Everton fans would have hoped that their relegation-threatened team had turned a corner towards the close of 2024, with encouraging draws collected against Manchester City and Chelsea sticking out, alongside an emphatic 4-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
But, since that stalemate versus Enzo Maresca’s Blues, Sean Dyche’s men have had to deal with the all too familiar taste of defeat again in the unforgiving Premier League, with two losses now on the spin.
In both of those disappointing results, the Toffees have also fallen victim to blanks in front of goal once more, which will leave the ex-Burnley manager scratching his head now for some solutions.
Everton's woes in attack
The Merseyside strugglers have the second-weakest attack in the testing division with just a measly 15 strikes to their name. To add context, the lowest overall is basement club Southampton, who can only shout about a shocking 12.
If Dyche’s side keep up this woeful record in front of goal, they could be in for the same doom as the Saints who look to be heading for the Championship.
Not even the arrival of Armando Broja back in the first-team picture after injury has managed to be a welcome boost, with the former Chelsea forward registering zero goals from five top-flight appearances this season.
His latest blank away at AFC Bournemouth – which saw his goal-shy team amass just one big chance all afternoon – even saw him hobble off after just 32 minutes of action, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin then trusted to try and make a difference.
1. Dwight McNeil
13
3
2. Iliman N’Diaye
19
3
3. Michael Keane
9
2
4. Dominic Calvert-Lewin
19
2
5. Ashley Young
16
1
Rather predictably, the Sheffield-born attacker couldn’t add to his two-goal return against the Cherries, with zero shots registered at the largely untested Bournemouth goal from the misfiring 27-year-old.
With Calvert-Lewin potentially reportedly moving on this January anyway, alongside Broja’s injuries popping up again, Dyche will have to find answers to his side’s continued woes in attack, with this left-field choice perhaps catching his eye.
Everton could now unleash "prolific" teen
The under-fire Everton boss might well be prepared to propel Toffees hotshot Omari Benjamin into the first team ranks very shortly, hopeful that he can make some sort of positive impact.
After all, the 19-year-old has been a deadly finisher all season long lining up for the U21s with six goals fired home from 13 games, which included a devastating brace against rivals Liverpool in October.
Benjamin’s second strike against Everton’s nemesis will really encourage Toffees supporters, with Benjamin quick and alert to the danger to capitalise on a Reds error, which is something that has been missing all season long with the often tired expressions of Calvert-Lewin.
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The 19-year-old hasn’t just been a hit on Merseyside as an agile youngster up top, however, with his time at Arsenal also seeing him terrorise many a defence at youth level, leading to such labels from Gunners youth reporter Jeorge Bird that he was a “prolific” player.
Arsenal U21s
33
18
4
Everton U21s
14
7
2
The numbers above certainly don’t lie, with an additional 18 goals coming his way in North London, meaning he has scored a stunning 25 goals in total now in the U21 fold for both his clubs.
Whilst he is untested at a senior level, Dyche will be losing patience with what he was at his disposal currently. Everton certainly need new recruits in the transfer window but under the constraints of recent PSR woes, the teenage Benjamin could be chucked in sooner rather than later.
Bye-Bye Calvert-Lewin: Everton can repeat Ndiaye success by signing “icon”
Everton are interested in signing Olympique Lyonnais striker Giorgi Mikautadze as Sean Dyche’s targets more attacking firepower.
1 ByBen GrayDec 30, 2024