The Toffees are enduring something of a sticky patch with the vast majority of their squad failing to find form.
They say a bad workman blames his tools. Nonetheless, Ronald Koeman could be forgiven for claiming that the vast majority of his inherited Everton squad are simply not up to the task of bridging the gap between mid-table and European contention.
According to the Liverpool Echo, up to eight players are in danger of the chop. But who could be enjoying their last Christmas as an Everton player?
Oumar Niasse
It’s testament to the striker’s self-belief that he is still technically an Everton player. Though Ronald Koeman sees him more of a waste of resources than a spirited centre-forward who deserves his chance. No matter how many goals Niasse nets in the reserves, the door to the first-team remains firmly shut.
A year after becoming the third most expensive player in Everton’s history, Niasse will surely be available at a fraction of the price in January.
Arouna Kone
Romelu Lukaku is in desperate need of a helping hand on the goalscoring front having contributed nearly half of Everton’s Premier League tally, but Kone is still no nearer a place in the matchday squad let alone the starting XI.
The 33-year-old has only featured in 48 minutes of league action this season.
Darron Gibson
Darron Gibson is 29-years-old. You wouldn’t believe it would you? His entire career has sped by in a flash, with endless injuries restricting the Irish international to the odd cameo every couple of months. It only seems like yesterday that he was flashing home thunderbolts under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester Unmuted.
Gibson has only made 17 league appearances since 2013 and appears unlikely to add to that tally under Koeman.
Gerard Deulofeu
If Ross Barkley’s apparent reluctance towards hard work and harrying is enough to anger his straight-talking manager, the inconsistent, good-when-we-wants-to-be winger is unlikely to maintain Koeman’s patience for too much longer.
Deulofeu has talent by the bucketload but, despite finally showing glimpses of his much-vaunted potential under Roberto Martinez, he has regressed in recent months, falling out of favour in the process. The former Barcelona B star was frozen out at Sevilla for an apparent aversion to work, so Koeman could take a leaf out of Unai Emery’s book.
Tom Cleverley
What does Tom Cleverley actually do? Six years into his professional career, we’re still no closer to figuring out what the 13-year-old England international could viably class as his major strengths.
Four starts and five substitute appearances suggest Koeman isn’t too sure either.
Bryan Oviedo
An Everton side shorn of Leighton Baines is a different prospect entirely. And not just because his trademark darting runs and pinpoint crosses are conspicuous by their absence, but because his replacement is barely fit to lace his boots.
Ever the understudy, Bryan Oviedo’s race is surely run at Everton.
Kevin Mirallas
The Belgian international took the Premier League by storm after arriving from Olympiakos in 2012. Four years on, however, Mirallas has appeared less and less in the starting XI with his goals and influence drying up.
If Barkley and Deulofeu are under threat, then the 29-year-old needs to double his efforts and his output.
Phil Jagielka
Now, Ramiro Funes Mori is hardly the most reliable or cool-headed of centre-halves, but the fact he has overcome his technical and temperamental defects to oust Jagielka from the side speaks volumes.
At 34, the long-serving England internationals best days are clearly behind him and, picking up a silly second yellow against Arsenal and gifting away two penalties against Manchester City, he is becoming increasingly error-prone.
Joel Robles
Joel making the number one shirt his own at Goodison Park last season didn’t necessarily coincide with a dramatic improvement in his own performances. Instead, the multiple mistakes of Tim Howard rather forced Martinez’s hand.
Therefore, if Everton are in desperate need of an upgrade for Maarten Stekelenberg, Joel could find himself pushed further down the pecking order and out of the exit.
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