Centre Forwards

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

Because we have nobody who can actually finish. Isn't that the most critical skill of a centre forward?

No, it's being able to run around...…..a lot.

 

[Deleted member 28206]

There’s a theme with all the current centre forwards in the squad which is quite telling, and which to my mind explains why we don’t score enough goals to progress from our regular 7th or 8th spot. All of them are big, bulky units with little pace or technical ability on the ball. I convince s myself of it the last few weeks watching Fraser Hornby.

Calvert-Lewin isn’t a natural finisher unfortunately and visibly either hesitates or leaves his decision making in front of goal too late. Yesterday he had two really good chances and neither even hit the target. It’s said his strengths are his running, chasing and harrying but in truth I don’t recall him bullying a single centre half all last season. We keep saying he’s young and he’ll improve yet we’re apparently chasing Leao and Kean for mega-bucks and both are 19-20?

Cenk is a grafter who can finish, but has zero pace due to his build.

Prince Oumar has workrate galore but technically bereft. Again, a muscular frame but limited pace, awareness and ability.

Fraser Hornby - I don’t know enough about the lad to be honest but in the few preseason games I’ve seen him I really don’t see anything special at all. He’s another big lad for his age but one who seems to lack the basic instinct and positioning for a regular goal scorer. Without being too damning I’ve seen handfuls of forwards with his ability at non-league level so just don’t see what we could expect in the future from him.

Ellis Simms seems to be the exception - his goal scoring record suggests he knows instinctively where the back of the net is. Again, I don’t know enough about him to form a solid opinion other than his goal record. With a goal scoring record like his why isn’t he getting preseason game time in the event we’d likely need him in an emergency once the season is underway? Yesterday we had Walcott and Anthony Gordon filling in up front for spells.

There got to be something tangible as to why all the so-called centre forwards at the Club are so similar in terms of pace, mobility, physical stature and limited technical ability. Their general lack of measurable improvement is also a concern.

Is it the fact that Duncan Ferguson is the main attacking coach? I’m a tad baffled by it to be honest as the theme has been prominent for a while under numerous managers so maybe it’s a Club thing too that we prefer a big old fashioned centre forward?

I’m not reading all that

 

[Wat Tyler]

Atrocious frontline.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

I’m starting to wonder if people wear blindfolds whenever DCL plays for Everton. He’s absolutely rapid. And defences certainly change their setup when he’s playing vs when say Tosun or Niasse play. Yesterday he put two wide, but also put a decent header on target (overlooked above). Yes he doesn’t have that poacher’s instinct (yet) and isn't a world class finisher. But let’s not allow the low goals return to blind us from everything he’s good at.

it was a terrible effort, he took all the pace off the ball.

 

[BornBlue76]

Something in the mould of a fit Louis Saha or a younger Yakubu....natural, instinctive finishers

A fit Louis Saha would be worth over £80m in today’s money.. man that guy had close control I haven’t seen in this side since he left and was natural finisher in every sense of the word...

Would take a half fit Louis Saha right now!

 

[dixiesdisciple]

Was watching a YouTube video of Moise Kean (yeah I know, but it’s all I got!). What struck me straight away was his hunger and reaction when missing - the guy looks like he lives for goals. Rooney had that too. My problem with the likes of DCL and Anichebe etc is that they seem ‘pleased to be playing’ if that makes sense. I don’t get the sense that they are desperate to score goals, but happy to have a good game. We need a striker who is a greedy, horrible get who is obsessed with scoring goals like a Vardy or Icardi.

 

[MACCA75]

A fit Louis Saha would be worth over £80m in today’s money.. man that guy had close control I haven’t seen in this side since he left and was natural finisher in every sense of the word...

Would take a half fit Louis Saha right now!

That last season of Cahill and Saha was painful tbh.

 

[Tipp blue]

I’m starting to wonder if people wear blindfolds whenever DCL plays for Everton. He’s absolutely rapid. And defences certainly change their setup when he’s playing vs when say Tosun or Niasse play. Yesterday he put two wide, but also put a decent header on target (overlooked above). Yes he doesn’t have that poacher’s instinct (yet) and isn't a world class finisher. But let’s not allow the low goals return to blind us from everything he’s good at.

He's not good at anything he's almost average at some things and poor to bad at alot of things.. mid table championship standard at best.

 

[RichardP]

We need to put in a cheeky bid for Dzeko and see if he can help DCL and the others by showing them how to find the back of the net.

If he is the difference between 8th and Europe then it has to be worth a decent bid.

 

[Tel001]

No, it's being able to run around...…..a lot.

Heat maps are also a very important part of the modern day striker

 

[bring the ghost on]

If DCL knocked in 15 goals, then no one would be doubting his pace, hold up play, strength, etc.

They are his best assets and it’s a bit of wilful ignorance to pretend the lad has no good points. He was first choice most of last season because he’s a better all round player than Cenk and Niasse.

That said, finishing is crucial for a no 9 and he just doesn’t have it, so he can’t remain our first choice.

 

[billyblue80]

No its that Walsh, Koeman and Big Sam were our dof and managers. And they played largely direct football. And we never replaced Rom with quality. I do agree though what we actually need is a mobile forward. Hopefully that's Kean.

 

[billyblue80]

If DCL knocked in 15 goals, then no one would be doubting his pace, hold up play, strength, etc.

They are his best assets and it’s a bit of wilful ignorance to pretend the lad has no good points. He was first choice most of last season because he’s a better all round player than Cenk and Niasse.

That said, finishing is crucial for a no 9 and he just doesn’t have it, so he can’t remain our first choice.

His all round game has improved but he should be rotation option not a starter.

 

[bring the ghost on]

His all round game has improved but he should be rotation option not a starter.

That's pretty much exactly what I just said.

 

[evertony]

If DCL knocked in 15 goals, then no one would be doubting his pace, hold up play, strength, etc.

They are his best assets and it’s a bit of wilful ignorance to pretend the lad has no good points. He was first choice most of last season because he’s a better all round player than Cenk and Niasse.

That said, finishing is crucial for a no 9 and he just doesn’t have it, so he can’t remain our first choice.

Do you think he’ll score 15 or more this season?
Again, not knocking the lad and I hope he does bag like it’s going out of fashion, but would he get a starting berth in any other premiership team either in the top 6 or challenging to get in there?