Business as usual where Calvert-Lewin is concerned

You might think it's a funny comment, but even listening to Walcott on Match of the Day, he said it's not a nice job totally isolated upfront on his own against two centre-backs, winning headers and no one there to meet his flick-ons.

Given what he's endured – and the waning affection for him given his profligate finishing – perhaps a parting of the ways is best for all this summer.

Shame as I used to revere him and defend him to the hilt but the truth is, he's an above-average Premier League striker who's below average at finishing.

I wonder if the fact that both Dyche's and Thelwell's contracts also expire this summer will influence their thinking?

I see that approximately half the current squad contracts expire this summer too. Could be an interesting few months.

I think a move will be good for him. Not us.

You bring up a very interesting point. Suppose Thelwell gets tapped up by a wealthier club or a foreign team, he may want to bring Calvert-Lewin along with him.

If the Friedkin deal happens, then rightly or wrongly, I imagine they will clear the decks and bring in their own people next summer – just because that is what new owners tend to do.

Plus Calvert-Lewin has a tendency to drift out wide, where scoring is highly unlikely. His return for an alleged top striker is very poor indeed.

Great control. Dominant midfield, fast and accurate distribution, brilliant wing play and great finishing.

What a comparison to Saturday's game v Fulham.

Calvert-Lewin is one of the most terrible forwards I have ever seen. His hold-up play is not amazing, stats prove that. He missed many times a lot of balls up to him.

He has one of the worst conversion rates of any starting forward in Premier League history. He has just over 50 goals in what... 9 seasons.

Look what Brentford did with Toney, that was proper management. We let very poor footballers dictate what they are doing at our club, we never used to let that happen. And our fans need to stop accepting this dross from a rubbish player.

He's expected to work miracles as a long striker week in week out. Working as a lone striker may work for the top clubs but we just don't have the creative players to back him up.

I sympathise with Calvert-Lewin, no service means he is always looking for scraps.

Granted he did not do himself any favours against the Palace was it? 3 golden opportunities were missed, any top striker would have buried those.

I like the lad but feel something would need to change.

Nobody will come in with an offer in January when he will be available for nowt in June.

It's time for us to stop putting all the eggs in this basket now, he's not signing a contract; if he was signing one, then he'd have done it 6 months ago.

I thank him for some decent months during the Carlo Ancelotti tenure and also the wonderful header against Liverpool in April and the performance.

However, Dom isn't a great football player technically, the ball at his feet still looks like a hot potato even 8 years on from his Everton debut.

He's never been a cold clinical finisher either and that's something else that's never really improved in 8 years, he's missed the same chances since Day 1.

I wish him well though.

I'm not advocating for his return Peter, just acknowledging that he did build a good squad and a team that could play.

I mean .,.,.

Howard
Stones
Digne
Distin
Baines
Mirallas
Cahill
Osman
Naismith
Lukaku
Fellani
Barry
Yakubu
Carsley
Graveson
Arteta
Siggurdson
Lescott
Peinaar
Jagielka

Just wondering… Martinez bought Lukaku and Barry, Silva signed Digne, Koeman signed Sigurdsson.

You'd better check Moyes's signings again?

Of them all, I think Pienaar was my favourite.

If there is a disconnect with Dyche, then you have to give credit to Calvert-Lewin for being committed and hardworking on the pitch. It would be easy to down tools given he has no support and a thankless task isolated upfront.

I tend to think that there can not be a rift. If there were, I have no doubt that stubborn, obstinate Dyche would not pick him. But all is not well and getting to the heart of it is not possible at the moment.

If Calvert-Lewin had some support and someone who just may, occasionally, put a half-decent cross in, he would create more chances and knock at least some of them in.

But Dyche won't change and Calvert-Lewin is being professional, even if that means keeping his options open until the takeover is over and season ends. Who can blame him?

Another modern day player who's more athlete than footballer.

He looked anything but against Fulham.

Either way, he would be a decent bench warmer for a team looking to get into the Champions League or a starter for a lower or mid-table Premier League side.

He really can't lose at the moment, can he? All we can do is offer a contract which we feel is fair and Thelwell needs to look at possible replacements in the summer if he does leave.

For far too long we have kept all our eggs in the Calvert-Lewin basket. That has to stop now.

He actually had a plan for building a team, embedding an identity, sought out players who would fit that mould, and gradually brought them into the first team.

Whether you liked his football or not, the man had a plan. We've missed that kind of thinking and action since he left. He was a one-man show who covered a lot of gaps that gradually became evident once he left.

He did do that, but he allowed complacency to develop in players. They became dependent on the comfort of his organisation and parental Finch Farm.

When Martinez came in, he shook them all up, pushing them to attack. but the comfort and compliancy came back at the back and Martinez was ill-equipped to deal with it. Even Ancelotti found it difficult to deal with.

Would it not have been better to have said nothing and waited to see if any offers are made, or just to have said negotiations are ongoing? Either way, it is likely that he is off at season's end either because somebody meets his wage demands or he sees no likely change in our style of play, something reminiscent of Digne's situation.

If Dyche thinks that Calvert-Lewin will be considered for selection while he is here, then he must think he is one of – if not our best striker – at least until some injuries clear up; so why not help with PSR or raise part of the cost of his replacement by trying to get some income from his transfer, or at least not deterring any interested parties?

Alan @26 I am not so sure, you could look at it another way, we are sort of saying here, we won't be selling in January. That means that any clubs who really want him will have to put in a decent offer.

Personally, I will be sad to see him go; I'd like to see what he could do in a team with some players around him.

I agree, but Everton can't help themselves in trying to drum up interest. This will be what it is like right up till the January window.

It amazes me really that some still question the quality of the job Moyes did for us for many years. He personally scouted most of his signings and was known to be meticulous (Krøldrup aside!) about character and mentality.

What we wouldn't give to see Baines and Pienaar linking up on the left again, the Yak waiting in the box.

Surely it would make more sense to give Beto a run of games. I would back him in to score more goals than Calvert-Lewin over the course of a season.

No-one will be deterred, but the message is that we're quite prepared to hold him to the end of his contract and anyone waiting might miss their chance if they give him time to sign a new contract.

If he'd said "We've got no choice but to sell him in January" then the urgency is all with Everton.

We need to be moving forward, not looking back, if and when we change.

On Dominic, I think he's running his contract down, but can't see where he will go. He apparently priced himself out of Newcastle with his wage demand, and maybe that's been a stalling point with Everton?

You never know, but I suspect he will go abroad. Maybe the next one to head to Saudi?

If he leaves for free in order to snaffle a bigger contract, then that's perfectly within his rights of course but will change the way he's remembered, especially after what is looking like a low-scoring season for him.

Beto is not as good a centre-forward but could actually score more goals. I'm also curious to see what Broja and Chermiti can do. If we could get £10-15M for Calvert-Lewin in January, I'd sell him in a heartbeat and re-invest.

It just doesn't work like that anymore, Sean.

Perhaps it might have been better if Dyche had limited himself to "Until I'm told otherwise, he still an Everton player".

One of the biggest things I hate about this Everton side is how we don't have fullbacks that can push on anymore and have cultured left or right feet.

Patterson should have been it but never will be now, I think I've accepted this.

Mykolenko solid defender he is, will never come close to the previous two left backs we had that carried the torch before him.

I hope when, or rather if, the Friedkin's take over, they prioritize getting Everton an actual good team again and it's not all just flannel.

Same as:

- Rutter (£45m)
- Solanke (£65m)
- Isak (£70m)
- Evanilson (£37m)

More than a few players on just one goal - albeit played a few less games:

- Zirkzee (£45m)
- Nunez (£85m)
- Hojlund (70m)

More than a few still on no goals:

- Nketiah (£30m)
- Richarlison (£60m)

And finally a player touted by many as being much better than DCL

- Adebayo: 2 goals in 11 games in the Championship for Luton.

There will be all sorts of options - and some of them pretty good but it remains a real challenge to get hold of a striker who will get more than 12 goals.

It's ironic that If Dominic had been able to take chances he would have been better than any of them

Sam#33

Not getting Calvert Lewin sold to Newcastle was a setback.

Ernie#31

Just words to set Everton's,s negotiating position regarding Calvert Lewin future.

Just like'Calvert Leon and Beto ,no for sale'In other words they are both for sale at a price..

Given the lack of talent that we have in the team I would rather have him up top than a Havertz.

I will wish him luck if and when he moves.

How about:

He must be fucking pissed,
DCL… DCL!!!

Might tempt him to stay if he gets his deserved pay rise: £125,000 a week.

It is a little odd that we have three other CFs in the pecking order but no intention of cashing in during the transfer window. Whilst I'm not advocating that, I wonder whether Broja was brought in as insurance just in case we have a late change of heart in that department?

I don't think we'll see the best of Calvert-Lewin under Sean Dyche, Dom is well aware of that too so is hedging his bets, I can't say I blame him, Everton are doing the same.

He's been a loyal servant, I hope he sticks around to do his bit in steering us clear of relegation. After that, and a potential takeover, it's anyone's guess.

Stopping in the Premiership is more important than whatever fee we could get for Dom, Dyche thinks that and presumably the ownership also concur.

As for Calvert-Lewin, in his position he is in the driving seat just now. At the moment he's a striker that seldom strikes but he obviously would fetch many millions if we really wanted to sell him for the best offer at the next window.

It might pay the club to give him a much better contract for one or two years to see if he would then sign that, but maybe they have tried that already.
Its likely though he just wants a change of scenery as he has been with us quite a long time now, mostly under a great deal of pressure.

I liken these discussions to Marmite. It seems as there are some in the 'love it' camp and others who don't and I think it is clear which camp I am in from my previous posts, based on his performances in recent times.

I also think that Dyche is in the Marmite-loving camp – making me conclude that the sooner we see the back of them both the better.

As it is obvious that Calvert-Lewin has no intention to sign the new contract that has been on the table since summer, it is fair to assume he isn't going to sign and will leave when his contract is up… so why oh why are we still playing him?

Okay, so Beto and maybe Broja (when he's fit) can do better but, with Dyche still here, will he play either of them? History says No. That is why I think that we will be right in anticipating change from TFG at the end of the season, if not before.

Don't get me wrong: Calvert-Lewin works hard doing what Dyche tasks him to do but that isn't providing the team with the goals that are needed. The fact that Dyche can't see that and do something about it amazes me and it needs changing.

It isn't going to happen whilst he is in charge, I'm afraid, so we lose a valuable (if non-productive No 9) for what? I'll tell you: A manager who can't see further than the end of his nose.

Some will disagree with this synopsis, but those that do, please explain your reasons and what your solution would be. Thank you.

Hopefully we can find a player we can develop to be better than Calvert-Lewin – a genuine Champions League quality striker of real technical ability – like what he briefly saw from a veteran Eto'o.

I've often thought that he could transition to be a midfielder like Joelinton has at Newcastle, he too was a non-scoring athlete.

Under current circumstances, I say thank you and good luck.

I know stats aren't everything but I just checked Calvert-Lewin's xG for the last 3 seasons (including this one). There is nobody (I checked the roughly 40 strikers and attacking midfielders across the league with a decent sample size) in the same ballpark as Calvert-Lewin or converting xG into goals.

And it's not the ballpark a striker should want to be in. Calvert-Lewin's conversion rate is at around 50%. Most strikers for mid-table clubs are at or above 100% (eg Wissa, Welbeck, Mateta). A few players notorious for missing chances are at around 75-80% (Jesus, Jackson, Darwin).

But no-one is close to Calvert-Lewin's 50%.

Granted the way Dyche leaves him isolated does him no favours but let's be honest, he's a poor finisher one-on-one and the wage packet he allegedly wants is too much for me for what he contributes goal wise.

At 27, he's not going to get much better. Personally, I'd snap anyone's hand off in January if they came in for him; it's time to move on as far as I'm concerned.

Really will be a new dawn. New owners, new stadium, probably new manager and a largely new team. Hopefully we can truly leave the Moshiri years behind and be a totally new team, playing with pace, guile and ambition.

We can only hope.

I could be wrong about this but I have a vague recollection of reading somewhere that Calvert-Lewin started as a midfield player at Sheffield United.

Friedkin?

Sale of Branthwaite?

And where does that leave us in strengthening other areas?

As for replacements the lad in the U21s seems to be developing quite nicely and I expect we will keep Broja if he proves himself reasonably capable.

Jay @ 56, why do you say if Dyche is manager, we will lose Calvert-Lewin and Branthwaite? Whoever is manager, that could well happen; I don't know why you single out Dyche.

A new stadium but financially we need the money. Every player has a price. Calvert-Lewin has not signed a new contract? This is football. It may change.

Dyche must be given a new contract. His experience is crucial for the transition coming.

Raymond, I say that because the lad wants and needs regular football and Dyche will not play Jarrad enough now that Keane is playing regularly… but I guess we will know when we see the team news for tomorrow.

Looking back at the Fulham game, it was two centre-backs against Calvert-Lewin on his own. Dyche brought him off then put Keane up top beside Beto, we looked a different team and a lot more dangerous playing two upfront.

It looks like there are strikers with a 100% chance to goal rate? Is that right? Even Haaland misses chances – he missed 3 on Saturday – so who are the 100%'ers?

And if Dom scores 1 in 2, I'd be happy with that!

I may have quoted a confusing stat - unfortunately Dom does not score 1 in 2 chances. I was stating goals scored as a % of "expected goals scored" (xG). An average striker would expect to score at a rate that is 100% of their xG. A good finisher should be able to exceed 100%.

I was actually looking up the stats to try to put forward the case for defending Calvert-Lewin based on lack of creativity from teammates, but it turns out his return is as bad as it gets for a Premier League striker.

What the stats mean is that, over the course of the last 2¼ seasons, if you add up all the chances Calvert-Lewin has had, he's scored at about half the rate expected of the average striker.

No-one else seems to have a return so low. By the same measure, Haaland actually only averages a little over 100%, but he is very good at getting in the right positions and has a team which creates a lot of chances hence the very high goal returns.

So please… no sympathy, his finishing has been awful and no way Premier League standard.

You have lost count with the number of sitters that have been missed.

I have lost patience.

Everton's tragic lack of financial and football management are the only reason he has survived at the club this long.

The only reason fans give him a pass is that he's come through the club's academy. If we had bought him, the fans would not be so forgiving. Get shut!

Generally speaking. I think he is a decent player, undone by the way we play and possibly still personally (not necessarily physically) affected by some previous injuries. He's also a young father so who knows whether that has an effect on him... I'm not a father but assume those are can perhaps consider how their lives, thoughts and priorities change.

Back to his ability. There are plenty of experts, both managers and former forwards with greater knowledge of football matters who believe in Dominic's ability... stick him in a better forward-thinking side and watch him get his mojo back.

I think we should sell in Jan and get some money for him, £10-15M if someone is interested (Roma?) and we can put that towards a new striker. I would move along Doucoure for the same reason if an offer from Saudi came in.

I think we should get shot of Patterson too if Dyche isn't going to play him; this would be a shame in my eyes.

We paid £1.5M for Calvert-Lewin, hardly a sizeable fee these days, and nothing compared to what we would have lost without his goal against Palace.

I wonder what he'd be like playing for a good team and not the shit show he's playing for now.

The Friedkin Group plan full ‘evaluation’ of Everton squad; decisions on Calvert-Lewin, Keane to be made.

Thoughts on TeamTalk and the conclusions, if any, they have come to.

Why we are playing him every week? I don't understand it as he doesn't give more than about 75%. Is he unfit or is he just disinterested? Whichever, he is running his contract down whilst not doing what he is paid for — that is scoring goals, in case you have not noticed.

Dyche is a fool for putting up with it. Not saying that Beto would be any better on the goal-scoring front but at least he tries!

You can knock Lee Carsley off that list, signed by Walter Smith and Osman came through the ranks.

I am sure they were at Goodison once!