Everton winger Gerard Deulofeu needs to play better than he is at the moment.
Everton are going strong in the Premier League at the moment and are in the running for a top-six finish.
Ronald Koeman’s side are currently fifth in the standings with 14 points from seven matches, just four points behind leaders Manchester City.
A number of the Everton players are doing well, but one who is not is Gerard Deulofeu.
The 22-year-old is a very talented and promising young winger, but the Spain international has underperformed so far this season.
As the following Opta Stats table shows, the youngster has not done as well as he should have, especially as Koeman plays attacking football.
| Season | Passing Accuracy | Tackles Won | Chances Created | Crossing Accuracy | Dribbles Won | Shots on Target | Goal Assist | Goals | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gerard Deulofeu | 2015-2016 | 74% | 16 | 36 | 16% | 46 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 26 | 1,384 |
| Gerard Deulofeu | 2016-2017 | 73% | 2 | 4 | 29% | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 222 |
While some will point out that Deulofeu has not played much football so far this season, one must ask why.
If the former Barcelona winger is playing well and is in form, then surely Koeman will play him…?
Even when Deulofeu has been given playing time this campaign, his performances have left much to be desired.
Everton do not appear to be missing Deulofeu’s quality at the moment, but for the Merseyside outfit to sustain their challenge for the top six, the youngster does need to step up his game.
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