ANALYSIS Where does Iwobi fit in at Dyche’s Everton?

What does the appointment of the former Burnley manager mean for Alex Iwobi, who was one of the few successes of Lampard's Everton tenure?

If there were any tears shed for Frank Lampard at Finch Farm following his sacking, they would almost certainly have fallen from Alex Iwobi’s eyes.

The Nigeria international has been one of the few coaching triumphs for the Chelsea legend this season, enjoying his best form in the heart of midfield earlier in the campaign. As performances have plummeted, Iwobi’s form has also cooled. Nevertheless, Lampard’s influence, especially in terms of giving him confidence, was hailed on numerous occasions; Iwobi, both in terms of involvement and impact, has never felt this firmly entrenched in the first XI.

As such, Lampard’s sacking is very much a disruptor of momentum for the 26-year-old, who must now prove himself afresh, to fans and new manager alike, in a different system. 

In appointing Sean Dyche, Everton have acknowledged the precarity of their present estate. The Toffees are winless in eight league matches and are 19th in the Premier League, three points off safety; there is a desperate need to bale water, to stave off the drink. For that task, there are few with a stronger pedigree – as manager of Burnley, Dyche rowed against a furious headwind for the longest time, and comes with a guarantee of the sort of robust football that is effective in the clutch at the bottom.

Defining ‘Dychismo’

It is no secret that Dyche’s preference in terms of shape is for a 4-4-2. While his Burnley team were often more aggressive and front-footed than many like to remember, there was nonetheless an emphasis on solidity and discipline out of possession, and directness with the ball. 

Without the ball, the idea underpinning his 4-4-2 is three-fold: encouraging the opponent to play wide, maintaining horizontal compactness themselves, and shifting quickly. The forwards keep the opposing holding midfielders in shadow, the central midfielders “lock on” to their direct opponents, and the ball-near wide midfielder applies pressure when the ball is forced to one side. If that pressure is overcome, the entire team drops into two banks of four with one clear objective: protecting the penalty area with numbers and aggression.

In possession, Burnley played forward quickly, but varied their angles intelligently. The objective was always to get the ball into the forwards with immediacy, whether by playing into the front two on the diagonal, or by whipping the ball round the corner into the channel. In spite of this, Dyche has always been insistent his football should not be categorised as “long ball”, the reason for this being his insistence upon players – especially the central midfielders – being happy to receive the ball.

Where would Iwobi fit?

Iwobi’s versatility means he is a realistic option for a number of different roles. Centre-forward aside, the former Arsenal man is capable of playing every other position in the front six, and has even been pressed into service at right-back/right wing-back on occasion. 

Be that as it may, it would be a surprise to see him being utilised off the main striker (probably Dominic Calvert-Lewin). Dyche has tended to favour an actual second striker type rather than an attacking midfielder – this job will likely fall to Neal Maupay or, at a pinch, Demarai Gray. 

This leaves two possibilities: either of the central midfield roles or wide roles.

It is safe to assume that the appointment of Dyche will see a return to favour for Dwight McNeil, who has struggled to make an impact since moving to Goodison Park in the summer. Under Dyche, McNeil looked one of the bright young lights in the Premier League while playing a peculiar role – that of an inverted winger, but not one particularly tasked with goalscoring. Instead, he was allowed a measure of freedom with regard to his movement in order to flex his technical muscles.

He seemed lost under Lampard, and would probably be the biggest beneficiary of Dyche’s appointment 

That leaves the role on the other flank vacant. While Gray could realistically play there, Iwobi would have the edge on him for his greater defensive application and tactical discipline, as well as the quality of his passing. McNeil and Gray as wingers in a Dyche 4-4-2 would probably be much too attacking, and so this is one position in which Iwobi could conceivably feature.

It is also entirely plausible he plays as part of the central midfield two.

It is, after all, the position in which he shone so brightly at the start of the season. With Lampard favouring a 3-4-3, Iwobi’s receiving, progressive passing, pressing and intensity without the ball truly came to the fore. Even now, despite the Toffees’ form plummeting through the floor and having been shunted around different roles, he is still in the top five for assists and the top 10 for successful through balls in the Premier League this term.

Dyche’s preference is to field at least one technically strong central midfielder. The ability of the likes of Jack Cork and Ashley Westwood to receive the ball improved the margins of an otherwise rather basic style of play significantly. 

While there is quite a bit of competition in this area, Idrissa Gueye profiles as a pure ball winner, while Amadou Onana, Tom Davies and Abdoulaye Doucoure are box-to-box players. Iwobi is the only one capable of putting his foot on the ball and giving continuity in the middle of the park.

Iwobi is far from the archetypal Dyche footballer on the surface. However, his sheer range, both positionally and in terms of profile, could stand him in good stead. It’s ironic, though: the very quality that makes it difficult for fans to get Iwobi – his lack of self-definition – is what means that, once again, he lives to fight another day.

• The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Pulse Sports

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