Everton must seal another new attacker transfer after stat reveal v Fulham
Everton proved their need for another new attacker to lead their line in their loss to Fulham on the opening day of the Premier League season.
The Toffees fell 1-0 to a Bobby De Cordova-Reid goal at Goodison Park on Saturday [12 August], but it would have been a different story had they taken their chances.
Sean Dyche’s side had 19 attempts to their opponents’ nine [WhoScored], with Neal Maupay seeing three shots saved by Bernd Leno in the Fulham goal.
Indeed, as pointed out by Sky Sports statistician Matt Cheetham on Twitter, Everton’s expected goals (xG) return of 2.93 against Fulham was more than any side created in a single Premier League game without scoring in the whole of 2022-23.
Reflecting on a frustrating afternoon for his side on home soil, Dyche told BBC Sport [12 August]: “We limited them to no chances in the first half while creating nine or 10 chances ourselves. The mix of a performance as good, but we have to score a goal.
“It’s one of the highest chance counts since I have been here – and high-quality chances, which has always been my thing.”
New signing Youssef Chermiti was in the stands at Goodison Park to watch the game, but even he may need another new signing to help share the load.
Profligate Toffees
Everton were the second-lowest scorers in the Premier League last season with 34 goals, behind only Wolves (31), yet they have not properly addressed that troublesome area and are still relying on the wasteful Maupay.
Chermiti arrived in a £15million deal from Sporting Lisbon on Friday [11 August], but he played no part against Fulham and surely cannot be relied upon to lead the Toffees’ attack across the campaign.
Arnaut Danjuma is the only other attacking arrival at Goodison Park during the off-season, though Everton are reportedly looking to bring in Wilfried Gnonto from Leeds United in a £25m deal [TEAMtalk].
Whether it is Gnonto or somebody else, Dyche desperately needs at least one new forward, one who is capable of hitting the 10-goal mark and at the same time complementing Dominic Calvert-Lewin when the injury-prone striker is fit.
The Fulham loss continued a theme from last season in which Everton simply struggled to put away chances. Indeed, with an xG of 45.2 last season [FBref], the Merseyside outfit created better opportunities than five other sides, four of whom outscored them.
That simply cannot be allowed to happen again, or else this campaign really might be the one that finally ends in relegation for the profligate Toffees.
In other Everton news, the Toffees have reportedly been given a huge boost in their pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain forward Hugo Ekitike.