Sean Dyche had to wait almost six months to land his first signing as Everton manager but even though the Blues boss wasn’t present to witness Ashley Young’s dream debut at Wigan Athletic, with the 38-year-old scoring the only goal of the game, his display at the DW Stadium showed the multifaceted aspects he brings to the group.
Despite today's confirmation of Arnaut Danjuma's loan move, at a time when Everton’s squad remains chronically lacking in numbers – they named just six substitutes on Saturday, none of whom had played a competitive match for the club, while Wigan had 11 – Young is actually several players in one. Even though the Blues didn’t even have a full complement on the bench for their survival showdown at home to Bournemouth on the final day of last season, their ranks have been depleted further since then.
Six first teamers departed Goodison Park this summer with Everton not taking up their loan option on Conor Coady, who subsequently joined relegated Leicester City; Yerry Mina, Tom Davies, Asmir Begovic and Andros Townsend leaving after their contracts expired and Ellis Simms being sold to Coventry City. It might be something of a stretch to expect the 5ft 9in Young to fill in for 6ft 6in goalkeeper Begovic who has followed Coady into the Championship at Queens Park Rangers but other than that, he has played everywhere else on the pitch.
Last season, Young was deployed exclusively as a full-back by Aston Villa with 21 starts on the right and five on the left and that ability to switch sides was demonstrated on his Blues bow against the Latics but in more advanced roles. The former England international rolled back the years to occupy the attacking wide positions he’d be deployed in when he first broke
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