Dyche must change his approach now for Everton to stay up

Everton struggled to make any headway against Palace despite the weakness of their opponents and while a few chances were created once again the home team couldn't capitalise.

Once more the lack of goal threat was starkly underscored with Dominic Calvert-Lewin missing yet another gilt-edged chance to continue a dreadful barren run without a goal.

The former England international hasn't found the back of the net since his winner at West Ham way back in late October.

This is creating an increasingly serious problem and it is beconing harder and harder for Calvert-Lewin to break this drought as he struggles with the psychological hangover and perhaps then snatches at chances so making it more likely he will miss again.

Even the return of leading scorer Abdoulaye Doucoure to the team last night could not spark an improvement in the side's attacking threat.

Perhaps inevitably Doucoure found it difficult to get into the game and looked a little rusty as might have been expected, given he has been out effectively for two months.

In a way Doucoure's return might even be a part of the problem with Everton's weak attacking play in the match against Palace.

The 31-year-old midfielder returned to his number ten type position and as a result Sean Dyche dropped Jack Harrison who had been a mainstay of his team's recently.

This decision negated the overall threat that the Toffees could offer in a team which desperately needed as many players with the ability to try and create and score goals.

It was compounded by having Ashley Young playing as a winger a player who is way past his best and offered no pace, creativity or offensive threat.

Dyche has always been a manager who seems very reluctant to ever trust young players and leans heavily on experienced ones he know's and trusts.

And so expected he almost by default reverted to his preferred tactics and formation but as so often this season - particularly at Goodison - it didn't work.

But after last night's result there simply has to be a change in approach or I fear Everton will not be able to score enough goals and win the games they need to in order to pull away from the relegation zone.

As I mentioned in the Match Review there are enough games left, especially at home, for the Blues to get the necessary points on the board, regardless of whether the appeal against November's points deduction is successful.

However, unless Dyche and Everton are ready, willing and able to change the attacking dynamic it seems unlikely the Toffees will accrue those points at all. The team is still without a league win since December 16th.

As for solutions, there aren't I don't think any obvious ways to change things that would with any degree of certainty be sure to work.

I have previously argued for switching to something like a 4-3-3 and perhaps playing Dwight McNeil and Jack Harrison alongside the striker in a three-man attack.

Doucoure could even be pushed upfield to be that central forward given the lack of goals from either of Everton's natural strikers, Calvert-Lewin or Beto.

In midfield Dyche could deploy James Garner, Idrissa Gueye and Amadou Onana to give the most bodies in the centre of the pitch and help control the game, press and secure more and better possession further up the pitch and protect the back four.

At right-back I would also be tempted to give Nathan Patterson a run as he offers much more going forward than any of the altenatives.

Another option could be to be even bolder and give a few of the youngsters a chance. Lewis Dobbin could ocupy one of the wide attacking positions (probably in place of Harrison) and offer genuine pace something this side badly lacks, with Youssef Chermiti playing at centre-forward?

There are still qauestions and issues with any of these alternatives and I feel Everton also lack a midfield runner in the mold of Alex Iwobi, who's ability to do that is missing from this team now.

Something though has to change and Dyche must be prepared to take a few more risks before it is too late for the Blues to turn their winless run around.