Sean Dyche has brought Everton clarity but it's time…

Sean Dyche has brought Everton clarity but it's time two players chipped in with goals

Ben Crawford - Another step in the right direction

Another vital home game for Sean Dyche’s new look Everton and another three points on the board. Not a bad start at all.

Sure, it took a very unusual winning goal to separate the sides but aside from a typical lack of threat up front, for the most part Everton looked by far the better team.

The evergreen Seamus Coleman continues to battle on week after week. His goal capped off a wonderful individual display which showcased both his offensive and defensive talent’s.

Tougher tests will surely arrive including Saturday's visit of Aston Villa. Unai Emery’s side are typically robust away from home and will offer Sean Dyche a real challenge.

The new manager has started well but then again you are only as good as your last performance. Let’s hope we are another three points closer to safety this time next week.

Paul McParlan - Reason to be cheerful?

Since his arrival at Goodison Park, Sean Dyche has brought back an emotion that has been lacking for too long this season – hope!

The situation he inherited was calamitous , a team who had not won any of their last eight league games and had not kept a clean sheet in seven. Everton have now won their last two home games without conceding a goal.

It is a significant measure of progress. Whereas under Frank Lampard the team made a habit of scoring first and then losing against teams in the drop zone, so far under Dyche they hang on to their advantage.

There is no question that Everton had become an easy touch to play against. The ‘Ginger Mourinho’ by contrast, has installed tactical clarity into his team and players have been left in no doubt about their roles.

He has also revitalised the likes of Dwight McNeil and Aboudaye Doucoure who have been transformed from isolated fringe figures into key components of his new formation. The manager has brought back defensive solidity and made the opposition battle for every ball.

The speedier delivery of crosses has also resulted in far more chances being created. Everton could have scored more than one goal against Leeds United.

There is still so much work to be done if Everton are to survive this season. They cannot rely on a wonder goal from captain Seamus Coleman every week.

There were improved performances from Neil Maupay and Ellis Simms last Saturday, but they badly need to get on the scoresheet soon. It appears that top scorer Demarai Gray will not be a regular starter under Sean Dyche. Does the winger’s tendency to drift inside mean that there is no place for him at present? It was significant that after Everton scored, Gray, who was preparing to come on, was instantly stood down .

Psychologically , it was such a boost to see Everton climb out of the relegation zone to the lofty heights of 16th place. It is so important that this momentum is maintained against Aston Villa at Goodison on Saturday, especially with two difficult away games to follow.

The return of Dominic Calvert Lewin would certainly help but the onus cannot always be on the strikers. It is time for others such as Alex Iwobi or Amadou Onana to start finding the net.

Whilst it may not be a style of football for the purist, Everton’s aggressive, resilient and determined displays have ignited the home crowd again. Sean Dyche has made Everton difficult to beat and has engineered a way for the team to win matches instead of losing them.

There is still a long way to go but Everton’s fate is now in their own hands. The despair that enveloped Goodison Park is now showing signs of being slowly replaced by cautious optimism.

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