Everton's midfield isn't functional, it's a defensive illusion

Sean Dyche has turned Goodison Park into a fortress against the elite, but the numbers tell a different story. Everton's midfield is not a platform for attack; it's a graveyard for ambition. While the back five earns plaudits, the engine room is systematically breaking down every move before it starts.

The structural void that undermines any possession play

Since Dyche took over, Everton average 41.2% possession, the third-lowest in the division. That in itself isn't fatal; Burnley under Dyche averaged even less and survived multiple seasons. But Burnley had a clear outlet in Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood's physicality and midfield runners like Dwight McNeil. Everton have neither.

The central pairing of Amadou Onana and James Garner—or Idrissa Gueye when fit—combines physical presence with limited passing range. Onana averages 38.7 passes per 90 with a completion rate of 84.1%, but 76% of those are sideways or backwards. He is a destroyer who destroys his own team's momentum.

The evidence of systemic failure across three key metrics

  • Progressive passes per 90: Everton's midfielders rank in the bottom 15% of the Premier League for passes that move the ball at least 10 yards towards goal. Onana averages 2.1; Garner 1.8. Compare to Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz (5.4) or even Sheffield United's Oliver Norwood (3.9 before his decline).
  • Passes into final third: Everton as a team average 12.3 per match, the lowest in the league. Only Bournemouth (13.1) come close, but their midfielders are far more active. The Toffees' central trio combine for just 4.7 final-third entries per match.
  • Through balls and progressive carries: Garner attempts 0.1 through balls per 90; Onana 0.0. They are not capable of splitting a defence. Their carries rarely end in a shot or a key pass—combined 2.1 shot-creating actions per 90, fewer than Bruno Fernandes averages alone.

The result is a team that win ball after ball in the middle third but has no idea what to do with it. Against Manchester City in February, Everton forced 19 turnovers in midfield but failed to register a single shot on target from open play. The ball just keeps coming back.

The counter-argument: Dyche's system doesn't need midfield creators

Some argue Dyche's style is intentionally direct, bypassing the midfield with long balls to Dominic Calvert-Lewin or a target man. Indeed, 27% of Everton's passes are long balls, the highest ratio in the league. But that argument collapses under scrutiny.

Calvert-Lewin wins 3.2 aerial duels per match, ranking him 14th among forwards. He is not a dominant target man like a prime Troy Deeney. And even when the ball sticks, Everton have no second-phase threat. The midfielders, conditioned to sit deep and screen, do not advance into space after a knockdown. They hang back, leaving Calvert-Lewin isolated. Result: Everton score 0.83 goals per match, the second-worst attack in the division, only ahead of Sheffield United's 0.76.

The counter-attack route is equally barren. Without midfielders capable of carrying the ball at speed—think of a prime Yaya Touré or even a Dele Alli at his peak—Everton's transitions die before they reach the final third. Garner averages 0.5 carries into the box per 90; Onana 0.3. Both are among the worst for any starting midfielder in the league.

Verdict: Survival is not progress; the midfield will keep them in the bottom half unless rebuilt

If Everton avoid relegation this season—and they likely will, thanks to a solid defence and the home atmosphere—the club's hierarchy must resist the temptation to think the system works. The midfield is a ticking clock that will eventually force them down. By the summer of 2025, unless they recruit a genuine progressive passer or box-to-box carrier, they will be fighting another relegation battle. I predict Everton will finish no higher than 15th next season, and if Onana and Garner remain the midfield base, they will be in the relegation zone by Christmas. That is not a prediction of doom; it is a function of structural arithmetic.

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