CARLO & DUNC’S DOMINANT ACE
ANDY GRAY has credited Carlo Ancelotti and Duncan Ferguson with turning Dominic CalvertLewin into one of Europe’s deadliest strikers.
The 23-year-old is in red-hot form this season, with eight goals in eight Premier League appearances.
Last term, he managed a career-best of 13 top-flight goals, but is already well on track to beat that.
And Gray says the experience of Ancelotti, 61, and his assistant – former Blues striker Ferguson – has been a game changer for the England international.
“It’s been a combination of their work,” he said.
“The one thing we know about Ferguson is that he could head a ball.
“Calvert-Lewin is a tremendous athlete with a great spring, but where Ferguson will have helped is with his timing, jumping under pressure from defenders and protecting himself in the area. He’s had potential for some time and has consistently been such a willing worker and runner.
“But, in previous seasons, he was almost doing too much when he didn’t need to.
“That’s not a criticism, it was just him working hard and wanting to do well.”
Prior to Ancelotti’s arrival last December, Calvert-Lewin had regularly been deployed in wide positions by previous managers.
But the Italian chief, who won league titles with Chelsea, AC Milan, PSG and Bayern Munich, opted to play him almost exclusively as a central striker.
Gray believes tactical tweaks, coupled with Ancelotti’s manmanagement, has been integral to Calvert-Lewin’s development.
“Ancelotti has definitely had a word with him and told him to play in the penalty area,” added Gray. “That’s why he’s got so many tap-ins this season.”
Watch Gray on beIN SPORTS, the global sports broadcaster