Iliman Ndiaye would be very hard to replace but Everton have to be ready

With it being David Moyes second full season in charge since returning, expectations at Everton Football Club are going to be pushing up higher.

Tyler Dibling also looks like hes had a good summer. He has come back looking a lot livelier, fitter and stronger. Thierno Barry also looks a little bit stronger and sharper. But we all know that its ultimately that first game at home to Crystal Palace that counts.

The big talking point on all Evertonians lips is the question of whether we have signed a right-back and its becoming a bit of a joke right now.

If wed signed a right-back early in the window, it would have put a lot of fans minds at ease. Hopefully one will come, weve been linked with so many and its the only bit of this summer that I havent enjoyed that we havent got one over the line. Its not like its been a surprise for us, weve needed this for several years now, but we havent been able to find one who ticks all the boxes for Moyes and the football club.

Last year we wanted a nice, safe season but we were given that little bit of hope when it came to trying to get into the European spots and you wonder whether that lack of transfer activity in the January window, when it came to bringing in a new right-back or striker into the football club could have got us over the line.

The full-back position has always been the priority for me. I think Adam Aznou has done well in pre-season and the way he gets forward makes things a lot livelier.

Defensively, hes got work to do, he looks a bit raw, but going forward its refreshing to see an old school Moyes side because lets remember, we had Leighton Baines on one side and Seamus Coleman on the other. Since he returned though, weve reverted to having four sitting defenders for the past 18 months.

Moyes does like to have full-backs going forwards though. When youve got wingers who like to cut inside, to get the best out of them you need overlapping full-backs who can bomb on and it gives Iliman Ndiaye, Tyrique George, Dibling or whoever is playing in those positions some options.

Last season, wed cut inside but never really press the button when it came to whipping the ball in because we had Beto or Barry just standing there rather than strikers spinning in behind. We need someone who can do that or allow Vitalii Mykolenko to start pushing further forwards to try and get in those positions.

When it comes to retaining players, there were rumours that Ndiaye was going to go to Saudi Arabia and some fans were probably split on the issue given the amount of money that could be generated from that and whether we could reinvest it to strengthen the squad without him going to a direct rival.

Iliman has come back fit and hes come back sharp. If you look at his social media posts, hes been training really hard.

Hes a player who gets us off his feet with his movement and trickery, but we want his numbers to be up and for him to score more goals and provide more assists because thats his job. Its all well and good doing little nutmegs and things to get us out of sticky situations in the final third something that hes unbelievable at but the main objective for him is to get more goals, even if hes stepping up and scoring a lot of penalties of late.

On the one hand, you might think that Everton would have done well to get 75million for someone who hasnt produced lots of goals and assists, but thats forgetting all the other work that he does, tracking back and helping his full-backs. He also helps his midfield by attracting two or three opponents.

Some players get frustrated when they lose the ball but thats wingers, that happens to every winger in world football. They try things and some of it works and other bits dont.

Ndiaye wasnt at his sharpest towards the end of last season. Maybe that was coming back from the Africa Cup of Nations or perhaps it was the breakdown in contract talks and getting his head turned or perhaps it was because he had the World Cup on his mind?

I dont think he was happy with how that went either. He wasnt a starter at first and maybe Senegal thought he was fatigued and they couldnt get the best out of him for the World Cup either?

Hes been working on his sharpness and strength though and you can see that the way he has come back in for Evertons pre-season. If we can keep him, brilliant, he excites me as a fan.

His main objective if he stays at the football club is to get those numbers up. Thats through creating more opportunities for his strikers and scoring more goals for himself, making sure there is an end product in the final third.

As we know though, transfer windows bring out the best and the worst in football and strange things can happen as you approach deadline day. Youd expect phone calls to be happening between clubs, but youve got to be ready, you cant just sit there, frozen, thinking who you might get if the money comes in.

Ndiaye would be a hard guy to replace. I dont know many players who can play the game like him.

Top players want to play in Europe and the Champions League though, so attracting the calibre of players that Moyes wants though will be difficult. Other teams around us have got money to spend too.

Weve also got the issue over the payment to Burnley. It baffles me how they have come to that decision.

Were quite heavy on wingers now. Tyrique George has had his bedding in period and has the opportunity to shine, so there are questions over whether Jack Grealish will come back to the football club or if Dibling will stay or go on loan.

Youve got to be ready if the phone call comes. Weve failed too many times in the past when these situations have arisen.

The sale of Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United in 2017 was one of the most infamous examples. We got a good chunk of money but didnt replace him and wasted the funds on players who were nowhere near that level.

The people who made those decisions are not at the football club now, but the fans dont forget. It was a similar scenario when Tottenham sold Gareth Bale, but football recruitment is a difficult thing and youve got to tick so many boxes to get it right.

You like your signings to hit the ground running but we saw it under Moyes first time around that doesnt always happen. Baines had to sit on the sidelines for a good long while before he got his opportunity and that only happened with Joseph Yobo got injured and Joleon Lescott switched to centre-half.

Football is all about these sliding doors moments. My debut came about because an injury happened, but youve got to be ready.

Hackney and Norgaard are just what Everton need

Talk over the summer always revolves around transfers, and even our old manager Frank Lampard at Coventry City is spending a big chunk of money, but were looking at what Everton are going to do, and Ive been pretty pleased with who they have brought in.

Hopefully the likes of Tyrique George and Merlin Rohl, who have both enjoyed encouraging pre-seasons, can kick on over the coming months. We know the earlier you can get these signings done, it gives you a better stepping stone to start the season.

Hayden Hackney is the type of player that we havent had for quite a while. He wants to be on the ball all the time and has got an eye for a pass, hes trying to play forward and breaking lines running with the ball.

Also, how many times last season did I say in my column how easy we were to play through? When teams were on the ball, they could pass through our lines too simply and we didnt have a number six midfielder who could protect the back four.

Christian Norgaard brings great positional sense and that will help our backline as we conceded far too many goals last season. With the way he likes to play the game, if he can stay fit, that can be a huge plus for us.

We looked fatigued at times, especially those last seven games of the season when we didnt win. Our levels dropped off but with the quality that has been brought to the football club, there are now more options to make more than two or three substitutions per game and we can start maxing out on the changes.

Ive really enjoyed reading what Evertons players have been saying on social media. It looks like theyre enjoying the football club and theyre getting on.

Some of them are probably enjoying TikTok a bit too much for my liking but that just shows that theyre comfortable and happy with each other, having banter and building relationships which is always brilliant for a team. The test now is on matchday because when the going gets tough, who is going to roll their sleeves up and take accountability?

[Google Preferred Source Badge]Follow Liverpool Echo: