by New manager Sean Dyche reignited the energy and tenacity he had lacked since Everton won their first game since October, but warned that much more was needed to get the club out of harm’s way.
There was an echo of Walter Smith’s ‘War Dogs’ of the mid-1990s in the 1-0 win over Premier League leaders Arsenal, a result built on midfield aggression, the defensive commitment and ended by James Tarkowski’s header on the hour.
Dyche recalled Abdoulaye Doucoure, who had been training alone during the final days of Frank Lampard’s reign after a fight, for his first league start since August and the Frenchman and Belgium international Amadou Onana delivered.
The 21-year-old Onana, who arrived in the summer, was linked with a January move to the Gunners but Everton held on to him despite their struggles and Dyche is now looking to improve his contribution to the team.
To do that, he plans to enlist the help of a Belgian he knows well in Steven Defour, a midfielder he had at Burnley, to educate the youngster on the finer points of Premier League football.
“He has a lot to learn. I think he is a talent, he has to learn the ugly side of the game,” Dyche said of Onana.
“I had a little fun with him and told him that I would ask him to speak to Steven Defour and that we will.
“He said ‘Steven Defour, I know who he is’ and I said ‘Me too, and when we talk to him next week, he’ll show you what the Premier League requirements are.’
“He is a young man who is learning. He has come here with real talent and he is fantastic physically and we will get him fitter and stronger and teach him to be a complete player.
“He has a lot to offer, but he has a long way to go to become a complete player and Steven will possibly help me educate him.
“He (Defour) is a very respected international footballer for Belgium and it will rub off on him. If he doesn’t, I’ll catch it.”
After nine defeats in their last 12 Premier League games, this was a victory built on sweat, hard work and determination – all hallmarks of an effective Dyche team.
Everton had more shots on goal and won more corners than the Gunners despite their 30 per cent possession, but where they were most successful was in any penalty area.
Tarkowski epitomized that when he rose higher to earn a header in the six-yard box from a corner and then got in the way of it all in his own penalty area.
But Dyche managed to pull a tune out of virtually every player who has underperformed for more than a year.
And while the victory was welcome, the new coach will not be blinded by a result.
“A win was important, how fast we got it, and a clean sheet is fantastic, but come on Monday because you (the players) will be working,” he added.
“It is not about giving days off, the plan is the plan and it will not change.
“My way of working is to embrace the past and build the future. The teams of the 80s could be powerful and direct but they knew how to play.
“Now we have to do a modern version with analytics, recruiting, science and, of course, organization.
“We have some very good players here and I want to give them that platform and hopefully the freedom to then go on and play.”
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is confident a second league defeat of the season will not derail them and has backed his players to bounce back at home to Brentford next weekend.
“The best way to do that is to understand who we are, how we got to where we are and start doing the basics right, start playing the way we want to play,” he said.
“Then start doing better individually and collectively and then you’ll earn the right to win games.”
