After lots of ongoing speculation, Everton’s abysmal summer transfer window appears to have signalled the end of the Friedkin Group’s tenure as club owners.
Last week, the board announced their desire to sell the club after just 22 months, and are actively seeking new investors to take the club forward.
The saga around Harrison Armstrong’s proposed move to Nottingham Forest was a turning point, which led to supporters voicing their frustration with their dealings.
However, in one of their final acts as owners, they did oversee the signing of one player, who may now be seen as a panic buy due to his recent performances on Merseyside.
Why Maitland-Niles has struggled at RB for Everton
After a summer-long hunt for a new right-back, the Everton hierarchy decided to pursue a move for Ainsley Maitland-Niles during the closing stages of the window.
The former Arsenal man arrived from Lyon for a fee in the region of just £5m, which led to a lot of supporters believing they had secured a bargain transfer.
His last-minute equaliser against Manchester United only reinforced such an impression, but it’s safe to say it’s not been plain sailing in the games since his debut.
The 29-year-old’s display against Hull City was one of his worst for the Toffees, as he registered an error which led to the hosts finding the back of the net and securing a draw.
He also only managed to successfully win one tackle at the KCOM Stadium, with the opposition finding a lot of success featuring down his side of the pitch.
|
Ainsley Maitland-Niles – stats vs Hull |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Tally |
|
Minutes played |
78 |
|
Touches |
48 |
|
Pass accuracy |
81% |
|
Chances created |
1 |
|
Dribbles completed |
0 |
|
Crosses completed |
0 |
|
Tackles won |
0 |
|
Duels won |
50% |
|
Possession lost |
11x |
In possession, the Englishman was just as ineffective during the stalemate, subsequently failing to complete any dribbles and completing just one cross.
As a result, the defender was handed a measly 3/10 match rating, with such a figure the lowest of any player who started for David Moyes’ men on Sunday afternoon.
Why Everton star will be fuming if Maitland-Niles continues to start
After his recent run of poor performances, culminating in his struggles against Hull, it’s left Moyes with no choice but to drop Maitland-Niles from his starting eleven.
However, such a decision will open up yet another problem at right-back, with such a position one which has caused the manager the most issues in recent seasons.
Various players have featured in such a position over the last couple of months, with the likes of James Garner and Jake O’Brien better suited in their preferred position.
As a result, summer arrival Merlin Rohl should be handed a chance to pick up his form at right-back after spending the last three games on the sideline through injury.
The German, who turned his loan move into a permanent one for £17m last summer, has featured in such a position on a consistent basis and looked extremely confident of late.
However, he was an unused substitute against Hull at the weekend after returning from injury, but Maitland-Niles’ recent struggles should see him return to the starting eleven.
The 24-year-old’s stats from earlier in the campaign showcase his talent operating in the aforementioned position, which should Moyes put added faith in the youngster to deliver the goods.
Rohl has managed to complete 86% of the passes he’s attempted this term, which has subsequently allowed the former Freiburg man to create 0.4 big chances per 90.
Both of the aforementioned figures have seen him rank above 90% of other players in his position this campaign, highlighting his tremendous ability with the ball at his feet.
Without the ball, the German has also managed to catch the eye, as seen by his impressive tally of 8.6 defensive contributions and 4.7 ball recoveries made per 90.
Like his numbers in possession, Rohl has managed to outperform countless players in England’s top-flight, as he’s ranked in the top 20% of all right-backs in the aforementioned areas.
Maitland-Niles has ranked lower than the German in all of the areas throughout 2026/27, which further indicates that he’s a more impactful option within Moyes’ side.
As a result, the manager should be looking to hand the 24-year-old added opportunities in the weeks ahead as the club look to maintain their unbeaten start to the new season.
Should he fail to do so, Rohl would have every reason to be disgruntled with the Scotsman, as he’s clearly a player who can solve the ongoing issues at right-back.
