It was only 25 minutes into the game when League One’s Bradford scored their third against Everton’s beleaguered defence. In reality it could already have been five.
Things did not get better for Everton u21s. A Bradford own goal was a false dawn as the hosts scored another two in a game overshadowed by what looked like a serious leg injury to young winger Joel Catesby.
The real losers of the night were the trio of ‘senior’ Everton players parachuted in to gain form and fitness. Nathan Patterson, who scored an own goal and looked lost at right back, will have harmed his first team ambitions further with a bafflingly inept performance, while Dwight McNeil looked uninterested and ineffective against a side two divisions below Everton.
Both will likely be heading out of the door at the first opportunity after multiple chances to impress have been wasted.
Adam Aznou is in a different situation. At just 19 and in a new country, he will take time to settle and find form. This was only a second outing in Everton colours and fans will have to be patient and allow his undoubted talent to flourish at a later date.
But is there cause for concern away from the first teamers? After a 12th place finish last year (out of 26 teams), Everton booked their place in the league playoffs and entry to European competition – where Real Madrid await.
This year the team sits in 16th place and have lost six of their last seven games. They sit behind Norwich, Stoke and Ipswich in the standings at u21 level.
What’s gone wrong?
Firstly, let’s address some caveats. The Bradford game was part of the EFL Cup, where Premier League academies play League One and League Two sides, and the results often end in defeat for the young u21 teams.
On the same night Liverpool were beaten 2-0 by League Two Crewe, while Lincoln City thrashed Manchester United 3-0 last time out. With Bradford flying high in League One it is no surprise they outmatched a young Everton team (albeit one with three senior players).
There is also the fact u21 results don’t actually matter. Chasing wins over development was a frequent criticism of former u21 manager David Unsworth, who packed the team with older players with no first team potential in order to bludgeon his way to titles.
And yet there remains concern over Everton’s u21 structure. Paul Tait has been in the main role for three years and is one of the few remaining appointments left at the club from the Farhad Moshiri days. A respected youth coach, he is a talented and popular academy figure and one who has been integral to the careers of youngsters at the academy.
Everton advertised for an assistant for Tait last season and Peter Cavanagh joined. However, by the summer Everton were once again advertising for the role and it seemingly hasn’t yet been filled.
Amid this confusion Everton u21s were involved in a number of baffling games. Tactically the side looks lost. In September the team was 3-0 down to Aston Villa at half time – a feat matched last night at Bradford. Against an admittedly superb Manchester United side the team was battered in the first half, only rallying with minutes to go.
Slow starts and confusing lineups have been a feature of the u21 side for a while but there are also slow finishes. Last season Everton led a 10-man Spurs side 5-0 away from home, only to substitute off every central midfielder in the team and play with almost exclusively full backs and wingers on the pitch. Only the clock saved them as Spurs rallied to score four goals late on.
Everton’s next job under the watch of new Technical Director Nick Cox will need to be to add some tactical knowledge into the u21 structure. Helping players get better at reading and managing games will be as important as developing them physically and technically.
Is there talent in the 21s?
The one question Evertonians will want to know is if Everton actually have any talent in the u21 setup. After all, the entire point is to ensure the club has a supply of players entering the first team setup.
It may be a concern that the two players who really made an impact in Everton’s first team; Anthony Gordon and Harrison Armstrong, have nearly skipped the u21s altogether. Gordon did star for the u21 side briefly before loans at Preston and first team duty called. Armstrong jumped from dominating at u18 level to first team cameos and loans at Derby and Preston.
In short, Everton does have talent at u21 and the club has changed tack in recent years. Last season the team leaned heavily on 22-year-old Reece Welch to marshall the defence, while 20-year-old Roman Dixon, 22-year-old Tyler Onyango, and academy player of the year, 20-year-old Isaac Heath, were all used as the ‘old heads’ of the team.
This year the team has been stripped down. Welch has not featured, while Dixon is injured. Onyango has moved to Stockport and Heath is at Accrington. Promising striker Martin Sherif is on loan at Rotherham while ‘senior’ players such as Jenson Metcalfe, Owen Barker and Luke Butterfield have left the club. Almost an entire generation of academy players has been discarded by the club with none likely to break into David Moyes’ squads.
It means Everton are facing a transition year at u21 level. The club has gambled on a new generation of youngsters stepping up from u18 level with the hope they can develop for the first team.
Of the regular players for the u21 this season several were only just making their way into the u18s this time last year. Defenders Joshua van Shoor and Aled Thomas both played in the first game at Hill Dickinson Stadium for the u18s, while Braiden Graham and Justin Clarke (who both started that game) are still only 17 but have made an impact at u21 level.
Graham in particular is one to watch. He has two goals in six games at u21 level. He scored five in eight at the end of last season including a hat trick in the Spurs game that ended 5-4.
Right back George Finney is also a regular having made huge strides at u18 level. It means three of the back four are essentially u18 players playing at a higher age group.
Jack Patterson in midfield is away on Northern Ireland u21 duty and missed the Bradford debacle but at 19 will be hoping for a breakout season.
The more senior members of the squad are now last season’s top scorer Omari Benjamin, 19-year-old winger Jacob Beaument-Clark (19), centre half Will Tamen (19), and Gambian international Francis Gomez (19). The only outfield defender over 20 to make an appearance is Eli Campbell, who spent last season on loan at Ross County. Kinsford Boakye and Coby Ebere may still get chances but their importance to the u21 side seems to be waning.
Everton are gambling on this collection of youngsters having a breakout season. At this age it means clever loans can be offered in January and next year, with players theoretically ready to step up for the first team in a year or two.
For the present that means there may be some shaky results and naivity against older and more seasoned pros. It will be especially noticeable because of the age and experience of the defence and covering midfield players, who often develop slower than more attacking options due to the physical demands of playing as a defender at the top level.
The job now is to properly develop these players to ensure another generation does not go to waste. It is important Everton get it right. Graham and Clarke are real talents and there are more at u18 level in the shape of Malik Olayiwola, Ray Robert, and Guardian ‘one to watch’ Amari Moses amongst others.
Over to you Nick Cox.