…exactly. I think those stats confirm the team tried to win the game. As Dyche said afterwards, they’ve been working on the mentality of players, encouraging them to get forward and create. I actually thought they were quite brave in possession, something we’re going to have to be if we beat the drop.
I feel better about our situation than I did yesterday morning. I have no idea how this will play out, i don’t believe in forecasting our results and those of others but I think we have a chance. I‘d be chuffed if we are outside the bottom 3 going into the Bournemouth game knowing a win would see us safe.
Do you think he could have improved on that though by making changes in the second half? Iwobi, Dacoure even McNeil and DCL all looked goosed towards the end and because we didn't really retain possession well, it was a very open game. I personally felt that if he had introduced Gray and Onana for Iwobi and Dacoure at the very least, then we would have had two players capable of driving with the ball at pace, rather than two whose influence on the game had waned.
I'd also like to have seen Keane hooked, as he looked a liability all game (well every game, he should be nowhere near the side). He mentions in his interviews about transition and Everton have always been a team that gets caught out by it, because we have very little pace about us, but I think they could sort this out better by having the holding midfielder actually sit in the holding role. Gueye constantly moves away from this area, and Maddison kept dropping in to it to pick up the ball last night. Each game, most of the break aways could be solved by having the holder behind the play, rather than constantly in front of it. It puts a lot of pressure on two centre backs who have no pace themselves.
