Sunday 1 November 2015 08:49, UK
There have been flashes of brilliance from Gerard Deulofeu at Everton, but can he take the next step and fulfil his huge potential? Nick Wright takes a look following the former Barcelona prodigy's permanent switch to the Premier League in the summer…
Gerard Deulofeu's performance in Everton's recent defeat by Arsenal was typical for two reasons. Firstly, because he was the most dangerous player in a blue shirt, and secondly because of a glaring moment of immaturity in first-half stoppage time.
The 21-year-old had brilliantly flicked Ross Barkley's pass around Nacho Monreal during an Everton counter-attack, but rather than charging on and capitalising on his good work, he needlessly threw himself to the ground in the hope of winning a free kick. The referee was unmoved and the chance was gone. The only surprise was that Deulofeu wasn't booked for his theatrics.
Roberto Martinez should have been fielding questions on another exciting display from Deulofeu in his post-match press conference, but that flashpoint forced him onto the defensive. "Gerard is a young man who has come into a very different game and he needs to understand the culture of the British game," he explained.
"Gerard has incredible talent, he worries defenders and you could see at the end they had three players around him. He carries that threat. He is a young player and he has a lot to learn but he has the desire and that winning mentality and it's only a matter of time before he puts that talent together."
There is certainly no debate about Deulofeu's ability. The Spaniard's every touch brings a sense of anticipation, and his electric pace and instinctive skill make him thrillingly unpredictable to watch, but old questions about maturity and discipline resurfaced with that dive at the Emirates Stadium.
The two sides of Deulofeu have been evident since his formative years in Barcelona's youth academy, where he stood out as a superstar-in-waiting in a sea of talent. "He was maybe nine or 10 years old when he arrived at Barca, and you could see that he was special," former Barcelona youth coach Andres Carrasco tells Sky Sports.
"The dribbling… wow. He could finish games when he wanted, especially when we were playing seven-a-side. In those small matches he was fantastic. He is maybe the best player I have ever coached, talent-wise."
It's high praise from a man who spent 13 years working in La Masia between 1998 and 2011, but Carrasco remembers him for other reasons, too. "He is a special one, but his behaviour is really difficult sometimes," he says. "He's a very good guy and a special player, but he is difficult to understand. He can be very difficult to manage."
Sevilla manager Unai Emery found that out first-hand last season. Deulofeu breezed through youth football knowing he was a cut above, and he was just 17 when he made his senior debut for Barcelona. But despite impressing during his temporary spell at Goodison Park in 2013/14, Luis Enrique decided to send him out on loan again.
Deulofeu was unable to nail down a first team spot at Sevilla, and Emery spoke candidly about the young winger in an interview with the Guardian in May. "He has incredible qualities but lacks others," he said. "Put him out there, one on one and ... pfff. But make him play football with team-mates, on a big pitch, and it's hard. He doesn't have the maturity or capacity for sacrifice yet."
Deulofeu might point to the fact that only Luis Suarez created assists more frequently than him despite his limited playing time in La Liga last season, but Barcelona evidently agreed with Emery's assessment as they sanctioned his £4.25m move to Everton in the summer - albeit with a buy-back clause inserted in his contract.
Deulofeu has talked about "coming home" and "growing up" since the move, and he announced his return to Everton with a scintillating performance as they came from two goals down to beat West Brom at the Hawthorns. Deulofeu now leads Everton's assist charts with three, and only David Silva has created goals more regularly than him in the Premier League.
Martinez, though, still uses him cautiously. An anonymous performance in the Merseyside derby saw him dropped for the visit of Manchester United, and he has only started three Premier League so far this season. For all the width, pace and invention he offers, it is noteworthy that he has averaged fewer tackles per game (0.4) than any of his team-mates with the exception of Romelu Lukaku.
Deulofeu is lavishly talented and brimming with self-belief, and he insists he's working on the rest of his game. "I know I need to be well positioned defensively and Roberto tells me that; if not, I won't play," he said in a recent interview. "I'm learning, happy."
His next challenge is to show he has the temperament to be a consistent starter. Deulofeu turns 22 in March, and he can only be regarded as a "prospect" for so long. Martinez says it's only a "matter of time" until he fulfils his true potential. For Everton, the sooner the better.
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