Former Everton star Kevin Campbell is convinced the Toffees have made the right call in appointing Sean Dyche as the club fights the worsening threat of relegation.
"This has been an appointment a long time coming. I honestly think Sean Dyche is the right fit for Everton because the way the fans are, they want their team on the front foot, they want a team they can recognise and believe in.
"And they want a playing system that’s going to be aggressive. Fancy passing football is fine when you’re winning, but when you’re not, the fans crave for that team to get going.
"And I don’t think Sean Dyche is going to let them down in building a team that is tough to beat and who gets after teams."
Such qualities have been in short supply at Goodison Park this term, with one well-known pundit recently referring to the Merseysiders as a ‘soft touch’.
It’s a failing that has staggered the 52-year-old, who made 137 appearances in royal blue, never giving less than 100%.
"Being a soft touch was something that was never levelled at us. I played there for a good few years and even when we lost, teams would say ‘wow, that was a touch game’.
"When you play anyone, especially at home, you have to make their lives so difficult because then you get the twelfth man involved.
"Everton just haven’t been aggressive enough to get the twelfth man involved and that’s why Frank Lampard lost his job. That has to change."
If the situation is dire on the pitch, decisions made off it has greatly contributed to the Toffees’ plight getting decidedly sticky.
It's a simple game for Sean Dyche 🧠 pic.twitter.com/BbprlXyfCE
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) February 5, 2023
Indeed, another charge aimed in their direction of late is that Everton are the worst run club in the Premier League. Does Campbell agree with that assessment?
"Maybe they’re not the worst run club but it feels that way. Not having plan. Not having a foundation. Spending over 500 million and being in an even worse position a few years down the line.
"Sacking another manager. Disarray with the fan-base. You can just reel them off, can’t you.
"It's such a difficult time for everybody connected to Everton at the moment and consequently the board and the fan-base are at loggerheads.
"But you have to draw a line in the sand and you have to have a plan for how you’re going to move forward and get everyone back on side. A club divided is going nowhere."
If one of the ex-striker’s former employers is enduring a tough patch at present, another is flying high against all expectation.
In the early Nineties, Campbell won a clean sweep of domestic silverware, plus a European honour with Arsenal but trophies have been notably absent from North London for a good while now.
Has he been surprised therefore to see the Gunners top the Premier League table, beating all before them?
"I’m surprised by how consistent they are this season. They’ve been so positive in what they do and that helps by bringing the likes of Jesus and Zinchenko into the building. Saliba has been a revelation at the back.
"Mikel Arteta had a dressing room he needed to fix and it seems like he’s fixed it. He has a certain way of playing and he is developing these young players.
"Arsenal have been the best side in the league so it’s all looking good, but we’re only halfway. So fingers crossed."
Arteta is still proud of his players ❤️ pic.twitter.com/NYRL76UMB5
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) February 4, 2023
Undeniably there is still a long way to go, but on current form there appears to be no stopping Arteta’s men, as they continue to pass tests on a weekly basis.
Should that extend to May and they secure a league crown, how would it compare to title triumphs from the past?
"As an Arsenal man, I never saw this coming. Pundits, fans, nobody saw Arsenal being this good. If they can get over the line you can put it on the same road as Leicester winning it, because nobody gave them a chance either.
"People can downplay the achievement and say, ‘Well, it’s Arsenal isn’t it. They’re a big club and they have invested wisely’ but it’s been such a long time since they last won the league.
"Make no mistake, this would be a huge upset if Arsenal won the Premier League title."
It’s a sustained charge founded on a stingy defence, while in midfield Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka have been superb.
Campbell though picks out Bukayo Saka as the player who he enjoys watching the most, a brilliant young talent who – perhaps concerningly – has still to commit to a long-term contract extension.
"His football brain is amazing. His confidence is outstanding. His ability is second-to-none. For someone so young, he knows when to pass it, he knows when to dribble. He knows exactly what to do and when to do it.
"But the most impressive thing about him is his nature. Saka plays with a smile on his face and plays the right way.
"He’s been Arsenal’s player of the season for the past two seasons. He’s been England’s player of the season at just 21 years old. That’s huge, from such a young player, and he’s a player Arsenal need to get signed."
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 6th February 2023
