Sean Dyche: “In order to score ugly goals, Everton needs to adopt a killer mentality.”
After the Toffees wasted numerous opportunities in their 2-0 Premier League loss to Manchester United on Saturday, Everton manager Sean Dyche has urged his team to adopt a “killer mentality” in front of goal.
The Red Devils started the game well at Old Trafford, falling behind two goals
in the first 36 minutes, but eventually rallied for maximum points thanks to
penalties converted by Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford.
Despite their struggles to produce many clear-cut opportunities,
Dyche’s team managed to muster 23 efforts on goal; since records began
in 2003–04, the Toffees have only had more shots in a Premier
League away encounter without scoring against Wolverhampton
Wanderers in March 2010 (24) than any other time.
Everton’s dreadful Premier League winless streak has now reached 11 games, one shy of the club record of 12 established in 1994. They are currently four points above the drop zone in the table as a result of Luton’s Town’s dramatic 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.
Only the bottom two teams Sheffield United (24) and Burnley (25) have scored fewer Premier League goals than Everton (29) so far this season, and Dyche is keen to see improvements in the final third made quickly heading down the home straight.
“I can’t tell you how frustrated I am,” Dyche told reporters after the match.
“I’m trying to speak calmly about the situation, which is incredibly frustrating,
after coming to Old Trafford and delivering a performance like that and yet we don’t win.
“I’ve never been [to Old Trafford], with all due respect to the squads I’ve had, and had that many chances and created that many opportunities. We had 45 quality entries into their
box and they had 15 into ours, but we lose the game 2-0.
“It’s very frustrating but we’ve had a run of that. The most important stat,
of course, is the final scoreline. We’re getting into key areas and we need to work continuously to change it.
“The players are doing a lot right and these stats, usually, bring more than we got today, but I’m never naive enough to ignore what is most important thing and the bit we have to get right, which is the scoreline.
“There’s a good belief in the camp with what we’re doing, but you’ve got to score goals, finish your chances. The key to it is to get that killer mentality because we’re getting into so many good areas with so much quality and then not finding the moment to finish it all off.
“It’s very difficult when I’m watching the team with so much quality, getting in those areas, and not taking their chances.
“Winning games is still the expected outcome. Win matches for the badge, Everton Football Club, yourself, and your friends. The thing we’re missing is the constant devilment in the box and the drive to go for the final touch and put the ball in the net.”
Dyche went on: “I told the players that not every goal can be a beautiful goal; you’ve seen me discuss this in the media this week. Today, we have some incredible opportunities to score, but we don’t.
“However, what about scoring the ugly ones if you can’t score them? the ones from the battle scene. How about the player who ran after the ball to draw a foul and earn a penalty, like Alejandro Garnacho? Proceed to suffer such harm.
“You have to get hurt to score a goal,” Brian Clough used to tell us when I played for Nottingham Forest.
At the time, I realized what he meant when he said that sometimes you just
have to battle to get a goal—getting there before your opponent—or fling yourself
at something in order to score a goal—rather
than waiting for all the beautiful goals.
“That’s what we’ve got to change – the willingness to get hurt to go and score a goal.”
Everton now have a three-week break before their walk out for their next Premier
League fixture away against Bournemouth on March 30
Read more related news updates on sporttoday.co.uk
Leave a Reply