Sky Sports pundit: Alex Iwobi must improve after he shocks Jamie Carragher in Everton defeat to Leicester
We’re delighted to welcome former Everton striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week the former Toffees captain will be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Goodison Park…
Alex Iwobi has to be more “clinical” after his crucial early miss against Leicester proved key to the Everton defeat, according to Kevin Campbell.
The Nigeria international was put into a wonderful position early on in the 2-0 loss on Saturday (5 November), after good work from Idrissa Gueye and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but fired wide of the far post to the shock of Jamie Carragher on the commentary.
Sky Sports pundit Campbell believes that letting that “guilt-edged” chance go begging was “the difference” in a game where the Toffees were largely second best and would like to see the Everton star improve his consistency in taking chances.
Speaking exclusively to Goodison News he said: “He scored a really good goal against Manchester United, where he bent it past David de Gea, but when these chances come up…
“The key is the consistency. He’s got consistent performances, but Alex Iwobi has to take that chance.
“That’s a guilt-edged chance that puts you one up, and Leicester then have got it all to do. That’s the difference.
“Everton couldn’t take their chances. They had two big chances – Iwobi first half, and then at the start of the second Dominic Calvert-Lewin had a one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
“They missed both the chances, so it makes it a lot more difficult when you do get your guilt-edged chances and you don’t take it.
“But that is something that I think Iwobi himself would accept. I know he doesn’t mean to hit it past the post, but you’ve got to be a lot more clinical there.
“You’ve got to minimum hit the target. If he hits the target there he scores.”
Everton have not been at their best in attack over the past two games, so it is all the more crucial to take chances when they arrive, with a very similar situation playing out in the defeat at Tottenham (15 October).
Iwobi is without doubt one of the stand out performers under Frank Lampard, so it is difficult to criticise him too heavily, but since he was previously an attacking wide man one key area he can still improve his game in the centre is with goal threat.
The manager currently needs to find extra spark and creativity to overcome the toothlessness in attack, especially with Calvert-Lewin injured again, and will be desperate to not see further golden opportunities go begging.