Dominic Calvert-Lewin has faced criticism after a disappointing display in Leeds United’s 1-0 FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea at Wembley Stadium.
He missed a big opportunity in the second half to bring his side level, and his goal return, along with his inconsistency in front of goal, have been questioned following the match.
Steven Gerrard slammed the striker for being a player who can only score goals in patches and pointed out this lack of consistency at the top level.
However, Calvert-Lewin has been a huge part of Leeds’ success this season and has more or less fixed his reputation following his spell at Everton, where the last couple of seasons were spent on the sidelines due to injuries.
Sean Dyche makes an honest Dominic Calvert-Lewin admission
The former Everton manager has conceded that when he was at Goodison Park, he and his staff tried everything to ensure that Calvert-Lewin’s body was in a good place to perform.
He did admit, though, that the striker never quite reached the level of fitness needed to really go all out when he was on the pitch.
Dyche feels a new environment at Leeds may have released some of the pressure on Calvert-Lewin, and he is playing with more freedom at Elland Road.
The former Everton boss also feels that the striker may have felt burdened at Goodison Park towards the end.
Dyche said on talkSPORT: “We tried, we did all sorts of things to protect him, and tried to release the pressure off him to allow his body time to recover.
“He was close, but we could never get him full-out freedom to go sprint and play; he has found that at Leeds.
“Maybe a different environment, different crowd and different voices – that can affect a player.
“That has given him, maybe not a new lease of life, but allowed him to broaden his shoulders and allowed him a bit more freedom.
“At Everton, it was sort of, ‘when is he back?’ for a few years, and maybe that was a burden to carry.”
Leeds need an upgrade on the striker
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has played a key role in pushing Leeds to the brink of Premier League survival, something they are expected to secure in the coming weeks.
That said, his form in recent months has highlighted that Leeds cannot rely on him as a consistent source of goals at this level over the long term.
If they do stay up, the club will need to bring in an upgrade on the former Everton striker, whether to partner him or take his place in the starting lineup next season.
Leeds cannot afford to stand still. They need a more clinical forward who can deliver goals regularly and make a bigger impact in key moments than Calvert-Lewin.
