Jeff Stelling and Kris Boyd completely dismiss Neal Maupay on Sky Sports as Everton lose to Aston Villa
Neal Maupay’s influence at Everton was entirely dismissed after the loss to Aston Villa as Kris Boyd and Jeff Stelling summed up the Toffees attack.
The Frenchman has had a miserable time since his £15million move from Brighton, with just one goal in 19 appearances across all competitions, and his luck didn’t improve in the 2-0 defeat on Saturday as Boyd was left speechless when an effort was cleared off the line by Tyrone Mings at 0-0.
With Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury problems ongoing and zero attacking signings made in January the forward picture remains an issue, and despite toiling for 76-minutes at Goodison Park Maupay’s contribution was summed up as there being “nobody there”.
Speaking about the result on Soccer Saturday for Sky Sports (25 February, 5.48pm) Boyd said: “That first half [Dyche will] be disappointed because they had loads of promising positions, but without a striker you ain’t gonna score a goal in this league, that’s for sure.”
Stelling replied: “I look at the squad and I wonder where the goals are going to come from. He started with Maupay today and he had Demarai Gray and Ellis Simms on the bench, but it’s hard to see them scoring many goals anywhere.”
Boyd added: “Down that left-hand side between [Dwight] McNeil and [Vitalii] Mykolenko they can create opportunities, but as you say Jeff there’s just nobody there in the middle, and it is an issue there’s no doubt it.”
Struggle
Maupay definitely offers more in hassling opposition defences, but in terms of attacking output there is little gain from having spent money on the former Seagulls man over using the similarly goal-shy Salomon Rondon last season.
It looks like the 26-year-old was the wrong profile of player if Everton were going to continue playing with one up top.
But given the appalling record of success in managing to secure deals for attacking players it is a wonder the club managed to get him at all.
He hasn’t become a useless player just by arriving at Goodison Park, and knows where the goal is having scored 26 Premier League goals in the past three seasons at Brighton.
But whether it be tactics, confidence, or luck, he is not having a good time at Everton at the moment, and in terms of goal threat is also joined in that regard by his attacking teammates.
James Tarkowski and Seamus Coleman secured the points in the two recent wins, but relying on defenders to score is unsustainable, so unless a new system can get the best out of Maupay and company the lack of bite in attack will be an ongoing issue.
Selling Richarlison and Anthony Gordon, with Calvert-Lewin so often injured, and replacing them with a winger who thrives on putting crosses in and a forward who doesn’t thrive on getting on the end of them isn’t a clear route to success so something needs to change.