Everton are struggling for goals and Sean Dyche needs his strikers to start finding the net but he doesn’t believe they need specialist help to get there
Everton are struggling for goals and Sean Dyche needs his strikers to start finding the net but he doesn’t believe they need specialist help to get there Everton are struggling for goals and Sean Dyche needs his strikers to start finding the net but he doesn’t believe they need specialist help to get there
Sean Dyche insists Everton have no decision to make on Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s future this month – because nobody has moved to sign him yet.
For now the focus remains on helping the under-performing Toffees striker find his scoring touch again. But the Blues won’t be bringing in any specialist striker coaches to solve their problems in front of goal. Only Southampton have scored fewer goals than Everton so far this season at the halfway stage of the Premier League campaign.
The Saints are rock bottom and if Everton don’t find the net more often than the 15 they already have then they will be getting closer to the south coast side.
Calvert-Lewin, 27, is without a goal since September 14 and that was his second of the campaign. Dyche argues that other teams have had less quality chances than his Everton side but are scoring more.
Although when it comes to ‘big chances created’ the Blues are bottom of the pile in the Premier League with 20 while their XG is around the 17 mark.
“It is not always the provider, it is sometimes the final moment of truth,” said Dyche. “That’s why strikers and goalscoring type players are in demand. Getting there is one thing, the next challenge is being productive and the quality of the production and then it is the finishing.
“There’s teams who have less quality chances and are scoring more goals. It’s all mixed in, it’s not just the creation, it’s finishing as well.”
But he’s not considering bringing in a specialist coach to help his forwards with Beto on just one goal and Armando Broja without one in his four games since recovering from an Achilles injury.
“The thing with striker coaches, if it was that easy every club would do it around the world and have loads of strikers,” he said. “Academies are searching the world for top strikers and yet clubs buy strikers who have developed through their [own] pathway.
(
Image:
PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
“It is a very difficult skill to just teach someone to smell a goal. It’s like an intuition. To teach intuition is very, very difficult.”
Calvert-Lewin has less than six months left on his contract at the club so there may be a temptation to cash in if an offer comes in but Dyche insists speculation about Serie A side Atalanta is wide of the mark.
“No contact from anyone,” he said. “There’s bound to be rumours and conjecture. That’s the nature of it. We will think about it if that happens. As there’s been no contact, there’s no discussions needed.”
But what might be a concern for Calvert-Lewin is on-loan Chelsea striker Broja started last week against Nottingham Forest ahead of him and could do again this weekend at Bournemouth.
“His [Calvert-Lewin] numbers are slightly harsh on him as there were two goals that were own goals, that does swerve the numbers. Some of the production has been better to give them the chances and some of it has been the moment of truth to take the chance.”
(
Image:
Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Dyche has no interest in Neal Maupay’s social media comments this week. Maupay is on loan from Everton at Marseille and posted on X in the aftermath of the club’s 2-0 defeat by Forest last weekend.
He wrote: “Whenever I’m having a bad day, I just check the Everton score and smile.”
Dyche said: “I think it is fair to say there is a bigger picture to Everton Football Club that I am focusing on and I don’t think I need to be too worried.” Asked if there could be disciplinary action, Dyche added: “I don’t think we’ll be worried about that.”
Maupay has not played for the Blues since 2023. He scored just one goal since signing from Brighton in 2022 and spent last season on loan at Brentford.
Join our new WhatsApp communityand receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Learn more
Sky has slashed the price of its Sky Sports, Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £240 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Mirror – Sport