Everton players could save the Blues millions with breakthrough summer

ECHO writers Joe Thomas and Paul Wheelock discuss which Everton players they are hoping will have a big summer for the Blues

Everton’s pre-season launched with a pleasing 4-0 win at Dundee on Saturday.

The scoreline flattered the Blues but there were still several good performances from the away side, including positive displays from Adam Aznou and Tyler Dibling, two players who struggled for first team minutes last season.

Here, Joe Thomas and Paul Wheelock discuss the players within the squad who they would like to see make a big impression in the weeks to come.

Joe Thomas

Everton need more additions this summer, with at least one right back a non-negotiable. But there are a lot of gains that can be made internally – the current squad has the potential to reach heights it was unable to last year.

That is mainly down to the injuries that decimated Jarrad Branthwaite’s season and the struggle endured by Tyler Dibling. If Branthwaite can play 30+ games in the Premier League this season and if Dibling can use his opportunities in pre-season to take confidence into the new season, it will unlock some exciting possibilities for Everton without costing a penny in additional transfer fees.

Another area with huge potential upside is left back. I enjoyed Adam Aznou’s hour on the pitch against Dundee and the young Morocco international provided a glimpse of everything Everton have been missing from that position over recent years.

Vitalii Mykolenko is a very capable defender and that is valuable to Everton and David Moyes. There are other times, however, when Everton need an attacking thrust from that position and that is not his strength.

Aznou may well end up on loan this summer but if that is the case, Everton will still need an option to dovetail with Mykolenko. Having been scarred by Everton’s struggle to find a right back over recent windows, I’m not sure how much expectation I can throw into the acquisition of two full backs this summer and I do think Aznou has real potential.

I would, therefore, love for him to do well enough in the coming weeks to convince Moyes he can help the first team, even if it is only when chasing games. He is a player with serious pedigree in an area Everton need to improve. Backing him could help him to help the club while allowing attention and money to be committed elsewhere.

Paul Wheelock

There are a number. Adam Aznou, as Joe has written about, and the same applies to two more young players who will be desperate to show David Moyes they are closer to being starting members in his team: Tyler Dibling and Harrison Armstrong.

But I’m going to focus on two different players – and they are both seniors.

There’s no doubting Jarrad Branthwaite’s quality or his importance to the side. So, while his minutes in pre-season will understandably be managed, it’s vitally important that he comes through these next five weeks fully fit and in the starting line-up when Crystal Palace arrive at Hill Dickinson Stadium on August 22.

Although the reasons for Everton’s winless end to last season has been discussed in detail, the outcome likely would have been different had Branthwaite not picked up that untimely injury in the Merseyside derby.

But while the campaign did not end how the defender would have wanted, the big positive for the Blues was Beto’s form.

The forward seems to prefer the second half of seasons to the first but if Moyes does not sign a striker this summer – and a right-back must be the bigger priority, followed by a No.6 – then Beto needs to show more consistency.

His goal against Dundee on Saturday, while aided by a deflection, was a positive, as was Thierno Barry’s equally fortuitous strike.

But the No.9 shirt belongs to Beto, not Barry, right now, and he must maintain this momentum in pre-season and take that into the start of the new campaign.

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