Everton summer signing Yannick Bolasie has made an early impact at Godison Park.
Everton’s Yannick Bolasie in action with Stoke City’s Erik Pieters
Pundits Danny Mills and Andy Townsend have discussed Yannick Bolasie’s role at Everton, as heard on BBC Radio Five Live.
The Toffees have enjoyed a strong start under new manager Ronald Koeman, winning the last four Premier League games in a row to take second place in the table behind Manchester City.
Everton’s Yannick Bolasie in action with West Bromwich Albion’s Jonny Evans
Summer signings Maarten Stekelenburg, Ashley Williams and Idrissa Gueye have all made strong impressions in the first few weeks of the season, and winger Yannick Bolasie has also impressed.
Bolasie, 27, joined Everton from Crystal Palace last month, with the Toffees forking out a huge £25m fee (The Guardian) to sign the DR Congo international.
Many believed that Everton had overpaid for Bolasie, considering that he managed just 13 goals in 144 games for Crystal Palace, with the ‘lack of end product’ tag given to him over the last few years.
Everton’s Yannick Bolasie applauds fans
So far though, Bolasie has notched two assists in just three starts for Everton, and he appears to have already struck up a fruitful connection with striker Romelu Lukaku.
His pace and power have offered a new dimension to the Everton attack, and pundits Danny Mills and Andy Townsend have given their opinions on his performances and projected role at Goodison Park, as heard on BBC Radio Five Live.
Mills questioned whether Bolasie will play every week, and thinks that manager Koeman may in fact leave him on the bench in order to bring him on as a substitute and use his blistering pace to devastating effect.
Everton’s Yannick Bolasie celebrates
Townsend added that he thinks Bolasie needs to improve his goal record, but claims that the winger is a ‘scary’ player to deal with when in full flight, and thinks he and Lukaku will link up a lot this season.
“Is he not a great impact player to have? Is he going to play every week? I’m not so sure, I think Koeman might leave him out at times,” said Mills. “If he’s got that impact to bring him off the bench in certain games, then he has that pace. Manchester United are struggling because they don’t have anyone to run at people with blistering pace consistently. Just having him in the side at times will open up space for Barkley.”
“You will see, at some point this season, Bolasie pick it up on the edge of his own 18-yard box, and he will sprint 60 yards, and he will chip one in for Lukaku, who has matched him stride-for-stride, and he will score. That is what he gives you, that is what he has been bought for. He has never really had a goal return, that’s an area he’s got to improve. He’s a fabulous instinctive player, sometimes when he’s got time and space in the top third, he doesn’t always produce as well as he could, but certainly from 18-yard box to 18-yard box, he’s a scary proposition,” added Townsend.
What have you thought of Bolasie’s start to life at Everton?
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