Everton Notebook: Blues correspondent Joe Thomas steps away from the headlines to provide an overview of what is going on at Finch Farm and beyond
Everton’s Under-21s followed in the footsteps of the first team by blowing a healthy lead against Reading, but the scoreline was far from the most important takeaway from the 3-3 draw.
Paul Tait’s academy side – which is enjoying a much better start to this season than 12 months ago, when the new campaign followed a summer that saw some of the club’s brightest young talent sold – were 3-0 up approaching the hour mark at Finch Farm in their Premier League 2 match.
The late comeback that followed had the hallmarks of the problems experienced by Sean Dyche and the senior players – Saturday’s win over Crystal Palace was the first time they held onto a lead at the fifth time of asking.
READ MORE: Everton field multiple offers in battle for naming rights of new stadiumREAD MORE: Everton stance on Jarrad Branthwaite future as PSR position emerges
Yet the collapse did not hide the boost highlighted by the starting line-up on Monday night. Not only did it include Nathan Patterson as he continued his return from long-term injury with a second outing for Tait, but both Harrison Armstrong and Roman Dixon began the game.
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info
The two youngsters have been fixtures in the first team squad so far this season, each making their senior debuts. Dixon made his first senior start at Tottenham Hotspur, the game box-to-box midfielder Armstrong later made his debut in. Both started the Carabao Cup game against Southampton last month.
While they will receive more opportunities with Dyche this season, the fact they were made available to Tait highlights that, after a start to the season blighted by injury and illness, the first team squad is finally approaching full strength.
Aside from Seamus Coleman, only Patterson, who created a goal for Armstrong, and longer term absentees Armando Broja and Youssef Chermiti, are now missing from Dyche’s preparations.
Strikers start the season in form across Everton’s academy
Charlie Whitaker got the other two goals as Everton burst into the lead against Reading, his second coming from the penalty spot after Omari Benjamin was brought down. Whitaker had scored from 12 yards out eight days earlier against Sunderland when Benjamin, who scored twice in that 4-3 win, turned his defender and forced him into bringing him to the ground inside the area.
While attacking midfielder Whitaker keeps scoring, he is not the only youngster enjoying a prolific start to the campaign. Benjamin, a summer signing after he left Arsenal’s famed Hale End academy, has had a breathtaking start to his time on Merseyside. The teenager, a Welsh youth international, has been a creative force in his role off the left wing but has also proven adept leading the frontline. As well as the two goals he bagged against Sunderland – scored after front man Martin Sherif was withdrawn with an early injury – the 18-year-old scored against Stockport County’s first team in the EFL Trophy.
He also slipped through Sherif for a late goal against Blackburn Rovers in the season opener. Benjamin has impressed staff at Finch Farm with his intelligence and work rate, as well as his end product.
Sherif returned against Reading and while he did not get on the scoresheet, he too has hit the ground running this season. His ruthless finish after being sent through on goal on the opening day displayed a confidence that he carried into the EFL Trophy game against Tranmere Rovers, where he also scored. The 18-year-old scored twice in the Premier League Cup draw at Ipswich Town and made the bench for the senior team against Southampton.
In the Under-18s, summer arrival Braiden Graham has also made a lightning start to life at Everton. Signed from Northern Ireland side Linfield, the 16-year-old is proving a force for Leighton Baines. He is with the U18s in South Korea for the K League International Youth Cup and scored both goals as Everton started the tournament with a win over Spanish side Espanyol. Those goals added to the four he had already picked up in his opening weeks in Royal Blue.
The U18s were beaten 4-1 by Jeonbuk Hyundai and 3-1 by FC Seoul in the following matches and next face Shandon Taishan on Wednesday.
Academy job search shows search for talent extends beyond those on the pitch
Work to strengthen the academy formed a significant part of Everton’s summer, with Benjamin and Graham just two of several young starlets acquired by the club as part of efforts to build up the youth teams. Since the start of the season centre back William Tamen has been added to U21s after being signed from Burton Albion while Justin Clarke has joined the U18s as a first team scholar after being bought from AFC Wimbledon.
Improving the youth setup requires expertise on and off the pitch and Everton are currently looking for new staff to support the academy. That includes a role now available for a performance analyst for Baines’ U18s team.
The club continues its search for talent in the younger age groups as well, now advertising for a role that would see the successful candidate help the Blues in the battle the likes of Liverpool and the Manchester clubs for the best pre-academy prospects.
The job description explains: “As Pre-Academy Recruitment Lead you will play a key role in identifying and recruiting the best possible U8 players each season for the club and will be instrumental in creating a world-class experience for both players and parents within our Pre-Academy, focusing on identifying and retaining high-potential players in the U5-U8 phase.”
First team coach set for another incredible charity challenge
Whoever is appointed in those roles will join a good team at Finch Farm which includes Jack Dowling. Dowling, a first team physical performance coach whose role includes helping the senior players return from injury, has raised more than £85,000 for cancer charity Macmillan. Much of that was donated while he completed an incredible 26 marathons in 26 weeks in support of his brother, Tom, over the course of last season.
Tom has since passed away and Jack is continuing his valuable effort in his memory and, across October 1 and 2 is running for 26 minutes every hour for 26 hours. You can follow him across most social media channels by searching for Project 26:26 and support his efforts online here.
Season ticket holders set to learn new seats at Everton Stadium
Stepping away from Finch Farm and onto the move to the new stadium, the coming weeks are expected to see another important stage of the process get underway. Season ticket holders at Goodison Park have long been waiting to find out how they can move across their memberships to the new stadium and where their new seat may be. Answers should start to develop this month with the season ticket ‘migration’ set to launch in the coming weeks.
Providing an update in the programme for the Crystal Palace match, chief commercial and communications officer Richard Kenyon wrote: “We are excited to be in the final stages of our planning for the migration process of our season ticket members to our new home – which also includes the process for those currently on the waiting list.
“I’d like to thank every Evertonian for the part played in what has been an extensive consultation process, with tens of thousands taking part in the many surveys over the past 18 months, and hundreds of Blues engaged in person as part of focus groups. We will be launching our campaign to provide full details on the season ticket migration and purchasing process for the new stadium in October.”
