2018/19 Dominic Calvert-Lewin

[johnnydawg68]

He's gotten better every year. He's clearly got physical gifts but more importantly he's intelligent, and he has a great mentality. Nothing really fazes the lad. I have absolutely no doubt he will be a top, top striker well before his 25th birthday. Mark my words he'll be in the England Euro squad in 2020.

 

[Tel001]

Speaks so well for a young lad. I hope he starts to score a few more, he gave arsenal the run around today.

On a side note, Super Kev C called when he was a the MIPIM, such a top guy.

Love super Kev, he proper loves us too.

 

[Westend Blue]

Well, in a way, the comparison is moot as Sharp played with a strike partner.

No way DCL is going to become a potent striker nevermind a sharp level attacker.

We play a lot of long balls against the better teams and DCL impresses with workrate running channels and any lost cause.

The games he has to rack the goals up in are against lesser clubs when we have to play through teams. For me he just doesn't possess intelligent movement for those occasions.

I'm not having a go at him because he IS doing his best and he's doing ok. But he cant be our striker next season. If he is we've failed in the transfer market.

I think we can get away with him uptop we just need more goal threat a mane type player if you will

 

[jackyboy]

He's going to become what I thought James Vaughan would.

 

[marsh]

Brilliant yesterday. Hopefully keeps improving

 

[nsno-chris]

Bambi has come on a bit, he deserves credit for that. Against the big clubs he’s doing what a good striker should do, he’s occupying them and get MOTM without having a real sniff, a credit to his work rate.

Against the Burnley’s and anyone outside the top 6 is were he gets judged on his return, a top striker will be slotting regularly against them. I’ll be interested to see what happens at Fulham

 

[kev]

Playing really well at present. Just needs to add a few goals to aid his confidence. The Fulham game would be the ideal game for him to bag a couple.

 

[kev]

Bambi has come on a bit, he deserves credit for that

I think the 'Bambi' nickname was fair after his early appearances, but he's well and truly found his legs now.
I think he will soon develop into the nickname coined by @MarcelsGoat i.e. 'The Dominator'

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

Worked hard yesterday, and put himself about a lot more than normal.

 

[Tubey]

Sort of the anti-Lukaku performance from him yesterday. Sensational team play and hold up ability, but zero threat on goal.

If he can put in performances like that and add 10-15 goals a season consistently, then there's a player in there. Time will tell if he can do it.

He must show this type of form consistently in training, because at times it's been mystifying why we've persisted with him.

 

[Darth Toffeeman]

I think the 'Bambi' nickname was fair after his early appearances, but he's well and truly found his legs now.
I think he will soon develop into the nickname coined by @MarcelsGoat i.e. 'The Dominator'

Many a striker have looked ungainly in their early years. Drogba didn't really hit his stride until he was 25.

Dom is still very young but is getting better every season. IF he develops a goal scoring habit he will be worth more than Lukaku. His workrate is fantastic.

 

[zzebra]

Playing really well at present. Just needs to add a few goals to aid his confidence. The Fulham game would be the ideal game for him to bag a couple.

Maybe he should start taking our penalties (if ever we gone any!)

Would boost his stats and confidence.Seems to work for Harry Kane.

 

[catcherintherye]

I think part of the issue with the way people see the lad is we have something of an odd discourse with him. The latest being centred around him not scoring enough goals. His goals to minute ratio is very commendable though (considering he hasn't had a long run up until the last few games). The truth is he doesn't have more goals because he hasn't played that much. More broadly though it is important to tackle the question head on.

I am not convinced the lad scores 20+ per season. While I wouldn't rule out he would get to that point (as there have been substantial improvements in his game) -if he started around 30 games, given this season's statistics he is going to be around 15+ league goals already I do think it's important to note the impact he has on the team as a whole.

He terrorised Arsenal for long periods yesterday. It was the closest thing I've seen to Ferguson in the mid 90's who also defeated teams on his own at times without necessarily having to score or create a goal himself. He pinned the opposition back and made it extremely difficult to be able to press up the pitch as we could build sustained pressure very quickly by going over a press and getting the ball in their final third.

I've said for a long time the 2 things he has which are remarkable are his speed/strength and secondly his aerial prowess. The complain I often had was how well he utilised both of these. Whats without doubt is both have come in this season (the aerial prowess far more so, for me he still has a lot to go with both aspects but particularly how to utilise his speed across the ground). He has come on though and he is learning how to use both of them more each time he plays.

To me it's no coincidence the best football for Richarlinson, Coleman, Sigurdsson, Gomes and Bernard are with him in the team. If he allows all of the above to play better and produce better output then it becomes something of a mute point how many goals he does or doesn't score, as his influence on the team allows them to do so. Richarlinson has been asked to do lots of Calvert Lewin's work but never looked entirely happy doing it.

None of this means we shouldn't look to sign another striker, particularly one who can play across the front 3 positions. I think Brands is spot on in his analysis with that. Buy a young centre forward who can operate in the wide positions and who can learn off Calvert Lewin. What is certain though, if he keeps terrorising defences it will have to be some player to shift him.

 

[Neiler]

I think part of the issue with the way people see the lad is we have something of an odd discourse with him. The latest being centred around him not scoring enough goals. His goals to minute ratio is very commendable though (considering he hasn't had a long run up until the last few games). The truth is he doesn't have more goals because he hasn't played that much. More broadly though it is important to tackle the question head on.

I am not convinced the lad scores 20+ per season. While I wouldn't rule out he would get to that point (as there have been substantial improvements in his game) -if he started around 30 games, given this season's statistics he is going to be around 15+ league goals already I do think it's important to note the impact he has on the team as a whole.

He terrorised Arsenal for long periods yesterday. It was the closest thing I've seen to Ferguson in the mid 90's who also defeated teams on his own at times without necessarily having to score or create a goal himself. He pinned the opposition back and made it extremely difficult to be able to press up the pitch as we could build sustained pressure very quickly by going over a press and getting the ball in their final third.

I've said for a long time the 2 things he has which are remarkable are his speed/strength and secondly his aerial prowess. The complain I often had was how well he utilised both of these. Whats without doubt is both have come in this season (the aerial prowess far more so, for me he still has a lot to go with both aspects but particularly how to utilise his speed across the ground). He has come on though and he is learning how to use both of them more each time he plays.

To me it's no coincidence the best football for Richarlinson, Coleman, Sigurdsson, Gomes and Bernard are with him in the team. If he allows all of the above to play better and produce better output then it becomes something of a mute point how many goals he does or doesn't score, as his influence on the team allows them to do so. Richarlinson has been asked to do lots of Calvert Lewin's work but never looked entirely happy doing it.

None of this means we shouldn't look to sign another striker, particularly one who can play across the front 3 positions. I think Brands is spot on in his analysis with that. Buy a young centre forward who can operate in the wide positions and who can learn off Calvert Lewin. What is certain though, if he keeps terrorising defences it will have to be some player to shift him.

Good post and I have very similar thoughts mate, i think we need to accept hes a 10 - 15 goals a year man, i think that is the limit of his goal scoring ability. But i think we also think to one dimensionaly when it comes to strikers. Look at Mordor and how they play, Firmino in a way is their DCL, he is the decoy, he occupires centre backs, the player who creates the space, who stretches a back four when needed, the occupier in a way, then chips in with is 10-15 goals. Hes in the team ahead of the likes of Sturridge who has in the past proved a 15-20 goal a season man. Its a different way of thinking and like Mordor we have to get our heads around that, thinking as a functional front three rather then just one up top.

We do need support in those positions however both left and right and up top. We need different player types. What struck me recently was Silva referring to DCL as his target man type and his preference would be a pacey forward to compliment him.

If Gylfi, Richarlison and DCL can manage 30-40 goals a season between them, the 20 goal a season striker isnt (not that we dont need different options in the front three) necessary IMO, equally anything added in those front three positions has to offer variance and end product. They can all duke it out together IMO.

 

[catcherintherye]

Good post and I have very similar thoughts mate, i think we need to accept hes a 10 - 15 goals a year man, i think that is the limit of his goal scoring ability. But i think we also think to one dimensionaly when it comes to strikers. Look at Mordor and how they play, Firmino in a way is their DCL, he is the decoy, he occupires centre backs, the player who creates the space, who stretches a back four when needed, the occupier in a way, then chips in with is 10-15 goals. Hes in the team ahead of the likes of Sturridge who has in the past proved a 15-20 goal a season man. Its a different way of thinking and like Mordor we have to get our heads around, thinking as a functional front three rather then just one up top.

We do need support in those positions however both left and right and up top. We need different player types. What struck me recently was Silva referring to DCL as his target man type and his preference would be a pacey forward to compliment him.

If Gylfi, Richarlison and DCL can manage 30-40 goals a season between them, the 20 goal a season striker isnt (not that we dont need different options in the front three) necessary IMO, equally anything added in those front three positions has to offer variance and end product. They can all duke it out together IMO.

Yes I agree with all of this.

I caste my mind back to 2004-5. Once Bent left the side, in favour of the more prolific Beattie the results didn't return. Bent didn't score many goals but he helped the team enormously.

For a similar reason I'd have signed Stracalursi who was a threat. Arguably our best football under Moyes came with Cahill/Fellaini through the middle who were a menace to opponents without every scoring bundles of goals.

Don't get me wrong, if we can sign a Harry Kane, or even a Lukaku then I'd do that. I think it's extremely unlikely though. And frankly if we had Lukaku I'd find a way to play 2 up front, as he would have scored bundles more goals with Calvert Lewin alongside him (he'd be the perfect foil for Rom).

I agree with Silva too. For me we need to find a lad with pace, who can play across the front 3 (so if DCL form dips, he needs a break, he's injured) he can fill in and also in some games someone who is capable of playing alongside Calvert Lewin if we are chasing the game.

That player is completely different to both Niasse & Tosun.

I still think Calvert Lewin will score between 10-15 league goals next season, which if done alongside driving defences back will be absolutely fine for me. He may even surprise us all and continue to improve his finishing.