Nottingham Forest expose brutal Everton truth that Sean Dyche claimed was irrelevant

As players and fans applauded one another at the City Ground, there was a palpable feeling of mixed emotion among both.

Ahead of the trip to Nottingham Forest, a point - in isolation - may not have been a bad result for Everton. Having won just one away game all season - and just three since the start of the 2021-22 campaign - the Toffees faced a Forest outfit who, for a newly-promoted side, have made their own patch a fortress.

Yet at the final whistle, there was sentiment that two points had been dropped. Everton were held to a 2-2 stalemate, having led twice in the game through a Demarai Gray penalty and an Abdoulaye Doucoure header.

Improvements were marked, especially against the backdrop of two defeats, and Sean Dyche felt the draw can prove a building block for the Toffees in their bid to avoid Premier League relegation zone. Everton, for significant parts of the game, were comfortable. Forest scarcely looked like scoring after Brennan Johnson's first equalising goal with Jordan Pickford having a largely comfortable afternoon between the Everton posts.

However, the Blues' dearth of a goal threat meant they were unable to increase their advantage. An injection of energy, guile and craft from the bench was required to keep Everton on the front foot and carry problems on the counter-attack as Forest pursued a second goal. The options among the substitutes, however, were at a paucity.

In contrast, Forest manager Steve Cooper made what proved a pivotal triple change in the 70th minute. He turned to Ryan Yates, Emmanuel Dennis and Andre Ayew to provide the verve needed to grasp a point. The trio duly obliged as only seven minutes later, the home side were level.

Granted, Johnson's equaliser stemmed from a lackadaisical Doucoure pass while the Wales international was given too much room the shoot. Then Ayew - linked with Everton as a free agent before opting to Forest - forced a good save out of Pickford before Johnson fired agonisingly wide. Having been ensconced in commanding position, it soon turned perilous.

By the time Dyche introduced changes, with Neal Maupay and Tom Davies entering the fray in the 89th minute, it was a forlorn task.

Everton scored just twice in just a third Premier League game this campaign. It was scarcely a surprise both were born out of set-pieces. However, goals remain at a premium. Dyche has augmented the Blues' ability to create chances yet the failure to recruit in the January transfer window is hamstringing him with Dominic Calvert-Lewin still injured.

Dyche shut down a question as irrelevant when asked about Everton's failures in the window at his pre-Forest press conference. The Goodison Park chief has taken the stance that it's futile focusing on something that's no longer in his control.

That's understandable. But, in truth, it never was something Dyche could dictate. He officially took the reins just a day before the transfer window closed. At that point, deals should have already been completed. Then, on deadline day, reinforcements were imperative after Anthony Gordon was sold to Newcastle United. They did not arrive.

But as Everton remain in the relegation zone and the time to save a perpetual Premier League status ticks down, the fiasco of January remains pertinent for those above Dyche in the Goodison Park hierarchy. It's very much apropos to director of football Kevin Thelwell, the Everton board and, most importantly, majority owner Farhad Moshiri who promised a new striker.

If Everton do suffer the drop to the Championship, supporters will point to fixtures throughout the campaign where opportunities went begging. The draw against Forest could be one.