Everton have been left reeling after a fourth straight Premier League defeat, but fortunately, they have a perfect chance to make things right in the EFL Cup on Tuesday.
Returning from Aston Villa, they will now host Southampton, another top-flight side, and a fine test to see whether Sean Dyche truly is running out of time at Goodison Park.
His future remains really uncertain, with scrutiny increasing regarding his team selection and substitutions has forged a growing discontent within the fanbase.
One such position under the microscope is up front, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin continuing this season very much as he went through the last: impressive in his build-up play, but impotent in front of goal.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin sends message to Everton fans
Speaking to the Liverpool ECHO, the profligate marksman, who squandered two one-on-ones after scoring his side’s second, had a message to give to Evertonians that he felt they needed to hear.
After all, the 27-year-old claims to sympathise with exactly how they are feeling, praying: ‘Stick with us.
‘The travelling support was excellent here as it always is. I know how they’ll be feeling at the moment, as I’m feeling the same way, but I think if you look beyond it, we can take positives and take confidence from the performances that we have put in the last couple of games.’
‘It’s not been the start that we’d all hoped for but it’s a long season and I’m pretty sure we’ll put it right.
‘We’re hurting a lot. I think the last two games are very frustrating to not taken points and I’ve said before at this level you get punished for your mistakes and lapses in concentration and we have to concentrate for 100, maybe 105 minutes we play these days.
‘When you don’t, you get punished, so we accept responsibility. We won’t dwell on it for too long although it hurts because we have to go again on Tuesday.
‘We are creating chances, I’m getting chances to score, obviously in the last two games, for a striker that’s my job. I could have had a couple more here which I accept responsibility for as I always do, but I think there are a lot of positives to take despite the result and we just have to concentrate as I say for the full duration of the game and we can’t switch off and concede silly goals.’
Dominic Calvert-Lewin will struggle to be the lethal striker Everton need
Although he remains relatively well-liked amongst the fanbase, despite Calvert-Lewin refusing to sign a new contract, he is unlikely to ever be the consistent goalscorer that the Toffees need.
Or, that’s at least what the data suggests.
Throughout his many years in the Premier League now, the former Sheffield United finisher has enjoyed a solid time as a bruising centre-forward who proves a tough task for any centre-back.
However, whilst that is all and good, it’s hard to remain supportive when Calvert-Lewin remains so consistently profligate.
During the best goalscoring season of his career, under Carlo Ancelotti’s reign in the 2020/21 term, he scored 16 goals with a conversion rate of 19%.
Since then that figure has reduced to 15%, 6% and 10% in the past few full seasons, via Sofascore.
Calvert-Lewin is a remarkable centre forward and a prime target man, but has already proven that he cannot be relied upon to consistently hit 15 goals a season in the Premier League.
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