Install the app
How to install the app on iOS

Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.

Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.

 

2024/25 Sean Dyche - Sacked

0-2 away win, not too much 'noise'.*
1-1 home draw, a shed load of noise.

And I'm not saying it's unjustified, the Fulham game was for the most part, dire.
We're an average team, Dyche is an average manager...where the average is, on a good streak, 14th - 12th.
On the bad streak; 0pts in 4 games, 1pt in 5.

(*average teams have the odd good game.)

I've been as guilty as most, but I'm going to try to Ingore as much 'noise' as I can, until the takeover finalises.
Hopefully the yanks will have their feet firmly under the Premier League table by the end of May and will do whatever it is big time yankie businessmen do in a new acquisition
 
….i actually think DCL is more isolated because McNeil isn’t a no10 who is naturally or has the physicality to get alongside or beyond him. On the plus side, he has much more quality in possession to ‘put the striker in on goal’.

I actually think McNeil at no10 has been a major problem for Dyche in finding the right balance elsewhere. If he has Doucoure at no10, he can build an axis behind him and out wide. McNeil switching might have been a success but it’s also given Dyche a headache.
It's a simple game Eggs and a simple solution, don't pick Doucoure.

McNeil isn't a No10 , I agree with you - that should be Ndayie
 
….i actually think DCL is more isolated because McNeil isn’t a no10 who is naturally or has the physicality to get alongside or beyond him. On the plus side, he has much more quality in possession to ‘put the striker in on goal’.

I actually think McNeil at no10 has been a major problem for Dyche in finding the right balance elsewhere. If he has Doucoure at no10, he can build an axis behind him and out wide. McNeil switching might have been a success but it’s also given Dyche a headache.

I dont know mate, i thought Dom was far more isolated last year then this, we look far more dangerous and creative this year and i think we are making a whole lot more scorable high % chances to score, particularly for him that hes not finishing.

His quality is in bullying players, lay offs, turning players, give and go, getting his head on the end of things - essentially he's an old school big man - the second striker of a front two years ago - who would get 7-10 goals a year, where the little fella would get 20.

In McNeill and Ndaiye we have a bit of craft, both can break the line, i think hes been exposed by both his movement and anticipation on getting on the end of their balls and when he does - finishing.

I think our craft is developing, but its exposing Dom as a goal scorer. Maybe as you say do you compensate with The Duke, he and Dom both get 7 again. I think arguably that hasn't worked in 10 months now - it was only really effective in the first half of last season. I dont think we know our best central midfield partnership in truth but I'm not sure that has much to do with Dom.

I think its time we move on from Dom personally, by that i mean im not to fussed about him leaving, im starting to feel like hes holding us back particularly in goal scoring, as good as he is in some aspects of the game.
 

….i actually think DCL is more isolated because McNeil isn’t a no10 who is naturally or has the physicality to get alongside or beyond him. On the plus side, he has much more quality in possession to ‘put the striker in on goal’.

I actually think McNeil at no10 has been a major problem for Dyche in finding the right balance elsewhere. If he has Doucoure at no10, he can build an axis behind him and out wide. McNeil switching might have been a success but it’s also given Dyche a headache.
The thing is a no10 is really a creative role for spraying the ball out wide and playing through balls to the striker, someone who can take a good long shot from the edge of the box, someone like McNeil. It s not really about running beyond the main striker, that's more a second striker who happens to be good with the ball at feet and scores goals and can do that, that's what Firmino was.
 
it's hard a crazy position though is it, to care about a goal so early in the season - there is a reason why a lot of people aren't fussed anymore. are you going to block all the people 'at the match' who left before the goal too?

for eg, i didn't know it ended 1-1 until a while after as i was cooking and my reaction in my head was ' that's weird'

The same people who ‘aren’t fussed’ about 94th minute equalisers are the same people who were on here when the Brighton line up was released before the first game going hysterical that a teenage right back wasn’t starting. They seem very fussed to me.
 
I would be totally fine with Dyche going with a formation like this and just going down the wing and pumping in crosses, and then pressing aggressively whenever we didn't have the ball

Pickford
Dixon, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Mykolenko
Ndiyae, Tim, Gana, McNeil
DCL, Beto

Every game would probably stink from a footballing perspective, we’ve got some players not in their natural position, and we wouldn't be winning every week, but maybe we'd at least get to 40-50 points and survive, especially if the players were running around and working hard

That seems tailor made to his management style as well. His aversion to 442 has been a bit baffling to me
I agree with you Mikey that we need to try something different but 2 in midfield, nah they would get overrun.

Dyche will never do this but I'd like to see this tried...

Pickford

Tarkowski / O'Brien/ Branthwaite

Dixon / Mangala / Garner / Gana / McNeil

DCL / Ndayie
 
Just on McNeill
….i actually think DCL is more isolated because McNeil isn’t a no10 who is naturally or has the physicality to get alongside or beyond him. On the plus side, he has much more quality in possession to ‘put the striker in on goal’.

I actually think McNeil at no10 has been a major problem for Dyche in finding the right balance elsewhere. If he has Doucoure at no10, he can build an axis behind him and out wide. McNeil switching might have been a success but it’s also given Dyche a headache.

Just on McNeill at 10, im not his greatest fan, but i think hes been good and impactful there.

A thought stuck me though last week in terms of - the flood Doucoure gives you in supporting the striker and dropping back to make a 3 in the middle out of possession in that hybrid role.

Could Tim play that Hybrid 8/10 role as an option..........
 
The same people who ‘aren’t fussed’ about 94th minute equalisers are the same people who were on here when the Brighton line up was released before the first game going hysterical that a teenage right back wasn’t starting. They seem very fussed to me.

well football is entertainment isn't it, things like that can happen which leads to despondency after and during. you can look forward to a film because of the actors/director.... the film could not be great and by the end you have lost interest when a person you thought you'd care about dies, or something.

people can pretend football is more of course and maybe it was at some point, but in 2024 it's just commodity fetishism - and thats fine as once people accept that
 

Just on McNeill


Just on McNeill at 10, im not his greatest fan, but i think hes been good and impactful there.

A thought stuck me though last week in terms of - the flood Doucoure gives you in supporting the striker and dropping back to make a 3 in the middle out of possession in that hybrid role.

Could Tim play that Hybrid 8/10 role as an option..........

…well he certainly has more quality in the top third. Was amazed against Bournemouth how easily he went past opponents on the edge of their box. Definitely a possibility if he can apply himself.
 
Maybe he doesn’t want to be seen as coming to a club like Everton and just doing what he did at Burnley?

But surely that’s WHY we signed him?

….in respect of 4-4-2, he was clear in saying he hasn’t got the personnel here to go with that option. He might mean the right combo up front (Beto doesn’t look like a player you’d be trying to link with), or the right balance behind.
 
I agree with you Mikey that we need to try something different but 2 in midfield, nah they would get overrun.

Dyche will never do this but I'd like to see this tried...

Pickford

Tarkowski / O'Brien/ Branthwaite

Dixon / Mangala / Garner / Gana / McNeil

DCL / Ndayie
This narrative that we don’t have options really gives me the irrits.

Your line up shows we do, and other players like lindstrom, Beto, Patterson, not even in the starting line up getting 5 mins off the bench here and there, when the starters are stinking the gaff out.

According to dyche we’ve got zero options, so he has to play the usual suspects continually, even when they are supposedly carrying a knock like Tarks (shame we’ve got a young cb who has just played a full season in the French top flight and had a decent preseason with us sitting on his arse getting splinters isn’t it?) - it’s just bad management.

Just to see something different when the starting plan is clearly not working would be a refreshing change, but his game management, squad management and subs will cost us more points than it wins us.
 

Welcome

Join Grand Old Team to get involved in the Everton discussion. Signing up is quick, easy, and completely free.

Back
Top