14/12/2024
Sean Dyche prepares to get one over Mikel Arteta in the set piece derby
Everton's set piece derby against Arsenal on Saturday has been years in the making for manager Sean Dyche, who recounts using primitive technology to find marginal gains as a youth coach at Watford.
Nobody has scored more goals from corners and free-kicks than Saturday's combatants at the Emirates but Dyche insists studying how to maximise set plays is nothing new.
'People have been analysing set pieces for years and years,' he revealed. 'I first remember doing it as a youth team manager in 2007 when you'd need two different screens.
'It was called Final Cut Pro. You'd sit there laboriously learning how to do it, transferring information from one screen to the other; lifting it, dragging it, dropping it, stop-in, timelining. It was a pain in the arse!
'Then coding comes in on a laptop, you can buy it right off the shelf and boom.'
The Merseysiders score half their goals under Dyche from set plays and are the one team as intimidating to stop as Arsenal with James Tarkowski mentioned alongside Gunners' Gabriel as the biggest aerial threats in the Premier League.
'We probably lay down the foundations for our at set plays at Everton in pre-season,' added Dyche.
'Maybe Arsenal have a psychological advantage because they're so good at them, but we've found that as well.
'Virtually all teams mention them as a threat when they play us. That brings its own psychology!'
Arsenal have scored seven times from Premier League set pieces this season and Everton six, accounting for nearly half their total number of goals.
These days Dyche hands over responsibility to coaches Steve Stone and Ian Woan, and a team of analysts but admits it still depends on having players eager to win headers.
'Delivery and attacking the ball will never go out,' he said.
'Brian Clough was talking about that in 1987 when I first went to Nottingham Forest. 'Put the ball in the box and someone has got to go in and attack it.'
'Over time, delivery improves, movement improves, the physical power of players improves and their jump capability improves. But that one thing you need; just the sheer will and desire to score a goal.'
Dyche says his side prepare against every team, not just Arsenal who have specialist coaches and are known as the best in the country.
The Everton boss, who should have fit-again striker Armando Broja in his squad, doesn't consider Mikel Arteta's title challengers as a one-trick pony though.
'Just because they strong statistics on set pieces, I haven't forgotten their other threats. They can still open you up and have some very good players,' he said.
'I certainly don't think they are set play team. They are just a team that can add that in, and they have done that.'
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