Everton have got their bite back

By / / Sports / 6 minutes of reading


“I’m proud of the lads,” Seamus Coleman said after Everton’s 1-1 Boxing Day draw at Manchester City. “People on the outside would maybe have looked at our December and thought there wasn’t a lot to get there, but there’s been a great work ethic and togetherness on show.”

The return of Everton’s resilient streak has come at just the right time. With manager Sean Dyche and 13 players — both permanent and loanees — out of contract at the end of the season, it feels like just about everyone at the club is auditioning to be part of the next chapter under new owners The Friedkin Group.

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In different circumstances, that uncertainty might be deemed unhelpful, but perhaps it actually works in Everton’s favour. If nothing else, successive draws against Arsenal, Chelsea and City show that Dyche and his players are all still clearly pulling in the same direction despite a tough start to the season.

What looked like a daunting festive run has been navigated successfully thanks to solid defensive foundations.

And for U.S. readers:

Everton were leaky at the start of the season but no longer are. In their first four games, they conceded 13 goals. It is now five clean sheets in seven and seven in their last 11. No side in Europe has had more in that time.

Key has been the reversion to last season’s tactical blueprint. Abdoulaye Doucoure has significant limitations as a No 10, some of which stifle Everton’s attacking play, but his ability to press opponents and drop into midfield makes them more secure.

After a brief look at something different, Dyche has benefitted from reverting to type. The former Burnley manager tried to give the side a different dimension this season, initially playing Dwight McNeil behind the striker in Doucoure’s stead, but has accepted in recent weeks that the experiment needed to end.

Everton have moved from 4-2-3-1 to a more compact 4-5-1, using the former Watford man as a bridging point between midfield and attack. They are unbeaten since Doucoure returned behind the striker against Wolves, who they hammered 4-0, picking up six points from four games including those matches against City, Chelsea and Arsenal.

An additional benefit has been the more regular inclusion of loanee Orel Mangala in a deeper role, which has left the team looking more assured.

Games like these suit Dyche and Everton. By their own admission, they are better when they have less of the ball and when the onus is on the opposition to break them down. Their possession share at the Etihad was just 34 per cent. It was 24 and 25 against Arsenal and Chelsea.

Jarrad Branthwaite’s return has brought balance to the defence, but in Dyche’s system everyone has to a part to play off the ball.

EVERTON PATTERSON PICKFORD BROJA scaled


Nathan Patterson, Pickford and Aarmando Broja applaud the travelling fans at full time (Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images)

“It’s a bit of everything,” Coleman said. “It’s defending from the front as well. The lads are getting fitter, (James) Tarky (Tarkowski) and Jarrad have been great and (Ashley) Youngy’s been unbelievable at his age (39) — what an example he is to the rest of us.

“(There’s) just a togetherness and a desire to keep clean sheets can help. And our goalkeeper (Jordan Pickford) obviously is not bad either!

“It’s important, if you don’t see it, to have a look at the work and desire of Jack (Harrison) and Iliman (Ndiaye) to get back and help the full-backs. I always say when you play for Everton, it has to begin with that.”

Still, there were times when Everton did not look quite as defensively secure against City as they had in the two previous games. City scored early through Bernardo Silva’s deflected strike, hit the post and missed opportunities to extend their lead.

Everton were also indebted to goalkeeper Pickford for saving Erling Haaland’s second-half penalty.

Pickford and Coleman had done their bit to put off the Norway striker. Pickford gurning like only he can before the penalty being taken and the captain exchanging words with Haaland before he stepped up.

“Getting in his head probably isn’t easy to do with everything he’s achieved,” Coleman said. “It was only nonsense really, anything you can do (to put him off).

“I fancy Jordan in those situations. He’s a a great lad and a top ‘keeper — one of Everton’s best and a massive part of our survival the last few years.”

After a tough start to the season and an error against Tottenham Hotspur, Pickford is now back to top form. Again he was there to bail his side out. The early-season, European Championship-induced hangover now seems behind him.

On his first league start since August, Coleman slotted in seamlessly at right-back in place of the suspended Young, coping with the threat of the pacy Jeremy Doku and adding thrust in attack at times.

And yet, it could have been even better for Everton once again. As against Chelsea, they squandered opportunities following Ndiaye’s smartly-taken equaliser. That goal was an unusual moment of offensive clarity from Dyche’s side, coming from their first touch in City’s box. In additional time, a four versus two on the counter was wasted that could have seen them snatch all three points.

These have been positive weeks for Everton but it was a reminder they still lack the clinical edge needed to pull clear of trouble. They have failed to net nine times this season and have scored the second-fewest goals, ahead of only Southampton. It is just two losses in 13 but just three wins in 17 now too.

Dyche’s tactical compromise has made them more secure defensively, helping them to valuable draws in recent weeks, but entrenched some of their issues in the final third. They spend so long without the ball that they still struggle in games where the onus is on them, like last month’s draw against 10-man Brentford.

They are still a team to be endured rather than enjoyed. But their ability to hang in there and weather the storm at least stands them in good stead for some of the challenges on the horizon. Next up, high-flying Nottingham Forest at Goodison.

(Top photo: Coleman has words with Haaland before the penalty. Molly Darlington/Getty Images)





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About The Author

Avatar of Elizabeth Wilson
Elizabeth Wilson is a news writer for Texas-Express.com, where she covers lifestyle, books, sports, education, and tech. She has been with the company since 2018. In her free time, Elizabeth likes to read and watch sci-fi movies. She also enjoys playing board games with friends and family.

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