Everton’s summer spending spree had caused a lot of raised eyebrows this summer, with the Merseyside giants spending a whopping €158m on new signings. However, that hardly aided the club in terms of performances, as the Toffees are lavishing in the bottom end of the table.
The most significant missing piece of the puzzle this season has been the absence of a proper striker. After pocketing £75m for star striker Romelu Lukaku this summer, Everton failed to find a proper replacement for the current Man United striker. And that is why under-fire boss Ronald Koeman is currently looking after the services of West Ham striker Andy Carroll, as per the Sun.
The former Liverpool striker can be a very good striker for the Toffees as they look to bounce back to form in the Premier League.
While there’s no doubt that Lukaku’s departure really hit Everton hard this season. The Merseysiders have lacked someone who can be a dominating force inside the penalty box – something Lukaku was more than capable of.
Although Ronaldo Koeman still seems to has a lot of attacking options up his sleeves, almost all of them lack the genuine physical punch Lukaku had in his locker. Wayne Rooney can’t be relied upon with leading the attack anymore, while Sandro Ramirez has failed to show his brilliance in the Premier League so far.
Dominic-Calvert Luwin impressed a lot of people with his performances but he’s more of a second striker and not a prolific goalkeeper like Romelu Lukaku. Other options are Shani Tarashaj, who likes to dribble more than actually scoring goals, and Oumar Niasse, who was the man of the moment for Everton last week, scoring a brace after coming on as a sub. But it’s too early to be judgemental on the Senegalese striker right now.
Andy Carroll can bring some genuine physical presence inside the box. He is fairly adept in scouring the penalty box. Moreover, he can act as the main target man for the gifted playmakers in behind, such as Gylfi Sigurdsson and Davy Klaassen. His aerial abilities often drive fear in defenders’ minds.
And it is supported by former Tottenham skipper Michael Dawson, who spoke a few words about Carroll on the official Tottenham website.
“Every time the ball comes into the penalty area in the air, you can expect him to win it. You just have to make sure you are in position to win the second balls and the knockdowns, that’s the danger.” – Dawson said, almost confirming his physical dominance inside the box.
Therefore, there’s no doubt that Everton will be hugely aided by the addition of Andy Carroll to the roster. Besides, a £20m valuation for the former Liverpool striker is a fairly reasonable price to splash on a player who could prove to be the missing piece of the puzzle. The only concern will be Carroll’s injury history but perhaps it is time Koeman takes a gamble.
