It is well-accentuated that there is no easy game in the Premier League. Everton can certainly vouch for that based on the daunting tasks they have faced in recent weeks.   

Across their past three outings, the Blues had to take on a Nottingham Forest side who were unbeaten on their own patch since September. They then welcomed Brentford – at the time unbeaten in 12 – to Goodison Park, before travelling to Stamford Bridge to face a resurgent Chelsea team who had won three successive games for the first time in six months.   

Everton finished that tricky sequence unbeaten and with an impressive five points on the board. The most recent of which came on Saturday in the capital.   

It was a battling away performance that saw the Toffees come from behind twice, and a lot of the key factors behind that dogged display have been bubbling under the surface for a lot of Sean Dyche’s time in charge of the Club so far.   

Dangerous Doucoure  

If there’s one player who epitomises the resurgence of this Everton side under Dyche, then it’s Abdoulaye Doucoure. The Mali international had made just two starts across the whole campaign before Dyche’s arrival.   

However, he’s been named in the starting XI in each of Dyche’s eight games in charge of the Club so far and developed into an integral player – especially going forward.   

Although previously celebrated for an unrelenting work ethic that often saw him pressing and harrying opponents in the middle of the pitch, his role has been adjusted slightly under Dyche.  

He’s been instructed to be the main man to break out of midfield when Everton are pressing high, or on the attack. And when he does, Everton switch into a shape that more resembles a 4-4-2 rather than a 4-5-1.   

The same is crucial in terms of closing passing lanes for opponents trying to build in possession, but also key in supporting Demarai Gray when Everton launch an attack.   

Dyche opened up on the role he’s given the midfielder since arriving at the Club when he spoke to evertontv on Saturday, and he was eager to praise the midfielder’s attitude and willingness to take on the new assignment bestowed to him.   

“It’s his open-mindedness, we’ve put him in a slightly more advanced role, and he’s just responded like ‘Yep, okay’,” said Dyche. “That’s an incredible mindset to have.”  

Not only has Doucoure shown a level of fortitude when taking on this new responsibility, but he’s also rewarded Everton with important attacking contributions.   

His goal and assist on Saturday meant he’s now registered four goal contributions (G2, A2) across his past four appearances.   

Attacking advancements  

Doucoure’s aforementioned contributions have helped Everton to bag five goals across their last three Premier League outings; they’ve not returned that many combined goals in any other three-game league sequence this season.   

While that’s a big boost for a team that has been rather goal-shy for large periods of the season so far, Dyche is likely to be more impressed with the undeniable upward trajectory of the collective attacking displays from the team since his arrival.   

The Blues remained a constant threat on Saturday evening, and now, including the 1-0 victory against Arsenal at the beginning of February – Dyche's first game in charge – Everton have accumulated a combined Expected Goal (xG) total of 12.25.   

In that time, only Brighton, Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal have amassed a higher total.   

Everton’s return of seven goals during that period is the biggest underperformance of any side in the division. That highlights some of the confidence issues in front of goal that Dyche address publicly in his initial weeks in charge at the Club.   

However, he pointed out to evertonfc.com last week: “The pleasing thing over the last number of games is that we’ve been more effective. We’re going into the box with more of an edge to score a goal.”   

Everton’s improving goal return across these past few weeks backs up that belief.   

Tarky the target  

Although we’re now starting to see the rewards from Dyche’s work with the group on the training pitch, the boss had to find an initial way to combat the team’s bluntness in the final third when he arrived.   

He did this by maximising Everton’s threat from set-piece situations. Four of Everton’s seven strikes under Dyche have come through dead-ball situations, with the first goal under his tenure coming directly from a corner.   

James Tarkowski netted that winner against the Gunners in February, and he’s remained the Blues' primary target for a large portion of their set-pieces deliveries.   

Thanks to clever team routines, excellent movement and a fearless commitment from the defender to attack the ball, Tarkowski often manages to get the better of opponents trying to shackle his threat.   

Under Dyche, Tarkowski has been involved in 22 aerial duels inside the opposition's penalty area and boasts a standout success rate of 77 per cent from those duels.   

Beyond his winner at Arsenal, it was his first contact from a free-kick at Nottingham Forest that looped the ball toward Michael Keane who directed it into the path of Doucoure to put the Blues 2-1 ahead.   

It was also his knockdown on Saturday evening that allowed the French midfielder to nod the ball into the Chelsea goal and draw the Toffees level.   

Opponents are now all too aware of Everton’s threat from dead-ball situations. Chelsea manager Graham Potter admitted post-match on Saturday how frustrating it was to have conceded from a set-piece given he and his players had spoken about Everton’s threat from dead-balls prior to the game.   

Yet as he and others are finding out, drawing up the plans to stop the Blues in this area is proving much easier than executing them.   

Therefore, expect this to continue being a big weapon in Everton’s attacking artillery.   

Simms shines   

There were more happy memories secured for Ellis Simms at Stamford Bridge en route to rescuing Saturday’s vital point.  

The striker made his senior Everton debut on the Club’s last visit to the venue in December 2021. This time round, he came off the bench to register his first senior Everton goal after he drove past Kalidou Koulibaly before slotting Kepa Arrizabalaga with a cool finish in the dying minutes of the match.   

Simms re-joined the Blues in January, and although it’s taken until mid-March for him to register his first Premier League goal, this shouldn’t reflect negatively on the young forward.   

Minutes on the field have been at a premium so far as he’s worked hard behind the scenes at Finch Farm to adjust to the demands of the level. As have goalscoring chances when he has featured; Saturday night’s crucial equaliser was just his fourth shot since returning to the Club.   

However, a glance at his underlying numbers on loan at Sunderland does paint a positive picture of the young forward’s finishing capabilities. He netted seven goals for the Black Cats, from an xG of just 4.7.   

He also consistently showed an ability to get himself into good shooting positions and averaged 2.6 shots per 90 playing for the Championship side.   

While Simms will continue to hard work behind the scenes at Finch Farm to both develop and impress Dyche, Saturday was evidence that he could play a more starring role than Evertonians expected in the remainder of this season.