Everton are still failing to get the best out of club-record signing Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Everton have picked up their first win since sacking Ronald Koeman, beating Watford 3-2 on Sunday evening with a stunning comeback, having been 2-0 down at Goodison Park.
Caretaker boss David Unsworth will be delighted to have picked up his first win as caretaker, but the problems are far from solved for the Toffees, after a disastrous start to the season.
Unsworth saw his side thrive on Sunday when he added more pace to the side, with substitutes Aaron Lennon, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Ademola Lookman all making a huge impact.
The trio could now push for more playing time, and that means that Unsworth will still face the problem of attempting to find a role for big-money summer signing Gylfi Sigurdsson.
The Icelandic international, 28, arrived in a club-record £45million deal over the summer having hit nine goals and 13 assists for Swansea last season, but he has yet to register a goal or an assist in the Premier League for Everton.
Despite splashing so much money on him, Koeman failed to get Sigurdsson firing having played him out of position, and the problem for Everton right now is that Unsworth is committing the same cardinal sin.
Having played him as a centre forward against Lyon, Unsworth then used Sigurdsson on the right of midfield against Watford, and it’s no surprise that Sigurdsson can’t find his best form with the Toffees, given that he is not only being used out of position, but he is being used in a host of positions – none of which are where he thrives.
With Swansea, Sigurdsson played as a number 10, featuring centrally as the hub of the Swans midfield whilst also linking with the attack, yet Everton are bizarrely reluctant to use him there, with Wayne Rooney’s presence also a problem in that regard.
If Sigurdsson played as a number 10 and was surrounded with the pace of Lennon, Lookman and Calvert-Lewin, Everton’s attack could finally click, as their desire to stretch defences could open up space for Sigurdsson in and around the box.
So far, Everton have yet to see anywhere near the best of Sigurdsson. Having spent so much money on him over the summer, it’s imperative that the Toffees work to get him firing, and Unsworth should be looking to find a way to get him back to top form, rather than sticking him in unfamiliar roles where he is destined to struggle.
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