Everton manager Sean Dyche on the Merseyside derby against Liverpool, the final one to be held at Goodison Park and their recent league victory over Wolves
Finch Farm, Liverpool, UK
Finch Farm, Liverpool, UK
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00:00Good afternoon, welcome to our pre-match press conference. To preview the motorside derby we'll start off with Benny from Sky.
00:16Obviously last night there was a threat of dropping into the bottom three, so how does that pressure produce one of the more convincing performances?
00:23I think the bounce back ability, once phrased by Ian Dow, I think he made the dictionary out by the way.
00:35I think the idea of coming out of a real tough result, we've done that before, I didn't think there was a tremendous amount wrong with the performance.
00:45I know I got questioned about that comment but that's my belief.
00:49But we made too many mistakes, we obviously eradicated the mistakes and we played very well.
00:53I think maybe partly the journey we've been on at this Football Club, they've been knock after knock after knock.
00:59Varying things, varying reasons, on the pitch, off the pitch and the players just stay resilient and their mentality does.
01:05Whenever we've been questioned we've mostly delivered, we've got to keep doing that, I understand that.
01:10We've got to find that reasoning behind it because you don't want to be questioned, you want to be in a position where we're not questioned and we're still delivering.
01:17We're still trying to work that out but when the heat's come on we've often delivered.
01:21We've got to keep doing that and we've got to find a basis when the heat's not on to deliver.
01:25And find a way of convincing performances when we're going along quite well.
01:29Was it a switch of decorum that helped Dominic Calvert-Lewin last night or the talk that you had with Dominic Calvert-Lewin?
01:34I think a mixture of things.
01:38We looked at the tactical side, looked at the way of playing, looked at the best way of operating to win games.
01:45And just felt that on this occasion that was the right thing to do.
01:48And it worked, I thought it was a good performance.
01:51I thought it was a thorough performance.
01:52I think we've played better in different games but thorough in the professionalism, the intent and desire to go and win a game and the will.
01:58And I think that's important as well as the tactics.
02:00Has Dominic just got some bad luck at times with the two own goals?
02:03Because he's in there making it happen.
02:04I also remember last season when he was on a run without goals, the game against Spurs where he did everything but score and it flicked off Jack Harrison.
02:13I think that's fair.
02:14I think last night particularly.
02:16Because he's in there, he's thrown himself at things.
02:19I mentioned about sometimes you've got to get hurt to score a goal.
02:21He did do last night, as in throwing himself.
02:23I think he's lucky with the challenge on the keeper.
02:25I'm pretty sure Craig Dawson, someone I respect from a long time ago and someone I've known a long time, great player he is.
02:33I'm pretty sure he'd be happy to give them away.
02:36But yeah, it's a good performance I thought from Dom and certainly getting in the right areas to score goals, which we've spoken about quite a lot.
02:43Just as you mentioned the challenge on the keeper, any further thoughts on VAR with the two that were chalked off last night?
02:50Well, I felt for West Ham the other night.
02:54I think that's a tiny touch on a keeper and I didn't think last night was up to much.
02:58This is where we're still scratching heads sometimes on the strength of the game, the passion of the game.
03:04I don't think there's a lot in them moments.
03:06The VAR moments, maybes.
03:08I mean, you know, Mangala's just got himself turned around the wrong way and blocks a run.
03:13But I'd be surprised if that player's going to have the ball on that one.
03:16I think I'm still, I know I keep harping on it, I don't get the screen thing, mate.
03:20Just get on with it.
03:21You know, we know what's going to happen.
03:22The stats are massively saying that when they run over to the screen, they're going to give what they've been told in their ear.
03:28So just get on with it.
03:29I think all the fans, we keep talking about speeding the game up.
03:32If they're given that decision to get on with it and say, no, it's no goal, that's still frustrating to me.
03:37But back to the point in hand, I think they're soft ones.
03:40I think they could maybe go our way.
03:42They didn't on the day.
03:43But fortunately, we didn't need them.
03:45Obviously, Brodie came on, looked lively as well.
03:47When's he going to be ready to start and could he even play off?
03:51Yeah, we'll learn about him, you know, because we haven't seen hardly any of him.
03:54He's been out training with us for sort of a couple of weeks,
03:56but obviously we can only manage so many training sessions when we've got three in a week.
04:00I like what I saw, I like what I've seen in training.
04:02I like his attitude towards it, his attitude to get fit, to work very hard to get fit.
04:06And I thought he gave a good cameo last night.
04:10And certainly a player that we want to, as we've spoken about, you get pressure from the opposition,
04:14you get pressure to play, but also your internal pressure from your group.
04:18And the more people you've got fit, the more internal pressure there is for players to play well all the time.
04:22And I hope that helps stimulate others, including himself, of course, to play well.
04:26It will be the last ever Merseyside derby, lead Merseyside derby I should say, at Gunnarsson Park.
04:31What further edge does that add to the game?
04:34Well, I mean, I'd like to think that it brings our fans to the fore again.
04:38They've supported us throughout, they question us, that's fine.
04:41I've never questioned their questioning us because that's part of the game.
04:44But on this occasion, I think it all goes out the window for this game.
04:47I've learned that it's kind of just an individual game in a season's work that means so much.
04:52We delivered a very good performance last season.
04:54We're going to have to at home that is.
04:55We're going to have to do that again, of course, against a very good side.
04:59And I think certainly our fans can play a part in that by getting behind the players again from the off
05:03and creating that atmosphere that makes it difficult for teams to come and play here.
05:07You don't get overly emotional, but was that game at Gunnarsson Park one of the exceptions?
05:12It's not about not getting emotional.
05:13I just know the jobs, the bigger jobs are always there.
05:16You know, and that was...
05:18Them games for me, I explained it many times.
05:21I haven't got the depth of knowledge of them games.
05:23It's for the people.
05:24It's for the crowd.
05:25If we can win, it's for them.
05:26It's not for me.
05:27It's for me, for my role, of course, and the points.
05:30But you get what I mean?
05:31I understand the depth of it, the history of it, and I've always made that clear.
05:34So what I did enjoy is giving something back in my little part,
05:38including a team of people, my staff as well,
05:40and just giving something back to the fans that meant a lot.
05:43We want to do that again and we're certainly working hard to do that.
05:46A couple of final things for me.
05:47What do you think is the main difference to Liverpool now on the slot
05:50compared to what you faced when Jurgen was in charge?
05:54It's a good question.
05:55I think a lot of what's impressed me is I don't think he's made massive amounts of change.
05:59I don't know inside the camp, obviously, in his training sheds and how he goes about that.
06:03But for me, that's a good part of management.
06:05You know, there's not that much room.
06:07You don't have to radically change everything.
06:09They're still operating in a high-tempo manner.
06:12They can still be effective in different ways,
06:15but he seems to have kept that going in his own style.
06:17I don't know what that style is internally, of course.
06:20And externally, he just seems to be letting it go along
06:23and be in quite a smooth transition, it seems to me.
06:28I suppose in a way it's a healthy transition in the sense that the manager said he's going to leave
06:31and then won't come in.
06:32It's not like it's been a disaster and then one comes in,
06:34so it's a slightly different scenario.
06:36But they're going well.
06:37I mean, that's quite obvious.
06:38No good outfit and we're going to have to be on top of our form.
06:40We also saw in that game a bit of some last season
06:42and we certainly saw last night the effectiveness of the set-piece.
06:45So, again, do you see that as a major weapon that you can use?
06:49Yes, I mean, I think overall we've not been as effective in the early part of this season,
06:55partly because of delivery.
06:56I think delivery last night was absolutely fantastic
06:58and you know when balls have been getting put in the box with that much quality.
07:03As long as you've got people who are willing and have the desire to score a goal,
07:06you've got an increased chance and I thought that was certainly on show.
07:08I thought we created other chances through general play as well,
07:10which I was really pleased with,
07:11but set-pieces still have their place in the game without a doubt
07:15and hence why a lot of teams are bringing in set-piece coaches now.
07:18I don't feel the need for it.
07:19I think our staff do a great job.
07:20I don't do them.
07:21My coaches do it, my analysts do it
07:23and I think they do a really good job both in their box and in our box.
07:26So, long may that continue.
07:30Hi, Sean.
07:31I spoke to Aurel on Friday
07:33and he said that his personal aim for the season was getting on the score sheet
07:38and he said how much he wanted it to be at home at Goodison.
07:42What was your reaction to his goal and also his performance last night?
07:47I was pleased for him.
07:48He's been working hard to get hold of what we do and what we want from him
07:51and I thought he grew into the game.
07:53I thought it was a slow start but then got into the game after the first 10 or 15 minutes
07:57when he got into it.
07:58A great strike.
07:59He gets a bit of luck but he deserves a bit of luck.
08:01He struck it so clean.
08:02I thought he was very good last night
08:04and I think he's been a good part of the group as well.
08:06He's a good character.
08:07He's got a good feel about how he goes about his business.
08:10A good player.
08:12He's a good team player so far.
08:14He spoke a lot about the visualisation of it
08:16and making sure that he can imagine what it would feel like.
08:21You could tell how hungry he was for that goal.
08:24You mentioned earlier when the heat is off.
08:26How do you keep that hunger for goals amongst the group going?
08:31Well, we've spoken openly to you.
08:33We've spoken openly to the players about the record of some of them,
08:36past records.
08:37History leaves clues.
08:39It certainly left clues to our players last night.
08:41They said, look, you can score goals.
08:43There's no magic to it other than being free.
08:47It's defocusing rather than focusing.
08:50It's rather than overthinking it.
08:52Just drive into the right areas, get the right delivery
08:54and attack the ball and try and simplify it.
08:56I thought there was a good show of that last night.
08:58It's not obviously that simple in real terms
09:00but trying to take away some of the outside thinking and the outside thoughts.
09:05I thought sometimes clutter up the thoughts of scoring goals
09:07and try and get them back into that mode of just attacking the ball
09:10and the simplicity of it.
09:12I was pleased with the outcome last night, obviously.
09:14We've got to continue with that train of thought for the players
09:17and the team as well.
09:18Goals can come from everywhere.
09:19I also made that clear.
09:21We're not looking at one person, which often is the case.
09:23We're looking at the whole group
09:25and how we can find goals from other areas.
09:27The next four games, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City.
09:32Obviously, such a tough spell between now and Christmas
09:35with also the intensity and the frequency of the games as well.
09:39What would you see as a success from that period?
09:41We'll see successes being competitive in all areas.
09:44We want to be competitive in every game we play.
09:46We've been showing that recently.
09:4914 points out of 10 games is not massive
09:52but it's certainly a good show after a tough start.
09:54We responded to the challenge.
09:56We responded last night.
09:57We've got to keep that going no matter who we come across.
09:59That competitive edge has served us well.
10:01We've got to go and do it again.
10:03They are tough games, no two ways about it.
10:05Very strong teams, very financially strong teams
10:07with high-quality players.
10:09But I believe in what we are.
10:11I think the players do as well.
10:12I think that's on show.
10:13We've had a lot of challenges.
10:14These are just more challenges for the group to take on
10:16and for myself.
10:17We're going to it clear-minded that these are the challenges.
10:20We take it on.
10:21Thanks, Alan.
10:22We'll go to Matt.
10:24Sean, given the run of pictures that you've just been through,
10:28how important was last night to go into that with a bit of momentum?
10:31It was certainly helpful because a lot of questions,
10:35can you do this?
10:36Can you do that?
10:37Are you scoring enough goals?
10:38You encapsulated one performance
10:40but knowing that there's been a lot more signs of that
10:42over the last run for me as manager,
10:44better signs than maybe the noise was,
10:47but you've got to go and prove it.
10:49It's another step forward, I said last night.
10:51We've had a pattern of taking steps forward
10:54and then just coming back a bit
10:55and taking steps forward and coming back a bit.
10:57We've got to keep correcting that
10:58and just try and keep going forward.
11:00It's not easy.
11:01People say, why aren't you winning games?
11:03There's 11 others out there thinking the same.
11:05They're thinking, why aren't we winning games?
11:07They're hungry to win games.
11:09It's not as easy as everyone thinks winning all the time.
11:11But the power that we've got when we're right
11:14and we're proper with our performances,
11:16as shown last night,
11:17shows we can do it.
11:18We can continue to be very competitive
11:20and we've got to keep that edge.
11:22I think that's important
11:23and certainly we'll be speaking what we spoke to the players about it today.
11:26You've played in a lot of derbies,
11:27you've managed in a lot of derbies
11:29and you've touched on your understanding
11:30of the history of this one.
11:31How does it compare to the others you've been involved in?
11:34Yes, it's a completely different thing.
11:36The depth, the history of it,
11:39most English football fans
11:41have got knowing about the Mersey derby.
11:44I think it's a different thing
11:45and I think it's my fourth,
11:46so having that feel of it,
11:48I'm in a way,
11:49my better understanding of it
11:51and more the depth of it.
11:52The depth of what it means to the people there
11:54and I certainly experienced that with one last year at home,
11:56obviously.
11:57It let me know what that meant to them
11:59and it was a great feeling,
12:01so we want that feeling again.
12:02Can you use the memories of last year
12:04to give the players that extra bit of confidence?
12:07I don't know if it brings confidence,
12:09but it certainly must bring belief
12:10in what we were doing
12:11because it was a tough time as well.
12:12We'd just come out of a tough period then
12:14and delivered a very good performance
12:15against the top side.
12:16We've got to do that again.
12:17I think people talk about confidence,
12:22but even the wins helps it grow
12:24and helps it solidify, really,
12:26within a group.
12:27But you've got to have confidence
12:28going into every game
12:29and I don't think we've lacked that.
12:30It's just those killer moments.
12:32The last night we found them,
12:33we've got to go and do that again
12:34and find that consistency of doing it,
12:36not just for the Liverpool game,
12:37although that's very important to us, of course,
12:39but I'm going after that.
12:41Thanks, Mike.
12:46I just wanted to talk about Brogia
12:48because the fans got the first glimpse of him
12:50in an Everton shirt last night
12:51and I think everyone was quite excited about him.
12:53You've obviously seen him a lot more in training
12:55and he's been in with the under-21s.
12:57Where do you see his role then going forward
12:59once you have got him fully fit and able?
13:01Do you see him being able to start with Dom
13:04or is he an out-and-out striker?
13:06I think he's a striker,
13:07but we'll see.
13:08We'll learn about his role.
13:09He's played in slightly different roles in his past.
13:12He's still not got a deep history
13:15in the Premier League,
13:16but deep enough where he has experienced it.
13:19But no, we'll find out about him
13:20as we learn more about him.
13:21But getting him out with us is key for me.
13:23We've seen what he can do in training,
13:25we've seen what he can do in a couple of bounce games.
13:27Now it's about that next level
13:29and I thought it was a really good cameo.
13:31He came on and really affected the game
13:32at a key time in the game.
13:34He's certainly shown signs of what he's about.
13:36I do think there's a real desire in him.
13:37I've spoken to him about it,
13:38a chance for him to make a mark
13:40at a big club like this
13:42and I think he's hungry for it.
13:43So it's another challenge for all the strikers
13:45and we want that challenge.
13:46Yousef, I said, has been ever so unlucky.
13:48He was showing really strong signs in pre-season,
13:50but he's now getting closer
13:51and working hard at his game,
13:53sorry, working hard at his fitness
13:55to come back fit and sharp.
13:56So we'll see what he offers,
13:57but I was really pleased
13:58and pleased for him as well,
13:59because I deliberately got him on,
14:01nothing to do with Beto or anything like that.
14:02I just wanted him to get on the pitch
14:04and get a feel of it as quick as we could.
14:06Just talking about your opponents,
14:08Mo Salah involved in 75%
14:10of Liverpool's Premier League goals
14:12so far this season.
14:13Obviously, they're a tough side
14:15to prepare for anyway,
14:16but when you've got a player like that,
14:18does that change your preparations
14:20as a manager?
14:21Do you have to focus on one player?
14:23No, I mean, he's a fine player,
14:24we know that,
14:25but you've got to be careful with that
14:27in my thinking of the game,
14:29been doing it a long time.
14:30You put all your focus on one player,
14:31they've got some very good other players
14:32in a lot of teams after,
14:33so you've got to be careful with that.
14:35But of course, our players,
14:36if you're a modern footballer,
14:37you don't expect to know roughly
14:39what they're playing.
14:40I don't think we have to show them
14:41endless clips of someone like Mo Salah.
14:43I think they're aware.
14:44Yeah, exactly,
14:45but it's a team performance,
14:47that's more key, I think.
14:49I think they're well aware
14:51of the powerful players
14:52that all these teams have.
14:53They certainly should be.
14:54The exposure in the Premier League
14:55now is enormous for players,
14:56coaches, managers, analytics,
14:58all sorts.
14:59But yeah, we certainly would look
15:01at the group and how we operate,
15:02but it won't just be about one player,
15:04it'll be about working as a team
15:05for the whole team that we're facing.
15:07You used the set pieces last night
15:09and obviously there have been
15:10a lot of conversations about
15:11no goals in November
15:12and then four last night.
15:14Given Newcastle,
15:15I'm sure you probably haven't
15:16had a chance to look at
15:17other games from last night
15:18other than your own being there.
15:20Given Newcastle managed to score
15:21three against Liverpool though,
15:23and the fact that you found
15:24ways to score last night,
15:25is that giving you a bit more confidence
15:27than maybe a few days ago
15:29heading into this game?
15:31I wouldn't like to think
15:32a few days makes a difference,
15:33but I think scoring goals
15:34makes a difference
15:35because people reassure themselves
15:38once again that we can score goals
15:40and I think that's good about last night.
15:42It took a 1-0,
15:43but it's nice to win four
15:44and we made other good chances
15:45from open play as well
15:46where it could have been more,
15:47but I was happy with that side of things,
15:49happy we're still defending properly
15:51as well as a group.
15:52But it certainly really just reaffirms
15:55to the whole group
15:56we can score goals
15:57because the noise gets that strong.
15:59People are wondering,
16:00they almost forget sometimes,
16:02no, no, no,
16:03we've still got real quality in here,
16:04whether it's set pieces
16:05or general play, open play,
16:07and delivery is a key thing
16:09and they've delivered last night.
16:10So I don't think it gives you confidence,
16:12it just reinsures it, I think.
16:14And around this game,
16:15as you've said,
16:16the emotions are always high as well.
16:17I think a little bit heightened
16:18on this as well,
16:19given it could be the very last time.
16:21We keep saying it's the Premier League one,
16:22but it might be the last one.
16:24Given this,
16:25well, this is coming in a spell
16:27of so many games you've played,
16:28you'll have played only three days earlier.
16:30Does that change your approach?
16:32Do you have to rest people
16:33or is it a game like this
16:34that a bit of tightness doesn't really matter
16:36because the emotions carry the players through?
16:39You still have to recover well
16:40and you still have to refuel.
16:42And certainly we've been looking at that
16:44today and tomorrow.
16:46On the other hand,
16:47the players, there is a busy schedule.
16:49I've said many times,
16:50you know what the schedule is.
16:51Some teams in the league,
16:53some of their players,
16:54have enormous amounts of game schedule,
16:55playing in World Cups,
16:56European Championships,
16:57coming back, playing in Europe,
16:59playing in Cups,
17:00all sorts of different games.
17:01Some of our players have that,
17:02of course, with the internationals,
17:03but some of them don't.
17:05When the fixtures come out,
17:06that's the challenge,
17:07that's what we've got to be ready for
17:08and then it's down to us
17:09to make sure they're rested,
17:10make sure they're well fed,
17:11rehydrated and ready to go again.
17:13And mentally motivated as well,
17:15of course.
17:17Thanks, Julian.
17:18Any further questions in the open section?
17:24Yes, a couple of knocks,
17:25but nothing serious,
17:26nothing that we think is going to put anyone down.
17:28Michael Keane will be touching go
17:29coming back into it.
17:30He's got a minor knee ligament injury
17:32which has kept him out.
17:35Yousef's getting strong,
17:36but not there.
17:37Tim is a bit way off behind
17:39and so is Jimmy Garner,
17:40but they're in process of getting back fit.
17:43I don't think anyone else,
17:44I think that's it.
17:46Any further questions?