Sean Dyche shares Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto verdict in Everton team news
Sean Dyche has suggested that he is interested in playing Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto together in attack for Everton this season.
For the first time since the Portuguese forward arrived at Goodison Park, both forwards were available for the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday (17 September) but didn’t share the pitch as Calvert-Lewin replaced Beto in the 65th minute.
But as the Toffees struggles for goals continue, Dyche was keen to emphasise the possibility of the pair playing alongside one another in the future, even if he has typically only played one centre-forward since taking over at Goodison Park.
Speaking in a press conference on Thursday, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo (21 September) he said: “I’ve always liked to play with two strikers when possible but it’s got to suit the rest of the team as well. It’s still early for that combination to find its feet. You only get so many training hours, but we’re certainly looking down that line.
“Can they? Will they? How do they connect? Some of it you’re waiting to naturally see, sometimes we’ve had segments of sessions where we’ve had a look at that. Sometimes you’re putting it out there and actually coaching to work so it’s kind of that mixture at the moment where we’re finding our feet and they are as well.”
Powerful line
Step aside the big-man, little-man striker partnership, Dyche is instead eyeing the big-man, big-man approach. With a combined height of 12 feet six inches, there would be few teams in the Premier League with a taller front pairing than the Toffees, should they deploy both their big centre-forwards.
There will be very few defenders licking their lips at facing both Beto and Calvert-Lewin at the same time and there is a genuine possibility that the physical presence the Toffees would possess could cause plenty of issues for their opponents.
But it may see Dyche’s side become incredibly one-dimensional, the same criticism often levelled at his side at Burnley as neither forward’s style of play is exactly conducive to getting the ball down on the floor and playing.
At the moment, something needs to change to get this Everton side to score more goals, to be six games into the season and to have only found the net twice, both in the same game is inexcusable and nothing more than relegation form.
With the likes of Ashley Young and Dwight McNeil in the side, Dyche could do a lot worse than sticking both Calvert-Lewin and Beto up top to relentlessly compete for crosses into the area. There’s no harm in experimenting, especially when the former Burnley boss’ options are so limited.
In other Everton news, the Toffees could be set to face cash-flow problems while their takeover is approved