2018/19 Dominic Calvert-Lewin

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...he needs to exploit his power in the air more. I don’t think he realises how effective he can be. Winning headers should come easy to him but he needs to work on turning that into goals, it could be very productive for him. He needs to be more of a threat.

He had the potential to be a very good player, but just for me seems to lack a real drive to push himself on.
 

He had the potential to be a very good player, but just for me seems to lack a real drive to push himself on.

I am the opposite with DCL mate, I think he has a fantastic attitude but it technically quite limited and raw. We need to be honest about where we are, and in games against top teams we are not creating an awful lot of chances, we need a centre forward who can make a nuisance of themselves for us. He does this (for me so does Richarlinson but I'll get onto that). Anything much beyond that is a big bonus. He helped us get up the pitch today.

The other big plus for me is he helps other players improve. He gives midfield players easier balls to knock in behind. I also think he does a lot of the donkey work Richarlinson is expected to do so free him up.

I had a look at his goals per minute earlier, he's at 180 minutes per goal this season. This is a very respectable level (equivalent and better than Lukaku when Lukaku was 20/21 for us). Better than Rashford who is 250 goals per minute. When you factor in the amount of ground he covers, the number of airborne balls he wins for us, you have an effective option.

Is he raw? Absolutely. He's not as easy on the eye as Richarlinson but that doesn't mean he's not our best option currently through the middle. I'd give the lad a run and see how he copes with that. I'd also have him down as our first choice striker in big games.
 

...he needs to exploit his power in the air more. I don’t think he realises how effective he can be. Winning headers should come easy to him but he needs to work on turning that into goals, it could be very productive for him. He needs to be more of a threat.

I've said for a long time, the lad is the best in the air I have since since Ferguson was at his peak (mid to late 90's). I haven't seen anyone who was as good in the air as him.

He is getting better at scoring headed goals, which is a big positive, but there is still an awful lot of room for improvement. For me much is made of his finishing, which broadly speaking I think is ok (not outstanding, but passable). For me he needs to position himself better so that he is timing his runs to ensure he is attacking the centre of the goal at the moment the ball comes in. If he does this, he's almost unplayable in the air.

He also does a lot of good stuff on the ground, gets around the pitch and works hard. There's a real player in there. If anyone can get it out of him is questionable. He has a lot of strong and frankly quite unusual attributes but thats different to being a top footballer.

He played well today though, even without the goal and should take confidence from the game. He keeps centre backs honest and we look far happier with him in the team in big games.
 
I've always maintained he can head the ball well. Not so long ago I said he'd be world class if he had more heads in place of his feet.
 
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He has made nearly 60 appearances and turns 22 in March. He'll be fine. Just needs to work on not butchering the pies he gets jaffed.
 

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