Sean Dyche relieved as key metric pays Everton back in ‘dominant’ win over Bournemouth
Sean Dyche has admitted some relief as Everton finally got their first win at Goodison Park this season with a dominant display where the Toffees matched their expected goals.
First-half goals from James Garner and Jack Harrison gave the Blues a 2-0 lead heading into the break before Abdoulaye Doucoure scored midway through the second half to ensure the home crowd would witness their first win since the final day of last season.
While the Toffees have struggled to pick up three points at home so far this season, they have put in some good performances that have just lacked the finishing touch, but Dyche shared his relief that his side had finally converted their chances against the Cherries.
Speaking to BBC Sport after the game (7 October) he said: “There’s been a lot of noise around the home form and correcting that today, we’ve got a lot of work to do. I think the fans deserve it for their backing of the team, they question it after a game but before the game they’re always absolutely committed to the cause both home and away.
“It’s nice to reward them with a very good performance, a dominant performance and a performance when at last the xG that I’ve been talking about, it pays us back. I said to the players you’ve got to keep doing it, the more you statistically do them things in games, it will pay you back.
“Eventually it will pay you back, but of course, you’ve still got players who have to take your chances and they did today.”
Finally
It must have felt like an absolute age for Everton fans since they last won at home in the Premier League but after countless games of disappointment, they have finally displayed their quality and rewarded the passionate home crowd with an excellent performance and three points.
The Toffees overperformed their xG against the Cherries on Saturday, scoring three times from a total of 2.71 xG, thanks in part to Harrison’s screamer, which only was worth 0.02 when he struck it with his left foot from range [Fotmob].
There are so many talented players in Dyche’s ranks that are capable of taking chances if and when they fall to them, but for whatever reason this season the Everton players have struggled to put them away, other than in the win over Brentford.
But the most important thing for Everton now is to ensure that this isn’t just a one off, they need to be putting these sorts of performances in week-in-and-week-out especially at Goodison to ensure that they are safe in the Premier League once again.
To score three goals and not be relying on Dominic Calvert-Lewin to take his chances is a huge bonus as well and a testament to the work of the players around the Toffees’ number nine.
In other Everton news, Dyche has shared his views on VAR drama following the latest drama surrounding Liverpool