'I have felt sympathy for Calvert-Lewin'

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成人快手 Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions.

Barry asked: A question for you on Dominic Calvert-Lewin's lack of goals. Many pundits express sympathy for him and emphasise the style of football under Sean Dyche as a contributing factor in his poor return. Dean Ashton has now suggested he is "technically not good enough", while many Evertonians point to his contract situation and injury record and question whether he is holding himself back in order to avoid another injury in the running down of his contract.

Which opinion do you subscribe to, and do you think a club battling relegation can afford to carry a player who is seemingly not committed to the cause by running down their contract?

Phil answered: I think it is a combination of all of those things - although I would be very wary of suggesting any player is "holding himself back" to avoid injury.

I think Calvert-Lewin's attitude has always been good. I think he is a striker, usually on his own, playing in a team that creates few chances and does not score many goals.

Having watched Everton this season, there have been times when I have felt sympathy for him because of a lack of service, while he is often being heavily outnumbered.

I do think there is some merit in the argument that he is not a clinical finisher. He never looks fully confident in one-on-one situations - the sort natural strikers normally lap up.

Only Carlo Ancelotti seemed to be able to solve that one.

So my view is that he is suffering from playing in a team that lacks creation, but is now very short on confidence and surrounded by noise about his future.

He has certainly shown no inclination to sign a new deal at Everton, so maybe his time at the club is simply coming to a natural close.