Adrian Clarke looks at a key tactical talking point in Matchweek 31.
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Dominic Calvert-Lewin has made useful strides in his bid to convince Marco Silva he should be Everton’s regular centre-forward, scoring two goals in his last three appearances.
Much like fellow striker Cenk Tosun, he has been in and out of the Toffees line-up. But ahead of a home encounter with Chelsea, Calvert-Lewin has put together a series of eye-catching displays.
Given his size, strength, industry and pace, many Everton fans are hoping the 21-year-old can emulate the success of Romelu Lukaku, who scored 68 Premier League goals in 141 matches for the Toffees.
While that feels like a big ask, Calvert-Lewin undoubtedly has the tools to nail down a regular starting berth in the short term.
He currently boasts the best minutes-per-goal ratio at the club, with one strike every 194 minutes.
His physical attributes are outstanding too. He is one of very few PL strikers who can hold off defenders, sprint in behind, drag opponents out of position and outjump them.
A relentless work ethic has endeared Calvert-Lewin to the Goodison faithful.
He has a respectable shot conversion rate of 25 per cent this season and when he becomes more confident in front of goal he will improve on this return.
With more regular football he should go on to become a well-rounded centre-forward.
When compared with other PL forwards with a minimum of 10 starts this season, Calvert-Lewin's athleticism makes him one of the competition's most underrated strikers.
Top speed and distance covered
| Forward | Km/hr | Forward | Km/90 mins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sane | 35.18 | A. Barnes | 11.84 |
| Salah | 34.95 | Shaqiri | 11.70 |
| Calvert-Lewin | 34.94 | Firmino | 11.65 |
| Sterling | 34.90 | Ayew | 11.64 |
| Willian | 34.89 | Calvert-Lewin | 11.60 |
| Lukaku | 34.89 | Pedro | 11.49 |
His is the only name to feature in the top six for distance covered, pace and aerial duels won, showing his huge potential.
Aerial duels won
| Forward | Duels won/90 |
|---|---|
| Vokes | 12.3 |
| Mounie | 11.0 |
| Deeney | 6.9 |
| Depoitre | 6.9 |
| Mitrovic | 6.4 |
| Calvert-Lewin | 5.6 |
Calvert-Lewin offers an aerial threat his striking rivals cannot match. He has four headed goals this season, three more than any team-mate and a total bettered only in the competition by the six of Aleksandar Mitrovic.
The key now is for him to get on the end of more goalscoring opportunities.
His attitude and work ethic are assets to the side, but he needs to improve his total of shots on target, having only had 10 all season.
With so much going for him, Calvert-Lewin is a man to watch in the closing weeks of 2018/19.
Tomorrow: Wilson's return lifts AFC Bournemouth
Also in this series
Part 1: Lallana adding punch to Liverpool midfield
Part 2: Vardy profiting from Rodgers' high press