Sean Dyche is facing a selection crisis less than one week into the season as the Everton manager says he is down to “around 14 recognised first-team players” for this weekend’s Premier League game away to Tottenham Hotspur.
Everton began their campaign with a 3-0 home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion last Saturday and their opening-day set-back has been compounded by a dearth of options which has only been made worse by Ashley Young’s suspension.
Dyche now finds himself without an established right-back to call upon for their first away match of the season.
Seamus Coleman, the club captain, is dealing with a calf issue while Nathan Patterson is a long-term absentee. With 39-year-old Young now unavailable for three games following his straight red card, Dyche is scratching around for options.
“We are stretched unfortunately,” the Everton manager said. “We are down to around 14 recognised first-team players at the minute and that is not perfect. The challenge is right in front of us, as always.”
Dyche confirmed that centre-back James Tarkowski is a doubt for the weekend and Jarrad Branthwaite, who is continuing his recovery from a groin problem, is “not close” to returning. James Garner could have possibly been a make-shift full back for this game but the midfielder is also out.
Venturing into the transfer market to fill the temporary void appears unlikely, with Dyche suggesting that Everton will have to work with those already within their ranks to restock troublesome positions.
That means 19-year-old Roman Dixon, who is yet to feature for the first team, could be drafted in. However, the manager warned that there must be a sensible approach to bedding in any new players who may not yet be fully up to speed or ready for the challenge.
“It is still an ongoing challenge,” Dyche said. “We have not got much financially to correct the situation. We have just got to work with the players and hope their fitness gets back to being fully fit and then staying fit.
“It’s a tough call, you never really just throw them [inexperienced players] in, very rarely do managers literally do that. Last-chance saloon, maybe, if you have nothing else.
“But you try to give it to players when you feel they are ready to deliver. You can detract from a player’s start point if you put them in and it’s too early and they are not ready. The game is more unforgiving now.
“You used to be able to 30 years ago, put players in and everyone accepted it. Now you put them in and it’s, ‘why did you put them in if they’re not ready?’ That’s the challenge. It’s finding that balance.”
Everton without away win since December
On the younger players in the squad, he added: “It’s not as simple as saying, ‘step up’. They all want to step up, but they have to be ready and good enough for the challenge. The Premier League is a very unforgiving league.
“When you look at the players we brought in and their minutes from last season, to throw them straight into the Premier League is very difficult – some have hardly played in pre-season, don’t forget.”
In whatever shape Everton line up, they will be attempting to claim their first away league win this calendar year. Despite winning each of their first three away games to London sides last season, they have not picked up another victory away from home since December 16.
Dyche acknowledged that it is on him and his players to end that record, although Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs will represent a difficult test.
“Away games, they are challenges wherever you go,” Dyche said. “You want to go to these places — you’d class Tottenham as a top-six side, most people would — and it’s a challenge. We are thin in numbers but we have to go down there and take on the game like we always do.”
