By Paul Conatzer
Twitter@ToffeePaul.com
It might just be a rumour but talk around Goodison Park says Marco Silva and Marcel Brands are having the ground staff put in landing lights to help Father Christmas find his way to Everton’s home ground.
The past few results have shown that Everton need a striker. Somebody who can score 20 or more goals in a season. And while it’s unlikely Father Christmas’ elves can make such a player in their workshop in the North Pole, there’s no doubt that a striker should be high on Silva’s Christmas list.
However, at Thursday’s press conference, Silva was vague when asked about the need for another striker.
“It is a good question. Yes, we haven’t scored in the last few games but look at the games we have played. At Stamford Bridge, Anfield, it is hard,” he said.
Silva said Everton had created enough chances against Newcastle, especially in the first half to have won with Cenk Tosun and Gylfi Sigurdsson having good chances. Everton also had some good chances against Liverpool with Andre Gomes having a header clawed off the line.
Everton have only scored twice in their last four matches. After drawing 0-0 with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge; The Blues have beaten Cardiff, 1-0; lost a 1-0 Derby heartbreaker at Anfield on a 96th-minute goal by Divik Origi, who was one of the names rumour merchants were tossing around as a possible Everton target. The Blues’ latest result was a 1-1 home draw against Newcastle, which continued this season’s streak of Everton not winning when they don’t score first. Everton started December in sixth place and remain there on goal difference over Bournemouth and Manchester United. There’s only a five-point gap between Everton and West Ham, who are on 18 points in 13th place.
It will be interesting to see what happens when Richarlison and Silva face their old club on Monday when Watford come to Goodison Park. Watford is three points behind Everton.
Richarlison has scored seven goals with four coming from when he plays out-wide and three when he plays as a central striker. Sigurdsson is second with six. Sigurdsson also has two assists.
Tosun who showed some promise last season with five goals in 12 games is yet to find his feet. He’s scored twice but does have two assists in 12 games. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has also scored twice in his 13 appearances. Calvert-Lewin’s development may be slowed by his versatility as he is also used out wide as well as a central striker. Theo Walcott has also netted twice, and it wasn’t so long ago (2016-17) that he scored 19 goals for Arsenal.
And while, Silva says he is working with what he has. The club’s announcement of a new Head of European Scouting in Gretar Steinsson probably indicates that the Blues are looking.
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