Everton boss Sean Dyche on injuries with players returning to full fitness, the challenge of facing Arsenal and their set piece prowess and contracts expiring in the summer including Dominic Calvert Lewin
Finch Farm, Liverpool, UK
Finch Farm, Liverpool, UK
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00:00Someone must have done it, surely.
00:15Good afternoon, everyone, welcome to our pre-match press conference
00:18to preview our game against Arsenal this weekend.
00:20And we'll start off with Ben from Sky.
00:22Thanks, Andy.
00:23Sean, first of all, an update on the players, obviously having the weekend off,
00:27have you managed to get any more bodies back ahead of this game?
00:30Yeah, and a few played in the game the other day.
00:33Five or six, or I think it was five actually, with Seamus playing some minutes,
00:37and Brogier and Youssef going well, and Pato and Jake played as well.
00:42So a number of bodies out there, so that was good.
00:45The game-wise, you know, obviously we wanted to play the game,
00:48but safety obviously had to play its part.
00:50And, you know, I was here in the morning, the wind was horrendous, to be honest.
00:54So, yeah, they had to call it.
00:55So that was a blow for everyone, I think, because everyone was gearing up for it.
00:58Yeah, how frustrating was it?
01:00Because I'm sure you did a lot of prep, it's a massive occasion,
01:03and I guess there's even more of a spotlight on it,
01:05given when it does happen, it will be the final Merseyside derby.
01:08Yeah, you know, we'd come off a big result in the week as well,
01:11which added a bit more feel to it, maybe, you know.
01:13So, yeah, it was a blow for sure.
01:16I think all parties wanted it to be played, but like I say,
01:18safety had to come first and understand why.
01:22So, yeah, we parked that and we moved forwards until the next time.
01:25Yeah, well, the challenges come thick and fast.
01:27Obviously, it would have been Liverpool, now it is Arsenal.
01:31What challenge do they present?
01:33Well, obviously, there's a lot been spoken about their set-piece prowess,
01:36but I think that's been there for a while.
01:38And, you know, then it's been suggested not being as deadly, if you like,
01:43and as clinical in their general play.
01:46But I haven't seen that big a difference.
01:48I think they're a very good outfit.
01:49They've been for a long while now.
01:51They know what they're doing.
01:52They've got very good individuals as well as a team feel.
01:55So, they're certainly a force to be reckoned with, without a doubt.
01:58And we know that you've got to go to these places and play well.
02:01On the set-pieces, obviously, I've known you long enough to know
02:04that sometimes that is used as a bit of a critical tag, isn't it,
02:08to call a team a set-piece specialist?
02:09I know that at Burnley, perhaps at times,
02:11your team was accused of being that in a more negative way.
02:14I mean, how do you look at that as a thing, as a weapon?
02:17I'm not bothered, is it?
02:18You know, people just twist and turn situations to their liking.
02:21That's the way life is.
02:23We all do it in some degree or another.
02:25Finding different ways of winning has always been
02:27what I've been trying to achieve
02:30with whatever groups I'm used to working with.
02:33But the folks at Football have been there for a long time.
02:35And broadly speaking, that's sort of 25% to 30%
02:39kind of the area, as usual, for set-pieces across the board.
02:42So, therefore, why wouldn't you use them?
02:44And definitely, why wouldn't Arsenal use them?
02:46They've obviously done a lot of work,
02:47or it seems apparent they've done a lot of work on them.
02:50But the thing that it often goes down to,
02:52not always, sometimes there are certain clever set-pieces
02:55or set-pieces that catch people out, that sort of thing.
02:58Quick set-pieces, whatever it may be.
02:59But often, it's down to delivery and the intent.
03:02The intent of someone to put it, you know, attack the ball.
03:04And that's always something that I've preached strongly
03:07to the groups I've worked with.
03:09It's not just about trying to be clever with your movement.
03:11It's about just the simple basis
03:14of putting a top delivery in and attacking it.
03:16You know, and I think often that gets,
03:18or sometimes it gets overlooked.
03:19But back to the brand theme.
03:21You know, I know the box I live in.
03:23I'm all right with that.
03:24You know, that's the way it goes.
03:25I'm more than OK with everything.
03:27Just finally then, on that,
03:29I've just been chatting with James Tarkovsky
03:31and he was saying that you, yourself,
03:33carry a threat from set-pieces too.
03:35How much, or do you, do any extra preparation
03:38for a game like this in both boxes on set-pieces?
03:40No, I think the preparation is really good anyway.
03:42I think the staff have been doing it a long time.
03:45You know, I leave it to Wonnie and Stoney to do that
03:49and the analysts, to be fair to them,
03:51they do a lot of analytics,
03:52like most clubs do now.
03:53You know, I don't think we're trying
03:55to do anything revolutionary.
03:56We're trying to work with the players we've got
03:58and find a way of being effective
04:00and I think we have done that.
04:01And we've sort of come away from it
04:03a little bit this season
04:04and then popped up, you know,
04:05the last game with, again,
04:07you know, the cutting edge.
04:09And as I said, very good delivery
04:11and people who want to attack it,
04:13score a goal.
04:14You know, and that was on show.
04:15So, yeah, we'll continue to work hard
04:17on that area.
04:18But it's not just that area.
04:19We're working hard on all different areas
04:20to try and score goals
04:21because we obviously haven't scored
04:22enough goals from open play
04:24and that's an ongoing thing
04:26that we've got to correct
04:27certainly since I've been
04:28and before I've been at the club.
04:31Just a couple of specifics
04:33on the team news regarding Keane
04:35and Garner and Tim.
04:37Are they available?
04:39Yeah, Keane, who's come through here,
04:41he was, to be honest,
04:42he was touching goat to be involved
04:44the last game
04:45but we felt it was probable
04:46that he didn't get involved in that
04:48but he's been working hard.
04:49Tim's a bit longer
04:51down the road than he was
04:53but he's still not on the grass yet
04:54with us
04:55and that's going to be
04:56in a little bit of a while
04:57and Jim is the same
04:58but they are making progress.
04:59I think the final four games
05:01of the year,
05:02Canada Year, Arsenal,
05:03Chelsea, City, Boris,
05:04obviously all in the top five.
05:05In those sort of games
05:07do you look at those
05:08and relish them
05:09rather than thinking
05:10this is tough?
05:11I think you've got to learn
05:12to relish all parts
05:13of the Premier League
05:14and all the different situations,
05:16the conundrums that can come up
05:17and I think that's part and parcel
05:19of the joy
05:20and the strength
05:21of the Premier League
05:22is that diversity
05:23and how these groups
05:24of games
05:25come from each different side.
05:26I said recently
05:27it's been our question
05:28at the moment
05:29for this tough run
05:30there'll be another team
05:31out there
05:32that hits a tough run
05:33and some of the big clubs
05:34I mentioned
05:35strangely,
05:36got a bit of stick forward
05:37trying to mention
05:38that Pep's having a tough run
05:39tough runs can come out of nowhere
05:40I certainly wasn't questioning
05:41Pep Guardiola
05:42I can assure you of that
05:43but it's a tough run
05:44it's a tough situation
05:45and that can come at any time
05:46so you have to relish it
05:47you have to relish
05:48the challenge
05:49and take it on
05:50staff of course
05:51as well
05:52and playing our part
05:53and constantly
05:54looking for ways
05:55to try and
05:56make it work
05:57and try and win games
05:58I appreciate
05:59Arsenal for your concern
06:00but I just wondered
06:01from the Premier League
06:02point of view
06:03whether you think
06:04they're right in there
06:05in terms of winning it
06:06particularly
06:07I think you're right
06:08from the start
06:09it's not my concern
06:10it never has been
06:11it's right in there
06:12it's nothing to do with me
06:13they can help themselves
06:14I'm working hard here
06:16so our focus
06:17has to remain here
06:18what others do
06:19is up to them
06:20and
06:24how much of a difference
06:25does a victory like that
06:26make to
06:27the mood around the place
06:28staff
06:29players
06:30everybody
06:31the mood hasn't been bad
06:32to be honest
06:33we've had some tricky times
06:34but this club's
06:35we've had some tricky times
06:36since I got here
06:37there's been some
06:38really tough challenges
06:39there's still
06:40more to come
06:41because of the nature
06:42of where we are
06:43and the noise around the place
06:44so I think
06:45reinforce actually
06:46rather than
06:47build it
06:48it just reinforces
06:49the good feel
06:50the good work
06:51the team
06:52the staff
06:53the way that we look
06:54after each other
06:55in this place
06:56it just reinforces that
06:57when you win it
06:58it adds to that feeling
06:59it adds to the
07:00as I said
07:01reinforcement
07:02strengthens the feeling
07:03of a group
07:04and the connection
07:05that's important in a team
07:06and I think
07:07that's what it does
07:08and a reminder as well
07:09it reminds everyone
07:10we can score goals
07:11we can be active
07:12we can play well
07:13we are allowed to
07:14and take it on
07:15and I think that was
07:16a good reminder
07:17but no
07:18the strength of the group
07:19has been on show
07:20since I got here
07:21and there have been
07:22some big challenges
07:23and still going
07:24and still fighting
07:25and still working hard
07:26Thanks
07:27We'll go to Julia
07:34So now you've got
07:35a fuller squad
07:36almost now
07:37I would say
07:38you've got maybe
07:39two still out there
07:40how much is that
07:41now going to change
07:42what you can do?
07:44and what you are doing?
07:45Does this mean
07:46we might see a little bit more
07:47a Sean Dyche
07:48Everton line-up
07:49that you would have
07:50wanted from day one?
07:51No I've been trying
07:52to give a Sean Dyche
07:53Everton line-up
07:54that I can
07:55with the players
07:56that we've got
07:57it's what fits them
07:58not what fits me
07:59and turning that
08:00into a group
08:01that can win games
08:02we haven't done it
08:03as freely
08:04as we'd hoped
08:05this season
08:06but you know
08:07a lot of challenges
08:08in the group
08:09and a lot of different players
08:10trying to mould them
08:11into Premier League players
08:12and a team
08:13and that's for us
08:14to operate
08:15in slightly different ways
08:16or look at the team
08:17tactically in different ways
08:18and more opportunity
08:19for the individuals
08:20to affect it
08:21so that mixture
08:22we hope
08:23certainly continues
08:24the competitive edge
08:25to us
08:26but adds to it
08:27The competitive edge
08:28as well
08:29we've spoken about
08:30finding goals
08:31I know there was
08:32four against Wolves
08:33after we spoke
08:34about that
08:35Brogier though
08:36has looked bright
08:37when he came on
08:38I know you've told us
08:39you've seen him lots
08:40and you've been impressed
08:41with what you've seen
08:42in order to be able
08:43to start
08:44He'll be around it
08:45He's never been out
08:46of the thinking
08:47other than being injured
08:48obviously when he can't be
08:49I only got him on
08:50just to give him
08:51a feel of it
08:52it's a long way
08:53to go yet
08:54but he's showing
08:55that he wants to be
08:56competitive in our group
08:57and then competitive
08:58in the games
08:59he plays in
09:00but it was a little
09:01cameo
09:02and hopefully
09:03he'll get more
09:04and build
09:05what he's doing here
09:06When you say
09:07you know the box
09:08you live in
09:09I just wondered
09:10with that
09:12whether there is
09:13or there isn't
09:14you know
09:15it's just
09:16the way
09:17that the industry works
09:18we're all different
09:19it's probably
09:20the most easy
09:21way of dealing
09:22with it
09:23is to put people
09:24in certain
09:25areas of what
09:26they're thinking
09:27are
09:28put them in
09:29certain situations
09:30or imaginary situations
09:31that's just
09:32the way it goes
09:33but we all
09:34do it in life
09:35about different
09:36situations
09:37could be your
09:38friends
09:39could be anyone
09:40so I'm not bothered
09:41Dominic Calvert-Lewin
09:42there's always
09:43headlines around
09:44his contract
09:45situation
09:46we all keep
09:47talking about
09:48takeovers pending
09:49there are a lot
09:50of rumours
09:51reports
09:52claims
09:53at the moment
09:54about takeovers
09:55I know you're
09:56not on social media
09:57you go on there
09:58there's a lot
09:59of claims
10:00about takeovers
10:01No
10:02no big claims
10:03on social media
10:04about what's
10:05happening
10:06I'm very surprised
10:07my phone keeps
10:08going about them
10:09none of which
10:10is out of contract
10:11at the end
10:12of this season
10:13can those talks
10:14be looked at
10:15is he asking
10:16for those talks
10:17what is the
10:18situation with that
10:19the situation
10:20is an ongoing
10:21one like with
10:22most players
10:23where we'll
10:24have to wait
10:25and see
10:26he's got his
10:27things to think
10:28about
10:29the club have
10:30obviously
10:31possibly
10:32and their
10:33ownership
10:34still not there
10:35yet
10:36we're waiting
10:37to see
10:38that might
10:39happen
10:40I'm part of
10:41a competitive
10:42group
10:43so
10:44I've been down
10:45this road
10:46many times
10:47with players
10:48and I'm sure
10:49the club have
10:50as well
10:51so we'll
10:52manage it
10:53the best
10:54we can
10:55and see
10:56what comes
10:57next
10:58what is the
10:59time frame
11:00for Tim
11:01and James
11:02for their
11:03return
11:04there isn't
11:05at the moment
11:06the nature
11:07of their
11:08return
11:09so
11:10we'll
11:11wait
11:12and see
11:13what comes
11:14next
11:15what is
11:16the
11:17time
11:18frame
11:19for
11:20Tim
11:21and James
11:22for their
11:23return
11:24there isn't
11:25at the
11:26moment
11:27the
11:28nature
11:29of
11:30their
11:31return
11:32there isn't
11:33at the
11:34moment
11:35the
11:36nature
11:38of
11:39their
11:40return
11:41there isn't
11:42at the
11:43moment
11:44the
11:45nature
11:46of
11:47their
11:48return
11:49there isn't
11:50at the
11:51moment
11:52the
11:53nature
11:54of
11:55their
11:56return
11:57there isn't
11:58at the
11:59moment
12:00the
12:01nature
12:02of
12:03their
12:04return
12:05there isn't
12:06at the
12:07moment
12:08the
12:09notion
12:10of
12:11return
12:12there isn't
12:13at the
12:14moment
12:15the
12:16nature
12:17of
12:18their
12:19return
12:20there isn't
12:21as
12:22the
12:23nature
12:24of
12:25the
12:26new
12:27contract
12:28in
12:29place
12:30for
12:32their
12:33return
12:34so
12:35we'll
12:36change, we'll just have to wait and see. On Youssef Choumissi, is he ready to be back on the squad?
12:40And he's obviously, last season, it was a bit of a development season for him, he's missed a lot of football.
12:44Would he potentially be one to go out in January and earn some senior recognition?
12:47No, his first steps are on the way now, in fact, more than his first steps.
12:51He completed another game the other day and did very well.
12:54I still think he's developing play.
12:56He still wants to, well, we want him to be part of our group.
12:58He had a very good pre-season, very unfortunate to get the injury he got, and he's worked very hard to get fit.
13:03So we'll take it on as an ongoing basis.
13:05But he's training really well and working hard.
13:08Finally, for me, one of your long players, Jack Harrison, in the summer, both you and Jack said you still think there's more to come.
13:14He hasn't been a regular starter of late, he hasn't registered a goal or assist yet this season.
13:19Why do you think he's not quite shown his best so far?
13:22Yes, I mean, he's still working hard.
13:23He's a very honest professional, a very good professional.
13:27You know, and just trying to find those moments for him, you know, because I think he works so hard in training.
13:32He's so honest, if anything, he's a player that, this with Dwight and Neil, because I've known them a long time,
13:37they always put too much pressure on themselves and sometimes you've got to release that.
13:40Maybe there's a bit of that, you know, when he gets out there, to just find that enjoyment in what it is,
13:45you know, not get so tight, especially in the top third of the pitch, because there's no two ways about it.
13:49If you look at his past, his stats, his facts, he is capable of goals and he is capable of assists.
13:54And our job is to free him up and find the role that he can find more of them from.
13:59But no, he works very hard.
14:00He's a top professional and a very important part of the group.