Everton 1 - 1 Fulham

Goodison Park was accused of being a library by Fulham fans early on in this match but for much of the second half it growled and moaned in exasperation at another ugly Everton performance. Had Beto not popped up with a face-saving, stoppage-time equaliser, Sean Dyche’s team would almost certainly have been booed off the field for the third time this season. So much for the Grand Old Lady’s long farewell…

The negative impact on the players was a topic of discussion for the television commentary team and Dyche, no doubt, logged it in the memory banks for recall the next time he can say he and his side ”have been questioned”, but those expressions of frustration were symbolic of where this club is as the Farhad Moshiri years wind down.

Evertonians are simply sick of losing (or, at least, not winning), tired of being served up such ineffective, one-dimensional football that is utterly at odds with the Blues’ finest traditions, and are chafing at the limiting tactics of a manager currently failing his audition for the job of taking this famous old club into a (hopefully) brighter future at its brand new stadium next year.

There was a twisted irony, but one almost perfect for the Moshiri era, of Everton being comprehensively out-played, out-thought and out-manoeuvred on their own park by a team overseen by a manager they unceremoniously sacked five years ago… not to mention losing to a goal scored by a player they’d had to sell to remain compliant with Premier League spending rules.

This was an excruciating watch from the home fans’ perspective for all bar a few minutes here and there when Everton managed to rise above their torpor and show something closer to the level that many believe they could achieve under better stewardship.

The Blues could have been ahead just past the hour mark had Idrissa Gueye’s terrific shot dropped an inch lower and bounced in off the underside of the bar rather than cannoning back out or Dominic Calvert-Lewin not strayed offside for the umpteenth time this season before rapping the loose ball home.

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And they showed some of the incisiveness in transition on which Dyche relies shortly before half-time and fashioning a move that ended with a pin-point Mykolenko delivery from the left but Dwight McNeil planting a firm header straight into Bernd Leno’s arms.

But Everton probably should have been a goal down by that stage, however, to a vibrant Fulham side who dominated the midfield throughout and exhibited the kind of tempo, movement and quickness of passing that, no doubt, had the watching Blues fans wondering what might have been had Marco Silva’s raw managerial tenure at Goodison not fallen apart in the manner it did in the autumn of 2019.

Raul Jimenez had tested Jordan Pickford early on after being allowed all the time he needed by the disappointing James Tarkowski to control the ball in the box and fire off a snapshot, the England keeper was forced to beat away a powerful effort from Adama Traoré following Vitalii Mykolenko’s horrendous giveaway on the edge of his own box, and Emile Smith Rowe should have hit the target with a volley off Jimenez’s inviting header back across goal.

And in a foreshadowing of the Cottagers’ goal, Jimenez was able to turn inside all too easily and shoot while Kenny Tete was allowed to run almost the length of the pitch before lashing over the crossbar before Issa Diop headed an Andreas Pereira cross over and Alex Iwobi despatched a volley into a similar spot at the end of the first half.

If the home faithful, many of them still miffed by the fact that the club’s best defensive player, Jarrad Branthwaite had only been named as a substitute in the name of loyalty to Michael Keane, had hoped for a more inspiring second-half display on the back of some words of encouragement in the dressing room, they were badly let down.

Everton lapsed into mind-numbing Dyche-ball, the ball routinely lumped forward by Pickford in the few minutes after the restart and Fulham, who had wisely doubled up on Iliman Ndiaye and tasked Diop and Calvin Bassey with picking up the second balls on the occasions they lost aerial battles with Calvert-Lewin, looked comfortable dealing with such predictable tactics.

And it was no surprise that the Cottagers carved out the first chance of the second period when Pereira screwed a shot across goal and then went ahead with an hour on the clock with a goal that was, frankly, embarrassing from the home side’s point of view.

Smith Rowe collected the ball just inside his own half and was given the freedom of Everton’s as he easily waltzed around McNeil, who was having a shocking game, evaded Ashley Young as the veteran waved a leg in front of him and then fed Iwobi 25 yards out.

The ex-Toffee still had plenty to do but with both James Tarkowski and Michael Keane backing off, he was ushered into the box to pick his spot with a strike inside Pickford’s right-hand post.

If anything, Fulham should have killed their hosts off and Silva was left to lament the fact that they didn’t. Antonee Robinson’s low cross had to be parried by Pickford, Iwobi’s volleyed pass across the face of goal shortly found no takers to tap in and Jimenez smashed one narrowly over with 12 minutes left while Everton didn’t have a shot in anger until substitute Jesper Lindstrom saw a deflected effort saved low by Leno.

Rather than doing anything to change his team’s approach, Dyche had gone like-for-like with his changes, with Beto replacing Calvert-Lewin and Orel Mangala coming on for Abdoulaye Doucouré, but it wasn’t until McNeil was forced off with a knee injury that desperation took hold, Branthwaite was introduced and Keane was pushed up front.

Mangala’s presence immediately upgraded Everton’s ability to move the ball through midfield and Beto had forced a corner with a blocked shot and prompted Leno to make a save with a header within minutes of coming on before his moment arrived four minutes into time added on at the end.

Everton had piled men forward trying to force home a late leveller, Ndiaye’s deep cross fell to Young in space off the back post and with a wonderfully cushioned, volleyed cross he found Beto unmarked to head past Leno.

The emotion that spilled out of the Portuguese was unmistakable and he would leave the field in tears that reflected his personal challenges trying to get minutes in a struggling team this season and having seized his rare opportunity.

For Everton’s fans, it was just relief and a tangible sense that their team and manager had undeservedly got out of jail; a run of games unbeaten somehow stretched to five and a chance to regroup ahead of back-to-back away games at Southampton and West Ham before the final International break of the year.

Dyche can rightly reflect on the resilience of his players and their refusal to give up but with a points tally of 48 last season when the points deductions are removed from the equation, the expectation this season, with only Amadou Onana departing from the group of regular starters over the summer, was that if the team couldn’t improve on what was, effectively a 12th-place finish, the Blues might at least tread water in mid-table comfort.

At the same time, the recent uptick in form and results has raised expectation levels for how Everton should approach teams at home, but they’re expectations that have collided head-on with the limitations of Dyche as a coach, a tactician and a strategist. The result was another forgettable display after the goalless draw with Newcastle (another fortunate draw that was depressingly short on entertainment and goalscoring chances for the home side).

Two games on the road, away from the demands of Goodison and where Everton are better suited with the way they play under Dyche, offer opportunities to extend this unbeaten run and, hopefully, push the club further away from the dogfight at the bottom.

In the meantime, a penny for the thoughts of The Friedkin Group as they survey from a distance what they will be acquiring and be required to rebuild should, as is anticipated, their takeover be ratified before the end of the year. The sights and sounds of a restless Goodison yearning for any sign of tangible forward progress will provide plenty of food for thought as they plan the structure of the coaching set-up in the months to come.

Reader Comments (37)

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Derek Knox
1 Posted 27/10/2024 at 18:46:47
Good report, Lyndon, which raises both questions about the manager and most of the playing staff. They both seem to be guilty of producing Jekyll and Hyde performances. There is no consistency, or even evidence of any game plan!

If the Friedkin takeover happens soon, will he stick with Dyche? Or will it depend on how we fare up to that point, and where we are in the Table position-wise? January windows are rarely big spending sprees and few bargains are ever unearthed.

I am always ambivalent with Dyche; on the one hand, he inherited a basket case, so I feel sorry for him there. He then produces or oversees a couple of unexpected results, so the plaudits are rightly directed at him.

He then reverts to absolute dire team selections and tactics and folds easily to opposition when you would think we were capable of achieving a result!

If a new broom is ordered by Dan Friedkin, who does he go for? A good coach or manager, if he is unused to the Premier League, is a risk from the outset. If experienced at Premier League level, why is he available?

Just like everyone else, I want the best for Everton after 30 years of below mediocrity!

Ian Wilkins
3 Posted 27/10/2024 at 18:47:23
I can't argue with any of that, Lyndon.

I can accept that set-up away from home, sitting deep, counter-attacking, happy to take a point. At home, against mid-table sides, no, it's not acceptable.

Dyche will argue he is playing to the team's strengths and recognising its limitations. We do have some technically limited players (I don't have to name them).

We are better than what we saw yesterday and how the manager is setting the team up. We are set up to fail. Continuously on the back foot, conceding possession, and sitting back waiting for the inevitable.

We have a few games where we must pick up points before a horrible run of games follows…. It's hard watching Everton at the moment.

Peter Mills
5 Posted 27/10/2024 at 18:48:03
I think there is only a small chance of a different manager getting more from this group of players.

But it's quite possible a different manager could get a good deal less from them. We've seen a few ineffective managers over the past few seasons, with their various philosophies.

Fulham were the better team by a mile yesterday, but Silva was very poor for us. Even yesterday, his team couldn't hang on to a lead with 2 minutes to go.

I am not enjoying going to Goodison very much, haven't done for a while with a few notable exceptions. At the age of 68, I'm running out of time to see us build a great team again. But I think our best chance of doing so is by building on moving to the new stadium, in the Premier League.

And I think our best chance of doing that is by sticking rather than twisting, at least until the end of the season.

Tony Abrahams
6 Posted 27/10/2024 at 19:20:30
A very good report Lyndon, with an equally thought-provoking reply by Peter M, especially when he admits that he doesn't really enjoy going to Goodison, and hasn't for a while.

I love being inside the stadium, watching live football, but it wouldn't bother me if I never went to Goodison until the last game of the season if that is all that is going to be on offer, if I'm being honest.

Bill Fairfield
7 Posted 27/10/2024 at 19:33:09
When you think back to all the great football you’ve seen down the years at Goodison, it deserves a better send off than what’s being dished up at the moment. Sad really.
Dave Lynch
8 Posted 27/10/2024 at 19:47:36
Tony@6...summed up my thoughts superbly in that last paragraph.

There is just no entertainment value in watching us, walking back to the car I was thinking that going the game has become habitual rather than necessary.
I go match fishing as a hobby and the thought of sitting on the bank with my mates having a laugh is much more appealing.

Paul Birmingham
9 Posted 27/10/2024 at 19:56:08
It's the hope that kills us, but realistically, blind hope is better than no hope.

Hopefully when the TFG, take over completes, there will be the start of a ositive transformation on all matters Everton.

It won't happen over night but gives hope for us all.

Yesterday Everton got very lucky. But a point is point, which we are grateful for.

Next week, they will have to compete and use the ball better for the full 97 minutes, at Soton.

UTFTs!

Martin Mason
10 Posted 27/10/2024 at 20:09:09
Sorry but this is unnecessarily negative and defeatist, exactly what we don't need now. Pull yourselves together guys, it wasn't that bad.
Brian Williams
11 Posted 27/10/2024 at 20:17:28
Martin you better get used to it mate because this is mainly how it is on here nowadays.
Steve Hogan
12 Posted 27/10/2024 at 20:50:14
I watched Brentford on MOTD on Saturday night. In truth, they were lucky to beat a brave Ipswich side.

However, I watched a Brentford team seemingly bereft of any real 'star' names playing exciting, fast, free flowing football. Frank's and Dyche, similar ages, but miles apart in how they see the game being played.

I hate the expression, 'be careful what you wish for'.

Billy Bradshaw
13 Posted 27/10/2024 at 20:58:05
Martin @ 10, are you trying to get yourself on Saun Dyche's Christmas card list?
Neil Tyrrell
14 Posted 27/10/2024 at 21:04:08
3rd paragraph, Evertonians are sick of losing? Erm, we're unbeaten in the last 5. The only other teams in the division who can say the same are all in the top 4. No matter where you are in the table, getting something from matches where you don't play very well is HUGE. And we accomplished that yesterday.

TW in July: Let's just finish comfortably mid-table (which we will) and be patient for better days ahead with new stadium, owners, players etc. Rome wasn't built in a day and all that.

TW in October: This is shite, Everton are shite, the manager is shite, we should be challenging for Europe.

None of this is to say I'm enjoying our football most of the time, I'm not. And I won't be spending thousands to get to Goodison one last time to watch us play this way. But I'm realistic about where we are and sticking with the July outlook. Without the Bournemouth collapse, we'd be just about exactly where I expected us to finish, and still do.

Mark Murphy
15 Posted 27/10/2024 at 21:08:36
Martin - you know me. I’m as positive and realistic as they come.
I was excited to be there yesterday but the atmosphere was killed by the approach to the game.
The first 25 minutes sucked the life out of me.
I hope for much better next weekend.
UTFT
Russell Smith
16 Posted 27/10/2024 at 21:27:05
We played brilliantly for 80 minutes against Bournemouth but came away with nothing, we were desperate for 80 minutes yesterday but salvaged a point. If Dyche and the players could just mesh the two performances together we might pick up points whilst being entertained.
Hopefully Mangala and Lindstrom will replace Doucouré and Harrison against Southampton and we can get another away win.
Christine Foster
17 Posted 27/10/2024 at 22:23:32
Lyndon, I think you perfectly summed up how I feel watching Dyche's Everton. as you say, if this was an interview for the role at BMD, he wouldn't even get consideration.

I refuse to believe that another manager would not get a better return from the players we have. Even David Moyes is a better manager than Dyche, and it pains me to even say that.

Dyche has done the job he was brought in for and I certainly thank him for that, but now he is fashioning a team around his beliefs, and I am dead set against that, the tactics are dire, the set up, team selection and tactics are akin to a team playing in league one.

We are NOT fodder for the rest of the league, I despise the lack of competitiveness by surrendering, at home, to Fulham no less (or anyone for that matter) 60% plus possession. To watch in utter disbelief the single most damming pass of the whole game, straight from the kick off, McNeil kicking the ball back to his keeper. It is the one moment that encapsulated and condemned Dyche, his style, tactics and approach. The sooner he is gone the better.

Martin, welcome back. Was that negative enough for you? Because right now I would take Duncan Ferguson back as head coach, or David Moyes, or Unsworth, or the the tea lady.. it was unpleasant to watch, not because it was necessary, but because it wasn't.

PS. I think I just got off the fence...

Brendan McLaughlin
18 Posted 27/10/2024 at 22:37:40
Steve #12

"I hate the expression, 'be careful what you wish for'."

Christine #17

"Because right now I would take Duncan Ferguson back as head coach, or David Moyes, or Unsworth, or the the tea lady.. "


Lyndon Lloyd
19 Posted 27/10/2024 at 22:37:41
Neil (14), barring an injury crisis, I fully expect us to finish mid-table; I predicted us to finish 11th after all, based on the quality of the squad and Dyche's ability to make us hard to beat (which he is starting to do again — and you're right, though I meant it in the context of when we were behind in the match, maybe that line should read "sick of not winning").

In the meantime, I just want to watch our best team get fielded each week and a modicum of entertainment. Yesterday did not come close to the latter, hence the tone of the report.

Christine Foster
20 Posted 27/10/2024 at 22:50:38
Lyndon, I think I am correct in saying that we have not had a single game this season where we have had more possesion than the opposition, in fact I think against the mighty Southampton in the Carabo cup at home, they had 74% possession at Goodison. In every other game we have had less than 40%.. home or away.
Hence my utter frustration. I get why he was chosen, but at some point we have to get better, not worse...
Its not a question of if, but only of when..
Brendan McLaughlin
21 Posted 27/10/2024 at 22:56:24
I remember the "too many manager's line" being trotted out by some big TW hitters back in the day...just Sean's fault now apparently.
Lyndon Lloyd
22 Posted 27/10/2024 at 23:04:17
Christine, I have an article bouncing around my head about possession because I don't think it's a straightforward one. You don't necessarily need to have more possession than your opponents on a consistent basis to win matches (though I would argue once you're in the low 30s percentage-wise, you're tipping the probability of winning too far away from yourself). It depends on how you set the team up.
Frank Wolfe
23 Posted 27/10/2024 at 23:05:35
I think Neil (14) is spot on.
We need to be realistic about the squad we have and the type of football we play. Dyche and the club's no 1 priority is keeping us in the PL especially with BMD next season and new owners on the horizon. The reality is that we have an OK squad but we are not a possession based team. Especially at home, we cannot break teams down and they will hit us on the break. So, Dyche has to base his tactics around that. Works well away from home (especially with our away support) but can be frustrating at home. At the end of the day, we all want entertaining football but teams, clubs and managers live and die by results. Personally I think Dyche is doing a good job and is ideally suited to the job at hand. It would be absolute madness to change managers, this season at least.
Christine Foster
24 Posted 27/10/2024 at 23:06:05
Behave Brendan, the Moshiri / Kenwright management roundabout left us with high cost pay offs, having to sell players to meet PSR and a multitude of misfits.
Half have gone, Dyche has fashioned a team in his own way to get what he believes is best for the club. That we have stayed up is in short no doubt down to him. But it was a means to an end.. at some point he has to build a better tactical solution or move out of the way because at the moment the quality is so sodding negative it reminds me of Sunday league stuff. The players we have are better than that, but I am not sure the manager is.
But its all noise isn't it?
Ernie Baywood
25 Posted 27/10/2024 at 23:44:38
Frank, I think we need to be realistic that there are a range of styles that fall between entertaining, possession based football and directionless dross.

We don't need either extreme. We're not good enough for one and we're certainly better than the other.

I feel like I've found dog shit in my McDonald's and then when I complain I get told "well you can't expect a Michelin hat meal from McDonald's". I don't believe I'm being unreasonable to expect better than this.

The first priority of every club is to stay in the division. For some clubs that will also be the full extent of their current ambition. It shouldn't be for us. We're not Ipswich.

Derek Knox
26 Posted 27/10/2024 at 00:05:31
Ernie, which McDonalds do you frequent ? :-)

I appreciate it is not haute cuisine fare, just one of the plethora of fast food outlets out there. Don't go to them myself but many, say it is crap food anyway !

David Cooper
27 Posted 27/10/2024 at 00:15:42
The debate about the effectiveness of possession football will go on forever and will always be based upon the talent available. Stating the obvious you have to have the ball to score. But it’s where on the pitch you have it and how you can pass into space that a teammate can run onto. City have been one of the best proponents of this for a very long time. Sergio Aguerro and now Haaland both have or had an innate ability to find that space inside the penalty area. Plus they both have or had outstanding intelligent like Bernardo Silva who could find them when apparently there was no space to be found.

I do question the value of possession from the back. Today Spurs did this to the extreme and lost 1-0 but on another day Eze could have really punish them. It seems incredibly risky to do what Spurs do from a goal kick when opponents mark the defenders man fo man. For every two times you play through the press you must create panic when it goes wrong. But Postogoglou is convinced this is the best way for Spurs to play. They went out and bought Solanke who was very successful at Bournemouth on receiving balls from the defence and bringing others into play. But they don’t seem to be playing to his strengths.
If you don’t play out from the back what options do you have? Well the Dyche method is to boot the ball towards DCL and see what he can do with it. Recently not much. It reminds me of how rugby was or is played. Gaining ground but losing possession at the throw in has better odds than trying to run or pass it through the middle of the field. Unless you have quality of runners and passes to cut through the defensive line.

Dyche is no tactical fool no matter how annoying it was yesterday when DCL seemed to lose every ball up against Diop and and co. But when Beto was joined by Keane suddenly we looked a different team. When Dyche managed Burnley he always played with a big striker such as Wood but he was closely, joined by others who picked up the pieces around him. Why then doesn’t Dyche try this with us? This may sound stupid but if football was 12 aside he would play two upfront but it isn’t so who sacrifice to put two up from the start? He always wants to play two out and out defensive midfielders. His recent twist with the addition of Ndiaye is playing McNeil in the number 10 spot and push Doucoure back into central midfield. Duke may not be blessed with outstanding ball skills but he can get up and down better than anyone else plus he is a good stopper in front of the back four.
So playing it long from Pickford who until recently was quite accurate is option number 2. What then is option number 3? I would say gaining possession around half way line without playing it out from the back. If you had two outstanding wing or full backs who could get possession in a safe way maybe from a quick throw from the goalkeeper but that seems to have gone out of the game. Plus Pickford is not the greatest thrower and he just loves to boot it!
So in my humble opinion it depends on the quality of player you have and their strengths mean you don’t have to piss around at the back or play rugby!

Mike Gaynes
28 Posted 28/10/2024 at 00:40:42
Christine, the point at which Dyche must "build a better tactical solution" is the point at which we have enough skillful players to execute it. We are nowhere near that point yet.

Personally, I believe you can't lose the ball in a bad spot if you don't have it in the first place. Less possession!

Christine Foster
30 Posted 28/10/2024 at 01:38:58
Mike, I think we do have players who can and would play better against some teams much better than we are. Its a combination of tactics and players. Horses for courses. In selective games we could look at the opposition and decide we are better than them, they have certain weaknesses we could exploit etc etc.. and set up a team to win, rather than set up a team not to lose.

We are as good as more than half the teams in the league, yet "Parking the bus" wins you little or nothing. Giving up to 74% of possession against the team at the bottom of the league (Southampton) was a case in point. As the old adage goes, they can't score from their penalty box. We only have to make one mistake in our half / box and we are a goal down..every time..

I do not expect to play open football against the top teams but we aren't doing it against the bottom teams either.

What I see Mike, is Dyche building a team in his own image and I don't like it. It condemns us to the lower half of the league.

Ernie Baywood
31 Posted 28/10/2024 at 01:49:35
David #27. I've argued for a while that we aren't playing long ball under Dyche. Long ball involves committing players forward to pick up the pieces off the target man. We don't do that - we flood the middle of the pitch for when the ball inevitably comes back.

I even remember Allardyce's Blackburn beating us. Their plan was to all sit back while we had possession in front of a crowded penalty area and then when they won a free kick anywhere they sent half the team forward and gambled on scrapping something. It was horrible, but it was a plan.

Saturday (and beyond) was just a case of wellying it because we had no idea what else to do. You could see the frustration in Pickford as the ball kept coming back to him (I'd prefer he hid that a bit to be honest).

I'm definitely not suggesting we should invite teams forward by moving the ball around in defence. We don't have those players. Very few teams do.

I'll happily see some ugly football. Long ball with a second forward (not Doucoure) picking up the pieces will do me just fine - it's at least a plan. Mind you, I still believe our side is more suited to a more balanced approach.

Mike Gaynes
32 Posted 28/10/2024 at 02:32:48
Christine, the other team having more possession is definitely not the same thing as "parking the bus". You keep throwing around that 74% Southampton possession number, but it's meaningless out of context. In that game we had more shots, more shots on goal and more corners by a lopsided 9-4.

And we'll just have to differ on whether we are "as good as more than half the teams in the league." I believe our overall talent level is maybe 15th, our team speed ranks maybe 18th, and our ability to score goals is dead last except for Saints -- nobody in the EPL creates fewer chances, even Wolves are more dangerous. We have two players who could start for most other teams, our keeper and our 22-year-old centerback. We have only one player with true pace, Jarrad, and only two who can shoot the ball in McNeil and Ndiaye. (Okay, Keane makes three.)

So I have exactly the opposite view of Dyche. I think that for two years now his organizational skills have enabled us to regularly OUTperform, not UNDERperform, our squad talent. And I think we'll get out of the bottom half of the league when our talent is worthy of it. Not from Dyche having us play more positively than our talent will tolerate.

Kieran Kinsella
33 Posted 28/10/2024 at 03:13:48
Interesting debate here between Mike and Christine — two sensible posters. But I view it as heart versus mind. It’s all well and good believing we can do better but the evidence suggests otherwise. I don’t enjoy watching “Dycheball” but I’ve seen enough football to realize it’s an effective strategy to get the most out of a poor squad. We have a poor squad in terms of both quality and quantity. Therefore I have ti back up my boy Gaynes in this debate
Christine Foster
34 Posted 28/10/2024 at 03:13:49
Mike, then we will agree to differ. Domanic Calvert Lewin feeds on scraps from the wings, Harrison cannot cross to save his life, he is in the team because of his workrate. McNeil is better in the centre than out on the wing, but even that is relative..We have a fullbacks who either can't overlap or won't (Myko tries but Digne he isn't)
So yes, I agree with you we are short on quality.. but are we getting the best out of what we have got?
Take the last game, he played Branthwaite and moved Keane up front when the smart play was to partner DCL with Beto (Keane was only moved up front because he didn't want to take off Keane in my opinion)
My "Park the Bus" comment is exactly what it says, we let the opposition have the ball in 2/3rd of the pitch and have usually 10 players behind the ball in the final third, I think thats a pretty apt description. We lose possesion /give the ball away, don't win, second balls, up to the final third. Our delivery into the box is shocking, our lack of creativity in the middle of the park is numbing.

Possession isn't everything, some games you have more than others, but thats NOT Everton. We set up and play with the intention of being defensive, not losing rather than trying to win.

I do not agree with your analysis of our position, I believe we could and should easily be mid table and certainly should be at the end of the season.
Mike my issue is I don't see progress, I see regression. Worst still many think thats still ok as long as we survive.

Mike, I am frustrated, fed up with the whole thing.. its not as if Dyche doesn't have form, you should go back and see the Burnley fans views..identical to all we have said.. right down to the "Noise" quotes..

Any other manager in our history, any other manager, would have been sacked if they played this way.. if it wasn't for Moshiri being AWOL, so would he.

Steve Brown
35 Posted 28/10/2024 at 05:03:29
The argument that Dyche is out-performing squad talent is last season’s narrative.

We exited one player who challenged for a first team spot - Onana - and added six players who are in contention to start when fit - Broja, Ndiaye, Tim Iro, Mangala, Lindstrom, O’Brien. The summer signings represent a significant improvement in squad quality.

The argument now seems to be pivoting to 1) the players we signed were poor - ignoring their quality overall in the last 3 years 2) they are speculative signings - not the case with Broja, Ndiaye, Tim Iro and Lindstrom who have been long-term club targets 3) Net spend dictates success - someone should tell Man Utd and Brighton.

Possession isn’t everything. It becomes everything when the team constantly squanders the low possession it enjoys. More broadly, it is unacceptable for Everton to only enjoy 26% possession against Soton (1 draw and 8 defeats in 9 league games this season). Everton and Southampton each had 4 shots on target that game. The difference? We were the home team playing against a side who have scored 6 league goals all season.

I was (I am) a supporter of Sean Dyche, but these excuses need to end now. He needs to get improved performances from the better squad at his disposal.

Bob Parrington
36 Posted 28/10/2024 at 05:03:34
I've watched most of the EPL games on Optus Sports from this weekend and the one thing that peed me off more than anything was nothing Everton v Fulham. The penalty that was give to West Ham, IMO, was a travesty of justice through VAR. Watching the incident time and time again, it appears the West Ham player touches the ball with each arm and it should have been a Man Utd free kick. Not that I am a lover of Man Ute but it would have meant we would be in 15th place and not 16th. Am I being unkind to West Ham?
Sam Hoare
37 Posted 28/10/2024 at 06:33:54
I think it’s fair to say our squad definitely has more options to attack with than last season and with Ndiaye, McNeill, Harrison, DCL, Lindstrøm, Beto plus Broja and Chermiti to come we should be able to play at least a bit more joined up football than we have seen.

I’m not especially worried about possession (and Southampton keep the ball well but to little effect) but being able to keep the ball a bit better at times helps you manage games and find different ways of getting at the opposition.

Dyche outperformed last season and deserves credit for that. This season has been less convincing so far with some better players at his disposal though to be fair the injury frequency has not helped.

Jerome Shields
38 Posted 28/10/2024 at 08:15:19
I like Christine had the same definition of Dyche ball.But a Poster shared a analysis he had found on the Web of the Fulham and Everton's style of play.

Fulham style of play is what you would expect of Silva : midfield support, long ball and predominately Wing attack.Right wing in this case.

The Everton Analysis was simply "No Specific Style of play.'

My interpretation of Dycheball as a defend deep attack on the break was I therefore concluded as being a misnomer.

Dycheball is just send out the team to defend Hodge podge as best they can.Being deep is not a consideration. In a game the other team will go out of the game for periods, so Everton get forward.The attack is more improvisation than tactical.Maybe someone will get on the ball and get a shot away.That is the sum of Dyches attack options.

It then made sense that without purpose Subs are just to cover injuries and wind down the clock.If they need a last quarter effort everyone just gets of their ass's to do something, including Dyche

I will let you make up your mind about passing and possession in this scenario.

I know, Dyche gets £5million a year for that !!!!

Robert Tressell
39 Posted 28/10/2024 at 08:30:24
Our theoretically possible First XI looks the strongest since 2020-21 when we finished 10th.

Pickford
Patterson
Mykolenko
Branthwaite
Tarkowski
Mangala
Garner
McNeil
Ndiaye
LIindstrom
DCL / Broja

Injuries have obviously disrupted this a lot - and maybe some new signings taking time to acclimatise too (as many summer signings are at other clubs).

It doesn't excuse some of the awful performances or capitulations etc but it does explain why we continue to struggle to some extent. As good or hard working as players like Keane, Young, Gueye, Doucoure and Harrison have been their limitations hold us back.

Hopefully we get a chance to see the theoretical team in practice once the players are ready / fit - and with more minutes to young players like Iroegbunam, Armstrong, Dixon and Chermiti too. That gives us the basis of a decent squad over a decent period.

And hopefully Friedkin gives up a bit of money to recruit in January too. A high quality right-back would be my first pick. There's a few out there.

Colin Glassar
40 Posted 28/10/2024 at 08:36:06
Robert, that is a decent(ish) team but let's be honest; we are a poor club, with a poor team, with a poor manager.

Saying that, I'm confident we'll stay up (even if Dyche sees out the season) but this can't be our future, ie, dire football and constantly struggling to survive.

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