Lots of Everton fans have been urging the club to move on from midfielders Gylfi Sigurdsson, Fabian Delph and Morgan Schneiderlin after their performances in Sunday’s 3-2 defeat away to Arsenal.
Boss Carlo Ancelotti started the trio at the Emirates Stadium, with Sigurdsson tasked with opening the Premier League encounter from the left of our midfield while Delph and Schneiderlin anchored the side.
Only Sigurdsson would see out the full 90 minutes, though, with Ancelotti hauling Schneiderlin off for the returning Andre Gomes after 59 minutes and later bringing striker Moise Kean on for Delph eight minutes from time.
Schneiderlin was a very worthwhile candidate to be the first casualty of the game, having lost four of his six ground duels, been dribbled past three times, committed one foul and misplaced two of his three long passes, per Sofa Score.
Sigurdsson was not much better in North London, as he lost five of his nine ground duels, lost possession 11 times, completed 78 per cent of his passes, failed to deliver an accurate cross or register a shot on target.
As for Delph, the £10million summer signing from Manchester City could have argued his case for seeing out the full 90 minutes over Sigurdsson, having completed 94% of his passes (47), played one key ball, found teammates with four of his five long passes and won possession with three of his four tackles.
Do either of Sigurdsson, Delph, Schneidlerin deserve to stay?
Sigurdsson
Delph
Schneiderlin
Neither
But Ancelotti also had plenty of reasons to take the England international off, as Delph’s impact became less and less frequent the longer our search for an equaliser went on while Gomes’ introduction provided a far greater lift than any of our other midfielders.
Sunday’s encounter with Arsenal was Sigurdsson’s 101st appearance for the club across all competitions since his £45m move from Swansea in 2017, while representing Schneiderlin’s 88th since his £24m move from Manchester United.
Here are some of the messages shared on social media as fans urged the club to move on from the £79m trio that is Sigurdsson, Delph and Schneiderlin…
Never gonna be a winning team whilst we continue to play Sigurdsson and Schneiderlin. Shocking #EFC
— Nathan Garrity (@garrisonberg) February 23, 2020
Get rid please immediately @Everton
Pickford
Schneiderlin
Iwobi
Sigurdsson— Bradielka 💙 (@EvertonEFC18788) February 23, 2020
Arsenal 3 EFC 2. More laughable defence and spinelessness from Schneiderlin and Sigurdsson. Sidibe a lumbering liability. But slight encouragement from 2nd half. Good to see Andre Gomes seemingly unaffected.
Ancelotti can’t do much more with these wasters. Clear them out.
— TheEvertonian (@TheEvertonian1) February 23, 2020
Hopefully this will be the wake up call that if we want to compete at the top end of the table we cannot start Delph, Schneiderlin & Sigurdsson in the same team #ARSEVE #EFC #COYB
— John Bennetto (@JohnBennetto) February 23, 2020
Today reinforced to me some stuff I already felt
1) Sidibe isn’t the answer
2) Gomes is the only centre mid we have worth a toss
3) Sigurdsson, Schneiderlin and Delph should all go this summer in an ideal world
4) We are only really 3 players sort of a good 1st XI (RB, RM & CM)— Andy H (@Andy_H_EFC) February 23, 2020
After today and if anyone is in any doubt we need to bin off Delph, Schneiderlin and Sigurdsson and build a new midfield around Gomes.
Only then will we be able to compete at the top end of the table.— EFC Mour (@EFCmour1878) February 23, 2020
Sigurdsson
Schneiderlin
DelphThis isn’t a retirement home anymore. We are sick off your half hearted displays.
Get your zimmer frames and your dentures out your lockers.Time to ship out,you have been all sussed.
— Mart (@EFCBlueBray) February 23, 2020
Next summer we wanna sell him and Schneiderlin because we need to buy a big name for our project! https://t.co/tdpmjn94Ev
— Aziz EFC (@Aziz_EFC) February 23, 2020
In other Everton news, an 18-cap Toffees man is reportedly a summer transfer target for one of Europe’s elite clubs.