Might Kean and DCL work for Everton
As Everton continue to struggle to score regularly, could one solution be for Moise Kean and Dominic Calvert-Lewin to play together up front?
Although I think the biggest immediate issue for Everton to resolve is the return of last season’s defensive frailties, there are also continuing problems scoring enough goals.
The Toffees have again been goal shy recently and although there have been moments when the attack seems to click, the lack of long-term consistency is a real issue that will hurt Everton’s progress.
The usual approach when looking for more goals, is to try to find that one player who can deliver consistently in front of goal. Obviously if you can find a Harry Kane then you have solved that problem.
Everton have tried fruitlessly to find a striker to regularly hit the back of the net ever since Romelu Lukaku left.
Cenk Tosun, Theo Walcott, Calvert-Lewin and now Kean have all been brought in to solve the goal scoring problem.
But the sort of strikers who can rack up 25-30 goals in a season, are increasingly rare in modern football. Now the most successful teams tend to play with a group of forwards who are all tasked with scoring goals.
Look at tomorrow’s opponents or that lot across Stanley Park, each of whom employ a group of forwards who operate together to produce the goals the team needs.
Both these sides play in a 4-3-3 formation, at least on paper. Blues boss Silva does supposedly favour such a formation but hasn’t yet had the confidence in his squad to adopt it regularly.
One possible compromise solution might be to partner Calvert-Lewin and Kean in the attack, as neither has yet convinced that they can score enough goals on their own.
Calvert-Lewin has shown sporadic flashes of his potential since graduating to the first team after his meteoric rise through the England youth ranks.
He’s become a solid all-round centre-forward, good at holding up the ball, running the channels and creating space and opportunity for other players.
Calvert-Lewin still though struggles to finish with the consistency required and there are doubts he will develop into a regular Premier League goal scorer.
As for Kean, it’s still of course early days since his summer move to Goodison Park from Juventus.
The Italian international is hugely talented but is still only 19 and is on a steep learning curve as he adjusts to the demands of English football.
He might indeed develop into a formidable striker who can replace the goals that the Toffees have missed since Lukaku signed for Manchester United. But it may also turn out that he will be most effective playing alongside another forward like Calvert-Lewin.
When you look at his albeit limited appearances for Juventus and Italy, he has tended to operate in a wide position coming in from the wing.
So perhaps the Blues need to try playing Kean off Calvert-Lewin as a slightly deeper striker, or possibly coming in from the left as Richarlison looks to be first-choice on the right, with DCL leading the line.
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I would also see Alex Iwobi having a key role in such a system, operating as a very fluid No 10 operating behind these three forwards.
Critically for this to work these three front players have to chip in and contribute at least 10-15 goals each per season. Given how goal shy Everton have been recently that’s a big ask.
Anyway it’s something for Silva and the Toffees brains trust to think about and consider as they search for a solution.