Everton have faced serious challenges in their attacking options over the last three seasons, with the striker position being a main focal point of these issues.
English striker, Dominic Calvert-Lewin who scored a career best sixteen goals in the 20/21 season, has failed to regain that dynamic form and has seen a decline in his goal-scoring numbers.
Meanwhile, £25 million striker, Beto has also struggled to make an impact at the club.
In the 2022/23 season, Calvert-Lewin scored only 2 goals, much to the disappointment of the ‘Toffees’ fans.
In the following campaign, the Englishman improved his overall tally by scoring 7 goals in the competition. Lastly, as of yet, Everton’s number nine has only managed to hit the back of the net twice during the current 2024/25 season.
The decline in output of the English striker is clear when compared to his electric form in the 2020/21 season where he managed to net 16 times in 33 appearances.
However, Calvert-Lewin has had a fair share of injuries over the years, playing a role in this change of form by effecting his consistency and ability on the pitch, leaving the forward with just eleven goals over his last 3 seasons.
Beto signed for Everton from the Italian club, Udinese in the summer of 2023 for over £25 million, a signing which aimed to strengthen the Toffees attacking options.
However, his impact at the club has been very limited, despite the exciting moment of his last minute equalizer against Fulham which excited Everton fans, the Portuguese striker has failed to meet the expectations that came with his price tag.
The former Udinese striker has struggled to consistently find the back of the net since his move to Everton, scoring only 4 goals for the Toffees. He scored 10 goals in 33 games in his last season at Udinese in the 2022/23 season and has failed to regain that form.
In his debut season for Everton in the 2023/24 season he scored only 3 times in 30 games, averaging a 0.1 goals per game ratio. His poor form has continued into the 2024/25 season, in which he has only managed to score once in thirteen appearances.
The combined Everton goal tally of the two strikers shows the severity of the ‘People’s Club’s’ goal scoring problems.
With Calvert-Lewin’s contribution of 11 goals in 3 seasons and Beto’s Everton goal tally being 4 goals in 2 seasons, the clubs confidence and dependence in these forwards is not paying off which is further shown by the Toffees being the second lowest scoring team in the league this season, placed just above Southampton.
The lack of a consistent goal-scoring striker has had a massive effect on Everton’s season, with them sitting just above the relegation zone by one point. Returning manager, David Moyes acknowledged the need for improved goal scoring and creative ability in the team after yesterday’s 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa.
Everton fans have voiced their opinions on the two strikers current form.
Brian Lewis, 41, from Liverpool said: “I actually rated Calvert-Lewin as a centre forward, but this season he’s just not doing it, last night, I don’t think he was very good at all. I don’t know whether his mind is maybe on getting a move in the summer because he is out of contract and doesn’t want to get injured, but he’s not performing at all.”
Alex Mason, 18, from Ireland said: “I think Beto is better than Calvert-Lewin, he was last night anyway when he came on for 10 minutes. But both of them are not doing good enough, we need a new striker.”
Dylan Barbour, 23, said: “Beto always gives 100% but he’s just not good enough.”
The Blues’ striker issues in recent seasons highlight the clubs need to address the clear goalscoring problems for them to escape relegation once again and improve their form in the coming seasons to kickstart a new era at the Bramley Moore Dock Stadium.
