Ashley Cole admits feels sorry for Dominic Calvert-Lewin amid Everton developments
Ashley Cole has admitted that he and the Everton coaching staff felt sorry for Dominic Calvert-Lewin as he struggled with injury issues in recent seasons.
The former Arsenal and Chelsea defender was part of Frank Lampard’s coaching staff at Goodison Park in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns and admitted that the absence of the Toffees’ primary goalscorer left a big hole in the Everton side.
Calvert-Lewin only managed to make 15 starts in the Premier League last season and has missed large portions of Everton’s pre-season as he attempted to reach a level of fitness that would allow him to be a regular feature for the current season.
He then went off injured against Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday (20 August).
Speaking on Sky Sports Super Sunday (20 August, 1:15) Cole said: “There were moments where you half feel sorry for him because he’s a very good professional he trains well, he looks after his body, he’s always willing to put his body on the line.
“He kept breaking down and like you mentioned, he’s always there, so he’s always the answer. But it’s trying to just keep him fit and sustain the amount of games he can produce and when you’re waiting on him and you’re losing you have to change your style a little bit.”
Fully-fit?
The hope from Sean Dyche’s point of view is that the work that has been done in pre-season this summer has equipped Calvert-Lewin to be consistently involved this season and ensure that he can have the impact on proceedings everyone knows that he is capable of.
Everton have also moved to sign more attacking options this summer in an attempt to lighten the workload on the England international and hopefully, that will see him avoid the injury issues that have plagued him this season.
The other factor will be how Dyche can adapt if and when Calvert-Lewin isn’t able to feature as it could be argued that it was the downfall of Lampard and therefore Cole’s reign that they couldn’t find a way to play without him.
Hopefully, that won’t have to be a factor this year and the striker can find the goals that can ensure the Toffees will be comfortably safe in the Premier League for another season.
In other Everton news, whispers have emerged of a potential takeover at Goodison Park this season