Lyndon Lloyd 25/11/2024 20comments  |  Jump to last

Sean Dyche says that the work continues as he, his staff and his players try to find solutions to Everton’s inability to score goals and win matches this season.

On Saturday against 10-man Brentford, the Blues huffed and puffed through 90-plus fruitless minutes with just five shots on target and were held to a third goalless draw in six matches.

It extended their recent run to just one defeat in eight matches but with an average return of less than a point a game so far, it’s not enough to keep the club away from the danger of being sucked into the bottom three, particularly with a daunting run of fixtures to come in December.

In uncharacteristic fashion, Dyche experimented with the positioning of Dwight McNeil and Iliman Ndiaye in the second half against the Bees and then went with two up top when Beto was brought on to partner Dominic Calvert-Lewin but his side still couldn’t make the breakthrough.

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“There was lots of effort, lots of shots and stuff, but there were not really killer moments,” Dyche said in his post-match press conference. “I think it's been something I've talked about endlessly since I've been in the club, and before I've been at the club.

“It has been a reality for a long time here. Developing people who score goals is the toughest challenge as a manager. So, if you can’t develop individuals you want to try to develop a team that can score goals.

“The challenge we have had this season is quite obvious to everyone. We were conceding far too many and we had to change that. So we've changed that and now you've got to stay effective in the offensive side. So we scored a bit more freely at the beginning of the season, but we were conceding too many. So that's been the challenge, quite obviously.

“[Scoring goals has] been a longstanding thing here. So, you know, how we find that… most managers do that by chequebook. We can't do that. So, therefore, the development continues. That is what we're looking to do, remind players of their skillset, on their strengths and working towards them.

Though Dyche managed to amass 48 points last season and achieve a 12th-place finish without the Premier League’s points deductions applied, Everton have struggled to put a sequence of wins together this term.

As matches against Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City loom between now and the end of the year, supporters are increasingly concerned about another protracted battle to stave off relegation.

“Supporters have been concerned ever since I walked in the door,” Dyche explained. “They were concerned before I walked in the door and they have been concerned when I've been here. I've been talking endlessly about us trying to change the story. We haven't done that. We have had spells when we have done it, and then we have dropped away.

“And even this spell, one loss in eight. But it doesn't mean anything because we are not winning and I don't shy away from that. You want to win, I want to play winning football. And we're not winning as many as we should be winning, in my opinion. So the work just continues.”

With the takeover by The Friedkin Group still on track to be completed by the end of the year, it is the understanding of Sky's Alan Myers that Dyche's position is not under threat despite discontent among the fanbase.

 

Reader Comments (20)

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Ernie Baywood
1 Posted 25/11/2024 at 18:21:57
“Supporters have been concerned ever since I walked in the door,” Dyche explained

First thing he's said they I've agreed with

Dave Abrahams
2 Posted 25/11/2024 at 18:41:47
The most obvious weak spot in the team, besides the allergic to scoring strikers is playing two in central midfield it leaves us wide open when the opposition attack, luckily Brentford didn’t do a lot of that but still opened us up too often, ffs play three in midfield and make the other team fight for the ball, then when we get hold of the ball bleedin’ make sure we pass it to one of the Everton players it’s so easy, especially if you practice often enough!
Sean O'Hanlon
3 Posted 25/11/2024 at 18:43:14
Just Piss Off Dyche! That's the solution you've been searching for!
Mark McDonald
4 Posted 25/11/2024 at 18:51:32
We supporters have been concerned for a long time now, even before he came. So I am not sure what his comment actually means.

I am not sure if it means supporters were concerned about his appointment or the running of the club in general.

Either way, it's time to go.

Keith Gleave
5 Posted 25/11/2024 at 18:58:38
Its okay saying we had a hat full of shots but the truth is we don't put proper crosses into the box that DCL and Beto can attack. The proof of this is the quality, or lack of in our corners.
Personally, I cannot see how Dyche is going to pull us out of this and December will show how poor his tactics are.
David McMullen
6 Posted 25/11/2024 at 18:59:31
There's only 2 words I can think of, from The Royle Family. "My arse".
Bernie Rogers
7 Posted 25/11/2024 at 19:06:40
Played higher up the pitch on Saturday, which meant we often got the ball closer to Brentford’s goal, but we were often to slow, and lacked real belief, and once the ref inexplicably (imo) sent off their captain, it exposed everything that is currently wrong about Everton, from an offensive point of view.

I thought Gueye, was very effective and really important in the first half, having to do so much running and covering because we do lack a body in midfield, was the complete opposite in the second half, when he had a lot more time, and this epitomized the whole team, and the way we continued to be set-up.

After reading what Dyche said about N’Diaye, I had to agree that he never found the pockets, to get on the ball once he moved inside, but he did have the look of a player who had no real belief in either the system or the players around him.

I was calling for Patterson, I wanted to see what the very ineffective Lindstrom, could produce if he was moved inside, and when Beto, finally came on, I just sat there feeling dejected when McNeil, was trying to drop his shoulder and dribble, because we never had the craft or the gumption to create an overload down the flanks.

A sorry day, but we have had a lot of very sorry days since Martinez’s, first season, whoever we have had in charge.

Denis Richardson
8 Posted 25/11/2024 at 19:09:09
Pressures building…..don’t fancy our chances away to Man U next. First home game for the new manager.
Paul Ferry
9 Posted 25/11/2024 at 19:13:42
If they can back him, then they can sack him.
Paul Ferry
10 Posted 25/11/2024 at 19:21:19
Why is everything nearly always 'longstanding'.
Ralph Basnett
11 Posted 25/11/2024 at 19:28:36
If you don’t setup to score funnily you don’t score.

The gap between the midfield supporting the lone striker is far to wide.

Jay Harris
12 Posted 25/11/2024 at 19:38:37
We understood the problems you walked into and appreciated how you handled the pressure.

However, If you cant sort out the problems in 3 years and in fact have gone backwards with selection, tactics and game management then it is time to go.

You are the weakest link, Bye.

Liam Mogan
13 Posted 25/11/2024 at 19:41:36
Dyche probably got sent for a 'long stand' on his work experience as a lad and has never forgotten it.

Probably still uses the 'long stand' routine on the renowned, hilarious and completely outdated Gaffers Day.

Barry Rathbone
14 Posted 25/11/2024 at 19:53:16
“[Scoring goals has] been a longstanding thing here. So, you know, how we find that… most managers do that by chequebook. We can't do that."

Stop trying to be rational deaf ears abound.

Andrew James
15 Posted 25/11/2024 at 19:55:12
He does shy away from this poor game mgt. His post match pressers are like 'bad excuse' bingo.

Injuries, VAR, officialdom, lack of a cheque book, legacy issues, the players...he's done them all. And that is against the teams we could've got a lot more points from.

The cheque book excuse will undoubtedly come out if we get hammered by the teams we face soon. I wouldn't put it past him to defend well versus one of them and nick some unexpected points.

But it's gone beyond a joke and he needs to be fired. The pinnacle of his career is Everton. We're fond of calling our players "Championship at best", well he is a coach of that level or lower.

Ben Howard
16 Posted 25/11/2024 at 19:57:42
Jay (13). In a nutshell, you've nailed it!

Most supporters do appreciate the job Dyche did when he came in, under very difficult circumstances. However, he is becoming increasingly defensive in his comments, often suggesting that the fans' expectations are unrealistic.

We appear to be going backwards under his leadership, and totally bereft of offensive ideas.

“[Scoring goals has] been a longstanding thing here. So, you know, how we find that… most managers do that by chequebook. We can't do that. So, therefore, the development continues".

I've seen little to no development in either our strikers or offensive patterns, and this comment reeks of excuses and desperation.

Definitely time to go.

Fred Quick
17 Posted 25/11/2024 at 20:01:22
Since Lukaku was sold how much money has been invested in so-called strikers? It must be touching on £150m+. Even in this lean financial period we've continued to purchase duds and have relied upon Calvert-Lewin to lead the line for years, and apart from one really good season he's not been a reliable goalscorer.
John Pickles
18 Posted 25/11/2024 at 20:10:40
Can we not have a 'Dyche must go' section, where all who really have nothing else to say can drone on to their hearts content. Failing that, at least somewhere for the rest of us to read or exchange news and views about our club, with all 'Dyche must go' comments sent somewhere else.

The 'Visit Ukraine' tourist website is a more upbeat site than ToffeeWeb nowadays.

Ben Howard
19 Posted 25/11/2024 at 20:23:09
John (18) surely you're aware of the growing fan discontent. The last days of every manager read just like this on Toffeeweb.

Are you disagreeing with the sentiment, and therefore of the opinion he should stay/doing a reasonable job?

Or are you bored of us all seeing and saying the obvious, with little chance of it changing until new ownership?

Jim Bennings
20 Posted 25/11/2024 at 20:23:30
We could have signed the Delap lad at Ipswich instead of Beto, or Chermiti, more money wasted.

Broja? Ok he's on loan but we signed him injured and he's still injured lol.

£16 million on O'Brien.

Don't make out Sean like you haven't had the money to go and get a better striker than the one that wants to leave right now.

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