BBC pundit is right – Allardyce must build team around 'natural' fringe star or face Everton axe
COMMENT
Sam Allardyce must backtrack on his previous comments about striker Cenk Tosun and build a team around him in the summer.
After signing for £27million from Besiktas in January, Tosun struggled to make his mark at Goodison, and Allardyce said that he needed time to adjust to the Premier League.
He was dropped from the Everton side and only played 45 minutes in four games, that must have left the striker what had happened to his career.
However, he seems to have turned a corner and looked excellent as he scored a brace on Saturday.
BBC pundit Garth Crooks said in his Team of the Week column that he hadn't been convinced by Tosun to start with.
However, he has now scored four goals in his last three Premier League games, and Crooks was impressed with what he saw on Saturday.
"His two goals against Stoke, in appalling conditions, smacked of a natural striker's instincts," Crooks said.
"Allardyce now suggests 40 points allows Everton the luxury of building for next season. I suggest those building blocks centre on Tosun scoring 20 goals otherwise both manager and striker could end up on Everton's cutting-room floor."
It's a fairly harsh assessment from Crooks but a correct one.
Everton have needed a 20-goal-a-season striker since Romelu Lukaku left and it's essential if they want to kick on and start challenging for Europe.
If Big Sam gets to stay at Everton next season he'll be looking to rebuild in the summer and he should focus his attentions on getting in the players that can get the best from his £27million man.
Tosun has scored goals wherever he's been. Okay, that might not have been at the same level as the Premier League, but he's proving that he can deliver on the biggest stage.
And if he carries on scoring for the rest of the season, he'll have staked a big claim to be Everton's main man next season.