it’s what made him so effective at Marseille. It’s interesting (and a bit ironic) that Moyes’ solution to not having a reliable striker might be right in front of him, if he’s willing to rethink the structure rather than the player.
The Grealish question complicates things, but good sides find ways to accommodate their best creators.