Everton can forget Lindstrom by starting “phenomenal” ace out of position

Restored and anew, Everton meet Brentford at the Gtech this evening with fresh energy, looking to bounce back from drawing against Manchester United at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Everton trudged off the pitch with a sense of injustice. A contentious VAR intervention ruled out a last-gasp penalty after Harry Maguire was cleared of sending Ashley Young to the turf. Matthijs de Ligt also appeared to pull his shirt.

But alas, Goodison Park was consigned to a second successive 2-2 draw, one week after James Tarkowski thundered

David Moyes‘ side back to parity with effectively the last kick of the game. How the deliverance of the points shared determines the mood.

Still, the Toffees are now six games unbeaten in the Premier League, a far cry from the relegation-threatened, inspiration-lacking and unconfident outfit under Sean Dyche‘s wing.

Brentford are an excellent team on their home patch, but this is a new version of Everton, there’s something different with Moyes back, and achieving victory is a very real possibility.

It won’t be easy though, not least as the Blues travel to the capital with a whole host of stars left in the infirmary.

Everton’s latest injury blow

Everton’s medical room might need an emergency expansion, for Moyes has been dealt a spate of injuries since being helmed in.

Right-backs Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson are still out, while the on-loan Orel Mangala may not return this season. Dwight McNeil started the season in fine fettle but his recovery from a knee injury has been a slow and protracted thing, and he’s not going to be back any time soon.

The startling number of absentees across the frontline might have felt like a millstone around the Everton manager’s neck, but Moyes has shown he’s made of sterner stuff, enduring and indeed crafting a six-match unbeaten run, with four wins in the process.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Armando Broja and Youssef Chermiti are all out of action, while Iliman Ndiaye faces weeks further on the side after suffering medial ligament damage against Liverpool.

To add insult to injury, right winger Jesper Lindstrom was withdrawn before the hour mark against Man United, with Moyes revealing he was struggling with illness.

If the Dane fails to recover in time, Moyes will have a problem on his hands – but he could find a solution by unleashing one versatile midfielder in a fresh role.

Moyes could unleash his star in fresh role

Bereft of options, but not ideas. Moyes arrived last month with a tactical plan that doesn’t differ greatly from Dyche’s pragmatic approach. Both are rooted in their workmanlike philosophies, hardly opposite ends of the scale.

But Moyes is more in tune with his team, more adaptable, more expansive with his vision. It is for this reason that Everton have been unshackled from the rut in which they languished, now looking to press against the top half of the Premier League.

Defeating Brentford would be a significant hurdle scaled, with Thomas Frank‘s side currently six points ahead in 11th place. Moyes will need to muster all his tactical nous, especially if Lindstrom’s out for the count.

Positionally, Lindstrom is important for the success and fluency of Moyes’ frontline, but without a goal contribution across 26 Everton appearances this season, he’s hardly indispensable from a prolific standpoint.

That’s why Everton’s boss might be inclined to unleash James Garner on the right flank. An industrious and willing midfielder, Garner can match Lindstrom’s energy while offering a more serviceable style.

The 23-year-old began the 2023/24 campaign on the right flank and was used as a makeshift right-back earlier this season to combat injury blows, showcasing an impressive level of dynamism.

James Garner – Everton Stats by Position (all comps)
Position	Apps	Goals	Assists
Central midfield	27	1	2
Defensive midfield	18	0	2
Right midfield	11	0	1
Right-back	3	0	0
Attacking midfield	3	0	0
Left midfield	1	0	0
Stats via Transfermarkt

It’s not like Moyes doesn’t have ways to damage the Bees in the box. Indeed, Beto has been in inspired form over the past several weeks, scoring five goals from his past four Premier League games.

Before, the Guinea Bissau international had bagged four goals from 45 fixtures in England’s top flight. Playing with all the vim and vigour, Beto could feed on Garner’s work-rate and creativity.

After all, the Cobham youth graduate has been hailed for his “phenomenal” ball-playing ability in the past by pundit Trevor Sinclair.

As per Sofascore, Garner has averaged four successful duels per game in the Premier League this season, winning 55%. He’s also created two big chances from just six starting displays, a moderate return.

A balanced and somewhat unorthodox take on the right-sided role could ensure that Everton manage to bypass Frank’s high-energy, intense pressing style.

Lindstrom has only put out an average of 0.4 dribbles and 0.8 key passes per league match in 2024/25, despite playing the entirety of the campaign on that flank.

In contrast, Garner’s natural inclination toward breaching defences with his deliveries has seen him rack up 0.6 and 0.7 averages across the same metrics, bespeaking the suitability for the job that previously convinced Dyche that he had an apt utility option to unleash.

Whether Everton manage to defeat a Brentford side with the seventh-best home record in the Premier League this term remains to be seen. The Toffees are a lowly 16th in the away rankings.

But, how much should we dig into this? Are Everton not new and improved on the road, with Moyes in the dugout? Crystal Palace were felled in south London less than two weeks ago, Brighton at the AMEX before that.

Scrap the form table, this is a different Everton. If Lindstrom is unavailable, well, Garner can shift into a fresh role – such is the new confidence about this outfit, willing and able to overcome setbacks.