Sean Dyche accused of ignoring Everton values as players rewarded for failure in defeat to Newcastle
Michael Ball has rounded on Everton boss Sean Dyche for selecting players who aren’t good enough after the 4-1 defeat by Newcastle on Thursday night (27 April).
He’s accused the manager of ignoring the clubs motto “Nil satis nisi optimum” (Nothing but the best is good enough) by rewarding failure with further appearances.
Following the miserable home result, which ended in front of half-empty stands, the Toffees are second from bottom and two points adrift from safety with just five games remaining.
Ex-Goodison defender Ball took to Twitter on Friday (28 April) and wrote: “Players who are constantly making mistakes or have no confidence because of recent poor personal displays are still getting rewarded to wear that royal blue jersey.
“That isn’t NSNO.
“That’s on the manager.”
Too late?
This time last year the team was poor but they harnessed the huge support of the Evertonians to lift themselves to rousing home victories on the way to securing safety.
But 12-months later there is an air of resignation to the situation, as the fans turned out once more to welcome the bus to the stadium and were provided with next to nothing in reaction.
Dyche appeared to have struck on a formula to edge to safety with battling 1-0 home wins and a the odd point on the road – which wouldn’t have been pretty but it would have been enough.
But amid injury and suspension he has made some questionable personnel and formation decisions and lost all the momentum that had been built up.
His insistence on repeatedly using Ben Godfrey as a full-back, on either side, has been shown to be a mistake already, but the converted central defender was there on the right again against the Magpies and Eddie Howe’s men duly ran past him for the opening two goals.
Dyche doesn’t consider Nathan Patterson a “bonafide” Premier League player [Daily Record, 20 April], but he is at least a right-back.
Alexander Isak also breezed past Godfrey, along with most of the Everton team, on the way to the fourth, with Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane providing nothing in terms of a barrier either.
Everyone knows there isn’t a huge amount of quality for the manager to work with, but right now it is hard to argue that he is getting the best out of what he has on offer and the situation is getting desperate.