Idrissa Gueye analysis.
The last senior outfield player Everton signed before Idrissa Gueye was Oumar Niasse. So when we decided to go after another Senegalese player but from a team that got relegated in embarrassing fashion, people were sceptical. Some graphics were thrown around showing some impressive stats, some people took to them, others would wait and see. Just 3 games into his Everton career and already Everton fans have taken to him.
Personally, I got a C in maths. I’m not the smartest, I can’t even count to C. But even I could see the mould Everton were going for. Steve Walsh came in, 3 months after being the most integral part of the most incredible sports story ever told and his first signing was a pocket-sized holding midfielder for peanuts. Sound familiar? Second, only to N’golo Kanté in tackles, tackles won and interceptions and ahead of him in duels won and recoveries, it was simple maths to see it was “The Leicester Mould” on this one.
In his opening two league games, he’s made 10 tackles and 4 interceptions. If he continues that average over 38 games, he’ll make 190 tackles and 76 interceptions. Everton have needed a player like him for years, someone who legs it around the pitch, does bits and wins the ball back. The kind of player to get Goodison roaring because he went the extra yard to win a slide tackle. He’s a nuisance for the opposition.
Yes, we all love Gareth Barry. A player so slow he’s still finishing his lap of honour, but immense at reading the game and was comfortably our best player last season. He made 51 interceptions and 69 tackles compared to Gueye’s 140 interceptions and 108 tackles last season. Gueye’s passing accuracy was also higher by 2% at 89%. Then there’s James McCarthy.
He’s like the new guy in work. Seems sound enough at first but you’ve gotten to know him now and he’s just shown you his Clare Balding foot tattoo so you’re unsure on him at the minute.
He made 51 interceptions last season and 61 tackles, with a pass accuracy of 85%. Gana wins the stat war over every Everton midfielder last season comfortably.
His debut saw him make more tackles than the entire Tottenham midfield combined, being the first Everton player in over a year to win eight tackles in a match is a stat which is eye-opening. Already proving to be a bargain after his first few appearances, but if he keeps it up he will be talked about in the same breath as the likes of Kanté and Makelele, and I for one am very excited to see Gana improve.
