10 goals in 9 Premier League games played this season.
If Everton are having a convincing start to the season, it owes it mainly to their center forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who, at 23, seems to have passed a milestone.
Already, during the previous exercise, he had found the way to the opposing net 13 times, his best career total.
But the health crisis and the long interruption of the English championship could have cut off his legs, he who had not scored a single goal during the resumption in June-July.
Fortunately for the Toffees, this failure was only temporary and from the start of the current season, the striker resumed his march forward, well helped by the recruitment in the midfielder of the French Abdoulaye Doucouré, of the Brazilian Allan and especially the Colombian James Rodriguez who brought creativity and technical accuracy to a team which had hitherto largely lacked it.
The good deal with Richarlison
Another very important contribution for Calvert-Lewin, that of his partner in attack Richarlison, two friends whose qualities complement each other perfectly.
"Richy is great," confided the native of Sheffield on the FIFA website.
We've been playing together for a while and we've gotten to know each other better, on and off the pitch.
He has a winning mentality.
He works hard for the group and he brings a lot to his partners with his energy and his enormous showdown on the pitch.
But he is also a formidable attacker.
It is really a chance to play with such a partner.
Each contributes to the success of the other, whether it is by scoring or by offering an assist.
I'm happy for him when he hits the net and I'm sure the converse is true. "
If the Brazilian is more of a devourer of space on the sides, Calvert-Lewin, he shines with his sense of goal, his precision (10 goals in the Premier League for 29 shots) and his ... extraordinary aerial game, perhaps the best today in the world.
“I have always jumped very high. I'm relatively lucky because I have great athletic potential. ”
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
“I have always jumped very high, analyzes the international.
I am relatively lucky because I have a lot of athletic potential.
Of course, I had to work to perfect certain details: my races, my jumps, my timing ... This ability to climb very high is part of my natural assets, but I still had to make sure that I could handle it. serve effectively in the field. ”
This is more and more the case, especially with the quality of centers of Lucas Digne or James Rodriguez.
But beyond his athleticism, Calvert-Lewin has especially taken on a new dimension thanks to two men his trainer Carlo Ancelotti and the assistant of the Italian Duncan Ferguson.
It is the latter who, during his interim before the arrival of Ancelotti, installed the 1.87m striker in point, whereas previously he had difficulty in fixing himself in a precise role.
Ancelotti's trust
Ancelotti then only had to continue in the same direction.
“It was just a matter of momentum and confidence,” recalls Calvert-Lewin.
If you look at what happened, Carlo arrived and he got to work with Duncan.
Together they gave me that confidence from off the pitch, which maybe I needed.
I always believe things happen for a reason and I wouldn't change my course at all.
I'm happy with the way it went and I'm happy to be here now.
It made me the person and the player I am today. ”
Completely fulfilled, Calvert-Lewin has also opened up an international future with already two goals scored with the Three Lions, against Ireland (3-0) and Wales (3-0).
For now, he still serves as a luxury liner for Harry Kane.
But if he continues on the same path, starting with this Saturday against Leeds (6.30 p.m.), there is no doubt that he could still gain ground.
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