Everton have a very clearly defined way of playing under Sean Dyche, and for the most part this season, it has proven profitable.
They enjoy a compact, tight-knit system in which they all tuck in and allow the opposition almost unlimited space in the wide areas. By doing this, they can be safe in the knowledge that any crosses will be easily dealt with by the colossal pairing of James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite.
Given they enjoyed a run of six wins in nine games across all competitions, it is fair to say that it has earned success, but their recent points deduction has seen almost all of that hard work expunged.
Dropping from 14th to 19th was always bound to take a toll on the players, and their 3-0 drubbing on Sunday will certainly not help matters either.
However, Conor Coady remains confident that his former side will still stay up, with the former Wolverhampton Wanderers centre-back enjoying a solid loan spell at Goodison Park just last campaign.
Speaking on the Monday Night Club, he noted: ‘Oh 100%, but I think you see that with the signings that they’ve kind of made in the summer. We mentioned Ashley Young there but Jack Harrison as well, he wants to get the ball in the box, he wants to dribble at people, he wants to go 1v1.
‘And then, like you said you’ve got big lads crashing the box and you’ve seen the goals Dukes he’s scored and the goals, how important the goals are he’s scoring. I saw a stat the other day, his goal record at the minute is fantastic so, I think that’s how they’re going to go forward there’s a clarity to how they’re playing.
‘I’ve said it before on the show in terms of having clarity, and there’s a real clarity to that at the minute.’
How good was Conor Coady for Everton?
There was widespread disappointment when Dyche opted against spending the reported £4.5m to make Coady’s loan deal permanent, but the emergence of Branthwaite has since silenced that notion.
However, the Liverpool-born ace would likely still have made a fine addition to the squad, especially given how admirably he performed in such trying circumstances while on loan.
Whilst his leadership and experience alone offered plenty, he was actually ever-present at the back for important periods of that season.
Whilst not the most emphatic defender, besides Tarkowski he offered a crucial touch of class, with his 85% pass accuracy blending well with his 3.5 clearances per game, via Sofascore.
Dyche would even laud his attitude as well, noting: ‘He’s a top pro and similar to when we have just been talking about Seamus, everyone will tell you from a very young age he was like that, every bit of feedback is the same from everyone I have spoken to in the game and he has shown it.
‘The way he has dealt with coming out the side, the way he deals with his training, the way he gets on with his business – he is certainly a very thorough professional.’
Although it may have been a move he too craved, it seems Coady holds no ill feeling towards Everton, as he continues to praise them.
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