Despite losing their past two Premier League games, Sean Dyche is still optimistic that his Everton team is headed in the right direction.
Everton appeared to have gained momentum following their 10-point penalty for violating Premier League financial regulations, as they won four straight games at the beginning of the month. However, they lost those games to Tottenham and Manchester City over the holiday season.
Everton was stunned by a contentious penalty judgment as City overcame a goal deficit to win 3-1 at Goodison Park on Wednesday after having a goal disallowed for offside in a 2-1 loss to Spurs on Saturday.
Despite the results, Dyche was happy with how his side played in both games as he looks ahead to Saturday’s trip to Wolves.
“It was pleasing for the performance levels,” Dyche said. “I speak about it endlessly, it’s a season’s work. At Tottenham we played very well. Man City, for all the noise lately, they’re still a top side, top professionals, a tough nut to crack and so it proved.
“There were a couple of soft moments from our point of view which is unlike us but that can happen.
“Bigger picture, we’re stretched at the minute (with injuries) but the people coming in are ready, they’re fantastic in how they look after themselves and the squad mentality stays very strong.”
Defeat left Everton outside the relegation zone by a single point, with 18th-placed Luton having a game in hand. The pressure is still on, but Dyche said nothing had fundamentally changed in the last week.
“I think it’s reality,” he said. “When we had the 10 points taken, where we were then and where we are now there’s been a pretty healthy shift.
“We don’t know the outcome of what comes next, let’s wait and see, but performance levels are good, the mentality is good. Just get on with it and keep working hard.”
And asked for a mid-term report on his side following their 19th league match, Dyche said the progress was obvious after recent relegation battles.
“After last season I was asked what I expect and I said, ‘We’ve got to get better’,” he said. “In spite of the obvious (penalty), 26 points would be a healthy return as regards as a step forward.
“I think what you see, it’s not just the points return, but the way the squad is going about it. It feels a more aligned club, the fans’ connection with the players, the staff and the players, it’s all beginning to mature and that’s all important.
“News of the 10 points has put a dent in that but it hasn’t broken anything. We’re still there, we’re still fighting and I think we’ve got the players to get more from the season than we’re getting.”
A number of those players have been catching the eye as the January transfer window nears, with Amadou Onana among those reportedly being eyed up by rivals.
But having slimmed down the squad considerably in the summer to the point where a handful of injuries have left them short over the festive period, Dyche has no desire to see any of his regulars leave next month.
“I think it’s fair to say that with a slim squad you don’t want to lose players,” the manager said. “I don’t think there’s much reality in those situations. In one way it’s a backhanded compliment, I don’t think there were too many talking about our players when we got here and now they are.”
