Sean Dyche spoke of the relief at his Everton side finally getting off the mark with their first win in the Premier League this season that lifted them out of the bottom three for the first time in the campaign.
What's more, the Blues came from behind to achieve victory for the first time since the 53-year-old took charge in January last year as Dwight McNeil erased Marc Guehi's 10th-minute opener two minutes into the second half with a sublime finish from 25 yards before volleying in the winner a few minutes later.
“There has to be [relief] because you’re searching for that win,” Dyche told Gary Lineker for Match Of The Day. “I’m delighted for the players because they’ve worked very hard to change a scoreline around. You know, there’s been question marks over many things, and that being one of them but the mentality [in the] second half was really pleasing to see the game through.
“There’s a lot of demand here that we put on ourselves, let alone the feeling of this great club and we have to answer that, and I thought we did do today. We certainly did enough to win the game and that was important.”
In his post-match press conference, Dyche expanded on the pressure to turn results around and build on the feel-good factor that came from the imminent takeover of the Club by The Friedkin Group.
“The off-the-pitch [news] we don’t know if it is a positive yet,” he said. “On the pitch is the bit I can try to control and it is pleasing for the players. They put a lot of effort in here. It means it is a step forward.
“The work is never done here. The expectation is go and win again and win again and win again. There were a lot of question marks to play through a nervy stadium. I don’t think we are as far off as people think.”
Dyche admitted that his players were sluggish and “tight” in what was a very poor first-half display by almost everyone in Blue bar Iliman Ndiaye who was, once again, an exciting presence every time he got the ball.
Jesper Lindstrøm had deservedly kept his place after impressing at Leicester last weekend but he struggled through a torrid first 45 minutes that exposed his lack of experience with the speed and physicality of the Premier League.
The Dane was withdrawn at half-time and replaced by Jack Harrison who had weighed in with a brilliant assist within 10 minutes of the restart, serving the ball from which McNeil rattled in his second and the winning goal.
“I said to Jesper afterwards that it is about learning what it is here,” the manager explained. “I said to him about reacting to a mistake, getting after it and shutting the game down. He's learning about the culture of Everton Football Club.
“And I think Jack's got more of that about him because he's learned over his time here. I was pleased for Jack because his energy is great and he's a very talented footballer, with either foot, and he used it today by doing the simple thing well. Two touch, gets it out of his feet, puts a great ball in. So pleased for him and pleased for the other subs.
“It was not an easy game to see through and I was pleased for all the subs today.”
Reader Comments (15)
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2 Posted 30/09/2024 at 10:36:36
I would like to see us play Mangala, Gana and Iroegbunam in midfield with McNeil just ahead then Ndaiye and for now Calvert-Lewin playing close to one another. That would leave space on the flanks for the fullbacks to attack, something that is sadly lacking in Dyche's set up.
I hope that Chermiti and Broja will be fit soon and present Dyche with an alternative to Calvert-Lewin as at present Beto is no competition for him.
3 Posted 30/09/2024 at 11:39:55
The latter's not the force he once was and, with Iroegbunam and Mangala, we would do better with Garner in that part of the field, I reckon.
4 Posted 30/09/2024 at 13:16:57
I've said it all season, we're totally overrun with two in midfield; I'd play 4-3-3 with Mangala, Iroegbunam and Garner across the middle.
Doucoure's passing is very suspect. I don't know why Tim Iroegbunam was dropped, but he runs out of steam around the 70-minute mark.
5 Posted 30/09/2024 at 13:35:32
I would argue that, in Calvert-Lewin, Ndiaye, McNeil and Harrison, we have a very hard-working front 4 who support the midfield 2 quite well. The real issue we have is that, when the front 6 run out of steam, who do we have to turn to, who can come in and make a difference or at least maintain the pressure on the opposition?
Broja, Chermiti, Lindstrøm, Iroegbunam and Doucoure are options, but nowhere near the bench strength that the other top teams have.
6 Posted 30/09/2024 at 17:17:15
But this you need good passing, movement and the ability to retain possession.Which Everton appear weak on and are not setup for anyway.Successive Managers have found that Everton do not have the quality of players for this.Therefore the team it set up for less possession a defensive structure and a counterattacking threat.Even in this system Everton do not have the depth of quality, when those of quality are not able to play.
Doucoure is box to box who sometimes can score. He is never going to be of the quality for a three point axis.He flicks the ball at the end of a run when his options run out Gana is a harrier and stopper. With no three point axis he attempts long passrs increasing the risk of possession loss.
Hoping Lindstrøm, Iroegbunam, Mangala and Ndaiye provide a variation with less errors.I can't see Dyche changing the system. Dyche does not want quality, he wants a job done and is reluctant to change. The same goes for forward options.
7 Posted 30/09/2024 at 17:45:26
But for this you need good passing, movement and the ability to retain possession.Which Everton appear weak on and are not setup for anyway.Successive Managers have found that Everton do not have the quality of players for this, re-enforced with relegation pressures.Therefore the team is set up for less possession a defensive structure and a counterattacking threat.Even in this system Everton do not have the depth of quality, when those of quality are not able to play.
Doucoure is box to box who sometimes can score. He is never going to be of the quality for a three point axis.He flicks the ball at the end of a run when his options run out Gana is a harrier and stopper. With no three point axis he attempts long passes increasing the risk of possession loss.
Hoping that Lindstrøm, Iroegbunam, Mangala and Ndaiye provide a variation with less errors.I can't see Dyche changing the system. Dyche does not want quality, he wants a job done and is reluctant to change. The same goes for forward options.
Still think the biggest boost will be a end to the uncertainty surrounding ownership.
8 Posted 01/10/2024 at 03:20:31
Also agree we should play Ironbaum in a 4-3-3 with Ndiaye and McNeill just behind DCL with Dixon and Myko overlapping when appropriate especially at home.
9 Posted 01/10/2024 at 05:53:43
Why is he constantly picked ? He is a liability, and contributes nothing, the sooner we are shut, the better.
10 Posted 01/10/2024 at 07:14:21
11 Posted 01/10/2024 at 07:23:45
12 Posted 01/10/2024 at 09:38:06
13 Posted 01/10/2024 at 13:45:25
Is it because Dyche is a Bell End, or have they picked up some unmentioned illness/injury ?
14 Posted 01/10/2024 at 14:59:39
I can never get his name right. That’s why I started to call him Ironman.
Mangala looks class so I understand why he gets preference but Ironman looked good going forward and strong defensively so he would be my next pick before Doucs, Garner or even Gana.
15 Posted 01/10/2024 at 15:38:21
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1 Posted 30/09/2024 at 08:39:50
I think a win on Jarrad's return is also not a coincidence, everyone in the back four is much better when he is there.
Another 3 points next weekend please.