Sean Dyche saw his side secure Premier League survival against Brentford. .uk/62ef21e8-656e-4880-9ef9-2079c18652bf.html?direct=true&id=62ef21e8-656e-4880-9ef9-2079c18652bf” class=”tmg-particle sport-widget wrp-62ef21e8-656e-4880-9ef9-2 0 79c18652bf ” title=”Match Summary: Everton vs Brentford” data-business-type=”editorial” loading=”eager” scroll=”no” Frameborder=”0″ allow=”web-share” style=”width: 100%; min -width: 100%; border: none; position: relative; display: block; margin: 0px;”>
He's been at Goodison Park for over a year now but Sean Dyche will finally feel fully appreciated as Everton manager. It was Dyche's best week on Merseyside.
Three wins, nine points and confidence in Premier League football next season will captivate even more hearts and minds and give him the opportunity to lay the foundations for a less dangerous future.
As for the rescue, it was not dramatic by Everton standards; No final day drama, inspiring reminders of previous escapes or 25-yard screams from unlikely heroes will be required after a 1-0 win over Brentford ensured safety. In the unprecedented circumstances of an eight-point deduction, clearing the danger with three games to go makes it a greater achievement than the previous two seasons.
Dyche succeeded where many might have failed amid numerous external distractions and punishments. “My biggest [achievement] is taking the group from where it was to where it is,” Dyche said. “Last year was hard, but this year has been especially hard. I'm very pleased to survive all the blows we've had. I'm very proud of everyone involved. “This job was not what I was offered.
I said at the beginning of the season that if we were consistent it would pay off in spades, and it has.” Dyche's style is not to everyone's taste and there have been occasions over the past 15 months when Everton players have debated whether being over-reliant on organisation, defensive structure and set-pieces suits them.
Often when Everton won, their performances were appreciated more than they were loved, fans yearning for a return to an era of enjoying football rather than digesting it. Three games ago the team lost 6-0 to Chelsea and for the first time those who had doubts about the Dyche formula became more vocal.
The response of Dyche and the players to the emergency is commendable. They had never looked more like a team than in their last three home games, and the manager was often left scratching the bottom of a team built by many failed architects.
A year ago, Dyche hailed safety by recalling how much work still needed to be done behind the scenes to ensure the future wasn't as dull.
He effectively repeated this after Idrisa Gueye's victory. For too long, disaster and fatalism have been unwelcome companions for fans, with failed transfers, Premier League commissions and ownership disputes extinguishing the wax whenever the candle flickered with the flame of hope. Until a potential 777 owner proves his worth – either to the Premier League before taking over or to the fans – the usual worries will fade.
Idrissa Gueye opens the scoring at Goodison Park! 💣 pic.twitter.com/gYdF0bWAcO
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 27, 2024
Ask Dyche who he'd like to see Everton take on in their next evolution and he'll likely name yesterday's rivals Brentford; a well-run, financially stable club, well-stocked in most positions and boasting a desirable striker in Ivan Toney. Thomas Frank did not build a bright team.
Like Everton, they can sometimes make the purist's eyes bleed rather than shine. “It was pretty boring,” Frank admitted. “We played an average game. It annoys me because it's a 0-0 game.” Given their relative resources, Brentford is a model institution. Only when Frank and Dyche find players who will make these games of attrition less frequent will a judgment on their style carry weight.
On the pitch at least, Everton look like they have a platform on which to turn the corner. Their latest victory was largely down to the set-piece threat, Brentford's failure to deal with the consequences of Dwight McNeil's corner, which allowed Gueye to score for the second weekend in a row. McNeil was an outstanding player. It seems to come alive when the pressure is greatest.
Daichu should hypnotize his attacker into believing that each month falls in April and May. McNeill missed one of his goals of the season when he hit the crossbar just before Gueye's winner. The job was done. “You can shove your points up your ass,” was the loudest chant on Gwladys Street. They never sang Daicha's name. But whatever the future, Everton's history commends the ideal coach in a dangerous situation.
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