Ben Crawford Every point matters
A late Michael Keane screamer on Monday night took little away from the fact that Tottenham seemed to be there for the taking, but then I suppose at this stage of the season every point matters.
A simply ridiculous Abdoulaye Doucoure red card meant the Blues had a mountain to climb, but despite that, Everton looked the most likely to win the game late on. Sean Dyche inspired another spirited performance as the telltale signs of his growing influence shone through once again.
Results have also gone in our favour this week, meaning that the garden looks slightly rosier going into this crucial run of fixtures. I have to say, each recent performance gives me a little more hope that we will avoid the drop.
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The only elephant in the room is a potential points deduction that Sean Dyche and Everton can no longer control.
Luke Davies - Every game is an opportunity
Based on the game against Tottenham, it is evident that Everton lack options and ideas in the final third.
But for what they lack in skill, they certainly make up for in tenacity, desire, and sheer willpower—typical assets of a Sean Dyche team. Could Michael Keane try that shot one hundred times and have it sail high and wide? Yes!
However, on Monday, it beat Hugo Lloris in front of the Gwladys Street, earning a point in the process. That point reminds me of a late equaliser against Leicester City last season, in a game we should’ve won but eventually the point proved pivotal in that relegation battle.
Moving onto Saturday, Everton travel to Old Trafford, taking on a stuttering Manchester United team. You could view this as a bonus game, with Everton traditionally having a poor record at United, but we cannot afford to go into games with this mentality. Every game is valuable, every game is an opportunity.
In terms of selection, I would keep the same back four that looked solid against Spurs. Obviously, Abdoulaye Doucoure is suspended for the game, leaving the door open for Tom Davies or James Garner.
Personally, I would opt for Garner, who seems to possess an eye for a pass based on his short time in a blue shirt. Alongside Garner, I’d stick with Idrissa Gueye and Amadou Onana. I continue to ask for more from Onana, who seems to be passed by in games; he has to do more and take more of an interest in the actual football rather than acting as a cheerleader for the crowd.
In attack, I’d go for Demarai Gray leading the line, with Dwight McNeil on the left and Alex Iwobi on the right. The team more or less picks itself apart from the Doucoure admission.
I’d expect a solid performance away from home in this one, with United seeing most of the ball trying to break Everton down and the Blues looking to break and take advantage of set-pieces. It is hard to expect anything from the game, but it is totally justified to at least hope for something.
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Paul McParlan - Goodison under the lights!
Before the game on Monday, my friend was talking to a family from Wisconsin, USA, on the Soccerbus who were visiting Goodison Park for their first ever Premier League game.
They wanted to experience a live English football atmosphere in person, they could not have chosen a better match! Quite simply, under the floodlights, there are few stadiums that can compare with Everton’s home when it seethes with such anger and explodes into such unrestrained joy.
Once again on Monday evening, the crowd responded to a series of setbacks with a coruscating cacophony of sound that reverberated across all four corners of the arena. The febrile fervour and pulsating passion that engulfs the Old Lady on evenings like this is an absolute wonder to behold.
Despite being a man down and a goal behind, the players responded to the ear-piercing encouragement from the crowd and visibly grew in confidence and belief. There was a sense that a goal was coming, but few would have expected it to come from Michael Keane! Goodison bellowed loudly and proudly, with the chants of ‘Keano, Keano’ echoing around the stadium.
It was only in January that the team left the pitch after a dismal display and defeat against Southampton with the chants of ‘You’re not fit to wear the shirt’ ringing in their ears, but Sean Dyche has successfully rebuilt that vital bond between the team and the fanbase. Instead of being intimidated by the home support, the team is thriving, powered by the vociferous vocal backing from the stands.
All Evertonians ask is that those wearing the royal blue shirt compete and fight for every ball. This was shown perfectly when Tom Davies launched into a tackle in stoppage time that knocked two Tottenham players over the touch line. His act of aggression was greeted with a raucous roar of appreciation.
Michael Keane’s strike could yet prove to be a vital stepping stone to safety. Everton have now twice nabbed last-gasp equalisers against so-called ‘Big Six’ clubs, showing a steely resolve and resilience that had been so sadly lacking during Frank Lampard’s tenure.
The players have given supporters hope that Premier League survival can be achieved. Sean Dyche has brought structure to a team in complete disarray, and fans are rightly responding to that. Bramley-Moore Dock is going to be a fantastic venue to watch football.
Nevertheless, like so many Blues, I will miss those evenings at Goodison Park when the stadium rocks, the venom and fury ferment into a frenzy, and the crowd explodes in unbridled bliss and joy as a last-minute Everton goal hits the back of the net! There is no place like Goodison Park! I hope they are saying that in Wisconsin!
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