OPINION
Everton have had a positive but mixed start under Marco Silva this season, with the Toffees currently sitting in eighth on 24 points from their first 17 games of the Premier League campaign.
There have been some seriously promising signs for the Everton faithful, with the addition of players like Richarlison and Andre Gomes lighting up Goodison Park so far.
However, there have also been some poor results on the way, with several draws coming in winnable games as Silva has struggled to find an answer to his problems up front.
The poor form of Turkey international Cenk Tosun has led to Silva experimenting with Richarlison up front, with the Brazilian doing an admirable job in an unfamiliar position.
However, there has been a feeling that Richarlison is slightly wasted in that position, with the majority of his positive displays this season coming from the left flank, where he can stretch his legs and make runs from deep.
Tosun’s ineffectiveness eventually led Silva to start 21-year-old Dominic Calvert-Lewin up front against Manchester City on Saturday, and despite falling to a 3-1 loss, the youngster impressed with his goalscoring performance.
Speaking after the game, Silva said, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo: “He’s a striker with big, big conditions in my opinion. He is a young player and we have to show some patience with him as well but he is a player we believe in as a club and I believe in as a player.”
Obviously there are flaws in Calvert-Lewin’s game, with his finishing needing some work and his hold-up play also in need of improvement, but there are obviously high hopes for the 6’2″ ace under Silva [Transfermarkt].
There was certainly enough in his performance against the defending champions to suggest that he could become a regular for the Toffees in the coming weeks, with his pace and power making him a real weapon.
It has been rumoured that Silva is looking to sign another striker in the upcoming January window, but he may in fact have found the answer to his striker woes closer to home in Calvert-Lewin, who certainly has the potential to become a real star at Goodison Park.