Sean Dyche and Everton needed a night like this.
Anxiety over a fourth successive relegation battle had risen in recent weeks, with pressure in turn mounting on Dyche as manager. With the trickiest of festive schedules ahead, another three points and an extra buffer to the relegation zone had started to feel critical.
But then came Wednesday night and Everton 4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0. A first home win since late September and only their second at Goodison this season.
Fans stayed after the final whistle to sing Spirit of the Blues, jubilant players embraced, club captain Seamus Coleman clenched his fist on his way down the tunnel, and all of a sudden it felt like last season again — on and off the pitch.
That is no bad thing.
Dyche has been complicit in many of Everton’s issues this campaign, as they have struggled to replicate the form that saw them take 48 points before deductions, for breaches of profitability and sustainability rules, in 2023-24.
Perhaps in trying to show prospective new owners The Friedkin Group he can evolve this side into a more modern, progressive outfit, he moved too far away from the formula that brought relative success last season. Not only had Everton failed to score in seven of their first 13 matches this season — a league high — they conceded three or more goals in a single game on five occasions.
The image that was painted was of a team straining for an identity, one that had stopped excelling in the same areas as before, such as set-pieces and in shutting the opposition out.
With dissent growing in the stands, Dyche had to get the big calls right on Wednesday and, in the main, did. The blueprint was familiar: a reversion to last season’s 4-4-1-1 with Abdoulaye Doucoure, not Dwight McNeil, as the No 10, more pressing from the front and a focus on maximising set-pieces.
Doucoure is a curious fit in the No 10 role, the former Watford man not blessed with the same nimble footwork as Iliman Ndiaye or the ball-striking prowess of McNeil. He can be clumsy, lack guile and struggles to pick a killer pass.
Yet he remains Dyche’s tactical comfort blanket for a reason. With him in the side, Everton press more coherently, stop more opposition attacks at source and he is there to drop in as a third central midfielder when needed.
“It helps because Doucs is someone who can put pressure and bring intensity to the game,” team-mate Orel Mangala said. “He can show the lead to go forward and it’s important.
“The energy we put in from the first minute was different. We decided to press them hard from the first minute and that was the biggest difference (from previous games).”
In starting with more intensity and aggression, Everton harnessed the Goodison crowd better than they had done in some time.
It was still far from perfect. Wolves found early joy in between the Everton lines and the hosts’ possession play was littered with errors. Jorgen Strand Larsen missed early chances, and struck the post in the second half.
But Everton visibly grew in confidence after Ashley Young’s free-kick opener, their first goal since October 26 or in 370 minutes of action. From there, the story would ultimately be of their dominance from set-pieces, and Wolves’ vulnerabilities. All four Everton goals came via that avenue, reinforcing Dyche’s reliance on dead balls.
“The analysts and staff take care of the set-pieces and do a great job at it,” the Everton manager said. “The delivery was excellent across most of the set-pieces including Youngy’s finish.
“Delivery is massively important and the intent and desire to go and finish it. It’s a reminder of how effective we can be.”
Dyche will be pleased by how some of his other changes fared. Mangala added composure in midfield, misplacing only one of his 29 passes and scoring the second goal.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin led the line effectively after replacing Beto in the starting line-up. Both received standing ovations, while it was notable how many team-mates surrounded the striker after Everton’s fourth goal — initially awarded to him but subsequently attributed as another Craig Dawson own goal.
It was an agonising 2-1 home defeat to Wolves in December 2022, secured by Rayan Ait-Nouri’s stoppage-time winner, that proved to be one of the final nails in Dyche’s predecessor, Frank Lampard’s coffin as Everton manager. But there would be no repeat this time. Wolves, who have now conceded 36 times in 14 games, were weaker and more vulnerable than any side Everton have played this season.
The emphatic result helps Dyche’s cause but heaps more pressure on his Molineux counterpart Gary O’Neil, whose job is now likely to come under serious scrutiny.
Everton will still need to be improve substantially from here, with games against Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City now to follow.
Yet this was a much-needed confidence boost, and a pleasing reminder of how effective they can be from set-pieces when they get it right. It is still incumbent on Dyche to find solutions to Everton’s issues from open-play. Ndiaye, for example, was largely ineffective until he shifted to the left in the second half.
The path to improvement is likely to involving finding a way to coax more from him and others, while retaining Wednesday’s aerial dominance.
“The players delivered a very good performance,” Dyche said. “I told them this week how proud I am of them. They’ve been through all kinds of challenges here, constantly, like I have. Sometimes it’s tough on the players and to come out and deliver again is pleasing.
“It’s only another step, we know that. There’s many more to go, but it’s a very positive step with the way we went about our business.“
It has been a while since Dyche and his team had a match as positive at this. And it could not have come at a more opportune time.
(Top photo: Young, centre, races away after opening the scoring. Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images)
