The Everton-post match talking point as Chris Beesley spells out what must happen next after the 2-1 triumph at Fulham
David Moyes has well and truly banished the away day blues for Everton, now his team just need to find some timely home comforts. Since he returned to the club for a second stint in charge, the Scot has recorded 11 away wins in 22 matches.
As Opta data editor and Evertonian Aaron Barton pointed out on X (formerly Twitter), this is more than Everton managed across their previous 67 away games, a period which includes all of Rafael Benitez, Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche successes on the road combined. EFC Statto (Bradley Cates) observed that the Blues have done the double over two teams now this season, Nottingham Forest and Fulham, both managed by former Everton managers, the aforementioned Dyche and Marco Silva.
Indeed, as he also remarked, the Blues have won back-to-back games at Craven Cottage – a ground where they didn’t triumph for 43 years (until Moyes stopped the rot in 2009, a week before the FA Cup final) – for the first time in their history. A side who had picked up just one away win in the previous 12 months before his arrival – and that was at Ipswich Town who went straight back down to the Championship after back-to-back promotions – have now been victorious twice by the Trent against Forest and twice by the Thames against Fulham.
Throw into the mix among half a dozen successes on their travels this term, standout results such as becoming the first team in Premier League history to beat Manchester United at Old Trafford after being reduced to 10 men (with a full 77 minutes left to play too and the bizarre circumstances of Idrissa Gueye’s dismissal for slapping team-mate Michael Keane); a first Premier League win at Bournemouth and overcoming an Aston Villa outfit who had won their previous 11 matches at home, and it’s been quite the campaign for travelling Toffees.
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However, having now gone a couple of months without tasting victory by the banks of the Mersey, it’s time for Moyes’ men, who are playing in front of the biggest regular home crowds in their history – only once have the club averaged over 50,000 for a home gate (in the 1962/63 title-winning season) – to put on a show for the vast majority of their fanbase. Unlike some other clubs who have moved to new grounds, Everton quickly made themselves at home in the stunning surroundings of Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The house that Dan Meis built is not the problem, but rather a massive asset for the Blues, both in terms of the “ultimate home field advantage,” he wants the venue to create, its eye-catching position as part of Liverpool’s world-famous skyline and of course the additional £60million in annual revenue it is predicted to generate. It must be remembered that in their final season at Goodison Park, Everton only won five home games in the league (two under Dyche and three under Moyes), which was the joint lowest in their history, along with 1957/58.
There have been mitigating circumstances for the recent slump. It started with an unfortunate 1-0 defeat to table-topping Arsenal when the Premier League retrospectively admitted the Blues should have been given the chance to equalise from the penalty spot and as galling as the hat-trick of disappointments in a week against Brentford, Wolves and Sunderland was, the team was down to the bare bones during this period.
The cavalry started to arrive back against Leeds United as Everton recovered from a lacklustre first half – sound familiar? – to draw 1-1, but now, with the visit of Bournemouth, they are well-placed to get back to winning ways. The Premier League table remains delicately poised, and you can throw a blanket over the middle of the division with just 10 points separating the clubs placed sixth to 16th when the final whistle blew at Craven Cottage.
Again, the Blues had to dig in, ride the storm and pick their moment before snatching the three points, in contrast to the front foot approach which is expected from them on their own turf, but before the bleak midwinter set in, Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Nottingham Forest were all put to the sword. Given the close nature of the division, the ability to record consecutive victories can be a game-changer when it comes to the European aspirations that Moyes declared he wants to go “full throttle” for.
Everton have put themselves back in the mix for that quest. Now it’s up to their players to deliver again for the second time in four days and stand up and be counted when it comes to being contenders.