Everton suffered greatly under Frank Lampard, who despite being a personable and largely well-liked manager across Merseyside, was clearly not up to the monumental task this club presents.
It takes a very specific kind of manager to deal with the trials and tribulations of an outfit currently steeped in huge fan unrest, as alongside their undeniable devotion to supporting the team have come protests with regard to the board.
Sean Dyche, with his steely resolve and matter-of-fact personality, has already made it clear that he does not want to associate himself with politics; instead he has focused on changing the fortunes of a struggling side that seemed destined for the drop.
Adding another layer of solidity was his first port of call, as he opted to pack out the midfield in a divergence from the 4-4-2 everyone thought he would employ.
Given the lack of fit strikers at the club, the former Burnley boss has instead opted to use the physical prowess of Abdoulaye Doucoure to press alongside a sole forward, with his work rate making him the perfect mould for such a role. Given how the Mali international struggled in the first part of the season, he has been reignited under this new leadership.
How is Abdoulaye Doucoure playing?
Having been signed by Carlo Ancelotti, the £20m midfielder came with rave reviews from Watford as an offensive threat from the engine room with a physique that made him unlike few others in his position.
He could score and he could assist, but most importantly he boasted a work rate that rivalled most in the Premier League.
Whilst those first two assets have seldom been seen at Goodison Park, with only flashes of the French-born midfielder's goalscoring prowess across his three years at the club, it seems this new role has unlocked him offensively whilst he upholds the system with his pressing.
In the last three matches, the 30-year-old has scored twice and assisted two more, playing key roles in earning vital points on the road to fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest and a refreshed Chelsea.
He truly has been "reborn" under Dyche, as writer Peter Guy put it after they claimed a huge victory over the league leaders Arsenal.
To think that Doucoure nearly left in January too, as his feud with Lampard nearly reached breaking point. Before his sacking, the £120k-per-week dynamo had started just twice in all competitions under the former Chelsea man, yet he has now become an important cog in the system that seems to be slowly guiding them towards safety.
With an international break now on the horizon, it offers ample time for further teaching from the new boss who seems far more assured than his predecessor in keeping the Toffees in the division.
