View: Ancelotti faces big call over under-performing DCL as Everton target Europe
Everton and Dominic Calvert-Lewin had a Monday evening to forget as the Blues’ unbeaten away record came to an abrupt end at Stamford Bridge.
An own goal from Ben Godfrey and a Jorginho penalty settled the contest though Everton never looked like troubling Chelsea.
This is, in part, down to the utterly ineffective Calvert-Lewin who had next to no effect on Monday’s proceedings.
Our forward has now gone four Premier League games without a goal and he played 90 minutes in three of those matches.
His previous goal drought this season was the seven games between early December and late January and this hot and cold form can’t be allowed to continue.
More specifically, we can’t afford for it to continue if we are serious about finishing in the top four.
The stats from DCL’s outing at The Bridge make for grim reading.
He failed to have a shot on target and registered an expected goals rate of just 0.1xG, meaning he was never likely to score. (Wyscout)
There were also no successful dribbles from our striker which says he wasn’t carrying the ball up the pitch.
Overall, only 36% of his total actions against Chelsea were successful which means he spent most of his time losing the ball or failing to score.
It’s just not good enough and Carlo Ancelotti needs to have a good think about what to do with his star man.
Richarlison has played out of his skin as a lone striker in recent weeks which makes Ancelotti’s decision to keep the misfiring DCL in the starting line up questionable.
Our boss needs to be ruthless.
Calvert-Lewin simply isn’t contributing at the moment and perhaps it is time to give Josh King a few Premier League starts.
Dropping DCL would certainly send the message that he needs to get his act together.
We can’t keep playing with 10 men on the pitch if we are to secure European football so either Calvert-Lewin needs to start pulling his weight or Ancelotti needs to make a big decision.
In other Everton news, our Super Fans have picked their man of the match from Monday’s loss.