One alarming statistic is stopping Everton becoming even better under Dyche

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The progress Everton have made under the new management is there for all to see. They are a team transformed, with the tweaks made relatively simple.

It was not a particularly shocking twist to see Sean Dyche rush to shore up the defence first, and having since laid those foundations, he consistently pointed to the data that suggested their offence would soon catch up.

Sitting 14th in the Premier League and eight points from the drop, it’s fair to say his premonition has come true. 

The former Burnley boss deserves huge praise for his understanding and implementing the necessary changes, and yet it could be argued they are still far from where they deserve to be.

In a report published by The Guardian, such a notion is supported, with journalist Ben McAleer outlining the key statistic that is holding the Toffees back from becoming even better under Dyche.

They first write: ‘There is an argument to be made that Everton should be even higher than 14th in the table. They have been unfortunate this season, with poor finishing the root cause of their sub-par start. It’s worth remembering that four of their six league defeats have been by a single goal – and they had more shots than their opponents in three of those four games.

‘They have lost tight games and failed to score goals at the right times. Their goal difference is the same as Manchester United’s, yet Everton are 14th and United are sixth.’

Then, McAleer reveals the damning figure: ‘Everton have scored 14 goals in the league this season, the 12th best in the division, but they have taken 167 shots, the 10th best in the league. Their tally of 57 shots on target is the ninth best in the division – as many as Manchester United, who are eight places above them. 

‘Everton do not have problems creating chances; their issue is putting them away. They have missed 22 big chances this season, the fifth most in the Premier League, and their shot conversion rate of 8.4% ranks just 13th.’

Why are Everton struggling to score?

Although that notion has been somewhat dismissed in recent weeks, given they blew away both Burnley and AFC Bournemouth by a three-goal margin before firing another three as they beat Crystal Palace last Saturday on the road, their tough start led many to worry that they were in for another torrid campaign.

However, it is worth noting that in those notorious losses against Fulham and Wolverhampton Wanderers in particular, they were playing at a major disadvantage.

The first, on the opening day of the season, saw Neal Maupay struggle to perform as he missed two big chances before being hooked.

Then, hosting the Old Gold, Arnaut Danjuma was forced to deputise in the striking role to little success.

Welcoming back Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been a godsend, as was the acquisition of Beto, and together the two are set to ensure they are never put in a position like the one that has led to these horrific statistics.