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Ancelotti confirms attacking priorities for Everton

By Matt Townsend

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 01: Carlo Ancelotti, Manager of Everton reacts during the Premier League match between Everton and Aston Villa at Goodison Park on May 01, 2021 in Liverpool, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Peter Byrne - Pool/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 01: Carlo Ancelotti, Manager of Everton reacts during the Premier League match between Everton and Aston Villa at Goodison Park on May 01, 2021 in Liverpool, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Peter Byrne - Pool/Getty Images) /
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Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that improving the mis-firing Everton attack will be his priority in this summer’s transfer window.

Well it is good to hear that the Everton boss does recognise just how important it is to improve the team’s attacking quality this summer.

This is hardly a major insight of course as I’m sure every Toffees fan can see how limited and erratic the Blues attack has become, especially at the moment.

At the start of the season Everton were playing some excellent attacking football and were averaging almost three and half goals per game in the first seven fixtures.

While all the players in the squad were fit and firing the Blues were playing some terrific free-flowing stuff with last summer’s big signing James Rodriguez pulling the strings superbly.

But they couldn’t sustain it after the first international break as injuries and loss of form meant the Toffees never managed to regain that early season attacking flair and freedom of play.

One crucial reason for the decline in that attacking productivity was the injuries to Seamus Coleman and Rodriguez. This destabalised the right side of the team and created a problem that has never been properly resolved.

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This is a critical issue then that has to be addressed in the upcoming transfer window. The manager has already said he is looking to sign a winger and the club have been repeatedly linked with a host of right-backs too.

Everton need to be able to play with much more pace and urgency, especially at home and offer a more varied threat than just Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin both of whom have their limitations.

The Brazilian has been well out-of-sorts this season and has struggled for any consistent form and while he started like a house on fire at the start of the campaign, Calvert-Lewin has since lost his goal-scoring touch with previous issues around converting chances returning.

Both have been impacted by injury or suspension and the constant changes in selection and formation that have resulted in some very erratic performances and results.

Let’s hope that Ancelotti and Everton can find the right players to improve the team’s lacklustre attack next season.

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