Season › 2024-25 › News Dyche's Everton humbled again in the Capital Lyndon Lloyd 24/08/2024 32comments | Jump to last Tottenham 4 - 0 Everton Despite having not played a minute at first-team level before today, Roman Dixon was handed his debut and acquitted himself well against top-class opposition Everton continued their horrendous start to the season with a 4-0 drubbing at Tottenham as Sean Dyche’s injury problems were compounded by mistakes at the back and almost non-existent threat up front. With Ashley Young suspended and all three of Seamus Coleman, Nathan Patterson and James Garner ruled out, 19-year Roman Dixon was pitched into his senior debut and emerged as one of the few positives on another chastening afternoon for the Blues. They couldn’t deal with Spurs’ early energy, fell behind before a quarter of an hour had elapsed and were effectively dead and buried by half-time at 2-0 down following a howler from Jordan Pickford in a game that threatened at times to be an echo of April's 6-0 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Iliman Ndiaye and Jesper Lindstrøm, withheld from the starting XI again by the manager, came off the bench in the second half to offer some brief hope before the hosts pressed home their clear superiority in the closing stages to double their lead. Article continues below video content Though rated as doubtful before the game having not trained in the week because of a minor hamstring complaint, James Tarkowski started alongside Michael Keane with Jake O’Brien once again an unused substitute while Dixon deputised for Young at right-back. Tim Iroegbunam partnered Idrissa Gueye in central midfield but the pair could not win the battle in that part of the pitch with Tottenham a yard quicker in thought and deed in all areas while Dominic Calvert-Lewin toiled fruitlessly up front with precious little service. Spurs could have been 2-0 up inside 10 minutes but Pickford parried a shot from Christian Romero in the third minute and was there again to push away a deflected effort from Son Hueng-Min in the sixth. What resistance Everton had put up broke not long afterwards, however, as Dejan Kulusevski twisted and turned Vitalii Mykolenko in knots inside the box before laying the ball off to the unmarked Yves Bissouma who thundered it in off the underside of the crossbar from 18 yards out. The visitors, playing not in blue but in this season’s black away kit, could have levelled just three minutes later but, having temporarily switched flanks with Dwight McNeil, Jack Harrison’s composure deserted him. The winger arrived at the back post to meet McNeil’s deep cross from the right but sliced a weak volley wide. Eight minutes later, it was 2-0. An Everton throw-in near the halfway line went backwards rather than forwards, with Tarkowski passing back to Pickford who unwisely took a touch to open up the angle for a left-footed clearance but was easily caught by Son who robbed him of the ball and slotted into the empty net. The Blues had a couple of half-openings before the interval, first when McNeil tried to pick out Calvert-Lewin in the centre with an early cross but the striker couldn’t get sufficient purchase on his header and then when McNeil’s shot from the angle was blocked behind and Abdoulaye Doucouré tried to bundle the ball home from a corner but James Maddison cleared it from out of his own goalmouth. Spurs, who had gone close in first-half stoppage time when Pedro Porro curled a left-foot shot narrowly over the angle of crossbar and post, almost gifted Everton a way back into the contest 12 minutes into the second period after Ndiaye and Lindstrøm had been introduced. McNeil intercepted a pass deep in the hosts’ half, slalomed his way into the area and knocked it into the path of Lindstrøm but the Dane’s crisp shot was pushed away by Vicario. Despite the increased threat from Dyche’s side, Tottenham remained the stronger of the two teams and after Maddison had drilled a direct free-kick wide of goal, they increased their lead with 20 minutes left. Maddison whipped in a corner and with Pickford rooted to his line, Romero rose between Keane and Tarkowski to power a header in off the bar. Dyche then threw Beto on for Calvert-Lewin but it was 4-0 shortly afterwards. Micky van der Ven seized on McNeil’s attempt to thread the needle on the edge of Tottenham’s area and surged straight down the middle of the pitch before teeing up Son. The South Korean was clinical, drawing Pickford towards him and then drilling the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs. Another hugely promising youngster in the form of 17-year-old Harrison Armstrong came on for his first-team debut and created an awkward moment for Romero in front of his goal with a strong cross from the right but there would be no consolation goal on the day for Everton who have lost their first two games of the season by an aggregate of 7-0. Dyche spoke again afterwards of his players needing to eliminate mistakes that are gifting teams crucial goals and bemoaned the lack of killer instinct in forward areas but his team looks woefully short on confidence and ideas, all the while grappling with injuries to key players and a shortage of strength in central midfield. The League Cup tie against Doncaster on Tuesday provides an opportunity to generate some optimism while also giving the likes of Lindstrøm, Ndiaye and O’Brien a chance to impress but the home clash with Bournemouth next weekend has taken on additional importance in terms of both performance and the result with Everton bottom of the early Premier League table. Matchday updates and reaction Reader Comments (32) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () Steve Brown 1 Posted 22/08/2024 at 13:10:58 Trippier is far too young for Everton - hes only 33 years old. Mark Andrews 2 Posted 24/08/2024 at 19:46:21 Imagine being Dyche. Absolutely awful but as safe as houses by virtue of no-one being in charge of the club and no money to pay him off. Brent Stephens 3 Posted 24/08/2024 at 19:57:12 A fair report, Lyndon. Depressing but fair. The positives and cause for hope for me were Dixon at right-back, and Armstrong towards the end. I'd also expect more in the future from Ndiaye and Lindstrøm. With Branthwaite and Garner coming back, and O'Brien surely with a future, dare I hope? Peter Fearon 4 Posted 24/08/2024 at 20:12:23 Sean Dyche appeared to blame, in part, the sale of Onana for the slump in form to start the season, a comment than can only be greeted with ribald laughter. The truth is that Dyche's record at Everton is not better and in one or two instances, significantly worse than the posse of managers who have come and gone since Moyes left. However, his record at Everton matches almost perfectly his own career record, losing more often than he wins and winning on average only about 1 in 3 or 4 matches. It does not seem to occur to him that this is his team selection, his tactics, his training regimen producing these results and that perhaps he may be doing something wrong. I think that, if Textor comes in, Dyche's feet won't touch the floor on the way out… and will anyone really miss him? Onana said that he enjoys playing for Unai Emery because he will help improve his game. Can you imagine anyone other than a centre-half saying that about Dyche? I can't. We need a seasoned coach who will guide players to producing their best. Pete Gunby 5 Posted 24/08/2024 at 20:13:25 Agree with Brent. Put in the new players before they get ruined by whatever it is Dyche does in practice. Jim Bennings 6 Posted 24/08/2024 at 20:39:37 BainesColemanMcCarthyBarryBarkleyPienaar Mirallas LukakuGanaSigurdssonRicharlisonBernardRodriguezDigneGordonGrayTownsendMcNeilHarrisonGarnerIroegbunmanDoucoureNdiayeLindstromCalvert-LewinBetoChermitiCan we see it?The three groups of players that have been the core of the club since 2014?In 10 years we've gradually reduced the quality we've been serving up, much like the food quality at a restaurant, if the quality of product keeps reducing over time then the institution will close down and cease to do business. Paul Birmingham 7 Posted 24/08/2024 at 20:43:04 Taking into account that Der Kaiser and his presence is badly missed in the squad, the real positive was Dixon, who done himself proud.Reality in the fact it's 7 conceded in 2 games,is a tough pill to take, but today was a tough fixture.Hopefully v Doncaster, this can be a moral booster for what is a massive 3 points v Bournemouth. Fred Quick 8 Posted 24/08/2024 at 20:58:31 What is it about Bournemouth? Almost every time they are upcoming to play, Everton has an awful lot riding on it. I blame their promotion to the Premier League as I'm sure it coincided with the beginning of Everton's demise. Possibly a little unfair to blame our problems on the Cherries. Although two-up at half-time 28 Novermber 2015, via Funes Mori and Lukaku and late in the game, we thought we'd won 3-2, only to concede an even later equaliser, a 98th-minute goal by Stanislas. The team that day:Howard, Coleman, Stones, Funes Mori, Galloway, McCarthy (Cleverley), Barry, Deulofeu (Lennon), Barkley, Kone (Gibson) and Lukaku.I'm insisting that the Bournemouth game was a major turning point in our history and we haven't been the same since. Tommy Carter 10 Posted 24/08/2024 at 21:42:15 Dyches stubbornness has been his undoing here. His results are two defeats from two games. He literally couldnt have had two worse results. Given that we now know his team selections have returned those results we can definitely say that a team featuring OBrien, NDiaye and Lindstrom could not have possibly done any worse. He keeps referencing ‘experience as reasons to select poor players. They are experienced, experienced losers. If the recruitment of these new players was done without his agreement and this is his way of trying to prove some kind of point then it will cost him his job Im afraid. The fact he is insistent that Michael Keane is premier league player tells me he cant pick a player. In fact throughout his managerial career I cannot think of many players that hes ever managed that have gone on to any kind of top level. Trippier maybe, and he didnt buy him, Eddie Howe did Ian McAvoy 11 Posted 24/08/2024 at 21:45:53 When you start to offload your best players, bring in inferior cheaper versions, and have a manager with limited tactical ability added to a front office that isnt involved in technical operations, and ownership that doesnt care anymore and are no longer funding the club you have to turn to young hungry talent that will improve. Not average mercenaries looking for premier league wages. When Branthwaite and the others come back from injury they will improve but its time to banish some of these players to the reserves and offload them. When you shop in the bargain basement you normally get inferior cast offs. I feel sorry for the club but the owner has really destroyed it. Dan Parker 12 Posted 24/08/2024 at 21:47:31 Still behind Dyche and Thelwell, completely unsupported and thrown under the bus by our absent owner that couldnt sell $1 lemonade to an old lady. Stuart Sharp 13 Posted 24/08/2024 at 21:51:58 I've defended Dyche many times and think some people have short memories and little perspective. However, today there is simply no defence (ironically). The only vague positive is that he chose Dixon over Holgate. Otherwise, it's just another piece of evidence that the doom boys might actually be right this time. Billy Shears 14 Posted 24/08/2024 at 22:16:20 Can we ALL please now accept the truth...that our young players just wanna fucking play,they just need a chance to shine and given plenty of time to integrate into the side.It's our experienced players that are the problem ATM...so bollock them all... privately eh Sean. Ian Linn 15 Posted 24/08/2024 at 22:19:42 Well that was a bag of shite. Not helped by that howler form Pickford but we looked well off the pace. Midfield was anonymous, DCL isolated up front, we looked marginally better when the subs came on. Not panicking yet but we're gonna have to do a whole lot better than that woeful display. Olalekan Taofik 16 Posted 24/08/2024 at 22:21:15 Hopefully, there will be turn around Bournemouth.And congrats to our right full back for his senior debut.Am quite moody after the game here in Lagos, Nigeria.Very very unfortunate. Ian Linn 17 Posted 24/08/2024 at 22:42:55 Olalekan, yeah, forgot that, thought the lad did well. Sean Kearns 18 Posted 24/08/2024 at 22:43:07 Who gives a fuck about Michael Keanes bloody feelings! Just start OBrien… it literally couldnt have went any worse. The lad scored two in pre season and set pieces seem our only way to a goal. What a right infuriating ginger twat! But I do think hell keep us up and have confidence in him! Im so torn!!!… Pickford is a shithouse and is around 30% of our problem. Hes not as good as everyone thinks. He took Sunderland down and almost took us down 3 times. England bail him out Because its a team of superstars and hes the teachers pet. I want a 66” cool bastard who comes for crosses all day… Bin Jordan now while his stock is [somehow] still high. Mal van Schaick 19 Posted 24/08/2024 at 23:03:13 Dyche claims that the new signings need time for premier league experience, and yet plays a rookie right full back. It doesnt add up and sounds like bullshit.We are at home to Bournemouth next week, do your job, get your team selection and tactics right instead of woe is me. John Raftery 20 Posted 24/08/2024 at 23:07:50 Sean (18) How exactly are we going to ‘bin Jordan? Who will replace him? Andy Crooks 21 Posted 24/08/2024 at 23:22:23 The most disappointing thing is the fact that I can't imagine most of these players as winners. I'll be interested to hear from those there if there was anything to take from it. Sean Kearns 22 Posted 24/08/2024 at 23:27:37 Begovic will do for me… or we sign Ramsdale Don Alexander 23 Posted 24/08/2024 at 23:29:18 First off, we are in no way "Dyche's Everton".As if!The last two results are a mere consequence of the owner/boardroom organised demise of our great club.It's been going on for decades but it's now getting worse by the day, and hope therefore diminishes accordingly, both within and without the club. I heard today that Everton haven't won a game in any of the last three Augusts. Sounds about right. Dyche was in post for just the last of them. Before him, under Moshiri and his very own much-trusted Kenwright, we had Lampard, Benitez, Ancelotti, Silva and Koeman through the various Augusts - results perishing from a very bog-standard start. So, we're very, very skint under Moshiri, and will be for years to come even after he buggers off, given the antics of him and his trusted one.But let's all bollock the admittedly massively hampered manager eh....... like it's all his fault?Nah! Rob Jones 24 Posted 24/08/2024 at 23:30:40 Sean, are you out of your mind? Pickford kept us in the division the past three fucking years. Sean Kearns 25 Posted 24/08/2024 at 23:34:45 Nah lad I reckon hes part the reason we are even down there. Keeps us under pressure by not coming for crosses and hes mental always pointing at his own head and saying things to our defenders that seem to be inaudible as hes mostly just talking to himself… all opinions I value everyone elses too. I just dont think hes as good as it all seems, thats all… and hes a wool with a twatty haircut 🤷🏻♂️ Stephen Williams 26 Posted 24/08/2024 at 23:36:18 Having got back from the game, main thought is we were in the game after the first goal until the third. Spurs had stopped creating chances and wed started to look much better. The thing is notwithstanding our general poor play, Pickfords two howlers (first one speaks for itself and the second was being rooted to his line when the corner came in 4 yards out) killed us. Without those, Spurs would have come under pressure. Compounded by Harrison missing from 3 yards when it was only 1-0.Positives? Ndiaye and Lindstrom made a difference and after a difficult first 10 minutes young Dixon stuck to his task and actually came out the game with much credit. Contrary to many on here (who presumably didnt go the game) DCL worked really hard with no support and cant be criticised by me.Turning thoughts to our manager, sadly he just doesnt have what it takes. There was a low cost option in the summer in Lee Carsley who Im convinced will be a success for someone one day. Regrettably our club is gripped by inertia and so we were and still are unable to make game changing strategic decisions.No matter how low I feel, and I am pretty low, Ill never predict relegation and cant understand those who do. Fred Quick 27 Posted 24/08/2024 at 23:46:50 Don @23There's a lot of truth that the off-field shenanigans are having a major adverse effect on the footballing aspect at the club, but it is the manager's job to navigate a way through that. I know the Premier League is tough, and that Everton are currently one of the poorer teams in the division, but that doesn't mean we should just accept our apparent fate. The fans didn't put all of their energy into the last two or three survival seasons, to see the team disintegrate before their eyes and watch on as the boss moans and groans about lack of money, lack of support from the fans etc. He should take a leaf out of Lampard's book in ensuring that the fans stay onside and he could do that if he wanted to. In Dyche's recent utterances I'm not sure whether he's blaming people within the club or whether he believes the fans are being unrealistic in their expectations. I don't know any Evertonian in person or on forums such as this, who expects us to make Europe anytime soon, in fact most of us would snap your hands off if we could guarantee finishing anywhere outside of the bottom three. We are also aware that failing to create chances in too many games will make the season a long and arduous one. The current defensive frailties can be fixed, if and when the injuries to important players subsides. I don't know where Dyche is getting the idea that the club and its fans aren't humble enough for his liking, but just because we're not a small town club like Burnley doesn't mean we as supporters aren't very aware of what we are and where we are. Don Alexander 28 Posted 24/08/2024 at 00:49:19 Fred, £millionaire Mr Dyche has, from shortly after he signed on, gone on record saying he had no idea as to the actual parlous state of OUR club compared to what he was told by whomever signed him (Brands was sacked for less of course).But he was already loaded and almost certainly will be again, as is the case with just about every Premier League player/manager/coach - accomplished or not.It therefore stands to reason that if/when Dyche gets the boot the only candidates to replace him will be spent forces once again seized upon by Moshiri as a genuine saviour to his exorbitant losses and fatuous attempt to somehow add value to the financial crock of shit he's delivered in spades to himself and every Toffee for years and years to come.Dyche and other football "professionals" just won't lose.That's our role of course. Rob Halligan 29 Posted 25/08/2024 at 01:00:49 Andy # 21……..the only thing to take from that game was the debut of Roman Dixon, who I thought had an excellent game. Some of his tackling was first class, and although he gave the ball away once or twice he done as well as could be expected for his first game. Im sure he will be an able stand in right back, and who knows, make the position his own?Other than that, well the least said the better. An absolute brain stormer from Pickford just about summed up the afternoon. Why on earth let the ball run across him, knowing full well he was being closed down by Son? Clear the ball first time FFS! And then McNeil, as soon as he fucked up in the centre of the field, you just knew from the breakaway they would score. Cue a mass exodus of blues fans, us included, and its very rare that I would leave a game before the end. But how much can we take? There was no threat up front whatsoever. We had a mini spell of pressure, forcing about three or four corners on the bounce, which ultimately led to nothing. DCL yet again on his lonesome up front. Doucoure might as well have come and sat with us in the stands, because he was totally innocuous all match. Gueye and Tim showed plenty of effort, and overall were probably our best players.So a disappointing performance led to a lengthy journey home. A right cock up with the trains led to some cancellations and / or delays out of Euston. All because of bloody cows on the lines!! Our train was delayed nearly an hour, and then seemed to take its time heading north. I eventually got home just after midnight. I said after last Saturday, that we cant be having too many performances like that, and I will say it again, we definitely cannot have any more performances like today. Only two games in, and Im hearing that Paddy Power are already paying out on anyone whos backed us to go down. So come on Everton, make Paddy Power lose an absolute fortune in payouts and prove him wrong! Simon Crosbie 30 Posted 25/08/2024 at 01:02:35 The term we use in Australia is 'we don't have the cattle'. In other words, we don't have enough quality players. They are either too old, too inexperienced, or at a talent level just below the required standard. On top of that we have a manager whose recent experience points to a perpetual state of teetering on the edge of survival, reflected most notably in his tactical style. No wonder the quality players that remain want to abandon ship.I agree with Don@23 The appalling decision-making of Moshiri at every level has brought this club to its knees. Players and player agents watch games and read the newspapers. Why would you want to come to a club that is in a hopeless mess? Simon Dalzell 31 Posted 25/08/2024 at 01:12:02 I HATE Dyche. Don't get me wrong. Only in a Football context. Negative, Clueless,. Outdated Shit bag. Burnley were the Pits of the Earth. No surprise that we are. Ant Purcell 32 Posted 25/08/2024 at 01:31:55 Right wwe asked the manager 2 play Dixon today so he did it blame not on dyche wake fuckin hell up problem runs very very deeply in the fuckin club been fucked for years since those wankers across the park done us in 80s put us back years Ant Purcell 33 Posted 25/08/2024 at 01:36:30 Danny o Neil and the lads use r top top bloody fans live and die by the blues they do not deserve u lads no way but today was all wrong, we're not done 2 fuckin games in finished fuck off I ain't listening 2 that Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. How to get rid of these ads and support TW © ToffeeWeb