Everton FC correspondent Joe Thomas reports from Sean Dyche’s pre-Leicester City press conference at Finch Farm
A new week, a different piece of paper.
Seven days ago, moments before Sean Dyche was due to share his thoughts ahead of the trip to Aston Villa, senior figures at Everton entered the media room at Finch Farm to hand out a statement which, in 120 words, represented a clear backing of Dyche in the wake of comments from wannabe Blues owner John Textor.
The piece of paper Dyche himself was clutching as he entered the same room on Thursday had fewer words written on it, but was also heavy on significance.
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Dyche’s list of absentees is now so long he had to commit to writing them all down ahead of the trip to Leicester City. And even then, he initially missed off one first team player who could be a doubt.
Illness has ravaged what was already an injury-plagued Everton squad. It started when Vitalii Mykolenko was withdrawn while unwell at Villa Park on Saturday, the substitution an important change while his side was seconds from doubling a lead they would fail to hold. The left back was unavailable for the Carabao Cup defeat to Southampton and was later one of three players Dyche identified as having been too ill to play.
Mykolenko should return for the weekend, as should Dominic Calvert-Lewin, another who was unwell in midweek. But the third, James Garner, had not returned to action by Thursday and Jack Harrison has now become the latest figure to succumb to illness. It was his name Dyche had lost as he attempted to reel off those who could be unavailable.
This included more troubling news in defence. Mykolenko may return but he looks set to do so to sit in a defence that will not be fully fit. James Tarkowski and Michael Keane have been the centre back pairing during the start to this campaign. Tarkowski missed Southampton with an injury it is hoped he will overcome before the weekend – though Everton’s Mr Indestructible has now had enough minor complaints this summer for it to become yet another concern for a side that has built its better features around his solidity over recent seasons.
Keane, who ended the cup match as captain and stepped up to score his side’s first penalty in the shootout, faces a scan over a leg issue that club medics hope is minor. Seamus Coleman, club captain, was injured on international duty and his knock now looks worse than initially feared. In midfield, Idrissa Gueye will be absent following the death of his dad.
Everton have conceded 13 goals in four league games this season. They head into a match of significance with Jake O’Brien likely to be the only fully fit senior centre back and the prospect of academy youngster Roman Dixon being in contention for what would be his third senior start.
With the likes of academy centre back Reece Welch among the youngsters out on loan, Dyche has few places to turn beyond those who are fighting for fitness as he looks to construct a defence that has conceded at least three goals in each of its league matches to date.
In better news, long term injured Jarrad Branthwaite and Nathan Patterson are set to play their first competitive minutes of the summer as they drop into the Under-21s to build fitness against Sunderland on Sunday.
But good news is currently thin for a side that has issues in need of addressing. Dyche, asked repeatedly about them at Finch Farm, defended a track record that has seen him lead Everton to safety in adversity during two dramatic campaigns. He is not “embarrassed” about the start to this season and, when asked whether he was, said slow starts were a troubling theme but one he had overcome with success.
Everton will be hoping there is another theme that they are the beneficiary of this weekend. While a pattern of set piece fragility, psychological vulnerability and missed chances has developed in the early weeks of this season, the past two trips to Leicester have yielded good results that were pivotal to the club’s survival. Another would now be very welcome.
