Everton appears to have embraced peak Dycheball by signing a 38-year-old winger, who is expected to take the Premier League by storm. Indeed, that winger is going to be Ashley Young – the former Manchester United captain who is an experienced campaigner in the league.
Young has been a regular in the Premier League for over a decade now. He initially made his debut in England’s top division with Watford way back in 2006. Since then, he has almost spent every single season since then in the Premier League – apart from a short two-year stint with Inter Milan from 2019-21.
What does Ashley Young bring to Everton?
The 38-year-old has over 15 seasons over experience of playing in the top division. That means he knows the ins and outs of the Premier League and how to excel in it. Despite never being a part of a Premier League-winning side, he has won the Premier League Player of the Month award three times – all coming in 2008.
Young boasts some impressive goal numbers in the league as well. He’s made 422 appearances in the Premier League, delivering 42 goals and 71 assists in that period. The Englishman has also grown as a footballer since his debut, being able to play in either wing and even as a wing-back if necessary.
The experienced campaigner will be joining Everton as a free agent, as per Fabrizio Romano. This comes after Aston Villa released him in the summer following his short return to the club. Even though a lot of Everton fans are losing their minds over the signing of a player nearing their retirement, this might not be as bad as it looks.
How a 38-year-old Ashley Young can be a game-changer for Everton
Sure, Young won’t be a long-term option for the Toffees. He’ll probably only last one season at Merseyside before hanging up his boots. But he will bring a lot of experience and leadership qualities to the club. Moreover, his playing style is tailor-made to excel under Dyche.
It’s no surprise that Dyche is the biggest devotee for ‘route one football’. He mostly encourages a long-ball-heavy playing style, forcing his players to play looping crosses into the box that his strikers can pounce on.
Young might not qualify for the physical attributes that the Everton boss wants in his players. Neither is he really that capable of scoring headers or bullying players physically. What he does thrive at, however, is crossing the ball into the box.
Indeed, the 38-year-old has a wicked crossing ability in him right from back to his Aston Villa days. He is more than capable of swinging in quality crosses from either wing and his technique is second to none. Young has perfected the art of delivering pin-point crosses, most of which perfectly fall into the danger zone for strikers to pounce in the box.
Out of his 71 assists, most have been thanks to his perfect crosses for teammates in the box. Moreover, Young is also a set-piece specialist. He’s capable of whipping in inviting crosses from corners and also finding the back of the net in direct free-kicks.
The 38-year-old isn’t a fancy player, nor is he the most energetic one. At this age, he only possesses certain skills – but those which are in line with Everton’s style. Young is unlikely to be the flashiest player for Everton and is mostly going to slot in as a full-back.
But his excellent crossing ability and leadership qualities should bring more character to the squad as well as improve their efficiency in perfectly implementing the Dycheball tactics.
