Journalist shares Sean Dyche sack ‘pressure’ verdict at Everton ahead of crucial Bournemouth Premier League clash
Everton manager Sean Dyche is under pressure to deliver a solution to return his team to winning ways at Goodison Park against Bournemouth on Saturday, according to Andy Hunter.
The Guardian journalist, writing ahead of the weekend’s Premier League fixtures (6 October) that the Toffees have only felt “pain” on home turf this season and the question of whether Dyche can finally deliver a result at Goodison this season is mounting against a Bournemouth team without an away win all season.
The Toffees have found a win at home hard to come by so far this season, with all three of their games there ending in defeat against Fulham, Wolves and Luton Town – all three games which would have ended differently had Dyche’s men lived up to their xG.
And ahead of their crucial clash against Bournemouth, Hunter hinted that Dyche could be under serious pressure should Everton fail to claim all three points on Saturday afternoon.
He said: “Dyche’s recollections of the corresponding fixture last season when Everton saved their Premier League skins with a 1-0 win over Bournemouth on the final day, combine “pleasure and pain”.
“There has been only the latter at Goodison Park this term and the question of whether Dyche can inject the former into Everton’s home form is mounting after his team’s clueless response to falling behind to Luton last week.
The Everton manager has taken to stressing positive xG stats, which he insisted this week are the best at the club in eight seasons, yet the most revealing stat is their worst start to a home league campaign for 65 years.
“Defeats to Fulham, Wolves and Luton have been characterised by weak finishing and defending. Against a Bournemouth side that have conceded 15 Premier League goals and are without an away league win, the pressure is on Dyche to deliver a solution.”
Moshiri won’t care about xG
Everton’s dreadful home form has been a huge worry this season so far, especially when it’s supposed to be teams – who lie down the bottom of the Premier League – saving grace against relegation.
This has been the Toffees worst start on home turf in a whopping 65 years and that has indeed been down to “weak finishing and defending” indeed.
Had Everton possessed the clinical edge in all of their home games this season, their position in the table will have had them competing with the likes of West Ham, Aston Villa and Brighton just outside the top four so far, not three points away from the bottom.
Dyche can certainly point towards the xG stats which certainly lie in Everton’s favour, but that’s just it, it’s just a stat not reality and the reality is Everton are in serious peril if they do not pick up all three points against Bournemouth on Saturday.
The Toffees simply have to treat that encounter like they did at the end of last campaign when they beat the drop after that hugely important 1-0 result. How Dyche could do with another because Farhad Moshiri won’t be caring about xG one bit should recent home form and performance repeat itself again.
In other Everton news, a condition has now emerged on Sean Dyche being sacked amid trouble behind the scenes at Goodison Park.