Sean Dyche: Every game is a must-win ahead of Everton v Bournemouth
Sean Dyche has claimed every game is a must-win for his Everton side as they prepare to face Bournemouth, looking for their first win at Goodison Park this season.
The Toffees have fallen to defeats against Fulham, Wolves and Luton Town so far this season, leading to increased pressure on Dyche’s position, with a visit from a Bournemouth side who are without a win this season up next.
He has, however, played down the importance of the game by claiming if he wasn’t capable of dealing with pressure he would be in a different line of work, as his side continues to work hard to turn their form around.
Speaking to the media in his press conference on 5 October, as reported by the Daily Echo, Dyche claimed: “In my view, every game is a must-win, that’s the way I like to think about football. But virtually ever since I’ve been here it’s been talked about every game is a must-win.
“It’s the reality of my job as a manager, I’ve been in it long enough now. As a player, I’ve been in it all my life, I’ve been in football all my life, and a manager, 10, pushing 11 years. Going over 500 games the other week.
“So, you want the pressure to be a different one. You want it to be at the top, when you’re winning, the pressure comes constantly, performing and winning games. Sometimes it’s the reverse pressure when it’s hard yards.
“These are hard yards, and when you’re looking for those results, you’re looking to define the thing that is the last thing to click to make it work when you do win games. But that’s part and parcel of it.”
Saturday is still a crucial game
If Everton can’t get a single point from Fulham, Wolves, Luton and Bournemouth at Goodison Park, serious questions have to start being asked of the manager. Being winless in three of those four is cause enough for concern, but four from four would be shocking.
Those are the types of games you simply have to win if you want to avoid relegation. Teams who will likely be scrapping around you come the end of the season. To throw away three points to each of them is a poor return.
Dyche will, of course, be able to cope with the pressures of his job. Like he says, he’s been doing it since he arrived. But whether his team are able to pull him through those pressures is a different question.
There will need to be a turnaround in form soon, and Bournemouth should be seen as the perfect opportunity to kickstart that turnaround.
In other Everton news, a key player is in the final stages of talks over a new deal.