Tyler Dibling has yet to win over many at Everton who remain unconvinced about his talent.
The England U21 midfielder has not scored or provided an assist in 17 appearances since joining from Southampton for £40m back in August – and David Moyes has already voiced concerns.
Moyes said: “I’d be thinking I better pull my finger out and show the manager what I was really about…he needs to find a way of becoming that player who we thought would be creating.
“Are you going to get us some assists, are you going to score some goals?”
Despite the slow start, there are signs he could turn things around. The coaching staff at Hill Dickinson Stadium still see potential worth nurturing.
Everton still backing Tyler Dibling to come good
Even though Moyes has not given the 19-year-old any minutes in the last two league games, it does not look like the Toffees are losing faith.
The Athletic have reported that Everton’s staff are still backing his ability. The coaches feel he will need time before fans start to see what he can offer.
He is described as quiet and reserved, traits that may have played a part in why things did not work out for him at Chelsea after his move from Southampton.
Dibling turns 20 soon and there is plenty of time left for him to make his mark, but under Moyes, he would be smart to find his form sooner rather than later.
Everton’s selection of Tyler Dibling over five other attacking options
When Everton were on the hunt for a new winger in the summer, they compiled a shortlist of eight names, with Dibling among them. According to The Athletic, their primary targets were Francisco Conceicao and Johan Bakayoko, both of whom chose moves to Juventus and RB Leipzig instead.
Everton initially considered five other forwards, but ultimately decided against pursuing them in favour of focusing on Dibling.
The shortlist also included Omari Hutchinson, Dilane Bakwa and James McAtee, all of whom ended up at Nottingham Forest. Abdul Fatawu and Matias Fernandez-Pardo were additional options under consideration.
Dibling was clearly backed heavily by the club, and while that support has not vanished yet, he needs to start showing more in terms of goals and assists sooner rather than later.
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