Everton boss Sam Allardyce has revealed that Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse will not leave the Merseyside club this month. The 27-year-old had been a reported target of Crystal Palace, West Brom and Brighton.
However, it seems that the striker will stay with the Toffees until at least the summer. That is bad news for the clubs interested in signing him and good news for Everton, who are badly lacking attacking inspiration at the minute.
Niasse is a goal threat
No matter how people want to decry Oumar Niasse’s football ability, he is a goal threat. The striker proved his worth last time out for the Toffees, as he headed home an equaliser in a 1-1 draw.
Niasse took just 59 seconds to score after coming off the bench. Prior to his entrance Everton really were lacking attacking ideas, but Niasse, as he does so often, was in the right place at the right time to head home the Toffees equaliser.
The striker has now scored six times and produced two assists in the Premier League from his very limited appearances on the pitch for the Merseysiders. In goals per minute ratios, he is up there with the best in the league.
Niasse seems to perform better when he comes on as a substitute, rather than a starter. He is an ideal impact player and what an impact he tends to have in short cameos.
Everton struggling to create chances
Everton have really struggled to create chances in recent Premier League games. Prior to the West Brom game, Sam Allardyce’s side had failed to register a shot in three of their previous five league games. That is an incredible statistic.
The Toffees bought in Turkish international striker Cenk Tosun for big money from Besiktas earlier this month. The striker has struggled for service and has not had a sniff of goal despite working hard. Youngster Dominic Calvert-Lewin has experienced the same difficulties this season.
A team with the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson, Yannick Bolasie and now Theo Walcott in should be creating more chances. Walcott looks a shrewd signing. It was the former Arsenal winger who supplied the assist for Niasse’s goal against the Baggies. The 28-year-old could well provide the missing creative spark for the Merseysiders, until then, the forward players will be feeding off scraps.
Luckily, for Everton, Niasse has the innate ability to create things out of nothing at times. He works hard to fashion his own chances, but even the unpredictable Niasse needs some sort of support. Walcott’s clever assist against West Brom is a perfect example.
Still not safe from relegation
Everton are ninth in the Premier League table. However, there is not much between the Toffees and the relegation zone. Sam Allardyce’s side are on the sort of bad run that can lead to a team being dragged into the relegation battle.
The Merseysiders were in the relegation zone earlier this season. Allardyce’s appointment was all about the team surviving the drop. At odds of 33/1, Everton are big outsiders to suffer the drop.
However, Evertonian’s are still concerned the team may get dragged into that battle at the bottom of the Premier League table. Selling Niasse would not help Everton avoid a relegation battle. In fact, it could even prove fatal.
The striker has bailed the Toffees out on a number of occasions this season after previously being consigned to the reserves. If the Toffees were in form, then Niasse may leave and play on a regular basis elsewhere.
However, as it is, Everton cannot afford to lose Oumar Niasse this month. He has gone from surplus to requirements to a vital player, even if it is only off the substitute’s bench.
Should Oumar Niasse start more games for Everton?
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