It has got to the stage where people are having to debate exactly why Everton fans are booing. When Sean Dyche turned to his bench during the Carabao Cup defeat by Southampton, the echo of disdain was aimed at the manager. Whether it was over the removal of the lone striker Beto when there was a match to be won or bringing on Ashley Young is uncertain. The truth is somewhere in between but the key detail is that there is unrest at Goodison Park.
Everton exited the Carabao Cup meekly on Tuesday, adding to a miserable Premier League start of four straight defeats, two after taking a two-goal lead. Harvard’s finest professors are still trying to ascertain how they conceded three against Bournemouth in the final nine minutes but it is clear something is not right.
Dyche admits the situation on and off the pitch at Everton is “volatile”. In matches the volatility can best be likened to a toddler at a birthday party who has peaked early with large doses of sugar before crashing late on. In the boardroom, the situation is far more serious. John Textor is working in the background to complete a takeover but whether he can get it done is yet to be determined. He is the fifth party to get to a period of exclusivity with Farhad Moshiri, the despised owner. The fourth was the Friedkin Group, which lurks in the background waiting to pounce if Textor falls at one of the many hurdles.
Against Southampton the atmosphere was muted for long periods. An air of upset surrounds Goodison Park in its final season as the home of Everton and defeat on Saturday at Leicester, another team staring at a relegation battle, would further tip the scales against Dyche in the fans’ eyes. There are few paying punters willing to back the manager. It feels as if the atmosphere is growing in toxicity as Dyche becomes the focal point for years of mismanagement at the club.
“There is not a flick of a switch and we have solved everything,” Dyche said. “There is miles to go in the journey of Everton Football Club to get it back to where it wants to be and where it should be.”
It did not help that Young was the culprit on Tuesday, having his penalty saved to send Everton out. Few expected that the former winger – now a full-back – would be on the books this season after clear decline but it was decided he merited another year at the age of 39. Fans want to see more youthful signings, are excited by the arrival of Tim Iroegbunam from Aston Villa and feel a more progressive recruitment strategy would be more advantageous than hoarding available bodies.
Seeds were sown when Dyche bemoaned fans leaving the opening day 3-0 home defeat by Brighton early, saying: “It feels like reality at this football club – if you’re not doing well and you’re not winning, that’s what happens.” Supporters had the right to protest with their feet after an indication of the capitulations to come. Everyone knows what is coming with a Dyche team and the style has been forgiven by many when results are positive but amid a run of losses, the failings are exacerbated.
Inside the club, Dyche is backed. The summer’s recruitment was geared towards the manager as they aimed to build a squad that reflected his ideals. If matters were somehow to worsen and the call were made to sack Dyche, Everton would need someone who mirrors the current manager, making it even less likely they will make a change. Fans expect some level of evolution but Dyche has a set system and strategy, and very little changes.
Injuries are deemed by Dyche to have played a key role in the inability to pick up points, such that he brought a list of absentees to Thursday’s press conference to avoid forgetting any. Jarrad Branthwaite and Nathan Patterson are yet to play a minute and Everton acquired an injured Armando Broja on deadline day. The centre-back pairing of James Tarkowski and Branthwaite was the foundation of Dyche’s plan and without it the struggles have been evident. Last season they conceded 51 goals, the fourth fewest in the league, whereas this season 13 have been shipped, the worst record in England’s top three divisions.
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The points situation was not much better this time last year, when Everton had one draw and four defeats in their first five matches, and Dyche led Everton to safety with 40 points. The team would have finished 12th but for an eight-point deduction. He kept them up the season before after replacing Frank Lampard and has taken charge of more Everton games than his six permanent predecessors, surviving 20 months in a somewhat difficult role.
“I regard [my reign] as a current and ongoing success because people only know that much of the challenge,” Dyche said. “It is not fair on supporters to know everything but there has been huge amounts of shifts here. We have brought in tens and tens of millions in fees, we have got tens of millions off the wage bill, safeguarding the club, trying to develop teams that can excite and win and trying to get young players through the system. All these challenges. They are right there in front of everyone’s eyes. I can see it all.”
Few could dispute Dyche was right for the job when he arrived but he has to prove he is the man for now. A loss to Leicester would be further evidence he is not.