Dyche decisions again perplexing in dreadful Spurs defeat for Everton

Everton had already lost their opening game of the season at home last weekend as Brighton came to Goodison Park, netted three times without reply and took all the points back to the south coast.

The trip to the capital represented a chance if not for the first win of the campaign - always unlikely at Spurs where the Toffees have a terrible recent record - then at least a resilient, determined performance and perhaps a point.

It was not to be either and the Blues crashed to an even heavier and more lopsided defeat at the Tottenham Stadium to leave their season in serious trouble after just two matches.

No points, no goals scored and seven conceded already, makes for truly grim reading and begs the obvious question; how do Everton turn things around?

Strangely, the Blues have a long tradition of starting seasons slowly, and in fact I remember that even in the two eighties championship-winning campaigns of 84-85 and 86-87, the team lost it's first two matches each time.

However, the last three consecutive seasons have now started with opening day defeats and a terrible start overall that has left the side in a hole straight away.

This Premier League campaign we hoped might finally be different, and that sort of nightmare start could be behind this Toffees team after what was a strong conclusion to the previous campaign and transfer window widely perceived to have been good so far.

After a truly extraordinary 2023-24 season - unprecedented in its chaos and controversy with those two points deductions, the near never-ending saga over 777 Partners attempted takeover and persistent problems on the pitch too - Everton ultimately still managed to survive with games to spare.

Then bringing in three forwards, a midfielder and a new centre-back - despite all the financial constraints and still no new owner - had seemed decent transfer business.

It was also quickly and shrewdly conducted and looked to have substantially improved a small squad that was particularly weak up front.

True, the pre-season had been a mixed bag, but there were encouraging signs of improvement in the win at Preston and then a positive performance overall and a draw against a fine Roma side.

Any of those tentative hopes now seem to have been thoroughly smashed to pieces and it feels that the curse which appears so persistently to hang around this club's neck like a dead albatross, is back.

There are so many problems to be addressed.

Obviously the fact Everton have shipped seven goals already means that their defence - integral to last season's general solidity and survival - is already under huge pressure.

Jarrad Branthwaite - such a key part of that defence - is still out injured and while Seamus Coleman might be fit enough to play against Bournemouth next weekend, it is far from certain.

That though bring me onto the only bright spot in the whole shambles at Spurs: the performance of young academy product Roman Dixon at right-back.

He unexpectedly got a chance last weekend and while he was beaten a few times, overall he more than held his own on his Premier League debut.

Sean Dyche has always been loath to give young inexperienced players a prolonged and consistent chance but he broke that rule on Saturday.

This fact has been one of the bugbears with Dyche and I was not expecting him to change his approach and throw Dixon in at the deep end like that.

Sometimes though you have to do just that and while he still has some way to go before he could be considered the finished article, there was plenty of promise and clearly talent on display.

Once again the manager resisted calls to start with one or both of his summer forward signings - Iliman Ndiaye and Jesper Lindstrom - and both had to wait for the fifty-seventh minute to come on together.

In truth, the game was already over by that stage of the second half, as the Toffees were two goals down and looked well beaten - again.

I am perplexed as to why at least one of Lindstrom or Ndiaye did not get a start on Saturday because as well as those unexpected defensive problems, Everton's failure in front of goal is an all-too familiar issue.

Talk of them lacking Premier League experience seems slightly odd and a little thin, and I am struggling to understand why if Dyche was prepared to give an 18-year-old academy product a debut in defence, he was not willing to unleash one or both of his new attacking options against Spurs?

Both have plenty of top level European football under their belts with Lindstrom a former Europa League winner in Germany and Ndaiye having played in Ligue One for Marseilles last season.

Ndiaye too has English football experience - albeit in the Championship - having spent a successful time at Sheffield United.

Next up in the Premier League the Blues host Bournemouth at Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Cherries have been something of a lucky charm in recent seasons with Everton having defeated them away last season to get their first win of the campaign after another dreadful win-less beginning.

And of course they were the team defeated by Abdoulaye Doucoure's screamer to secure survival on the last day of the 2022-23 season.

Something similar is desperately needed again this weekend as surely nothing short of three points is essential now.

To do so though, Dyche must show more willingness to give his new signings a chance to affect the match from the start and put this horrible beginning of the season behind them.