Everton survive Premier League relegation again, but Sean Dyche has major work to do next season
For the second consecutive year, Everton fans found themselves swarming onto the pitch at Goodison Park, as the dark blue embers of pyrotechnics and smoke engulfed a relieved set of players — they were safe.
Months of frustration and anger boiled over at the same ground a few weeks earlier, when a thrashing at the hands of Newcastle United looked as if it spelt the end of the Toffee’s Premier league tenure, but Sean Dyche rallied the troops and with a combination of some gutsy performances and inconsistency from the other sides around them, they maintained their top-flight status..
Indeed, the 1-0 win over Bournemouth on the final day epitomised everything good Dyche had incorporated throughout his tenure as Everton boss. Defensively resolute and able to take chances when they arrived on the break, Abdoulaye Doucoure’s goal relieved all the pressure of the previous weeks, the nerves from the crowd as they tried to piece together every conceivable outcome throughout the final day’s results, and despite Leicester winning 2-1 at home to West Ham, it was the Foxes and Leeds United who felt the full swing of the relegation scythe.
While those over at the blue half of Merseyside will be breathing a massive sigh of relief, the celebrations — a combination of desperation and sheer relief more than the jubilation you’d expect from a pitch invasion — demonstrate how far the club have fallen. Are they now content with just not going down every year?
A club like Everton, even with their struggles under Frank Lampard at the start of the season, always have high expectations, and their net spend over the last few transfer windows showed their intentions.
Despite investing in the squad, the club just can’t seem to find the consistency needed to churn out results on a regular basis. Too many times this season they were a soft touch, and while Dyche has made steps to harden the core, helped by some of his stalwarts from Burnley, the old-school manager knows big changes will be needed to make Everton contenders in the Premier League odds 23/24.
“It’s a big club, make no mistake,” he said. “Big history, big club but we are not performing like a big club. We have to find a way of changing that. This is two seasons now. I’ve played my little part but there is massive amount of change to build to a new dawn, a new future, a bigger future if you like.
“I think the Evertonians, as remarkable as they have been, have to remember that. This is a bigger project than just: ‘Oh well, it’s all right now.’ It’s not because there is a lot of work required as this has been going on for two years. I don’t have magic dust, I can only make things happen I think are believable.”
Dyche also hinted at the possibility of the old guard being shifted on. With the likes of Seamus Coleman, Asmir Begovic and Andy Lonergan still on the books at Goodison, there needs to be departures to let the next wave of players break through. And while this was recognised, the players must know what’s expected of them if they want to play in his team.
“There’s not been any depth, there have been peripheral talks based on ifs, buts and maybes. But that will come over the coming weeks when we find out the truth of what we have got, what we can do, what we can’t do. First things first but this [staying up] was the main job. We had to get this sorted out; we’ve got it over the line. It was absolutely the key focus. Now it is time to immediately refocus on the rest of it.
“I have my own style and way of doing it. I’ve taken a step towards that. I know the industry, I’ve been in it all my life. I know what I’m doing.”
With a record number of managerial sackings last season, only time will tell if the Everton board fully back Dyche. His style is defensive, and one only wonders how long the Everton crowd will be content with just about scraping points on the road and sitting in shape and working hard. It’s a system with a lifespan, but as long as it keeps delivering points than the Toffees will take all they can get for now.
