Dyche’s Everton.
Spurs put the disappointment of the opening game draw behind them with a thumping 4-0 victory of an Everton that are looking down the barrel of relegation already, in their home opener in the league.
It’s Everton, yes after last seasons disappointing away draw to Dyche’s cloggers, it was good to hand out a fairly comfortable thumping which sees them on the bottom of the league but amazingly they had fewer attempts than the previous game and the same on target.
It’s just this time they put three more away, while not coughing up a lead with the oppositions first attempt on target, or the only shot on target as was the case here. Which helped, there wasn’t that post conceding panic period.
There was a newish look Spurs, with Ange again going 4-3-3, but this time with Kulusevski and Bissouma joining Maddison in the middle and a front three of Johnson, Odobert and Son. There had to be changes with Bentancur’s concussion on Monday and Solanke picking up an injury – weren’t we told his injury problems were just a figment of our imaginations by the ones telling us how great his pressing stats are – though I’m not sure these were the replacements most saw coming.
Though everyone was screaming for Kulusevski and were creaming themselves during and after this game. Though he was doing that thing again, playing like Kyle Walker, where he leans into the opposition player getting slowly further and further away from the ball. If footballers were a bit thick, all they’d have to do is put their hands up to show they’re not pulling a shirt and step back or to the side. He’d fall over and the ball would be there to take away.
They were overjoyed when he laid on the opener. Well, he was doing that keep going because he’s lost and there’s nowhere else to go, Bissouma was his only out. I suppose we should be grateful he actually played the right ball.
Bissouma needed this, his first goal for the club coming straight after coming straight back into the team following his one game ban. It’s unusual, previously his suspensions have been followed by poor performances normally. Was all action here. at that point, 15 minutes in, it looked like a repeat of Monday as Spurs had all the ball – over 80% – and had five attempts, three on target without opening the scoring.
Romero’s piledriver though like on Monday was too close to the keeper, did suggest Pickford might have one of those days. Shortly after Pickford was having one of those Pickford days. He’s always got it in him, Son who was playing through the middle was pressing wide left from a throw, a press he continued as the ball was played to Pickford. Pickford’s heavy touch and the turning circle of the QEII, allowed Son to nip and and double the lead.
Even when Spurs were playing nod the ball straight up and not out of the box, Everton couldn’t create a real chance. Their shot came in the second half from being handed the ball by new boy Wilson Odobert, who just played the ball across the pitch to no one in white. A cracking save from Vicario, through a bit of a crowd kept the lead at 2. The young Frenchman on debut after his surprise move from Burnley, showed some nice feet with attacking intent, just his final ball was lacking. Could have done without this final ball as well.
While not actually conceding from a corner, Spurs amazingly scored from a corner. Maddison’s whipped in delivery was nodded home by Romero. Slightly makes up for his disappearing act on Monday for their equaliser.
In the first half it looked like we might have lost Micky van de Ven and this being Spurs, for a long, long time. He seem to hyperextend his knee and it did not look good. It almost seemed stupid to let him try and run it off as half time approached. A surprise when he came out for the second half, it’s not like Dragusin hasn’t just come off a great tournament and could do with some minutes.
Six minutes after the third, in breaking up an Everton attack, the big Dutchman showed why it wasn’t such a bad idea letting him play on. As he charged out of defence, ball at his feet, running away from the Everton players behind, while those in front retreated in panic, brushing off the one away player that could keep up he had two options from the home players that could keep up with him. Son or the recently introduced Richarlison. There really was only one option, thankfully he played the ball to his left and Sonny took a touch before putting the ball through Pickford for his second.
You take four nil. You take a clean sheet and actually taking chances. Good chances. But they could have relegated Everton then and there. Because nothing really beats Dyche’s face when his side are stuffed. And he didn’t even have anything he could really whinge about. Though he gets away with any whinge due to his mates in the media giving him a free ride. Such as in their first game when he was claiming his player standing on an opponents foot and that opponent moving his foot means it was a penalty. Any other manager and the pundits would be taking the piss out of him for that.
Surprised he wasn’t screaming for Porro to be red carded the way Efan Ekoku was for catching someone with his elbow as he tried to squeeze between two Everton players who weren’t interested in the ball.
It was a game though that highlighted problems. Son was playing centrally again. No coincidence his two goals came from him being wide left. Micky could have been injured. Then their one mistimed tackle away from ben Davies playing centre-back again. Unless they stick Gray in there. But now they’re saying Spurs won’t go for anyone in the middle because Gray and Bergvall have impressed so much.
With Europe to contend with you can easily see them being short at some point.