Dominic Calvert-Lewin takes centre stage with Filippo Inzaghi as his role model
The toe poke from one yard might be the most underrated goal in football. Little time is dedicated to offering it the lavish description it deserves, the hunt for superlatives generally abandoned amid the swift and cliched reporting of a “tap-in”.
Everton’s victory over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday offered an example of how the virtue of a poacher’s finish can be criminally neglected. In the immediate aftermath of an entertaining home victory, all the hyperbole was naturally reserved for James Rodríguez’s assist in the build-up to Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s second goal of his three in the 5-2 victory.
University dissertations have been dedicated to works of art less stimulating than the Colombian’s looped delivery over a bewildered West Brom defence. Our enthusiasm is always drawn to the unorthodox rather than what, on the surface at least, seems run of the mill.
None of Calvert-Lewin’s finishes for his hat-trick were spectacular.
His treble consisted of a nonchalant flick from three yards when he mistakenly thought he was offside; a nudge over the line from an even closer proximity; and a failed attempt to head a set-piece, the ball ricocheting off his back past goalkeeper Sam Johnstone. Yet look beyond their apparent simplicity and they were as meaningful and glorious as the 20-yarder from Rodríguez which turned the game Everton’s way shortly before Kieran Gibbs and Slaven Bilic’s meltdowns and red cards.
Calvert-Lewin’s goals revealed more about the player’s rapid development under Carlo Ancelotti, and where this team may be heading in a season which, at the very least, will make Goodison Park one of the country’s most agreeable venues. The 23-year-old striker touched the ball on only 25 occasions on Saturday, three of which led to him keeping the match ball. He is mastering the skill fundamental to any top-class Premier League striker – utilising selfish means to serve collective ends.
Calvert-Lewin broke into the side a few years ago seeking to impress by being selfless, occupying every zone in the attacking third, more likely to receive the ball dragging a full-back wide than with his back to a centre-half.
Shortly after Ancelotti’s appointment the Italian made a critical, probably career-changing observation to his No 9. “He pulled me aside and said ‘You need to stay central’,” Calvert-Lewin revealed in the midst of a goal blitz before last season’s lockdown. “I’m not going to score near the corner flag.”
Initially, the transformation was astounding. Calvert-Lewin struck eight in 11 games under Ancelotti and seemed to be on the verge of the England squad. Then, when football resumed, he did not score once. Gareth Southgate looked to Danny Ings and Mason Greenwood as Harry Kane’s England deputies.
That snub may have been a help more than hindrance given how swiftly Calvert-Lewin has taken advantage of Everton’s more dynamic and creative midfield in the first two Premier League games, a 20-goal season the minimum he and his manager should expect.
One of Ancelotti’s educational qualities is the number of player references at his disposal, as if he can pluck out valuable lessons from working with some of the greatest footballers of the last 20 years.
In Calvert-Lewin’s case, he namechecked AC Milan’s Filippo Inzaghi as the ideal prototype.
“I had a fantastic striker in Inzaghi, who scored 300 goals and 210 with one touch,” said Ancelotti. “A striker has to be focused in the box and I think Calvert-Lewin understands really well because in the box he has speed, he jumps really high, he has power. Where he has improved more is there, in the box.”
“Dominic’s turning into a leader,” added captain Seamus Coleman, thrilled at how different components of the side are complementing the other.
“We have Richarlison on the left who works his socks off for 90 minutes creating spaces and Dominic doesn’t stop. He is benefiting from the team.”
After so many false dawns at Goodison, this feels like the start of a vastly different era. Coleman said he can sense the change in mentality – not just on match day – but around the club, long-serving players dealing with heightened optimism rather than firefighting.
“When we go back into work Monday we need to make sure our heads are not in the sky,” said Coleman. “These boys have brought great quality. The competition for places is very high which in turn means the standards in training sessions are very high.” Rodríguez may be the catalyst for that, but there will be as much pleasure and reward for Ancelotti if Calvert-Lewin toe-pokes Everton towards the top six.
