It might prove to be too little late. Maybe if they'd brought in a new manager earlier in the season it might have been different?
I don't like Dyche and I never will do: pub-league football and shaven-headed, slack-jawed Neanderthals built like bulldozers and with the same amount of intelligence, that's the Dyche way. But I think he could have orchestrated a good fight back to remain in the Prem had he been there earlier. Subtlety is not the answer right now, survival is. So fair play to the gravel-voiced one if he manages to pull this one off.
I think it was about this time a year ago when I wrote that Everton gives the impression of a team that has been working without a professional manager for years. You see, when it comes to football, there's the following basic, "existential" question: What do we do, how do we operate
as a unit when we get the ball? What would be Everton's answer? Improvisation after improvisation? And secondarily, how do we defend, again
as a unit, when we lose the ball? It was at that post (or another one, don't remember) when I also wrote that most of Everton's defenders clearly lack a football brain. One year later, here we are again, nothing seems to have changed...
Everton are fucked by mismanagement, people running the club have committed crimes while having spent fortunes. But taking into account the facts I mentioned just above (which are not debateable), Dyche was probably the best choice under the circumstances. How many managers in England visualise football the way Dyche does? A lot, I will assume. He survived, others haven't, and there are reasons for that. He was 100% successful at Burnley, keeping them up for years, against clubs with more money and clearly superior rosters. The game plan he adopted suited his players' strenghths and dealt with their weaknesses. It was crystal clear, both offensively as well as defensively, his boys got familiar with it, executed it perfectly...
Which is exactly what he's trying to accomplish at Everton. Create a platform for his players, clear and
simple, at the same time. To be acurate, as simple as possible. Which is absolutely essential for a team badly coached through the years. His problems? a. Time is limited, and b. Who can he trust?
You are Sean Dyche and you are watching Godfrey vs Wellington in Newcastle's first goal. And later you are witnessing Godfrey and Keane making Isaak look like Messi. I honestly cannot find words to describe both these clowns. I mean, if they had any sense of decency, I would expect them to take the fucking shirt off and resign. Permanently. Why? Simply because they are stealing a living. You cannot call yourself a football player after this shit show. Notice that I did not write "PL football player". Nope. For me, this is unacceptable even at an amateurish level...
You understand what I mean? You don't want to be in Dyche's position, trust me. Anyway. Godfrey was dropped. But since I don't follow Everton news, I have no idea what's going on with Mina and Coady. What I do know is that Keane kept his place in the team, the question is why. Because, guess what: He fucked up again. His awareness in Leicester's both first and second goal is garbage. And then that handball... Yes, I know he saved his team a point vs Spurs, nevertheless this guy cannot be trusted at the moment. We are talking about an England international, operating in a very sensitive area of the pitch, his errors by definition affect performances, define results. Tarkowski (who used to be solid), for example, playing alongside him, cannot be trusted either...
Anyway. Leicester were shockingly bad in the beginning of the match (and throughout the first half), which is very interesting (but I will not elaborate on that). On the other hand, Everton had a bright start, took a well deserved early lead. My thinking process at that period of the match? They better make the most out of their initiative, score again. Why? Because they cannot fucking be trusted defensively, that's why. And guess what: Leicester will equalise out of nowhere, then Iwobi fucks up with an unforced misplaced pass. Giving the home team the opportunity to express its familiarity with well known, direct, counter attacking patterns: Maddison will feed Vardy already moving in space, the latter will go round Pickford, 2-1. Easy. I repeat, out of fucking nowhere. Was it an illusion? A bad dream? Nope, reality. You see, playing against Everton these days you don't have to do much. Sometimes it could prove enough to simply just wait for them to self-destruct...
To conclude this, overall it was an encouraging performance, don't know if that point will be enough though. Full of technical and tactical mistakes, of course, from both sides: The psychological pressure was telling, it was inevitable. Dyche will be satisfied by his team's attitude, Everton did try till the end, the same goes for Leicester during second half. I did expect more from the home team though, they've definitely been coached better through the years, yet the morale and confidence seem very low within the team, key players of theirs are underperforming. But that's a completely different story...
A final comment regarding Doucoure: Had he scored late in the game, would Dyche be justified? I'm not sure. I understand what he's trying to do, but I will repeat myself once again: Everton's defence cannot be trusted. Neither can Gueye and Garner, operating in front of the back 4. In the process I expected somebody like Gray, adding freshness and better support to C-Lewin, Doucoure dropping a bit back. Everton need better balance and stability in midfield, Doucoure's energy could help. And he can always follow particular actions and make forward runs, given the opportunity, arriving unmarked from behind. As I said, I don't follow Everton news, so I don't know what's going on behind the scenes, perhaps our Everton friends can inform us...
PS. I used to watch them a lot during the Moyes era, I liked their style. Plus there were players in that team I felt I could connect, in terms of decency and loyalty. It's the same with Seamus Coleman. Whatever is good about this team / club and its people, Seamus epitomizes it. That's how I see him. A player who has been so unlucky with injuries, and yet as he's carried off the pitch last night, he will find the strength to make those gestures to his teammates and supporters: Keep going, don't give up. Respect. If you ask me to name one player for whom I want Everton to stay up, hands down it's him. I truly hope it's not the end of his career. My best wishes for a speedy recovery and good luck.
