Within the Premier League era, Everton fans have had relatively little to shout about.
It has been over three decades of largely chasing the pack, with a few relegation dogfights squished in between.
Well, the latter have been far more apparent in recent years, with Sean Dyche the latest, and most capable man to take on the task.
His impact on the squad has been revolutionary, and thankfully for the fanbase, it was relatively instant. Saving them last season, this one is now poised to be even tougher following their ten-point deduction in November.
But, with the many similarities his current reign shares with Joe Royle’s 1995 outfit, there is reason to believe that he is on the path to finally healing Everton for good.
How good were Joe Royle’s ‘Dogs of War’ side?
Although the quality of the players within Royle’s FA Cup-winning squad were hardly outstanding, the system forged perfectly handed them the tools to succeed against far greater opposition.
Famous wins over Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle United all combined with a dogged attitude which saw them fight for every point, and claim enough to escape the drop.
Then, buoyed by this newfound mentality, they would enjoy a stellar run in the FA Cup which ended in their win over Manchester United in the final. Paul Rideout scored the only goal of the game.
Having overcome the worst of their issues, they went on to finish sixth against all the odds the following campaign in miraculous fashion.
Royle, when asked about the Dogs of War notion, noted: ‘Quite honestly, I saw no reason to change it as we were playing in an aggressive way and that gave birth to the Dogs of War mentality. The next thing, there’s Dogs of War t-shirts, there’s all kinds of things. They’re worth a few quid now.’
What has Sean Dyche done to heal Everton?
Many of these notions outlined under Royle are clearly apparent within Dyche’s side, who too placed an instant emphasis on hard work as a core value.
Nowadays, a hard-fought encounter is the least any opposition can expect, with James Garner and Amadou Onana providing the energy in midfield to align with these principles.
Already the side are more solid at the back and more potent in attack, creating chances for fun in most games they play. Their 34.99 expected goals is the tenth-best in the Premier League, whilst only Alisson can rival Jordan Pickford for clean sheets this campaign.
And, after their win over Crystal Palace last week, a similar cup run could be brewing now too as Luton Town await this weekend.
Perhaps Dyche could use that as a positive outlet, just as Royle did, to potentially steer the side to safety and enjoy a trip to Wembley. They may not win it, but the relief it might offer could be useful to help keep the side focused on a common goal.
Regardless, they should be 11 points clear of the relegation zone anyway were it not for their points deduction, thus emphasising how their 52-year-old boss has already healed the club massively.
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