Sean Dyche is refusing to get carried away by the form of Abdoulaye Doucoure but has praised the attitude of the resurgent star.
The midfielder has been key to Everton’s improved form and scored his second goal under Dyche at Chelsea. He then picked up a second assist in consecutive games after laying the ball off for Ellis Simms’ late equaliser.
It is a remarkable upturn in Doucoure’s Everton career after he was frozen out under Frank Lampard but is now earning the trust of his new boss, who has hailed the 30-year-old’s “brilliant mentality”.
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Doucoure was immediately introduced into Dyche’s starting eleven, given a chance as Everton moved to a 4-5-1 formation for the home game with Arsenal. He was important in that win and has since flourished, partnering with Idrissa Gueye to win the midfield battle in the crucial victory over Leeds United before emerging as a key part of Everton’s forward threat.
Dyche appears to have handed Doucoure the responsibility of supporting Demarai Gray when the forward plays the lone striker role and the Mali international has proved effective through his bursts forwards from midfield. In the last three games, Doucoure has scored twice and claimed two assists for a team that has struggled for goals all season. He could so easily have had a third goal but took too much time on the ball when Simms played him through in the closing stages against Leeds.
Doucoure has been enjoying his new role and his performances may lead to consideration over a contract extension he had been keen for going into the season. His current deal expires in the summer but Everton have an option to extend for a further 12 months.
Dyche is clearly impressed with Doucoure - but refused to say he had been “pivotal” to the form that has seen Everton take five points from the last three games, instead saying: “I think he is just enjoying the challenge right in front of him. It is just different eyes. Myself and my staff have come in and we are probably looking at everyone with new eyes, it is a fresh start for everyone. We are saying: ‘Right, OK who is willing to pop up, who is willing to work?’ He is enjoying it, he is enjoying the challenge, he is very adaptive - wherever we put him on the pitch, whatever we ask him, he just goes: ‘Yep’ and cracks on and gets on with it.
"That is a brilliant mentality for a manager to have from his players and I think that is growing among the group, them going ‘yeah, whatever the hard yards, however we need to do, we are willing to do it' and I think it is rubbing off. I think the trust and attention to the group is growing all the time.”
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