All around the world January is a month where everyone likes to reset. It’s a time to make news goals for the year in the hopes you can better yourself. The Premier League is no different. In January you have one last chance to improve your squad to try and make a run for a cup, or make a run at Europe, or maybe climb out of relegation danger, the possibilities are endless. Headed into January, Everton needed to make some changes and that is exactly what they did. On January 9th, Sean Dyche was sacked by the club. There will always be speculation about why a manger gets sacked, but the facts are pretty plain with Everton. The results were simply not good enough. Any other reasons for him leaving the club are just speculation until confirmed by reliable sources. Whatever the real reasons were the first tough decision by the new owners was made, and the new manager would need to be hired quickly with a short turn around time while the transfer window was still open. TFG also had to decide on whether or not to hire a stop gap manager or try for a more ambitious hire. In the end it was closer to a stop gap hire, but perhaps with more upside. Just two days after Dyche was gone, David Moyes made his return to Everton football club. Moyes had a very successful stint as the Everton boss from 2002 to 2013. He took the club to Europe numerous times, and brought in players who are still beloved by the fans of the club to this day. There were some who were against the appointment, but the majority of the supporters welcomed the Scotsman back with open arms.
While all of this was going on, there was still football being played. Everton had a busy month with their first match of the FA cup happening in January. It started on with a trip to Bournemouth. This was Sean Dyche’s last match in charge of the club. It was a 1-0 defeat on the south coast. A terrible showing by Everton. Recording zero shots on target for the entire 90 minutes. It was quite frankly a miracle that Everton didn’t lose by at least 4 goals. Bournemouth dragged Everton all over the pitch doing whatever they wanted. It was truly a fitting match to end the Dyche reign on. After that came a very cool moment for Everton. On January 9th Everton took on Peterborough at Goodison park for the first time ever. On top of that Sean Dyche was sacked earlier that day, so Everton need an interem manager to take charge that night. The task was given to two club legends. Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman were given control under the lights at Goodison park. It was a pretty easy win for Everton never being threatened too much. However there is one footnote from this match. Ashley Young came on as a substitute in the 73rd minute. on the bench for Peterborough was Ashley Young’s son Tyler Young. Peterborough’s manger Darren Ferguson robbed everyone of a great moment. Had Ferguson put Tyler on the pitch it would have been the first time a father played against a son, but it was not meant to be as Tyler was left on the bench.
David Moyes first match back in charge of Everton was a tough task. Aston Villa came to Goodison park for the final time. It was a pretty even match, very similar stats between Everton and Villa, but Villa had more talent, and in the end that turned out to be the difference in a 1-0 win for the villains. Ever since that defeat Everton have been on a tear. Spurs came to Goodison park next, and Everton made them look like they didn’t belong on the same pitch, well at least in the first half. A goal finally came from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, followed by a wonder goal from Ndiaye and lastly an own goal by Archie Gray. Everton let their foot off the gas in the second half giving up two goals and sending Goodison park into a mild panic, but they secured the 3 points. The trip to Brighton was a grueling one that came with some unique challenges let’s say. Everton did win their first penalty of the season, which was dispatched by Ndiaye. Calvert-Lewin did have to go off injured and it will be another long term injury for him unfortunately. Everton made 2 more subs in the second half with the final sub coming in the 76th minute. 4 minutes later Orel Mangala tore his ACL and ended his season. Everton were out of substation windows so they had to play with 10 men for what ended up being 20 minutes. They held strong though and picked up a gritty 1-0 victory. The final match in January might have been Everton’s best performance of the season. From the opening whistle Everton were clearly no match for Leicester City. 10 seconds into the match Doucoure scored the fastest goal in Goodison park history. Beto picked up a brace on two incredible passes from James Garner and James Tarkowski. Ndiaye finished the match off with a good solo effort and with 3 straight wins Everton put a lot of distance between them and relegation.
The matches and manger changes weren’t the only things happening in January. The transfer window brought Everton one player that might give them a bit more bite going forward. Charles Alcatraz came to the club on loan with an obligation to buy if certain criteria are met. He comes from the Brazilian club Flamingo. Alcatraz does have Premier League experience having previously made 48 appearances for Southampton. Alcatraz is an attacking midfielder who might be able to replace Doucoure at the number 10, or at least provide an option for different type of opponent. With the wins Everton secured the club thought it best to not stretch too far and bring in more players this January so the club can have a clean slate for PSR starting this summer.
David Moyes breathed new life into the club with him coming back to the club he loves at the beginning of the month. There are just a couple handful of matches left at Goodison park. And now with some distance between the drop and Everton, the supporters can focus on saying goodbye to the ground they love without looking over their shoulders.
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