Greg O’Keeffe has claimed on the All Together Now podcast that James Garner’s ability to deliver a good set piece is just what Everton need.
The Toffees ended the summer transfer window having brought in eight new players with the majority of them looking to help improve and bolster their defensive needs as well as the midfield department.
Everton did remain busy right up until the deadline as well with Garner and Idrissa Gueye arriving on deadline day for a combined total of £13 million which could prove to be great business from the Toffees.
Garner arrives looking to prove himself in the Premier League for the first time and O’Keeffe is already excited by his arrival due to his delivery from a dead ball situation.
“You could argue is that not what is Onana [where Garner plays] but maybe the profile is slightly different it depends on where you play Garner, he’s played in a more withdrawn role and a defensive role, he’s played in a conventional number eight role I believe he can play as a number 10.
Will Garner be a starter for Everton?
Yes!
No!
“I understand his set pieces and free kicks are great which we know we need, we’ve seen Anthony Gordon send in poor corners we know we haven’t got anyone in the team capable of sending in anything like half-decent corner kicks or free kicks, so we’re going to need that and that’s brilliant.”
TIF Thoughts on Garner’s arrival at Everton…
Everton have gone from having few options in midfield that could influence a game to now having quite a few with the likes of Amadou Onana, Gueye and Garner all arriving just this summer, not to mention the resurgence of Alex Iwobi as a combative midfielder having made the third most tackles and the second-most successful pressures in the Everton side (FBref).
Given that Garner is the least experienced out of all of them it would be likely that he will get the fewest amount of minutes, but if he manages to impress Frank Lampard in training, he could prove to Manchester United they were wrong to let him leave.
Being able to work under one of the best midfielders to ever grace the Premier League in Lampard may enhance Garner’s career in ways that he never expected, so getting let go by the club he grew up with could be the best thing to happen to him.