In the season’s last game, Sean Dyche might reevaluate his attacking alternatives.
Since leading his team to Premier League safety, the Blues manager has avoided making significant lineup changes, and he might decide to start a strong lineup against Arsenal on Sunday.
However, he will probably give squad guys a chance in the attacking areas if he is willing to do so.
With Ashley Young, Seamus Coleman, and Ben Godfrey fighting for the full back spots, Dyche’s ability to make changes at the back is limited by injuries to players like Vitalii Mykolenko and Nathan Patterson. With the exception of times when illnesses and bans elsewhere in the team have compelled him to make a tactical adjustment, Dyche has not strayed from the center back tandem of James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite since they first joined together in the home game against Wolverhampton Wanderers. But moving forward, he has more choices.
Given Jack Harrison’s injury and the impending termination of Arnaut Danjuma’s loan, Dyche may choose to give Lewis Dobbin his first Premier League start of the year. Although he has been an important member of the team this season, the academy product has only made substitute appearances. Dyche may use the unpressured trip to the Emirates to evaluate him as he looks to assess how big of a role he can play in the next season.
It’s true that Youssef Chermiti and Beto are similar. In the win over Sheffield United on Saturday, Dominic Calvert-Lewin maintained his starting spot and contributed a great cross for Abdoulaye Doucoure’s winning goal. He has little left to prove heading into the summer due to his fitness and form in the latter parts of the season, thus Beto or Chermiti may see meaningful playing time. Chermiti has shown great promise in recent weeks, and Beto would want to add to his three league goals on his Premier League debut. Against Brentford, he had his first league start. Although he hasn’t scored for Everton, his growth has given fans hope that he can make an impact in the first team the following season. Ellis Simms was a starter at Anfield and Old Trafford during the previous season, so Dyche has a track record of giving young players a chance on the big stage. The 19-year-old has pleased Dyche in recent weeks. This could be another opportunity to evaluate Chermiti’s potential role in his plans for the upcoming season.
“I’m pleased with him,” Dyche said of Chermiti following the victory on Saturday. Youssef truly deserved to have been on loan since he was brought in as a player for development. However, as you are aware, this has been a clear case of a small squad and stretched numbers; we had to nurture him in the camp, and he has performed admirably. He has worked very hard at it, especially in the last several months, and now he has earned his reward. He naturally had a great start and made an impact on the game today.
In the meantime, Andre Gomes—among several players whose contracts are up this summer—may be offered the chance to start what might be his last match for Everton. Gomes may receive a start as a reward for overcoming injuries to play a larger role this season than anticipated. Jenson Metcalfe and Mackenzie Hunt are two young players who have been around the first team this season and would welcome the chance to play. Lewis Warrington, a center midfielder, got his Premier League debut last week during stoppage time. Isaac Price, an academy midfielder, made his Premier League debut when Everton visited Arsenal under identical circumstances on the last day of the season two years ago, and those young players might gain from a similar experience.
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