Everton Football Club, who looked like frontrunners about 3-4 weeks ago for a place in Europe, are now stuttering and Carlo Ancelotti’s attack is not coming up with the crucial goals it was at the start of the season. Somebody they brought in to help with the attack in Joshua King is now suffering on the sidelines, waiting to get a start and it is really hard to understand why the Norwegian has not started for the Toffees yet.
HOW CAN EVERTON FIT JOSH KING INTO THEIR XI?
2 months ago, in January 2021, Josh King made the move to Goodison Park for 10 million pounds and the idea was to bring in somebody who could supplement the attack as well as contribute to it from time to time. Although Josh King has not delivered from the bench, there are some players who adjust and grow into the game when they are put in the starting XI.
King is not a super-sub, neither does the 29-year-old possess technical abilities on the ball, but, he surely knows how to finish and put the ball into the back of the net. But till now, King has not made a start for Ancelotti’s team and while Richarlison and Calvert Lewin are un-droppable, there might be a way to adjust all of them on the same side.
While Everton has played with several formations under Ancelotti, the one that suits Everton the best is the 4-3-3 with Dominic Calvert Lewin, Richarlison and James Rodriguez. But with the Colombian now out of the side due to injury, it would be sensible to look at the 4-4-2 option as an alternative as it could facilitate more goals for this lackluster Everton side.
In a 4-4-2, Everton could keep the same backline and retain the midfield pivot of Allan and Doucoure, but on the wings, the Toffees could deploy Richarlison on the left-wing and Seamus Coleman/Alex Iwobi on the right. This will allow Dominic Calvert Lewin and Josh King to lead the attack and play off each other, something Josh King is familiar with and good at. Dominic Calvert Lewin is a massive aerial presence and with King being an able runner, this partnership could really work wonders for the team.
Richarlison on the other hand also has the experience of playing out on the wide left as he did so at Watford, and did a pretty good job at that. While most people would argue that Josh King does not deserve to start for Everton because of his sub-par performances from the bench, some players showcase different facets of their game when they start rather when they come off the bench.
JOSH KING’S FUTURE IN QUESTION?
Josh King, now 29, would want to start games rather than playing the last 10 minutes of it. This is a conundrum and while Carlo Ancelotti won’t care all that much about this situation, the blame goes to Josh King on this. When the Norwegian signed for the Toffees almost a month and a half ago, he would have known the way Everton operates and their preferred choice of strikers. King was never going to start for Everton and with good reason, as the striker has never scored more than 12 league goals in a season for a club.
Moreover, most players win their manager’s confidence by making an impact off the bench and while he may not be a super-sub, even a marginal impact would convince Carlo Ancelotti of the striker’s abilities. However, that has not been the case and Josh King is now getting impatient.
If Everton does not provide King with starting opportunities, the striker might look for a move away next season and if the likes of Watford and Swansea make it to the Premier League next season, Josh King could be a reasonable investment for either club.
Everton currently 7th in the table with a game in hand over the teams above them, need to start winning games fast if they have any chance of finishing in the Top 6 this season, let alone the Top 4. Josh King could prove to be a valuable asset for these games and Ancelotti must now start thinking of integrating the Norwegian into the starting lineup before the 29-year-old starts to consider a move away from the club he only joined 2 months ago.
