A first emphatic goal was Cahill-like, but proved to be the first and last for an Everton forward who is now trying to find solace at a former club
With a sparkling Premier League career that spanned 226 games and returned 56 (mainly emphatic) goals – Tim Cahill is rightfully one of Everton’s most revered players.
It’s safe to say that since the Australian’s transfer in 2012 to Shanghai, there’s never been a player that’s left the same mark in such a dedicated spell as Cahill.
As many defences and corner flags fell foul to Cahill’s greatness, so did many of his successors.
Often flash-in-the-pan forwards that lit up Goodison for a season and then departed, there wasn’t really another player ready to fill the dedicated role that Evertonians longed for. There were some strikers that even failed to light it up at all. Sandro, Cenk Tosun, Neal Maupay, Salomon Rondon… they weren’t fit to lace the boxing maverick’s boots.
In August 2022, Everton signed Brighton’s Maupay on a three-year-deal for £15m. He was similar in stature to Cahill, could mix it at the best of times, and was reasonably prolific with 26 goals in 102 appearances for the Seagulls.
It was perhaps a case of ‘too good to be true’ when the Frenchman’s first goal for the club reflected the same sort of fan favourite tenacity and fire as Cahill.
Against West Ham, brilliant close control followed by a dastardly turn and shot combo into the bottom left was all too familiar. The icing on the cake? A bolt to the corner flag. Instead of the Aussie’s trademark punch combo, Maupay excitedly hoofed the flag.
The Athletic’s Greg O’Keeffe happened to write: “After showing a timely slice of quality to provide the winning finish, he gave one of the Gwladys Street End’s corner flags the type of assault they haven’t received since the days of another fiery fan favourite, Tim Cahill.”
Was he to be the heir to Cahill’s legacy? Well, no. Unfortunately, this display was one of few that offered up treasured parallels back to better times and Maupay steadily fell into a period of struggle similar to the very club around him.
In August 2023, his poor displays and difficulties were epitomised by a torrent of ugly online abuse he received from his own fans after failing to convert a number of chances in a 1-0 defeat to Fulham.
As struggles in front of goal persisted, that previously highlighted strike against West Ham proves to currently be the 5 foot 8 forward’s first and last goal for the Toffees in 27 league games.
After an excruciating dry patch, Sean Dyche lost patience. He opted to go forward with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Ellis Simms, and even Demarai Gray instead of the Frank Lampard signing. It says a lot, when two out of three of those names have since departed.
Fortunately, as all parties looked to the door, solace came with a former club. Four years after he left for Brighton, September 2023 saw Maupay return to Brentford on a season long loan.
Under a more progressive tactician in Thomas Frank, and potentially spurred on by old exploits (he scored 41 goals in 95 games), Maupay has joined a team where he has more time to play to his strength rather than find himself overlooked in industrial play.
With just one game back at Brentford, it’s hard to suggest how good the striker right now. However, through looking at how Frank sets up and Maupay’s FBref numbers – we can get a rough idea as to how he could perform.
London Football Writer Jack Brace provided key insight:
“Brenford tend to press high early in games given a more energetic front line without Toney. But they drop deep and counter once they’ve gone ahead. This has proved detrimental as 6/8 games this season have been lost from winning positions.
“With a lack of presence up top, they’re more conservative in possession, making shorter passes, and playing to forwards’ feet. Although there is a lack of aerial presence, Maupay could compliment Wissa, Lewis-Potter, and Mbeumo well.”
FBref shows that Maupay could play an intriguing role for Franks’ grounded, often-reactive pressing side Bees. He is in the top 12% percentile for both blocks and interceptions (0.38 and 1.06 per 90). Although his pass completion of 73.7% could be better – he could be a sleeping giant in an offensive regard if he gets confidence back.
He takes 3.08 shots per game (top 25% percentile) and has an interesting non-penalty xG of 0.48 per 90. This places him in the top 22% bracket of comparable forwards. As Brentford tick over with Toney and now Schade sidelined, a confident Maupay would be a highly welcomed prospect. It’s just a shame he never lived up to that Cahill-like robustness on Merseyside
