Everton boss Sean Dyche spoke on the fitness of key players, the striking options at the club, his support of VAR and the challenge his side will face against West Ham
Finch Farm, Liverpool, UK
Finch Farm, Liverpool, UK
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00:00Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to our pre-match press conference to preview our game against West Ham.
00:04We'll start off with Vinny from Sky Sports.
00:06Sean, first of all, Seamus Coleman back in the Republic of Ireland squad.
00:09Is that useful in terms of him getting some game time or is it a hindrance in terms of him still building up his fitness?
00:14It'd be useful, but unfortunately, he's got an injury, so we're not sure how serious that is at this stage.
00:21Looks minor at the moment, but we'll have to wait and see.
00:23So, unfortunately, he just keeps getting there and he's been working very hard in training.
00:26So, yes, that's an unfortunate one, but we've had a tough run at that, as you know.
00:31What is it he's done? Is it a recurrence?
00:32It's a minor hamstring, so we've just got to check that it's nothing too serious.
00:36We'll know over the weekend, or probably know today, actually.
00:39Positive on the injury front is Brogia has obviously been training with the main group, in parts at least, anyway.
00:44Where exactly is he at and what's the plan for him now, as you build up his introduction to the first half?
00:49Yes, in parts is the right thing.
00:50He's just basically been a floater, that's it, just to get a feel of the ball and nothing other than that at this stage.
00:56Just out of trouble, you know, and just really get to know the players because, obviously, he came in injured,
01:01which everyone knew, and he's been working really, really, really well, actually.
01:05We're a lot into his recovery with the Sports Science team.
01:08So, just getting around the players on the pitch, that is.
01:11Obviously, he's in the dressing areas and stuff like that.
01:13But, yes, he's not bad any contact of any kind.
01:16It's just literally as a floater in certain parts of the training, just warm-ups and stuff like that,
01:20and then working with the Sports Science team.
01:22So, it's just the crossover now.
01:23Hopefully, from next week onwards, we'll start moving that forward.
01:26I take it he will need behind-closed-doors friendlies as well.
01:29When are you thinking that?
01:30I take it he won't be able to do that during the international break?
01:32No, of course.
01:33I mean, the timing's great that he's getting there, but obviously, with the international break, it's difficult because everyone disperses again.
01:38So, but, yes, he's going to need a games programme, definitely.
01:42Do you know when that will be?
01:44No, I mean, we're getting him to the point of training.
01:46So, he's not there yet.
01:47From next week, we're hoping that he'll be looking more likely.
01:50As it happens, unfortunately, everyone disperses, as I said.
01:53On the other hand, when he comes back in, he will be in full training with the team.
01:58So, the following week, when everyone comes back together, and therefore, just take it on from there.
02:03You know, first things first, make sure he's fit and well, as in no more injuries.
02:06Obviously, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has shouldered the majority of the workload from this season.
02:10How helpful will it be to have that extra option for him to maybe lessen that workload when eventually Brosia is available?
02:16Yes, I think with Beto's chomping, we've seen that.
02:20Youssef's been extremely unlucky.
02:21I thought he'd come back looking really fit and strong and playing hard in pre-season.
02:26AB's come in and got this period of being out, and then we're waiting for him to get fully fit.
02:32And, you know, I can only say on paper, because you never know in reality,
02:35but you've got four strikers there who are all, I think, very good strikers.
02:39Different reasons, young, older, that sort of thing.
02:42But a good experience, sorry, a mix of experiences, and a good four.
02:46But obviously, two of them have been injured.
02:48How much of a difference do you think it would make having that forward line available
02:51when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net, which obviously...
02:54Yes, I mean, it's options.
02:56You know, all managers want options.
02:58We've been very limited this season, mainly because of injuries and the smaller squad.
03:02Been very unfortunate with that.
03:04But, yes, it's mainly options and different ways of working, different ways of playing,
03:07from different players affecting games in different ways.
03:09And we have been limited with that, certainly this season and somewhat last season and the season before.
03:13Because of the small squad numbers always put more pressure on the fitness side of things.
03:17Also, fine margins, Sean, as well.
03:19You look back at that VAR decision from last week.
03:21I wonder, I know you're a fan of VAR, but at the same time,
03:24do you need to look at that offside decision and how marginal it was for better?
03:28Yes, but the thing I said afterwards, and I do believe in it,
03:31is I'd hear a lot of this debate about, oh, it was only a toe offside, but a toe's a toe.
03:35Where do you draw the line? You have to draw it somewhere.
03:37So I do believe that the offside thing is one of the best things about VAR,
03:41because I know there's been a mix-up, but virtually it's conclusive.
03:46So I'm not really going to cry on that.
03:48Other decisions, there is debate, so when they should step in, they don't step in and all the rest of it.
03:52But the offside, if you're offside, you're offside.
03:54You have to find a line somewhere.
03:56So where does it go? Is it how long is your toe?
03:59Size 10 is against the size 6.
04:02It's taken three minutes to decide.
04:05Yes, that's the bit that no one understands at the minute.
04:07And I think we've been talking about that ever since VAR came in.
04:10How can they speed it up?
04:11How can they be more assured more quickly to get the right outcome?
04:16So, yes, of course, the speed element.
04:19Hence why, as you know, I don't like the referees going over to the screen.
04:22I think there was only one turnaround on it, and that was ours, I think, in a season.
04:27So, you know, what's the point?
04:28If they've been told what it's going to be, then take that out of the equation and it speeds everything up.
04:34But, yes.
04:36In terms of getting players back this weekend, Decorey, the only one?
04:39Yes, Decorey's got a chance.
04:40He's done very well to recover.
04:42We were worried at first it would be a number of weeks, but that settled down really quickly.
04:45So he's got a chance.
04:47Obviously, with the decision at centre-half, you've spoken about the form of Michael Keane and James Tarkowski being the factor in deciding that.
04:54At the same time, is there also an element of still having to manage Jarrod Brantwaite's return from injury?
04:59Yes, I mean, he was out quite a long time.
05:02He came back in, got re-injured, so we didn't want that, of course.
05:05And in the bit in between, we'd won games.
05:08In my opinion, we should have won the last one.
05:10We didn't, and then it all looks different.
05:12Because if we win that, all of a sudden you win three draws out of them six, and everyone looks at it differently.
05:16And that's just the nature of being out of a football club and being the manager.
05:20And then when you're talking about teams, we know he's a very good player, Jarrod.
05:23And we know that unit done very well last season.
05:25The back five, if you like.
05:27And there were some changes, but that unit played together a lot.
05:31So we know all that.
05:33Of course, we want to address every part of the pitch.
05:36The key one is still scoring goals.
05:38We created enough chances last week to score goals and gave away very, very little, really, in the way of good chances for the opposition.
05:44Is there also an element of sending out that message again, play well, you keep the shirt?
05:48Yes, there's a bit of that.
05:49I mean, it's not literally, but yes, I've always felt that when I was playing, I certainly held that in high regard.
05:55If I was playing well and doing the job, then I expected to get a chance to keep playing.
06:00But yes, it's not always about that.
06:02Jarrod's a very good player, he knows that.
06:04He knows he's done really well this season and is a very good player, as is Tarkin.
06:07Jake's doing great as well, so it's a tight four there.
06:10And like I was saying about the centre-forwards, if all four were fit, they all push each other.
06:14And they're all pushing each other for the shirt.
06:16And you want that internal competition as well as the external, which is playing the opposition, of course.
06:21Obviously, West Ham this weekend.
06:22How different to the side that you beat 1-0 down there last season?
06:25They obviously got three points at Goodison Park as well, later in the season.
06:29Yes, I mean, a new manager trying to instil, I'm sure, his thoughts on what he wants the team to do.
06:35They've spent a lot of money over the last two, three seasons, so they've got some very good players.
06:41It's like all managers, you're trying to find a formula and a way that it can work better.
06:45And I'm sure they're trying to do that, but they've got some very good players.
06:48A manager who I think is a good manager.
06:50I don't know him that well, but I've come across him a few times and he speaks very well.
06:54He certainly did to me.
06:56You know, trying to form a side that can win like we all are.
06:59Do you quite know what to expect?
07:00They've actually hit six in their last two at home, yet they've shipped a total of seven across games against Spurs and Forest.
07:08Yes, and they're probably looking at us going, I think in the last, whatever it is, five or six,
07:12I think it's only us and Forest have only conceded three goals, or whatever it is.
07:15You know, they're probably looking, well, how does that work then?
07:18And they haven't scored as many.
07:19You know, these are the conundrums of the game, you know, and how teams operate.
07:24And, you know, taking a chance at one end and stopping them at the other.
07:27It's always the defining factor.
07:29Like I said, I think we've been on a better forefront going to take these games on.
07:35I think we came away from that against Fulham, but I thought some of that was back on show against Southampton.
07:39There were areas of the game we could have done better in that game,
07:41but we certainly looked to force going forwards and creating chances.
07:44And to give away so little in defence and yet lose a game, then that's really frustrating.
07:48But we've got to correct that this weekend.
07:50That's what we look to do.
07:54Just in terms of strikers at the moment, you mentioned the options that you might possibly have at the moment.
08:00What's the thought process with Beto having come on quite a lot recently and done pretty well
08:05in terms of whether you decide who starts and who doesn't?
08:08Yeah, I mean, the team we're playing with for us, you know,
08:11what players are around them to help with the striking side of things.
08:15The team we're playing against, of course.
08:17Dom's record is pretty strong as regards his fitness now.
08:20I think that was the biggest question mark.
08:22Some of his performances, he's still looking for real consistency,
08:24but we think he's a very good player.
08:26Beto's learning all the time and he increases that by coming on the pitch.
08:29We know that.
08:30And I think he's been effective coming on the pitch.
08:32So the margins get tied to it quite obviously, because we want to win games.
08:36We want to score goals.
08:37Strikers are a big part of that.
08:39And what do you make of Beto as a character, given the fact that he's not on all that many opportunities,
08:44certainly not in starting roles anyway.
08:46He's come off the bench a lot and had an effect.
08:48What's he like in terms of wanting to fight for his place?
08:51I think because of the analysis we've done on his game
08:54and the coaching and the coaching styles that we've used,
08:57showing him the analysis as well as working on the training ground,
09:00then I think he's actually quite receptive.
09:02I think he's in a place where he's like, yeah, I am learning.
09:04You know, he is developing in the sense of the Premier League.
09:06It's a different animal, you know, to what he used to do.
09:09So I think he's been very accepting of that
09:13and trying to reproduce it on the training pitch
09:15and there in turn, when he gets a chance on the pitch,
09:17going and showing us what he can do.
09:25Sean, when you talk about that consistency then,
09:27you said there Dom needs a bit more consistency,
09:29but if Beto is coming on and showing that in the smaller window,
09:34does that mean then maybe he's the one that should be starting?
09:38I just wondered how you work that out with that consistency
09:40or how you get Dom that consistency.
09:41Yeah, we try and look at, you know, putting trust in people
09:44to deliver performances.
09:45Some of the stuff that fans don't always see.
09:47Obviously with strikers, they are eventually, virtually always,
09:51looked at by their stats and their goal scoring, of course.
09:54And we'd be no different in that sense.
09:56But the management team look behind that and go,
09:59right, what's the effect on the game the striker's having?
10:01Striker's the hardest position on the pitch, I think.
10:03I was a centre-half, I think it's the hardest position.
10:05So I suppose I'm slightly more tolerant of a striker, you know,
10:09when they're maybe having a quieter spell,
10:11because I think it's a very, very tough role anyway.
10:13So I think there's a bit of that.
10:15Beto's going along well, and I think he himself knows
10:18that he hasn't played as well as he can do in the past,
10:20but that's because he's learning.
10:21That's why we work with him, the coaches work with him,
10:23show him and, you know, try all the different ways for him
10:26to continue his learning.
10:27He's been really, really accepting of that,
10:30and he's been working towards that to get better and better.
10:32So the margins are getting tighter, though.
10:34I mean, he's coming on, he's affecting games.
10:36You know, Dom has had chances, hasn't scored.
10:38Consistency, a bit up and down.
10:40So it's getting tighter.
10:42How do you support a striker, then, if they're not getting those goals?
10:45And as you say, that's essentially what strikers are judged on.
10:47They'll say you've gone X amount of weeks without a goal.
10:49How do you support them to make sure they feel
10:52that they can still perform on the pitch?
10:54Making them aware of the stuff that they're doing,
10:56other than scoring or creating.
10:58You know, strikers can have a really good game
11:01without touching the ball that many times.
11:03Everyone knows that.
11:04The runs they make, the way they drag players around,
11:07that can be as effective as all sorts of different ways of playing.
11:10It certainly is a technical performance.
11:13So reassuring the strikers that, look, that side of your game is good.
11:16Now you've got to keep getting into the key areas.
11:18You know, the stats and facts don't lie over many, many years in football.
11:22You have to get in certain areas of the box to score goals,
11:24and we keep reminding them of that.
11:26Well, we're talking stats, then.
11:27I don't know if you've seen Opta have put out a league
11:29who has statistically had the easiest start to the Premier League
11:33Everton.
11:34It's claimed to have had statistically the easiest start.
11:36I just wondered how you assess that as Everton's manager.
11:38I assess it that stats are not always what you think.
11:40You know, I've been in long enough in the Premier League.
11:43You know, good spells, indifferent spells, tough spells,
11:46all the rest of it from different, you know, fixture lists
11:48and when you see it.
11:50So that's the way it goes.
11:51You know, did we want to start better than we had done?
11:54Yes.
11:55The last run of games, barring the Southampton, if we win that,
11:58you know, three wins, three draws out of six,
11:59and all of a sudden the story is going where we wanted it to go
12:02because it's a lot more positive and a lot more reality bound
12:04on what we expect from ourselves.
12:05So, you know, these are the fine margins, you know,
12:08and we've got to make sure that they come in our favour.
12:10I just wonder as well, I think some fans would have liked to have
12:13seen Jarred come back into the starting line-up.
12:16Can you explain how, is it a collective where you work out
12:20how a player comes back from injury, for example?
12:22Some seem to come back quicker than others.
12:25I know Nathan Paterson's still waiting and some maybe get a knock
12:28and then are back in the side.
12:29I just wondered, how is that?
12:30Is that a collective?
12:31Do you speak to the medical team?
12:32Or is it about the personality of that player in particular?
12:35No, it's generally the shared information from the medical team,
12:38sports science team, the coaching staff, and of course the player.
12:41You know, and some players have had, you know,
12:44you can't explain every single detail about every single injury,
12:47but some injuries are a lot more delicate than others.
12:49You know, they have to be really careful.
12:51And if that approach goes too far, you know, in a split second,
12:55you can affect someone for three weeks, four weeks.
12:57And unfortunately, we've had a few of them where they've been
12:59coming back from semi-serious injuries, not career-threatening,
13:03but semi-serious, like Jarrod's one was.
13:05Starts a very simple situation, a minor operation,
13:07then it leads to a secondary phase of that injury,
13:09then it leads to a third phase of that injury,
13:11then he gets fit and then gets re-injured.
13:13So that's the Jarrod story.
13:14It's not, there's no lack of thirst to get these players fit,
13:18I can assure you, because that's what helps us.
13:20Does his age come into play?
13:22You've got to get them fit enough to actually play.
13:24You know, if you put them out there when they're too early,
13:26I thought it was a bit early for Jarrod,
13:27but the consensus was, no, I think he's right to go and play.
13:30And then two days later, he got injured again.
13:32So I'm not saying I'm right, but I just thought it was a bit too quick.
13:36So we had to be careful, get him back again,
13:38because if not, you go through that period where it's
13:40player few, get injured, player few, get injured.
13:42And we're trying to push that away because we've had so many injuries.
13:45Yeah. Is it because as well, he's quite young, isn't he still?
13:48We see him as a senior player, maybe,
13:50but actually his age comes into play there.
13:52Yeah, he's had one season in the Premier League, you know,
13:53which is, don't get me wrong,
13:55a very, very good season in the Premier League,
13:57but there's still only one season in the Premier League.
13:59He's got a lot of learning to go,
14:00a lot of development to go, in my opinion.
14:03And fitness is a big part of that, to physically be out there,
14:06developing, of course.
14:08Thanks, Julian. We'll go to Will.
14:16Hi, Sean. Did you check on Indi?
14:18Is he all right after coming off at Oldhamton?
14:19Yeah, he was out there today, in Van Dijk.
14:21So we're hopeful on that.
14:22I mean, we'll await tomorrow morning,
14:24in case there's any stiffness or anything like that,
14:26but we're hopeful on them too.
14:27You've primarily played Indi on the left wing.
14:30Is there a chance that maybe you could play in that No. 10 role?
14:33Or would you see him in there?
14:34There is if we think he's got a chance to deliver.
14:37You know, I think with our patches,
14:39we're seeing him in there.
14:40And I think the key thing about learning that role,
14:42as you've seen with Dwight,
14:43Dwight's been effective on the attacking side
14:45and the defending side is more difficult.
14:47You know, that role in the Premier League has changed.
14:5010 or 15 years ago, the No. 10,
14:51you almost sort of let them do what they wanted to do.
14:53But you can't anymore.
14:54You know, the way the game's changed,
14:56No. 10s now, they defend from that position.
14:58You know, they work really hard from that position.
15:00So it's about developing the players to play that position.
15:03And he'd never played it in the Premier League, don't forget.
15:05And I think he has looked sharp coming from the wide.
15:07So I think there's a balance to what you see
15:09and what your gut tells you as well
15:11and what your staff tell you and the opinion of the staff.
15:14A big positive that a lot of people took
15:16from Southampton's performance of Ado Mangala.
15:18Have you rated his development since he arrived at the club?
15:20Yeah, I mean, I think he's another one
15:22getting that true level of Premier League fitness
15:24and certainly what I expect out of Premier League fitness.
15:26And I think he's getting there.
15:28He's good around the group.
15:29He's got a good character about him.
15:30He's got a little bit more experience than some of the other players.
15:32And he's going along well, I think.
15:34Just in terms of Dominic Calvert-Lewman,
15:36do you think that you've managed to give him the right service
15:39in terms of goal-scoring chances
15:40and thinking back to that season where he scores all those goals?
15:42Yeah, I mean, it's one of them.
15:43There's always a debate on that.
15:44But if you look last season,
15:45he had the high XXG in the league for missed chances.
15:48So if you're missing them, you're there to get them.
15:50So that's the key.
15:51You know, are you there to get them?
15:53So if you're there to get them and you're getting lots of them,
15:55then that's really what you want out of your team
15:57and out of the strikers
15:58because sometimes they make their own chances, of course.
16:00So I think there's a sign of it.
16:02And I think different styles,
16:03we try and mix it up, as everyone knows.
16:05We do play longer at times.
16:07No problem with that.
16:08We play short when we need to.
16:09But with his skill set,
16:11I think I mentioned it before,
16:13you know, before I was even here,
16:14I remember speaking personally
16:16and I saw an interview recently with Ancelotti
16:18saying, got a keeper who can kick it down the pitch
16:20and got a big centre forward who wants it playing up to him.
16:22So he said, I got him to kick it to him.
16:24It's Carlo Ancelotti.
16:25So his interview, his words, not mine.
16:27Before people start trying to make out
16:28that I'm trying to put myself in his world, I'm not.
16:31But that was his interview
16:32and he said that to me personally.
16:33So I think you've got to remember the skill set of the players,
16:36you know, and I've always tried to look at the group I've got
16:38and go, right, what can make that group effective
16:40and what can make it win?
16:41And then the second part of that
16:42is if we can do it in a style that everyone likes,
16:44which is very, very difficult in the Premier League
16:46for any manager to mix that all together.
16:48And while we're doing it,
16:49cutting numbers and developing players and selling them
16:52and getting up the league,
16:54trust me, it's a task in itself.
16:56Just finally for me,
16:57at times during your tenure,
16:58it's been quite streaky when on long and beaten runs
17:01and then you haven't won for a period of time.
17:03What do you put that down to
17:04and how do you remedy that,
17:05especially with the fixtures coming up?
17:07Yeah, it's tough.
17:08I mean, injuries haven't helped this term,
17:09but I agree it's been ups and downs
17:11and periods of really strong,
17:12periods of not so strong.
17:14I mean, usually if you look under the stats,
17:17it's been injuries to what you'd consider
17:18very important players at very important times,
17:21along with basically the cutting edge at both ends.
17:25I've spoken about it endlessly.
17:26Every manager does.
17:27You know, we've created so many chances in games
17:29and not taken them.
17:30Conceded, like we did last week,
17:32from a nothing situation
17:33or should have been a nothing situation
17:35after creating enough chances to score the goals capable.
17:38I think we've doubled their xG,
17:40doubled their chances, all the rest of it.
17:42You know, they're the defining factors
17:44of what decide a run
17:45and the consistency of doing that.
17:47You know, scoring regularly,
17:49not conceding regularly,
17:50is a good mixture obviously
17:52and we haven't found that true consistency.