'Home truths' - Sean Dyche shares brutally honest private talks with Everton's players

Sean Dyche has revealed that there have been a lot of ‘home truths’ told among Everton’s players and himself after the chastening defeat by Chelsea.

The Toffees suffered a humbling 6-0 loss at Stamford Bridge earlier this week that leaves them just two points above the Premier League relegation zone. Everton were abject against Chelsea, having trailed by four goals before half-time.

Defender James Tarkowski said it was the most embarrassed he’s felt in his career while Dyche confessed of his managerial tenure.

Everton have six games to keep their top-flight status and face bottom-three rivals Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park on Sunday. And Dyche admitted there have been frank conversations among the squad and coaching staff ahead of the encounter.

The Everton boss, asked about the reaction to the Chelsea loss at his pre-match press conference, said: “A lot of home truths. A lot of sharing truths, me including by the way about what I expect from myself, the staff and the players and re-aligning. We can only do it as a group and can't do it as individuals and pulling that back together.

“The players have been disappointed, I must make that clear. There's a funny thing about football nowadays: 'Do they care?' They care, I care deeply about what we're trying to achieve here and I care as well.

“I've seen the reaction in a leveller when you go: 'Right lads, it doesn't all sort itself out, I've tried explaining that to you to work things out. That was a leveller on Monday and sometimes you need that. I've been trying to preach that since I've got here, no-one gives you anything. No-one gives us time, the right noise, the negative story of Everton has been there. I got here and it was there, it's still there, we are the only ones who can change that collectively.

“It's not easy but when I got the job, none of this was coming so it's been a real handler for me to understand what has come this way but it is so I have to rebalance and level myself out. Take it on the chin and move forward. I attempt not to make excuses, I don't think I rarely do, I don't intend to, I try to speak in factual terms. It's difficult. Seven other managers have had a go to find that magic key to unlock it and I'm still searching for it.

“We're doing some good work here but that doesn't alter the fact we're on a really bad run and that's a really bad performance. My words are not trying to alter that, I know my responsibility and that's to get my team winning. There's a lot more going on than just that but that's what I've got to manage.”