Eleven games into the 2024/2025 Premier League campaign, Everton fans find themselves in a position they are all too familiar with. A disappointing start to the season knocked them out of the League Cup, and they are already looking over their shoulders.
In May, before last season ended, I wrote an article on whether Everton should remain with Sean Dyche or move on and look for a new manager for the Toffees. When writing that article, Everton had just beaten Sheffield United 1-0 in their final home game of the season thanks to an Abdoulaye Dououre goal. This win extended the Toffee’s unbeaten run to 5 games, which, in that time, saw Everton beat their neighbours Liverpool 2-0.
Six months later, Everton has regressed rather than kick on, and it all seems a little bit ‘back to square one’.
Wasteful Toffees
The recent 0-0 draw against West Ham extended Everton’s winless run in the league to three games. Speaking after the game, Sean Dyche highlighted where he believes the issues may lie.
Sean Dyche after the 0-0 draw v West Ham – BBC Sport
The goalless draw against the Hammers was the 5th game this season, and the Toffees failed to find the net. A draw away from home is never a terrible point, but how it is achieved can leave a lot to be desired. Before the game against Everton, West Ham had not kept a clean sheet in the league since their 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in August.
Additionally, it was West Ham’s first clean sheet at home in the league since 02nd January 2024, following a 0-0 draw with Brighton. Yet, remarkably, no Evertonian will have been surprised at Dyhe’s men’s lack of goals.
The Toffees have scored only ten goals this season, less than Crystal Palace (8) and Southampton (7). This area has needed addressing for some time.
Two consecutive seasons of finishing with the 2nd least amount of goals scored is no coincidence. Last season, had it not been for the club’s defence, things could have panned out very differently for Everton.
Where will the goals come from?
A debate amongst Evertonians currently is whether Sean Dyche should stick with starting Dominic Calvert Lewin or give Beto a chance. Calvert Lewin has started every game this season and has found the net twice. The English international’s last goal came in a 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa in September. Seven games on, and some fans believe this is now an opportunity to give the Guinea Bissau forward Beto a shot.
Beto scored the last goal for the club in the league when he netted a late equaliser against Fulham. The emotion from Beto was very evident, and the forward tried to hide his tears as he walked off the pith at full time.
Beto talking to Everton FC following his equaliser v Fulham
Everton have had 131 shots in the Premier League so far this season. 20% of these shots have been from Dominic Calvert Lewin. Of the 26 shots by Dominic Calvert Lewin, ten have been on target. However, only 1 of those shots on target has come in the last three games. Perhaps even more concerning is the number of big chances missed by Calvert Lewin. According to SofaScore, Calvert Lewin has missed seven big chances this season, the joint 3rd most in the league. DCL has had 53 touches in the opposition’s penalty area, the joint 12th most in the league, which also confirms the player is in the right area of the pitch, just not effective enough.
Beto has played approximately 800 minutes less than his English teammate this season. Despite the big difference in game time between the two players, an argument could be made that Beto has made the bigger contribution. While Calvert Lewin scored one more goal than Beto, both of their goals came in defeats, while Beto’s only goal so far this season rescued a point against a well-organised Fulham side.
The Toffees have a tough period coming up. They face Man United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City all in their next seven games. Due to the lack of goals scored by Calvert Lewin, it will surely only be a matter of time before Beto gets a run of games.
