September has been and gone and you could call it a mixed month for the blues. Five fixtures, two wins, one draw and two defeats. Everton entered September rock bottom of the Premier League table with 0 points on the board, the only saving grace of the month of August was the 2-1 win over Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup.
Everton started September at Bramall Lane and thanks to late heroics from Jordan Pickford the blues escaped with a point. We then returned to Goodison where Everton took on Arsenal, a valiant effort against an impressive Gunners side wasn’t enough though and Everton left Goodison with a 1-0 defeat.
Dyche’s Everton were then on the road for their next two fixtures as they took on Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. An early goal from Abdoulaye Doucoure was just the start Everton needed and went on to get their first three points of the season in a 3-1 win. Everton rose to 15th in the table. Carabao Cup time came around again as Everton took on Unai Emery’s Aston Villa in a half-full Villa Park. Protests from the Villa fans due to high priced Cup tickets didn’t help Aston Villa on the night as Everton ended up the victors in a 2-1 win, progressing into the 4th round.
Finally the last fixture of the month, Luton Town at home. Most of the Everton fanbase could only imagine an Everton win, a fixture that Everton needed to win so they could show that they have grown from last season. Besides a promising 15 minutes where Everton peppered the Luton Town goal it was a woeful performance where the blues were defeated 2-0. Such promise from the two wins on the road only to throw away a brilliant opportunity to climb the table.
Now the summary is done, let us move onto the players. 17 votes in this round of the Player of the Month.
3rd – Abdoulaye Doucoure and James Garner – 3 votes each out of 17
Abdoulaye Doucoure is a player who has consistently stood out in Sean Dyche’s Everton. The blues main goal contributor since Dyche’s arrival in January, the 30 year old scored two goals for the toffees in five games during September. Doucoure has less than 12 months left on his Everton contract and this coming January is able to negotiate with clubs abroad over a free transfer next summer. If Dyche is to keep his key man at Everton a new deal will have to be on the table soon…
Jimmy Garner, a player who has impressed Everton fans since joining in September 2022 from Manchester United, but the 22 year old has only started to show his best form now under Sean Dyche. Garner has predominantly featured on the right hand side this season but his performance against Aston Villa in the 2-1 win in the Carabao Cup where he started in the middle with Amadou Onana had Evertonians raving. As we know already from the recent win against Bournemouth Garner is continuing to impress in the central midfield role… more on that in next month’s report
2nd – Jarrad Branthwaite – 5 votes out of 17
Everton’s star boy at the back. Jarrad Branthwaite was out on loan last season at PSV and impressed the Ducth side enough that they wanted to make the move permanent, however with the likes of Conor Coady and Yerry Mina leaving Everton in the summer Branthwaite leaving was a non-negatable. The first couple games of the season Evertonians were clamoring for Dyche to start Branthwaite but he insisted for patience. Now after securing a permanent spot in the starting 11 blues fans are buzzing over the development of Branthwaite. The lad is cool and calmness personified, crunching tackles and all. With a new long term contract under his belt here is hoping Jarrad is here for years to come with the form he is showing.
1st – Dominic Calvert-Lewin – 6 votes out of 17
Everton’s number 9. He’s back! Dominic Calvert-Lewin is back with a vengeance. Sean Dyche has protected DCL since his arrival at the club and constantly banged the drum that Everton’s number 9 needed to get back to full fitness before we seen him back to his best. DCL scored 3 goals for the blues throughout the month of September; one against Brentford, the winner against Aston Villa and another goal against Luton Town. After a couple years of mismanagement from the club, Benitez and Lampard it is brilliant to see Dom now back to his best and fully fit. Long may it continue.
Here is to a more successful month in October for the blues. UTFT!
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