Howard Kendall: Goals still a problem for Blues hope of Europe
15 Nov 2013 10:57
Goals need to come from all parts of the team
It's been too long since Everton had a 20-goal a season striker, and despite the arrival of Romelu Lukaku this season, I’m afraid I still don’t think they have one.
That’s no criticism of the big Belgian, who has plenty of potential and has proved he knows where the back of the net is.
He got 17 goals for West Brom last term, so he can clearly get close to the 20 target that seems to separate the top sides, but I’m not convinced he’ll be the answer to all of Everton’s striking problems.
It seems like they will need to share the goal burden throughout the team, as suggested by consecutive goalless draws in the last two league games.
Defensively we’re solid and our new possession-based style has helped that prosper, but goals are my concern.
I often wonder whether our central defenders should be chipping in with more goals from set-pieces, particularly Sylvain Distin who is a real physical presence.
I’m not knocking Sylvain, he’s a terrific defender and week in week out he does a great job.
He’ll say that first and foremost he’s there to defend, and will worry more about clean sheets than how many he’s scored.
But in the past we’ve had the likes of Joleon Lescott, Derek Mountfield, and Mick Lyons contributing a steady flow of goals from the back and sometimes in tight games – like the draw at Crystal Palace – that can make all the difference.
Whether he scores or not I will defend Distin over the silly scenes after the game when he got some stick from a few Everton fans. It’s not that easy to go and beat sides which are fighting for their lives down there, but the fans assume we will. The fact that he answered back shows he cares.
Academy starlets have perfect double-act to learn from
As a manager I always liked to surround myself in the dug-out with winners.
I believed fostering a winning mentality and having ultra competitive people around a side is the best way to success.
That’s why I’m not surprised to see Everton’s impressive U18s currently top of the league after an eye-catching 5-0 rout of Wolves last weekend.
The players deserve credit for their attitude and ability, as do the scouts who work long and hard to bring them to Finch Farm when they’re just little kids, but for me the stars of the show are coaching double act Kevin Sheedy and Duncan Ferguson.
When I’m talking about winners, you don’t need to look beyond those two for perfect examples.
I know the youngsters needed a big of a rollicking on Saturday and they responded to that with five second half goals. They are lucky to be learning from and benefiting from the experience and drive of men like Sheeds and Fergie.
It’s not like when you’re at school as a teenager and your teacher tells you to do something. Here we have men who those young players have got to respect – players who have had big careers and done the business in big games. The young Blues are in safe hands
Nothing riding on enforced break
Now we have to put derby excitement on hold for another international break, which only really serves to give Roy Hodgson and the other national team coaches the chance to fine-tune their squads.
There will be certain managers at clubs who don’t want their players playing in two games in the space of five days. Hence there will be the usual raft of substitutions during the friendlies with Chile and Germany, and Hodgson really has nothing to lose.
With England already on the plane to Rio next summer, he can afford to relax a bit.
I can’t see the supporters being too bothered either. All we can hope for is a clean bill of health for all Everton players on duty.
