Should Everton restructure their strike force
Long-term I think the Blues need to be able to play a more flexible and fluid kind of attack that will also enable them to press opponents much more consistently, something they are poor at. And in fact when they have operated in a more unconventional way this season, it’s often worked well.
One great example was the derby win at Anfield in February. Instead of bringing back a fit again DCL into the side as everyone expected, Carlo Ancelotti played Richarlison in front of James Rodriguez and Everton were able to adopt a flexible, fluid and effective counter-attacking style.
The Brazilian scored and made a nuisence of himself throughout the game. He seemed to thrive with the responsibility of playing as a more unorthodox lone striker. Then Calvert-Lewin came on and his pace, power and threat in the air gave the Toffees a great outlet when they were under pressure late in the match.
Also I’m not sure Calvert-Lewin really suits a 4-3-3, which Ancelotti adopted at the start of the season and is I think the ideal formation for the modern Premier League, although it’s always good to be able to shift to other systems and tactics as required. He’s also not a creative player and hasn’t got a single assist this season and again this isn’t ideal for that sort of three-man frontline.
The England international is much better suited to playing in a more traditional 4-4-2 type of formation where he can get on the end of lots of crosses and also provide knock-ons and lay-offs to a striking partner.
Thinking of a 4-4-2, Richarlison played off him last season in that formation and it generally worked well, but strangely this season for some reason the Brazilian has not been nearly as effective when he’s played more centrally.
In some ways it seems to me that Everton have to decide who they are going to make their number one forward as these two don’t appear to naturally dovetail.
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If they decide to build the attack around Calvert-Lewin then the club need to find an out-and-out goalscorer to partner him, someone like Sergio Aguero or (more realistically!) Danny Ings perhaps.
This has it merits and Everton could then play a 4-4-2 with those two up front and have two players, say Lucas Digne (who I think could thrive playing as a midfielder) and someone like Domenico Beradi, to provide the service from out wide.
However, if not then the Blues have to consider adopting a more fluid attacking approach that I think makes better use of the Brazilian’s talents.
Anyway what’s all this got to do with Edouard? Well he’s the type of forward who might be more naturally suited to playing in that sort of 4-3-3 system as while he usually plays as a central striker, he can operate out wide too, a bit like Josh King has done in the past.
Whether or not the Toffees are interested, it does look as though Leicester are very much the front-runners to sign him not least because ex-Celtic boss Brendan Rogers is their manager.
But while Everton have a lot of areas of the team that require attention this summer they also have to find the players and an effective way to score more goals next season.