Everton manager Sean Dyche has explained why he hasn’t been playing Yerry Mina while outlining his beliefs over why his squad is so imbalanced in terms of options in different positions.
Following his £27million move from Barcelona in 2018, Mina’s time at Goodison Park has been hampered by a series of injuries and he has played in just 82 of Everton’s 185 Premier League matches over the period of almost five years. Although fit enough to be ever-present on the bench in the 13 fixtures since Dyche took charge, the current Blues boss still hasn’t provided any game time for the Colombian international whose contract expires at the end of the season.
Asked why he hasn’t turned to Mina after Everton conceded seven goals in their last two home games, Dyche said: “I actually think the front of the teams hasn’t been good over the last few games – I thought it was a bit better against Newcastle – and that always helps the back four to defend. If you’ve got the front of your team working well and you’re attacking well, that helps your back four defend. I’ve got to be honest here, until the second goal, I thought Michael Keane was excellent, I thought Tarky stuck at it as he does and then the back four unit lost its way.
ROYAL BLUE COLUMN: Farhad Moshiri and the Everton board have achieved the unimaginable - left fans without hope
READ MORE: Marcel Brands claims Farhad Moshiri stopped him appointing Mikel Arteta as Everton manager
“It’s not just about individuals. I think Yerry Mina is a very good player, he hasn’t played a lot, which is part of my thinking, you’ve got to be fit and you’ve got to be active.
“He’s a very good player but we’ve got other very good players here. It’s about trying to find the right combination, that’s all it is.
“I’m aware that he has had problems before I was here and he hasn’t played a lot of football this season.”
While Everton have something of a surfeit of centre-backs – Mina is one of half a dozen recognised senior options in the position along with incumbent pair James Tarkowski and Michael Keane; Conor Coady; Ben Godfrey and Mason Holgate – other areas of the pitch are painfully thin when it comes to numbers. A lack of goals has been a major problem this season while Vitalii Mykolenko is the only available natural left-back with on-loan Ruben Vinagre, who hasn’t played in the Premier League since August, out injured.
Dyche said: “I don’t think it’s under-documented that there’s an imbalance in the squad here – that’s not a good word but I can’t think of a better word. There is an imbalance in the squad here, everyone knows that and that’s a transitional period from all the money that was spent, bringing more money back in and that transition of events has led to an imbalance of a squad.
“That will be corrected going forwards but you can’t correct it like that (clicks his fingers). Usually you need money to correct it, that’s another thing.”
READ NEXT
Everton Fan Advisory Board declare no confidence in Bill Kenwright
'Turn the lights off' - Paul Merson sends relegation warning to Everton as Leicester prediction made
Everton hero has unfairly become a symbol of Farhad Moshiri's disastrous reign
Sean Dyche reveals what happened in Everton dressing room after dismal Newcastle defeat
Sean Dyche faces Ben Godfrey decision as Yerry Mina question raised for Everton
