Dyche inspires high-octane display to stun high-flying Arsenal

Fans just want full commitment and will always back whoever wears an Everton shirt.

I said on a thread last week that today wasn't so much about the result but how we played — and hell, did we play! I know we've been here before but that was great to watch.

As always, I was nervous for the last 15 minutes but we weren't exactly hanging on Alamo style like in the recent past. I was concerned when Dyche replaced Dom with Maupay. Was that a match fitness thing or to maintain the pace and press?

Dare I hope we can repeat that result next week? Now that would be something.

Onana was my MotM, closely followed by Doucouré.

And after today's result, we should be hopeful the lads have a good state of mind going into the game at Anfield. Bring it on.

After today though, we'll go into next week's game well-drilled and organised and just that bit fitter hopefully. Can't wait!

At last, Goodison is a fortress again with the team and fans as one.

Why did Calvert Lewin come off? We really need him.

Very good playing Doucouré behind the striker. That position suits him very well. Nice team selection from Dyche in my opinion. I just wish Mykolenko had just a bit more imagination going forward.

Onana MotM: he is our beast!

COYB!

On New Year's Eve, our players had demonstrated they were capable of playing that way in the draw at Manchester City. It remains a mystery to me why Lampard chose not to persist with it. I doubt the new man will change a winning formula.

There were strong performances around the team with every player applying himself to the task allotted to him. The closing down at the front of the team was more joined up than in recent games with Calvert-Lewin, Onana and Doucouré choosing the best moments to disrupt The Gunners' passing moves.

There were several candidates for Man of the Match. Calvert-Lewin was excellent for the hour he was on the pitch. Onana showed poise and physicality in abundance in midfield. McNeil, written off by so many, worked his socks off while delivering some excellent crosses and set-pieces.

Doucouré made a very welcome return to the fold. Mykolenko stuck to his brief commendably against a very dangerous opponent, Saka. Tarkowski stood strong in the middle of the defence before and after notching the winner.

I thought the most telling contribution came from Gana who was once more the heartbeat in central midfield, providing the shield in front of the defence, winning possession and using it quickly. He was helped enormously by the extra pair of legs in midfield and not having to cover the vast acreage expected of him under Lampard.

As others have commented, the secret today was requiring individuals to do things within their capability. As a team, they looked confident, assured, and once they went ahead, determined to hold the advantage. This was far cry from the limp, disorganised showings we have witnessed of late.

As for the manager, it was interesting to see him applauding every cross into the box. The fact there were crosses into the box was in itself very welcome after the hesitancy displayed over the last few months. He was also constantly waving his team backwards, forwards and sideways to maintain the compact shape needed to combat Arsenal's possession game.

While the 3 points were insufficient to lift us out of the Bottom 3, there was evidence today the squad has enough quality and the manager enough knowledge and experience at least to make us competitive in what will obviously still be a tough battle to avoid relegation. Previously we had looked destined to go down with a whimper. Next stop: Anfield.

Nicolas, I presume Calvert-Lewin came off because of a fitness issue... perhaps he's not yet 100%. It looked pre-planned to me -- Maupay was already off the bench and ready when the goal was scored.

UTFT

I have read Calvert-Lewin has a hamstring issue which presumably is being managed by restricting his minutes on the pitch and in training sessions.

Nicholas and Mike, paragraph 20:

"Dyche immediately withdrew Calvert-Lewin who had played despite a slight hamstring issue and threw on Neal Maupay and the Blues dug in for the final half hour."

Absolutely nothing; he might prove me wrong over time but I just can't see what he offers to the team.

He will be one of the improvers.He is a alternative style of play to Calvert Lewin and will benefit from the more direct/ get the ball forward approach of Dyche.Mau pay isn't a physical player so will benefit from such monentum.He also is prepared to defend deep and is effective at it when the game tightens up.

Mc Neill is also not a physical player, but benefits from this same momentum.On watching the match replay McNeill under Dyche is less light weight putting in his share of tackles.It is increasingly looking that quite a few players did not understand what was being asked of them under Frank.I always remember Paul Clements on the touchline flicking through a full 10 pocket folder giving a Sub instructions before he went on to play..I thought that it was blandly obvious that thosev instructions where not going in one ear, never mind going out the other..

Whilst Everton played well and won well, other Premier League Clubs will be analysing how they played to death, looking for ways to stop them playing and finding weaknesses to exploit.Dyche will need to have alternatives and different players for different games.I have been very impressed how Dyche set up the team against Arsenal and managed tactics during the game.He was really on the ball as far as instructing individual players and seems very aware of where they team are at and where to need to improve and adapt in the future.I expect now the players know that they are going to be provided with positions from which they can actually score they will become more clinical, knowing what they have to improve on.It really was a impressive performance from the Manager.The players are also aware that they have a Manager who knows what he is about.

It was lucky that Calvert Lewin only had a tightens in his hamstring.IMO problems with hamstrings are the result of a lack of resilience training, something that I have always thought Mina shied away from.Dyche will have his own input into that with Medical services.If he is as foresight as he appears to be, Medical Services maybe will have no alternative but to change and work with him.I can't see Dyche being overruled by a physiotherapist.

Dyche very much comes across as someone who knows what he is talking about and what he wants.Even in interviews his explanations are detailed and full of awareness.There is not a inkling of BS about him.

Good management by Dyche. Only thing that concerned me was putting Maupay on, rather than Simms. Maybe he did this as Maupay has that way of getting in the face of the opposition – which he did clearly in the dying minutes.

Well done, guys and fantastic Everton fans.

Dammit, it's the hope that kills me.

UTFT

Idrissa – 100% pass rate? ... I hadn't realised. Although my lad did say on the way out that he hadn't put a foot wrong all afternoon. What a difference a Gueye makes.

I suspect Doucoure was one of the players Frank Lampard was talking about after the Bournemouth cup game when he complained about players constantly knocking on his door, then not producing when they were given a chance.

He played like he had a point to prove. He was great. If these two can perform like that until the end of the season, we can start looking up instead of down.

Onana could be anything. He has been caught in possession more times than a one-legged thief this season, but he has just about everything in his locker. Power, pace and wonderful skills. His growling and gesturing to the crowd after chasing down a lost cause yesterday had them eating out of his hands. If we can keep a player with his talent and in this form for a few seasons, we can look forward to a future where going to the match will once again be a pleasure rather than a duty.

Calvert-Lewin looks a far better player when the ball is played directly up to him. A real handful. I think he will like playing for Dyche.

Iwobi's work was lung-bursting and impressive. Even McNeil came right out of his shell – where has that confidence been?

Without having to play to me, to you and with much better protection, I thought our centre-backs had their best game but it was our full-backs who pleased me most. Martinelli and Saka have wreaked havoc this season – neither got any change at all out of Seamus and Mykolenko.

I worry about Seamus, but he used every bit of his experience to keep Martinelli quiet yesterday and it was a joy to watch.

Dyche has pointed the way. The players now need to keep following his directions.

Who knows? A dozen or so games like this and we could all start getting a decent night's sleep.

It wasn't always pretty, but it was always beautiful!

I particularly liked how he seemed to appreciate the Arsenal result without being overly impressed by it. "Back to work on Monday and on to the next match" was the prevailing attitude.

He also comes across as a stern taskmaster – but always with a bit of a twinkle in his eye, which I imagine goes a long way in the dressing room.

We've been saying "cometh the hour, cometh the man" for years now (usually with our fingers crossed)... but maybe, just maybe the sentiment will prove prophetic for once.

Lyndon, I saw that paragraph but decided not to point out that it wasn't precisely correct. Maupay wasn't "thrown on" as a result of the goal. He was already up, stripped for action and taking a last swallow of water just behind Dyche when the goal went in.

The players worked tirelessly, especially in midfield, proving that the amount of effort from the team reaped just rewards, and a valuable win.

My only reservation is that, when Maupay came on, we didn't look the same side up front, but I couldn't fault his effort either. If Maupay concentrated more on his playing side and not being mischievous with opponents, he would be a better forward producing the goals that we will need to retain our Premier League status.

Well done and let's hope that there is more to come a week tomorrow.

Made up with every player and the crowd. Seamus, Onana, Doucouré, Dom were all sensational. Long way to go but great start.

Dyche went straight down the tunnel after the whistle. He soon mentioned that it was back to work on Monday (as did Tarkowski a minute or two later). No milking the crowd.

It is clear that this group of players responded to the clear instructions and the demands made on them. Now we need them to back this up with a similar attitude at Anfield. Every man Jack of them stepped up a level.

Seamus was just sensational. At one point he sprinted to the byline and pinged over a perfect cross turning the clock back about 7 years! And the set-pieces were better than Gray's.

It's great to stroll around on a Sunday morning whistling a tune, watching the tits on my nuts.

Let's get it right, yesterday was top class from our fans. They celebrated tackles and winning corners more than most fans do when they score.

3 points yesterday was greeted like we'd won the world cup. Clapped off at half time and full time, singing in the stands, singing in the streets.

If the players put the effort in, this fan base responds. It isn't the hardest fan base to please, at times it's the easiest.

It was only one game and we've got build on this remembering that a win is brilliant but a draw is mportant and think how the table would have looked with three draws versus Wolves, Southampton and West Ham with us three points better off and those three teams two points worse off. It's far from over yet.

We knew Arsenal would have the ball more than us and set up with that in mind. Next week I have no doubt we will do similar at Mordor, hopefully it will get us the same result.
Against City, again, we set up knowing they would control the ball and again got a great result.

My big concern, and has been for a couple of seasons, is how we play when we come up against teams especially at home where sitting back and counterattacking is not really acceptable
The upcoming games against Leeds and Villa will be interesting.
Can Dyche set this lot up to take the game to “lesser” teams? Fingers crossed

I'll get the negatives out of the way first on what was a great day out at was is my sacred home.

Bullied and abused on the way home by Arsenal fans and so called football supporters. I can take it as I have tough skin and can look after myself, but why not just accept you support different clubs and don't win every match? I had a great conversation in the taxi back to Lime Street with the driver. Kopite; we had a real genuine football conversation. I respect that.

Fortunately those idiots were removed from the train for snorting the white powder. Or unfortunately as it incurred a 45 minute delay at Stafford (I think) as the Police came on to physically remove them!, which then involved a debate I just wanted to get home as I was happy apart from the conversation I had with the dick who got told to calm down..

On Lyndon's report

Great write up. And Darren, great post. My thoughts in reflection.

The supporters were man of the match again. It was electric in the Gwladys Street.

Iwobi ran his socks off. I don't think we appreciate his effort and commitment enough. Always looking to create something.

I've been saying there is a player in McNeil; he just needs confidence and something to aim for. His delivery is really good and Calvert-Lewin should have had two. McNeil is still young. Give him time.

I suspect Dominic is going to come back on form once fully fit.

Onana was immense. I almost want him to calm down otherwise the Bank of Bill will come calling.

Tarkowski was awesome. I think he will thrive with Dyche in the chair.

Coady' kept us in the game. Great anticipation and instinct to clear that one off the line. Another breathless moment..

Seamus keeps defying gravity. He won't give in just like the supporters.

Pickford at half time was almost about to jump into the Gwladys Street!!

And last point, without sounding biased, that has to be one of the worse performances I've seen from an official that I can remember. It was like he was trying to be the 12th man in the Arsenal team to help them win.

Well you couldn't and you didn't.

A great start under the new manager. Let's keep it going.

And to the board. Shithouses. I don't care about the money, but that cost me a lot and I travelled roughly a 500 round trip to be there and be faced by Police and Stewards.

You couldn't be arsed. As an 80s boy, It's Graeme Sharp who disappoints me the most.

Well, I hope they have the balls to be at at Anfield. Because we will be.

Then I went on the echo page and found a must read story for every single Evertonian, which shows the honest values, and complete common sense, that Sean Dych, is going to bring to our club.

First I read that he's told Onana, that he's going to get Stefan Defour, to try and educate him about the premier league, and how he's going to get him fitter and sharper, and more adapt at doing the dirty things, and then I read what I think is a must read for us fans.

How a fractured leg started the long running feud between Dyche and Klopp. They've got their manager, (they have always wanted it both ways) and hopefully and finally, we might just have ours🤞

Very unassuning but worked hard and played a crucial role in breaking up play.He just gets on with his job.

https://twitter.com/everton/status/1621911157341552643?s=46&t=RwyZ-06lvtEjkj3sVGnNjw

Outside of some top performances, something that really struck a chord was the fact that the manager, Woan and Stone were like having an extra man on the pitch, like another captain on the sidelines.

He was barking instructions after 15-20 minutes from the sidelines to the all important midfield. Using his voice and sign language, “ line of five “ “ line of five “. Telling Iwobi “get back and stay there “ .

This is a huge asset for us, having this vision and direction from the touch line. It influences games in real time, corrects errors in individual's play and positioning, keeps the unit tight, organised and disciplined. It's only good if the players respond to it and they did. Under Frank this aspect was non existent.

Players like Iwobi, Onana and McNeill need this direction and vocal reminders at the right times , to keep their focus at 100% on their responsibilities throughout the 90 minutes.

The way the midfield was set up yesterday was I think the key to the performance. It has balance and effectiveness. Gana deeper with Doucoure and Onana either side is a good combination. Iwobi and McNeill in the wider berths of that midfield five was a great call.

Both players are not out and out wingers, more midfielders who like to attack. These players add to the compactness of the midfield closing down space, whilst still offering the right balance for some attacking sorties and getting crosses in.

All in all a magnificent start to Sean Dyche's reign. It was an encouraging first step on a very tricky path. If yesterday's performance is repeated, and I see no reason why not, we should fear no one. There's points for us in every match.

Onwards and upwards.

I'm going for a walk in about an hour, in beautiful Croxteth Hall Park. The sun is shining, the birds are singing and the R/S are whingeing. Magic :)

One wonders if this change of manager had taken place months ago as some of us were asking maybe just maybe we wouldn't be in a relegation fight.
Finally to Sean Dyche and his coaches a great start but as he said himself its only a start and we will have to see if he can get that level of performance from this squad every week not just every Preston guild. I also liked the fact that Dyche didnt look for applause from the fans after the game, and let the players soak up the applause as he knows the job has only just started and it will still take a massive turnaround for us to avoid relegation, but at least now we have a manager who knows how to set a team up to ATTACK as well as defend.

Away from Everton, Croxteth Hall Park is indeed beautiful. I also think Speke Hall is a hidden gem.

And Calderstones Park.

My favourite was always Camp Hill in Woolton.

Blessed as a city for those paces.

A bit worried about the dramatic drop in our threat up front once Calvert-Lewin was substituted. God forbid he is out for any length of time, who would come in in his place? For that reason, I wish Dyche had brought in Simms instead of Maupay. But can't gripe too much because the result was achieved yesterday.

My MOTM was McNeil - he worked his socks off and produced quite a few moments of magic including the telling corner. I feel slightly vindicated as I had been pitching that Everton buy him since a couple of years now. I strongly suspect that Garner and Davies will also come on well under Dyche's tutelage.

In a way, I am glad we did not bring in anyone during this transfer window. They key change required was clearly to replace Lampard who was hopelessly out of his depth as a manager, great guy though he is. And the board may just have stumbled onto their most sensible decision in years!

We live in a city with many beautiful places. Ther old coast path from Speke airport to Hale lighthouse then a pint in the Childe of Hale.

Unheard of for years, but I've even bought the Liverpool Echo today...walks out whistling merrily away!

https://youtu.be/IWR4SRo3hlw

The link above is to an analysis of Dyche tactics (assuming I got it right and its not the music I've been listening to).

You can actually see those tactics play out with yesterday's game - and with instantly improved individual performances across the pitch.

We've got the right man in charge. It won't all be plain sailing by any stretch but Dyche is the right appointment for us.

This is the same group of players who beat, convincingly, Crystal Palace only to lie down and die in the next half dozen games and leave us in the relegation zone. They are the same (core) players who've let down previous managers time and time again by their lack of mental and physical strength.

I'm all for celebrating a great win and performance but they'll have to start doing it on a regular basis to convince me they've truly changed.

I got married in Hale Church as the wife didn't want a Catholic wedding. The alternative would have been St Christopher's in Speke, were I was Christened. Being a West Midlands girl, I accepted her point.

My best friend was a bit of an artist and a picture framer. He drafted and framed a personal picture of Hale Church as a Wedding present that sits on my wall 30 years later..

And the Childe is a great pub!

I'm still running on adrenaline after yesterday!! I'll go out and watch the football later. I haven't even looked who is on. I don't care. I am still smiling.

The fighting spirit and organization we shown yesterday quickly got the fans onside. It created the true Goodison atmosphere which can be like an extra man and was the dream start we can build on in our desperate fight for premiership survival.

24 hours on, I have slept, smiled and agreed with Jerome and Robert that it's so good to have a manager who is capable of tactical awareness and is a like a conductor directing a performance.. never missing a trick.

I think this performance highlighted a few things, the main one is that the way we played was designed specifically to thwart Arsenal, but I think he is more than capable of changing formations, tactics and approach to suit. In short we won't be a one trick team, I think we will be much more flexible and harder to be as a result.

Bernie Quinn, l hope you got chance to watch that Bernie, it should have made you smile and punch the air!

True, it should've happened after Bournemouth. But strangely enough I think both the off field and on field debacles had to come to a head...which happened after boxing day and the subsequent defeats (and 1 draw)...or else there was a good chance that gaining - say 6pts from boxing day onward might've just acted as a heat shield for the Board and just kick the underling causes down the road.

Headlock-gate is discredited as fake news and thus Kenwrights personal house of cards is teetering. Moshiri seems to have marginalised him but he himself might be on borrowed time. Maybe this was the January from hell we needed to have.

But jeez did it all come together yesterday

The players played as a unit, a team which had good balance and everyone understood their role. Football really can be a simple game when coaches do not try to be too clever and over complicate things.

A couple of points;

Maupay did an excellent job when he came on. Yes we lost most of our attacking threat but he was winding up the Arsenal players at every opportunity and they were losing their composure. It was also helping to wind the clock down. Zinchenko should have seen red for his reaction to the foul from Maupay late on and had the ref or assistant or VAR being paying attention I think he would have walked.

Which brings me onto the second point; the reason Jordan Pickford hadn't kicked the ball when he was booked for time wasting was because the ref was in the process of lecturing a couple of players in the middle of the pitch. Did Jordan take advantage of that? Yes of course he did but the ref wasn't even paying attention and had Jordan kicked it I think he would have been ordered to retake it. Mind boggling incompetency.

Danny, sorry to hear of the Arsenal dicks on the train. I talked to a small group on my way back to the car and they were very gracious and accepted that the better team on the day won and may well have won by more. They were very complimentary towards our support too.

Thanks for the link to the analysis of how Dyche might set us up at Everton. Produced after his appointment but before the Arsenal game. And it's spot on. 18 minutes of pure gold of tactical analysis and everybody here should watch it.

Link

The deep corners to the back post were getting cleared by Saliba in the first half, so he had Doucoure and Onana stand between him and the runners at the back post after the break.

The result was a goal.

He also spent most of the match ordering our defence higher up the pitch.

He looks like a proper manager, but let's see. Benitez and Frank won their first games as well.

At least, we can go to Liverpool confident as we already have those precious 3 points in the bag.

I think we want Forest to draw with Leeds, as they are both likely to be relegation candidates. The same will go for any matches between our relegation rivals, unless one is cut so far adrift (unlikely) that it doesn't do us any harm if they beat one of the others.

It makes you wonder if, like Howe at Newcastle, he never had the players to play in a more balanced team performance. It may be his first game but I believe he has started by building confidence in the players he has.

It is early days yet with most probably a few bumps along the way, but 3 points yesterday even though it didn't move us up the table much, will make other teams more nervous about playing us.

It was a very welcome win that improved my weekend a lot better than the other rare wins with a performance that makes the future more promising. Congratulations to the manager his coaches and players.

Just been for a walk glad it's warmed up a bit: it's only -15, a bit better than -25 yesterday.

"It wasn't always pretty, but it was always beautiful!"

That could easily be on an Everton tee-shirt, it's just so very Everton that.

There's also one from a channel called "The Coaches' Voice" which is worth a watch. Dyche himself explaining his tactical approach.

Very early days of course. But encouraging.

Dyche did what I was wanting for a long time. He got the tactics right in the middle of the park with a four, five, one formation and restricted Arsenal's great passing game.

Everyone worked hard and obviously responded to the new gaffer's influence.

Talking of places I used to like in Liverpool, Otterspool Prom. There were some decent football pitches near there.

Counting today, Leeds play three games before we play again. After today, Leeds have got Man Utd home and away in the space of four days. Leeds could easily lose all three, but would have to be by an aggregate of at least six goals to drop below us, as they have scored ten more.

Forest winning today might well be the best result for us. Anyway, sod Forest, Leeds, West Ham and anybody else down there, because we will be soon out of sight of all of them!

The wife is from Dudley. Pesnett to be specific, so I'm very familiar with the area.

Delighted to have had that feeling, not just of sneaking a win, but of being the better team and deservedly winning against the top of the league.

Just like 'chequebook' always gives away a scouser.

Is it me or do Nottingham Forest have the smallest pitch in the league? Either that or both teams are playing with 12 men as it seems really congested.

........ or "chicken."

Jim(#38) & Danny(#44); And you could catch a cab from the Pegasus or Dove&Olive to get a late pint in the Childe of Hale pub as it has 11pm closing, or was it last orders.

Happy Days!

It should be quite simple for you to pick a man of the match, mate. Every single Everton player, coach, manager, and even those toxic fans, that you slaughtered the other day on ToffeeWeb, played their part yesterday.

A united Everton can be such a powerful force. 🙏

I haven't been in Hale Church, and I've got to have probably been there for hundreds of years. The whole village is. When I learnt about the Childe being the king's Champion, it brings that history right in your face.

The pub's not bad either!!!

A hundred players bought (may not be, but it feels like) and half a billion spent and Chelsea haven't bought one striker.
The Mancs have spent a fortune since Ferguson left and look worse every season.

So why all the demeanour of this great club by their own fans??

There were hockey pitches on the field between the railway and Odyssey when I lived there. The hockey goals were great for a game of 3 and in.

The Aigburth Arms changed its name to the Kingsman in the '70s. We used to go there most Friday nights and have a pint before going to the match. It used get a bit rough between the locals and students from Ocean Fleet (?) which was a merchant sailor training college at the bottom of Beechwood Road.

You should go to the Church Jim. It's on the way to a great walk to the shore and lighthouse.

And not far from the Childe for a pit stop!!

Back to yesterday, Onana was the stand out player, but as Tony says, every single one of them and us played their part.

It wasn't quite Palace but Goodison was absolutely bursting yesterday. Certainly from where I was stood.

Give us something to fight for and my god we will fight with them.

We silenced the away supporters, which can be unusual in the modern era. Following the fly away league leaders. Can you imagine if that was us?

Apologies, I don't think I've come down yet. Still feeling very emotional.

Riversdale Road was where the technical college was I went to, the chip shop was around the corner at the top end of Beechwood Road and that was where we used to walk down to Otterspool Prom. I think that was were it started from. From what I remember, there were a lot of nice houses down there.

It was a nice place to live. All my mates lived down Beechwood Road where there was small council estate. We used to spend a lot of time messing about on the railway embankment. The railway was only used for goods trains then and was generally very quiet. We would often walk along the tracks!

Incidentally, the railway bridge down Riversdale Road was brick whereas the others on that line down Beechwood, Mersey Road and Jericho Lane and the haunted bridge in Otterspool Park were all sandstone. Apparently, the Riversdale bridge was the only one hit by bombs in WWII hence the brick reconstruction.

The difference between Sean and Frank was simple. Sean knew when to change things during the game. Also,was the captain on pitch from the sidelines. Never let up on the players. Round one won. Round two coming up.

That would have been those from all over the world at Ocean Steamship's (aka Blue Funnel and Alfred Holt & Co) Midshipman's College and living quarters on part of the sports ground. Absolutely first class facilities and a lot of companies ran first class sporting grounds including the likes of Crawfords and Dunlops not to mention Working Men's clubs.

I suppose a lot has changed now when Thatcher and Blair made schools sell off sports grounds and some Council grounds were left to grow wild with a sign stuck in the ground saying that they had been left to go back to their natural state.

Of those ….

Pickford hit poor form after the 2018 World Cup under Silva before Ancelotti sorted him out in 2020/21. Arguably he kept Lampard in his job longer than was merited.

Coleman has been a model of dedication to the cause under every manager he has played for.

Doucouré has served under two previous managers; Ancelotti who rated him highly and Lampard who reportedly cast him aside for reasons other than playing performance.

Iwobi was one of Lampard's few success stories, arguably our best player over the last twelve months.

Calvert-Lewin became a full international under Ancelotti and scored three in three for Benitez before succumbing to injury.

Yes, it was a magnificent win for Everton against Arsenal in Sean Dyche´s first game as our manager. Goodison Park was really rocking. It seemed that after the dreadful transfer window, we had eleven new players on the pitch when the game started. Now you could see, after a while, real organisation, huge amount of desire and "never say die" fighting spirit in our team.

This morale-boosting win gave us much delight and belief. Still we shouldn´t be carried away. Dyche himself said that this was only the beginning. And as Brian Harrison #35 put it very well, we must wait and see if the tide has turned, which we all of course hope.

We can all agree that, if Everton can repeat this kind of performance in every game, or more realistically most of them, for the rest of the season we have a very good chance to stay up.

Thank you for talking common-sense with some honesty and humour. Thank you for re-introducing some fight, passion and visible effort into our performance. It's so pleasant to feel some pride again. It's draining being so constantly miserable.

We may yet live to fight another season where our club should be.

A pity though that it's so late for your early days. Another fault of those 'that cannot be named'.

The Sean Dyche effect: Everton feel immediate benefits in win over Arsenal as new manager makes his mark