Sean Dyche has highlighted the responsibility of his players to prevent opposition goalkeepers from having standout performances following another remarkable display against them.
Alphonse Areola’s man of the match performance, featuring nine saves including a penalty stop, played a pivotal role in West Ham United’s victory over Everton on Saturday. This season, visiting goalkeepers at Goodison Park have consistently thwarted the Blues with their exceptional performances, much to Dyche’s frustration.
Dyche pointed out that finding the net for the second time in a match has been a particular struggle for Everton, especially noticeable in recent games where they’ve taken the lead only to suffer defeats.
Areola’s exceptional game included several key saves against Everton’s forwards, notably thwarting Beto on three occasions and Dwight McNeil twice, contributing to a total of 11 Everton attempts on goal. Despite these efforts, the Blues were unable to secure a win, with Tomas Soucek making a critical clearance off the line from an Abdoulaye Doucoure shot.
According to the football statistics site WhoScored.com, Areola received the highest rating for a goalkeeper in the Premier League this season after his performance. Notably, the top goalkeeper performances in the league have occurred against Everton at Goodison, with Jose Sa and Bernd Leno also receiving high praise for their displays in those matches, all resulting in losses for Everton.
In light of the 3-1 defeat and Areola’s praised performance, Dyche expressed his dissatisfaction with the recurring theme of goalkeepers excelling against his team and stressed the importance of his players overcoming this challenge.
Despite Everton’s ongoing winless streak, now extended to 10 league games, Dyche remains focused on the necessity of finishing scoring opportunities, emphasizing the importance of securing the second goal in matches. He lamented the team’s inability to capitalize on their chances, which has been a significant issue throughout the season.
Dyche’s message to his players is clear: they must seize their opportunities and play with the freedom to take risks, underscoring the psychological aspect of overcoming their scoring challenges to start winning games.
