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Post by Everton News. on Feb 16, 2024 12:33:45 GMT
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Post by Everton News. on Feb 16, 2024 12:37:41 GMT
Lewis Dobbin revealed he has taken great inspiration from teammate Ben Godfrey as he continues to relish his first full season as a Premier League player for Everton.
The Stoke-born forward, who joined Everton aged 11, spent the 2022/23 campaign with Derby County, making 54 appearances while registering 11 goal contributions (five goals, six assists) across all competitions for the League One outfit.
Upon returning to Merseyside this summer, Dobbin was included in the Men's Senior Team's pre-season camp at Lake Geneva and impressed manager Sean Dyche throughout the summer.
He’s been a regular in the Blues’ Premier League squads this season but has had to be patient to secure regular minutes in the team’s ultra-competitive wide positions.
The 21-year-old has seized the opportunities that have come his way, though, most notably smashing a sweetly-struck left-footed drive to notch his maiden Senior-Team goal in the 2-0 win over Chelsea back in December.
“It’s been really enjoyable,” said the winger reflecting on the campaign so far. “This is my first full season in a Premier League squad, so to be staking a claim for a spot in the team is always positive.
“Hopefully, when I get my minutes I can take my chance, and hopefully, I keep getting minutes.”
Dobbin’s attitude has earned plenty of praise throughout the campaign from Dyche, and while he accepts it’s not always easy waiting for opportunities to come his way, he stated the resurgence of teammate Ben Godfrey has been a huge motivation for him.
Like Dobbin, Godfrey’s playing time in the first half of the season was limited. However, the defender’s commitment in training and influence around Everton’s tight-knit group has never wavered and he’s since started the Blues’ past three Premier League matches - impressing in each.
“He [Godfrey] is a great professional,” he explained. “We see that every day in training. He always trains at 100 per cent and always gives it all. He has deservedly secured his spot in the team and long may it continue.”
Both players will hope to play a role in Monday’s crucial Premier League contest against Crystal Palace at Goodison Park (8pm GMT kick-off).
The Blues have the chance to close the five-point gap between the two sides in the table, but the Eagles could head to Merseyside under the charge of a new manager, with former Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner reportedly ready to succeed Roy Hodgson.
Despite this, Dobbin said he and his Everton teammates won’t be impacted by the noise around the visitors and stated the internal focus will remain on themselves and doing all they can to secure a crucial positive result.
“The most important thing right now is taking it game by game and trying to get the best results possible,” he added. “So we are going to just keep taking it game by game and focus on ourselves.
“We try to block out any outside noise. Don’t let other people affect us, let us have our own judgement and listen to each other because we are the only people that matter - we will keep fighting for each other every day.”
Everton FC
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Post by jimmy on Feb 16, 2024 19:22:04 GMT
Monday night football is crap. I'd rather it was all 3 o'clock on a Saturday.
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Post by Everton News. on Feb 17, 2024 10:44:24 GMT
Abdoulaye Doucoure could return for Everton's clash with Crystal Palace on Monday night (8pm GMT).
The Blues will be looking to extend their unbeaten record against Palace this season when the south Londoners head to Goodison Park, having already faced them once in the Premier League and twice in the FA Cup earlier in the campaign.
Doucoure, who has missed the past five matches with a hamstring issue, has now resumed training at Finch Farm and, speaking in Saturday's pre-match press conference, Sean Dyche says he "has got a chance and is back in the thinking" ahead of the visit of Palace.
Amadou Onana and Seamus Coleman are in contention for a place in the starting line-up this weekend, with both having returned from injury with substitute appearances at Manchester City last time out.
"They [Onana and Coleman] are certainly back in the thinking," said Dyche, when asked if the duo would be ready to start a match. "Both have come through a few days of training very well.
"Doucs has got a chance as well and is back in the thinking. He's been on the grass with us this week which is good news.
"They certainly come back into the squad with the thinking of getting into the side."
When asked about the temptation of starting Doucoure, who has been particularly influential this term, Dyche continued: "He has done very well. If he's right and he feels right then he is certainly in the thinking. We've got a couple of days now to train before the game so we'll see how that goes."
The manager also confirmed Ben Godfrey, who was forced off during the trip to Manchester City, is fully recovered from a sickness bug.
But Arnaut Danjuma (ankle) and Andre Gomes (calf) will miss out.
Dyche added: "Andre [Gomes] is back on the grass but it still has to be a delicate one with his calf because he's had a few of them now, so we've got to be careful with that.
"Arnie [Danjuma] is going well but he has got a few weeks [to go] yet."
Dele remains sidelined as he continues his rehabilitation from a long-term groin injury.
Everton FC
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Post by Everton News. on Feb 19, 2024 12:31:06 GMT
Dyche Programme Notes
We’re pleased to be back on home soil for what is another opportunity to put important points on the board.
Last time out against Manchester City, I thought the details in transition on the offensive side of our game were a long way off the levels we expect from ourselves. I have to be honest about that because the defensive side of our game was excellent – as it has been for the majority of this season – with the organisation and the delivery of the tactical elements we had worked on in the build-up to the game seeing us limit one of the best teams in world football.
When you are working so hard defensively, playing and being effective with the ball when you do have it is the biggest challenge of all. The key to a total performance is how many times you can transition from defence to attack efficiently.
Against Manchester City, we found the odd moment but we gave the ball away too cheaply and didn’t find the right pass when we were in good areas.
With that said, speaking more generally, our chance count this season has been high, with underlying metrics to support that, so we have to stick with it and keep working hard to ensure we convert more of those opportunities. We are developing a blend that can be successful in the modern game but there is still work for us to do.
Once again, a key decision with the award of a corner that led to the first goal, as well as a number of soft ones, went against us but I don’t want to keep harping on about it. Being on the wrong end of calls is never going to be a focus in our group and we will not make excuses.
Instead, all of our focus, all of our energy has to be on ourselves and keeping the belief in what we are building here. That was always the message but it has been refocused since the Premier League commission’s decision to deduct us 10 points earlier in the season, a sanction we have appealed. Regardless of the outcome of that, we must remain steadfast in our self-belief. The performance levels have been good so far but there are improvements to be made and they are achieved through hard work.
The nine-day gap between our last game and this evening has given us more time to work with some of the players we lost to injury over a particularly busy period in December. Seamus Coleman and Ashley Young are working their way back to full fitness having missed chunks of action, while Amadou Onana returned and made a strong impact off the bench against Manchester City and Abdoulaye Doucoure has resumed training with us following a hamstring problem.
Tonight we welcome the players, staff and everyone connected to Crystal Palace.
We must take confidence from the two wins we’ve recorded over Palace so far this season, while also being fully aware each game is a completely different matter that throws up different challenges. We know they head to Goodison looking to build momentum after a challenging period and we must be ready to match – and better – the intensity they will no doubt bring.
Finally, tonight we celebrate the incredible work of the Club’s official charity, Everton in the Community, which celebrates its 36th birthday this month.
While football matters have been unrelenting since joining in January last year, I have had the pleasure of seeing first-hand the life-changing work EitC does for people across the Liverpool City Region. The depth and the impact of the work is so impressive and that feel of community is one that is undoubtedly at the core of what Everton is about.
As part of fundraising efforts this month, there will be bucket collections in and around the stadium tonight and, if you can, I know any money you can spare will be going to very worthy causes.
Thanks for your ongoing support and enjoy the game.
Sean
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