Following Fabian Delph’s red card for Everton against Watford on Saturday, I believe that it is now time for Carlo Ancelotti to permanently remove the England international from his starting XI.
When Everton first confirmed Delph’s signing in the summer, Marco Silva explained that it was the combination of quality and dressing room experience that convinced him to sign the Manchester City man (BBC Sport).
The 30-year old midfielder joined the Toffees for a fee that could rise to £10 million, and while Silva explained that Delph wasn’t intended to be a replacement for Idrissa Gueye this season (Sky Sports), he has essentially become that following JP Gbamin’s lengthy injury lay-off.
However, the two-time Premier League winner has failed to fill Gueye’s boots this season, following the Senegal international’s summer move to Paris Saint-Germain, having come under fire for below average performances and for off the field antics that have drawn negative attention to the club (Star Sport).
Picking up a red card against the Hornets on Saturday, albeit a slightly harsh decision on the referee’s part, further highlighted that Delph is not a dependable figure for Everton.
Following the club’s less than stellar start to the season, where they picked up 14 points from a possible 45 before Marco Silva was relieved of his duties as manager in December, Everton needed the experienced Delph to step up his game and become a leader for the Blues. However, he failed to do so, provoking the ire of many supporters at the time (Football FanCast).
Signed to add quality and experience to Everton’s team, a side that at times has been rather bare as a result of injuries, Delph simply hasn’t stepped up to the mark. He has been unable to add the quality expected from a Premier League winning, England international with Champions League experience, scoring an average rating of just 6.46 according to WhoScored’s metrics.
Added to that, Delph’s attitude off the field, which indicated how out of touch the midfielder is with the club’s fan base (Star Sport), and there isn’t much of an argument for him to be a starter for Ancelotti’s side.
Tom Davies and Morgan Schneiderlin aren’t immune from fan criticism, in fact they receive it on a regular basis, but they’ve earned the right to play for Everton, despite their occasional misgivings.
Delph has yet to do that, and after his calamitous display at Vicarage Road, it doesn’t look likely that a change is on the horizon for him any time soon.
