{"id":310503,"date":"2018-12-09T13:24:00","date_gmt":"2018-12-09T18:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonfootball.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=310503"},"modified":"2018-12-09T13:24:00","modified_gmt":"2018-12-09T18:24:00","slug":"the-solution-to-evertons-striker-problem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2018\/12\/09\/the-solution-to-evertons-striker-problem\/","title":{"rendered":"The Solution to Everton’s Striker Problem"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was always going to be hard for Everton<\/a> to replace Romelu Lukaku. His prolific scoring was always going to be missed by the Toffees when he inevitably joined a bigger club. But when he signed for Manchester United<\/a> for \u00a370 million, it appeared as though Everton hadn\u2019t really thought his replacement through.<\/p>\n

The Solution to Everton’s Striker Problem<\/h1>\n

The Failures<\/h2>\n

Sandro Ramirez<\/h3>\n

Joining from Malaga for a tiny fee of \u00a35 million, Sandro appeared to be the answer. A product of La Masia, he featured in the Barcelona<\/a> B side for two years but only found sporadic starts in the first team, often out on the wing. He then joined Malaga and averaged a goal every two games in his first and only season. A hot prospect throughout Europe, Everton beat the competition to his signature. However, he only made eight appearances and failed to score and has spent the last year out on loan in Spain, where he has yet to open his account. Although he is still technically an Everton player, it is unlikely that he will ever feature for the club again.<\/p>\n

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Oumar Niasse<\/h3>\n

An unexpected hero, he was brought in by Roberto Martinez in 2015 but only played 152 minutes for the club that year. He was shunned by manager Ronald Koeman but returned from a loan spell at Hull City to find himself thrust back into the squad. He scored seven in his next five matches, including both goals in a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth<\/a>, a pivotal point in the Toffees’ season. However, his reign was cut short after he was wrongly suspended for simulation against Crystal Palace<\/a>\u00a0and he failed to find his previous form after that.<\/p>\n

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Cenk Tosun<\/h3>\n

In the January transfer window of 2018, Sam Allardyce bought Turkish striker Cenk Tosun from Besiktas for a reported fee of \u00a327 million. Despite having a superb scoring record in both the Super Lig and European competitions, many critics were sceptical about the signing. However, he silenced said critics, scoring five in his first four Premier League matches. He failed to find his form again,\u00a0though, and didn\u2019t find the back of the net again that season. He has been a sporadically used substitute this season and, although he managed to score two goals in two substitute appearances, it seems unlikely that he will find his way back into the first team.<\/p>\n

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Richarlison<\/h3>\n

Richarlison has been Everton\u2019s first choice striker for the past month, and despite his brilliant scoring record this season, he is almost certainly not the right man for the job. The Brazilian thrives out wide, with five of his seven Premier League goals coming from the left, and he enjoys cutting inside after beating a man, something which he cannot do from a central position.<\/p>\n

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That begs the question: Who can solve Everton\u2019s striker woes?<\/p>\n

The Options<\/h2>\n

The Likely Option: Callum Wilson<\/h3>\n

The in-form Bournemouth striker would be a very good summer (or January) signing for the Blues. A Premier League-proven forward, he has eight goals in 15 appearances this season and provides a counter-attacking threat. His smart runs behind the defence would complement Gylfi Sigurdsson\u2019s passing brilliantly and his pace and stamina would be key to Everton\u2019s new high-press system. He would likely cost around \u00a320 million and also pitches in elsewhere, providing five assists so far this season. However, his discipline would be a slight issue, with him receiving three yellow cards already, putting him on the brink of a suspension.<\/p>\n

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The Smart Option: Andrea Belotti<\/h3>\n

Although the Italian striker is not having his best season, he is still performing well and provides much more than just goals. Five goals in 14 appearances does not flatter him but looking deeper unearths a startling statistic \u2013 the 24-year old has been involved in the build-up to 88% of Torino\u2019s goals in the last three years. He also provides defensive support, as he is keen to come back and win the ball in order to start an attack.<\/p>\n

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The Ambitious Option: Timo Werner<\/h3>\n

The RB Leipzig forward is renowned for his pace and has been linked with almost every big club throughout Europe. However, Everton could offer him something the others couldn\u2019t \u2013 guaranteed starts. The 22-year-old is just beginning his football journey and is already known as one of the hottest prospects in world football. The German has eight goals in 13 starts this season, including four in his last three, and three man of the match awards. However, he is prone to straying offside and has been caught in an illegal position 19 times this season. Everton would have to fight off the likes of Liverpool<\/a> and Bayern Munich<\/a> to secure his signature, but if they managed it, then they would have a gem in their hands. He would be a long-term solution.<\/p>\n

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Whoever Everton sign, one thing is clear \u2013 they must learn from their past mistakes, and stick with a striker, instead of losing faith after a bad run of form.<\/p>\n

(All statistics from whoscored.com<\/a> and transfermarkt.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Main Photo<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a>