Sean Dyche has once again called on his players to “change the story” that has them stuck in a cycle of uneven performances, frustrating home defeats and an inability to overcome the gravity that’s pulled them towards the bottom of the Premier League for the past two years.
The Blues seemed to be turning a corner when they beat Brentford handsomely in the Premier League nine days ago and then knocked Aston Villa out of the Carabao Cup with a fine display on the ground where they had suffered a horrible 4-0 reverse just five weeks earlier.
However, despite dominating the early stages of last Saturday’s home game against hitherto winless Luton Town and out-shooting the Hatters by 23 to nine on the day, Everton ended up losing 2-1, their seventh loss at Goodison Park in eight games.
Dyche made reference to the fact that, just as against Fulham on the opening day, his side had a vastly superior xG to their opponents but still ended up on the losing side.
But in comments on evertonfc.com today in reflection on the Luton game, he stressed that statistics don’t win football matches and he described the forthcoming home fixture against Bournemouth as another opportunity to change the narrative of the team’s season.
“Stats don’t win games, the scoreline is what is key,” he stated. “Working in both boxes, it can’t just be one box, we have to work in both. That’s the bit I have been challenging players with constantly since I got here.
“The biggest frustration for me is we started so strongly against Brentford with a great result, then another one on Wednesday against Aston Villa. This was a great opportunity to step on and play with the shoulders back and confidence.
“The crowd were amazing. The crowd were waiting, they are going, ‘Go on then lads.’ But then we just go a bit flat, a bit toothless, what’s that all about? It drives me mad, to be perfectly honest. But Bournemouth is another opportunity to change the story.
“It feels like it’s been one step forward, two steps back,” Dyche continued. “Rather than two steps forward one back, which you’d sometimes take. We have to do more than that.
“That’s on us to change the story. I can’t reiterate it enough, because it needs it. This story has been here for two years, and I have mentioned it consistently. We have a chance to change it.
“We’re back at Goodison on Saturday. We want to be playing there, giving the fans goals and wins. That’s what we have to change.”