Our Everton jury have returned to have their say on the 4-1 home defeat to Newcastle United and 1-0 away victory over Bournemouth in the Premier League
David Moyes celebrates with Jack Grealish following Everton's win over Bournemouth
David Moyes celebrates with Jack Grealish following Everton's win over Bournemouth
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Everton bounced back from Saturday’s defeat to Newcastle United by beating Bournemouth on Tuesday night. The Blues were beaten 4-1 by Eddie Howe’s side at Hill Dickinson Stadium as they paid the price for some poor defending.
However, Jack Grealish’s 78th-minute goal was enough to earn the Blues their third win in four Premier League games against the Cherries on Tuesday night. The goal fired David Moyes’ side to their first victory at the Vitality Stadium since 2016.
And our Everton jury have returned to have their say on the defeat to Newcastle, the win over Bournemouth and this weekend’s game against Nottingham Forest.
Paul McParlan - Two out of three ain’t bad
Everton needed a response after the horror show against Newcastle United last Saturday, and they certainly delivered one at Bournemouth on Tuesday.
This was always going to be a difficult fixture, a round trip of over 530 miles to a stadium where we have never won in the Premier League, against a side unbeaten at home.
Matters weren’t helped by the loss of Michael Keane due to an injury before the match and David Moyes having to reshuffle his pack. It looked as though the fates were conspiring against Everton.
Nevertheless, this created an opportunity for Jake O'Brien, who has struggled as a makeshift right back recently, to play in his preferred position of centre back and show what he was capable of.
From the first minute he looked commanding in that role and had an outstanding game, dealing with everything that the home team could throw at him. The prospect of him and Jarrad Branthwaite being our long-term central defenders is one to savour!
Tim Iroegbunam was under the spotlight after his performance against Newcastle, but he responded by having one of his best games of the season.
Tim Iroegbunam in action for Everton against Bournemouth
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His positional awareness was far better, and he made some telling interceptions. It was such a pity that he received a yellow card that rules him out of Saturday’s game but with Idrissa Gana Gueye heading for AFCON, Tim needs to show that the manager and his team-mates can trust him.
I thought James Garner had a superb game, filling in at right back again. He dealt with the threat of the highly rated Antoine Semenyo and was always looking to burst forward on the counter attack and create space for others.
For me, Garner has arguably been one of our best players this season, playing in different roles and looking comfortable in all of them.
He has made himself an integral part of the manager’s plans and, with the absence of Iroegbunam, Garner may probably find himself switched back to midfield on Saturday, against his former club.
Everton will need to produce a similar type of resilient performance against a revitalised Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Their manager, Sean Dyche, knows everything there is to know about Everton, and he will be returning with a point to prove. Another home win would be a massive step forward here.
This is the most open league in years, with only five points separating Chelsea in fourth from Bournemouth in fourteenth, and Everton have to take advantage of that, which makes signing someone who can score goals for us an absolute priority.
Two out of three isn’t bad, but three out of four would be even better! Time to show Sean Dyche how much we have progressed as a club since he left.
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James Kellett - Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is invaluable to David Moyes
Everton started the ever-chaotic festive schedule with a rare victory at the Vitality Stadium against Bournemouth.
After succumbing to a drubbing by Newcastle United at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, their 1-0 win on the south coast was the perfect reaction as they propelled themselves into the top half of the league table.
The Toffees’ record in the previous month was a true mixed bag.
Although they went unbeaten away from home – which included a famous win at Old Trafford – and they held their nerve in an early-season ‘six-pointer’ against Fulham, the defeat against Eddie Howe’s men left a sour taste in the mouths of many, so it was imperative to react as they did against the Cherries.
But one man who shone throughout November and carried his form into Tuesday night was Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Since arriving from Chelsea, the midfielder has operated in the number 10 role and has been a focal point of many Everton attacks this season.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tim Iroegbunam in action for Everton against Bournemouth
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But with a weakened squad against Bournemouth, the 27-year-old was instructed to play a deeper role alongside Tim Iroegbunam in central midfield.
The duo were resilient in a strong display, but Dewsbury-Hall spotlighted his ability to shift into a different role in midfield and excel.
On top of his technical ability, his willingness and skill to adapt to the team's needs are additional qualities that will be invaluable to David Moyes.
As the AFCON approaches, Everton will be without Idrissa Gueye and Illiman Ndiaye, whose absences will leave two large holes in the starting lineup.
While this provides an opportunity for the likes of Iroegbunam, Tyler Dibling and Dwight McNeil to prove their worth, the run of games without the Senegalese pair will also offer a chance for Dewsbury-Hall to rise as a senior member of the team.
Having started 13 league matches this season, the ex-Leicester City man has already made his case as a star member of this Everton side, but with the fixtures coming thick and fast, and the strength of Moyes’ side in turn being weakened, Dewsbury-Hall has the capabilities to guide his team through a tricky period.
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Mark McParlan - It is a big December for Thierno Barry
Tuesday night’s three points and clean sheet at Bournemouth – at that point above us in the table – was the perfect response to a disastrous weekend.
As with Old Trafford eight days earlier, David Moyes has broken another Everton away ground curse. We saw an immediately improved performance, especially impressive given changes forced by Michael Keane’s injury.
James Garner was moved to right-back, and Jake O’Brien, shifted into his natural centre-half position, earned the official MOTM. Meanwhile, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, excellent for the fourth consecutive match now, proved he can clearly play in the ‘eight’ role when required, which is also something that might allow Charly Alcaraz a run in the team.
Charly has room for improvement in his game, but he runs directly at defences, takes shots on goal, and provided the assist for Jack Grealish on Tuesday night.
Jack Grealish celebrates scoring the opening goal with his Everton team-mates during the Premier League match between Bournemouth and Everton at Vitality Stadium. Photo by David Horton - CameraSport via Getty Images
Jack Grealish celebrates scoring the opening goal with his Everton team-mates during the Premier League match between Bournemouth and Everton at Vitality Stadium. Photo by David Horton - CameraSport via Getty Images
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It is a big December for Thierno Barry, though. We play six Premier League matches this month (one down already), and we really need to be seeing a goal in that timeframe, or the reality will be that we’ve wasted half a season already with strikers who aren’t cutting it.
Can’t help but notice that Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored in back-to-back matches against Man City and Chelsea. At the same time, £40million on Tyler Dibling is still increasingly puzzling by the week.
Looking ahead to the January window, is another striker, such as Ivan Toney, truly realistic? I’m unsure if it will happen unless Beto is sold. The main priority, though, as it has been for about a decade, is a full-back of some description.
The team is still severely lacking pace, and the full-back area is where we should be getting extra from, given that our wingers are more the ‘controlled cut inside’ than ‘sprint to byline and cross’ variety.
Still, it’s three wins from four, and suddenly we’re feeling positive and comfortable, if not exactly jubilant, about our season again. We are in the top half.
Saturday presents a chance to right the wrongs of the Newcastle home outing against a Forest side who, though improved under Sean Dyche, should still be beatable.
The top half of the Premier League table is there for anyone to take this season – just hope our shortcomings don’t see us fall short of the mark.