Why Marco Silva should provide Kieran Dowell with more chances at Everton
Everton were held to their third draw of the season by Huddersfield Town over the weekend. The Toffees are still unbeaten under new manager Marco Silva but they have every reason to be disappointed for winning only one out of the first four games, considering they are yet to face the big guns of the Premier League.
Although Everton posed a constant threat going forward, their defence let them down in all the games so far. The defenders have been guilty of switching off at key moments, failing to preserve the team’s lead. Marco Silva’s men have already conceded six goals so far and four of those came from crosses played into the box. Clearly, Everton have a big problem at the back when it comes to dealing with aerial balls.
Barring the shoddy defending, Everton have looked impressive under Silva’s free-flowing style of play that favours pace down the sides. The Toffees are known for favouring young talents and helping them flourish. To that end, there is no one better than Silva to carry the club’s legacy forward. Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Tom Davies have been given enough opportunities and the latter has looked promising while the former has worked wonders. And it shouldn’t be long before Silva gives another of England’s promising young prospects, Kieran Dowell, a taste of the Premier League.
Kieran Dowell has been a regular for England at different youth stages, having represented the Three Lions at the U16, U17, U18, U20 and U21 levels. He made his debut for Everton in a UEFA Europa League game in 2014 and went on to make his first Premier League appearance in 2016. The 20-year-old enjoyed a fruitful loan stint at Championship club Nottingham Forest last season, scoring 9 times.
A player defined by excellent technical abilities, Dowell is a central attacking midfielder by trade. The youngster is not only fluent with his passing in the final third but he has the tendency to find the target man with his wonderful vision. Comfortable with the ball at his feet, it is quite tough to dispossess him. Furthermore, he is not afraid to hold on to the ball to allow his teammates to get into useful positions.
In the previous season in the Championship, Dowell showcased his natural ability to get into scoring positions. Even when he doesn’t score, he often links the attack with elegant flicks and one-twos.
Although he is not the fastest young talent around, he makes up for it with his agility and quick reflexes. Apart from that, the 20-year-old has a remarkable left foot which is capable of bending the ball into the net from direct free-kicks.
Silva has preferred Gylfi Sigurdsson as his first-choice playmaker in the current season. The Iceland international has repaid the manager’s faith to a great extent. However, he will need rest at some point in the season and Silva must rotate his players. In those situations, Kieran Dowell definitely deserves a chance to prove his mettle and show what he is capable of.
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Everton should field the youngster as a substitute in a few of the Premier League fixtures and involve him more in the domestic cup competitions. Given his skills, he is likely to flourish under Marco Silva’s guidance.
