Everton vs Tottenham Player Ratings: Undefeated home run ends

Jim Bennings

1 Posted
26/10/2025 at
19:55:41

Very generous with the ratings for me.

Tarkowski I wouldn’t give more than a 4 at best, yet again the decision to offer a contract extension seems hasty as it’s a player looking on the decline.

We were one-half wonders as usual, Ndiaye played well for one half which seems to be the limit at the moment, and when he doesn’t play well, we don’t seem to play well.

Grealish was okay but little end product and he is supplying ammunition to a gun with no trigger unfortunately.

Joe Hurst

2 Posted
26/10/2025 at
20:22:16

An accurate review of every Everton player in tonight’s game:
…Shite

Paul Hewitt

3 Posted
26/10/2025 at
20:24:34

I do often wonder why getting beaten by a better team makes you shit?

John Williams

4 Posted
26/10/2025 at
20:27:49

I blame Moyes, he should have played the tea lady in midfield and chosen a couple of burly stewards from the stands to play in the centre of defence.

I presume some on here will blame Moyes for picking the wrong team!!

Ralph Basnett

5 Posted
26/10/2025 at
20:28:30

The players are playing to the best of their ability; unfortunately, it isn’t good enough. The squad problem is down to owners and manager.

Owners gave Moyes money and he has chosen to bring in a forward that isn’t ready and failed to recruit right and left backs.

We have very little pace in the team and everyone we play exploits that.

The only way any youth get experience is sending them out?

Same shit… just a different location!

Bill Fairfield

6 Posted
26/10/2025 at
20:45:54

Huffed and puffed, but we desperately need a striker and a couple of strong running attacking full-backs.

Until then, it’s plod on with what we’ve got. A long way to go yet.

Tom Bowers

7 Posted
26/10/2025 at
20:58:41

I agree we are not blessed at full-back. Jake is not a full-back and Mykolenko is quite slow on the turn and is often beaten.

However, the offensive side of things is very weak but we have to suffer it until at least January.

If Jack and Iliman are snuffed out, then we will struggle, as they did today. Most teams will realise this.

Craig Scott

8 Posted
26/10/2025 at
21:39:39

It seems clear to me that Grealish and Ndiaye are our biggest attacking threats but they do so from the flanks. There isn’t anyone in the middle running off and firing shots from the deployed lone striker.

Defences can just double up on the striker in the middle and snuff out their threat, which in Beto’s case isn’t great.

I support the idea of trying either Ndiaye or Grealish interchanging as a false nine with Dibling on the right. Today demonstrated that we should try something different as we had good possession in promising positions on the flanks but no threat when the balls were swung in to the middle.

David Bromwell

9 Posted
26/10/2025 at
22:01:06

I couldn’t go today so had to watch on telly, with sound down.

Very familiar current Everton performance, which in part is nice to watch but we simply cannot finish.

Obviously we also struggled every time Tottenham crossed the ball into our box… worrying as our back line has traditionally been more resilient.

Ryan Holroyd

10 Posted
26/10/2025 at
22:06:18

Could someone please tell me what exactly Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall does?

£25M and he’s not even as good as Alcaraz.

Robert Williams

11 Posted
26/10/2025 at
22:06:19

I’ve no idea how Grealish gets a 7. To my mind, all he does lately (after bursting on the scene) is slow the play down, doing his own little ‘cameo’ on the touchline.

The whole team was poor today. Did Beto split his pants with that overhead kick he tried?

We appear to be settling into a pattern of mediocrity, but maybe that is what Moyes is trying to achieve at this stage of the season, so that the owners will take notice and cough up some more ackers for another inflow of uselessness.

I will be away, so will miss the next two games. Let’s hope there is an improvement by the time I get back!!

Ryan Holroyd

12 Posted
26/10/2025 at
22:12:02

Robert – I agree with you about Grealish. All he does is gets the ball, slows the play down, checks inside, or gives to Mykolenko.

No wonder Man City got rid.

Them three of Ndiaye, Grealish and the dreadful Dewsbury-Hall are basically the same players. Fur coat and no knickers comes to mind.

Ryan Holroyd

13 Posted
26/10/2025 at
22:17:21

it’s like watching the same clip on repeat with Grealish. He does his shuffling, stuttering run with two defenders in front of him, then has to lay it off usually backwards or square, and the attack expires.

Or he wins a free kick which we just whack into the area.. Never looks look like scoring. Doesn’t look like setting anything up. He is a bit of a one-trick pony.

£12M in wages with no return.

Jim Bennings

14 Posted
26/10/2025 at
22:29:43

Ryan,

Probably not easy when you have a carthorse in front of you, a full back that hasn’t got a clue how to overlap you, a middle of the park that doesn’t take up a position around or in the box to give you a target to hit.

I imagine Grealish would look a much much better player if he had prime Leighton Baines passing him by, or Lukaku showing for passes up front or even a player like Naismith in this side that could take up a dangerous position in the box.

All we do is pass to him then stand there watching him almost with the attitude of “Right, you do it yourself, Jack, we’ve passed the ball to you.”

I’ve seen more movement in a tortoise tank than you get from our attacks.

Jim Bennings

15 Posted
26/10/2025 at
22:36:30

More concerning for me are the following:

How on earth have we persisted with one of the most un-modern left-backs in the Premier League in Mykolenko, who can’t run, can’t pass, crossing awful, and is just so unlike the majority of full-backs in this era, yet we have churned him out for 4 years.

How on earth we identified needing to replace Seamus Coleman way back in 2019, when we signed Djibril Sidibe, but somehow still haven’t replaced him.

How did we persist with Calvert-Lewin from 2017 to 2025 knowing he’d been injury-prone and not good enough for 4 of those seasons, yet we still have not signed a striker who can even look like he’s been trained professionally.

We are watching a very much declining central defender in James Tarkowski yet wanting to offer a new 2-year contract.

Those are bigger concerns at this club for me right now.

Jim Bennings

16 Posted
26/10/2025 at
22:40:33

Our midfield still lacks any real bite, any real power or pace. That’s why I wanted to sign Kubo and John McGinn.

People didn’t want McGinn but I tell you one thing, he’d have improved our midfield no end.

I wanted us to push the boat out on Kubo and was erring towards that move ahead of Dibling.

Ryan Holroyd

17 Posted
26/10/2025 at
22:49:17

I agree in part with what you say, Jim. Although he was doing the same at Man City, so who knows? He definitely slows the play down a lot.

In answer to your questions, because the club is rotten to its core. Has been for decades and ain’t changing soon. Pitiful really.

As I say, we’re the most pointless, sterile, 1970s style football club as there is.

I mean fans clapping Richarlison when we’re getting beat 2-0. Absolutely pathetic.

Jerome Shields

18 Posted
26/10/2025 at
22:51:21

Jim #16,

McGinn would have made a big difference, but playing for Moyes didn’t seem to be an incentive. I suspect Kubo was similar.

Ryan Holroyd

19 Posted
26/10/2025 at
22:53:18

Or he was happy at Villa, Jerome.

Ryan Holroyd

20 Posted
26/10/2025 at
22:55:27

I wish the club would just fold and end this misery they inflict on us every season.

Ernie Baywood

21 Posted
27/10/2025 at
04:53:39

Feels like a slight over-reaction, Ryan.

I might be an eternal optimist but I see progress. We’re signing young (which will come with its blunders) and we’re actually attempting to play football.

Yes, we lack plenty of the parts needed to be a good side, but we’ve just spent the last few years barely playing football, staving off relegation, and being stripped of any decent playing assets.

You’ve only got to look at the selections. We lack a cutting edge… Yet Spurs can introduce a Brazilian international striker off the bench. The same guy we had to sell to them to meet PSR limits! If you wanted to sum up the respective clubs, it was right there in that moment.

Jonathan Tasker

22 Posted
27/10/2025 at
04:54:09

Ryan is right.

Close the club permanently.

Kenwright has won.

Jerome Shields

23 Posted
27/10/2025 at
06:30:31

Ryan #19,

Same reason. Moyes: same old tactics — which may look good but are painfully slow in the buildup. The opposition just has to shepherd the threat up and mark up the stationary attackers.

This has been the way the opposition have played Moyes for years. No proper preparation is being put into set pieces, whether attacking or defending. That is a real problem that Moyes should be held accountable for, especially when his main strength is supposed to be to contain the opposition.

The way Moyes’s tactics are, there are only two ways of scoring. The centre-forward gets the right connection on a half-chance, or from a set-piece. Neither are going to happen.

I think TFG should be looking at Stage 2 asap.

Jerome Shields

24 Posted
27/10/2025 at
06:46:00

Moyes should have kept Lindstrøm — at least he knew how to play a through-ball. When was the last time we saw an Everton player play a through-ball through the centre?

Moyes may not even want players to look to play the through ball.

James O’Connell

25 Posted
27/10/2025 at
06:52:28

It’s all down to match days. Clearly we don’t like playing on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays.

And every other Saturday.

Friday night football and we win the league.

Ian Bennett

26 Posted
27/10/2025 at
07:39:21

No proper preparation is being put into set-pieces whether attacking or defending. That is a real problem that Moyes should be held accountable for, especially when his main strength is supposed to be to contain the opposition.

Jerome, we have one of the highest % of scoring from set pieces in the Premier League over the last 12 months, and we’re the last of the 20 teams to concede from a set-piece this season. Your statements are not backed up with actual facts.

The bottom line was our keeper was nowhere near 3 headers in his 6-yard box. Garner and Mykolenko were bullied out of their header duels fairly easily, and the 3 big dopes were nowhere near Micky van de Ven who is a clear danger. Oh, and we had a set-piece disallowed by VAR.

The bigger issue is our players are not very good. The defence is poor without a low block, the midfield aren’t great on the ball, and shooting is dreadful. Oh, and the big lad up front has the touch of a kerb and turning radius like he needs to be on the Mersey.

The team had good chances to score yesterday despite all of that, and gifted shit goals to Spurs. Christmas came early for them.

My criticism is not getting Alcaraz on earlier. I thought Dewsbury-Hall was pretty poor. I’d like to see Barry and Beto together at some point, so they’ve some pace in the side to unsettle teams — 2-nil down is that situation. The O’Brien experiment is meant to help set-pieces, but defensively it didn’t. Tarkowski worries me.

For the next game, I would like to see some of the finishing XI start:

Pickford
Garner
Mykolenko
Tarkowski
Keane
Röhl
Gana
Alcaraz
Ndiaye
Beto
Grealish

Is it a great team? No. But that’s where we are. Spurs were no great shakes either. Their centre-forward from PSG was pretty rubbish — and they’ve plenty of others in Tel, Richarlison, and Solanke that they’ve squandered on.

Not easy, this centre-forward lark.

Mark Murphy

27 Posted
27/10/2025 at
07:44:09

We’re still playing football that went extinct 15 years ago – too slow and methodical.

But, if Branthwaite had been in the middle yesterday they wouldn’t have scored those corners.

We need asap two fast dynamic fearless full backs and get Branthwaite and O’Brien in the middle. Add a competent striker (or go all out on Barry) and we’ll not be far off.

But in the meantime, we need a big change of mentality.

Bring in Iraola asap.

Neil Cremin

28 Posted
26/10/2025 at
07:49:56

Totally agree with Ryan on Grealish. He is a very talented footballer who doesn’t lose possession. However, from what I have seen to date, he is now double-marked, he holds up the ball and ends up passing into our midfield, usually to Dewsbury-Hall who is not creative enough to carve out openings for whoever is playing up front.

Grealish doesn’t shoot, Dewsbury-Hall doesn’t shoot. Our typical pattern of play in attacking is getting inside their half, and whoever has the ball doesn’t see any options, so passes into the middlem and ultimately a nothing ball is crossed into a crowded organised defence and cleared.

Another observation from yesterday is that two of the goals were from corners where we looked very vulnerable. Jordan Pickford is a great shot-stopper, as he showed when saving against Richarlison but has no command of the 6-yard box.

Compare that with Vicario where any corner we had was either underhit, collected or punched well clear by Vicario. The only exception was Jake’s.

My fear is that Thomas Frank has shown other teams exactly how to score against Everton.

Mick O’Malley

29 Posted
27/10/2025 at
07:58:31

Bournemouth lost 3/4 of their back 4 from last season and are in the Top 4. They’ve got a 19-year-old centre-forward who’s scored 3 in his last 4. They don’t mind putting in players who aren’t Premier League ready, we sit ours on the bench and they get 5 minutes at the end of the game if they are lucky.

I was fuming with Moyes yesterday bringing Alcaraz on with 6 minutes left.

I know he has his fans on here but it’s about time Gana was put out to pasture. Okay, he wins the ball back but, more often than not, coughs up possession, he contributes nothing offensively and his shooting is woeful… mind you, he’s not alone there!

Bill Fairfield

30 Posted
27/10/2025 at
08:08:29

The early-season optimism has evaporated already.

The fear of another season of struggle is once again upon us.

Ian Bennett

31 Posted
27/10/2025 at
08:10:20

Neil – right on set-pieces. Franks works hard on that aspect, but others will cotton on.

Agree on Grealish. You need someone at Number 10 that can exploit that space when players are dragged out to Grealish. Ndiaye would be the main beneficiary, but with no one on the right, it will need to be Alcaraz.

Röhl should start next game. It’s where Garner plays now? Midfield or right-back.

Mark Murphy

32 Posted
27/10/2025 at
08:17:53

Mick, Bournemouth are fearless and have a strong team mentality. It’s why I want Iraola in, and wanted him in for this season.

I’m not anti-Moyes — he did a great job turning us around last season — but we should’ve dumped the “old” Everton mentality of the last 35 years when we left Goodison.

Jim Bennings

33 Posted
27/10/2025 at
08:18:18

The early season optimism amounted basically to two of the first three games in August. Since then, we’ve been pretty much abject.

We were poor at Anfield when they were vulnerable. We didn’t capitalize on a poor Manchester City at the Etihad, and we were poor at Wolves in the Carabao Cup.

West Ham at home when they are abysmal was also a shocking performance, while we got lucky at home to Palace when we could have been 3-0 down before Ndiaye scored to level it.

Sam Hoare

34 Posted
27/10/2025 at
08:21:55

Mark @27, we’d love Iraola but I’d say there’s next to no chance.

Despite our history, we are currently a step down from Bournemouth who have better players, better recruitment and better prospects. They have a genuine shot at Champions League football within the next few years whereas we will struggle to get into the Top 10.

There are lots of talented young managers out there and I wonder if Moyes will come under pressure around Xmas if we are languishing around 15th-18th which feels distinctly possible.

In theory, we should have a better second half to the season with a raft of new players getting settled and finding synergy but a lot of these new players (Barry, Dibling, Röhl, Aznou etc) have barely featured as Moyes seems loathe to tinker with lineup and formation. And to be fair to him, when he did name a much-altered lineup in the cup, few players if any made a case for themselves.

The recruitment was strange. We bought more wingers who want to cut inside despite having no overlapping full-backs and more players who want to keep hold of the ball and play it around despite having no forwards who excel in linking play.

Andy Duff

35 Posted
27/10/2025 at
08:27:53

Grealish isn’t the problem; it’s the players around him. Mykolenko offers nothing going forward he gets no support.

The strikers in the middle have to do more. He somehow still managed the assists he did despite this. Put better players with him and you’ll see his quality.

I was at the game yesterday and he was trying to tell his team mates to move etc. You would not see this if you watched on telly.

Ryan Holroyd

36 Posted
27/10/2025 at
08:44:43

Agree Grealish isn’t the problem as such but he should have scored yesterday to put us one up which seems to get brushed under the carpet.

Also one of his ‘assists’ was passing the ball 5 yards to James Garner.

We definitely miss Branthwaite and Calvert Lewin on set pieces Jerome.

Mike Doyle

37 Posted
27/10/2025 at
08:51:01

Jim #33] I think you sum it up quite nicely.
The teams we are up against will all have figured out how we play – and that we have zero pace and limited finishing capability in the team.
I fear we’ll see repeats of yesterday as the season progresses – not helped by Ndiaye and Gana disappearing for a few weeks.

Anthony Dove

38 Posted
27/10/2025 at
08:52:32

O’ Brian is a good defender but when you look at
Porro yesterday you realise how important it is
to have full backs with pace who can be extra
attackers.

Colin Glassar

39 Posted
27/10/2025 at
09:04:35

We have become stale in team selections and tactics and we’re still only in October.

Moyes need to shake things up a bit, be a bit more creative and risky. Try and out wit opponents because that’s what they are doing to us.

Tony Abrahams

40 Posted
27/10/2025 at
09:05:24

I’m just glad I gave my ticket away yesterday because I had a feeling it was going to be one of those days.

The more things change the more they just stay the same, with most of our play going through our two wingers, with teams just doubling up on them.

I thought Gueye, was as bad as I’ve ever seen him, with Dewsbury Hall, playing his normal game. His normal game keeps him on the pitch every week because we simply have a manager who is reluctant to change, imo.

Dwight McNeil, is not a world beater but he’s been a decent player for Everton, and yet he has been completely banished, so when I watch Grealish, bringing defenders towards him and flicking it into the space, I often scratch my head and think that would have been perfect for a player who has probably/definitely got the best shot in the squad.

I could go on but what’s the point, because anything that is said, is often jumped on as a criticism of our manager, who can hopefully steady the ship and bring stability, to a set of fans that are absolutely desperate for a tiny little bit of success.

Marc Hints

41 Posted
27/10/2025 at
09:14:37

#26 Ian – good team except I would now give Barry a run of games instead of Beto and change Keane and have O’Brien at the back with Tarkowski

Mark Murphy

42 Posted
27/10/2025 at
09:51:38

Well, at least I’m now looking forward to my next visit to H&D without fear or expectation. I’m just going to relax and enjoy the game and see what unfurls before me.
That’s next Saturday, 14.30 k.o.
I honestly wont give a monkeys who wins which will be a new experience for me.

Joe McMahon

43 Posted
27/10/2025 at
09:57:30

Colin@39, Moyes is only being paid 5 million a year and you want him to be more creative and risky?

Nope 5 million a year gets you cautious, defensive, unimaginative and relegation scraps.

Exactly why I wanted Thomas Frank months ago. The performance at a out of form Liverpool a few games back sums up Moyes.

Jimmy Carr

44 Posted
27/10/2025 at
10:25:55

I didn’t watch the game but I was disappointed by the team selection. I wanted Alcaraz behind Beto and Garner at right back. Moyes needs to make some changes, it’s obvious.

Bill Fairfield

45 Posted
27/10/2025 at
10:27:12

Fan on talksport said Beto runs around like a loose horse at the grand national.

Brian Harrison

46 Posted
27/10/2025 at
10:36:10

Apart from their dead ball situations I don’t think Spurs created much, but when they did come forward they did so with pace and numbers. We know that if Jordan has a weakness its with dealing with crosses, and certainly Vicarrio made some great saves for them.
The problem we have and have had for a long time is none of our front six score enough goals. Certainly Grealish and Ndaiye are very good players but neither score many, so that puts enormous pressure on the striker and the midfield players.
Lets be honest KDH has only scored 4 goals in his Premier league career and Gana has never scored many in a season and James Garner likewise. So its obvious this team are going to struggle scoring goals.
I know I have mentioned this already this season, but if you are losing 2 nil at home with 20 minutes left, but refuse to bring on your record summer signing, then what was the point of signing him.
Just to finish I thought the chant from Spurs fans were with 15 minutes left and our fans started pouring out of the ground, they chanted is this a fire drill.

Neil Cremin

47 Posted
27/10/2025 at
10:37:29

Marc #41
Why would you drop our best defender this season. What would be the advantage that would give us

Steve Brown

48 Posted
27/10/2025 at
10:42:23

Sam @ 34,

I disagree with that Sam. I think we could attract Iraola if TFG showed him their ambition in what they will fund and the football structure they are putting in place.

Bournemouth have never won anything and that will continue. Also, I don’t think they will be able to sustain a European challenge. That is not being disrespectful of them, as they are obviously a brilliantly run smaller club.

There are levels in every industry, and football is no different.

Marc Hints

49 Posted
27/10/2025 at
10:47:46

Neil #47 – Yeah good point he has played well and been better than Tarkowski, I do feel though O’Brien just has that little bit more pace than Keane

Kunal Desai

50 Posted
27/10/2025 at
10:57:58

Iraola and Glasner will move on to bigger clubs. That’ll be clubs like Man City/Bayern/Barcelona.

We need to unearth the next Iraola and Glasner.

Kevin Molloy

51 Posted
27/10/2025 at
11:07:53

West Ham really missed a trick didn’t they, not appointing Iraola and plumping for that drudge master Nuno. And Forest, with all their cracking players, fancy going for Sean Dyche(!) when they could have just headed over to little Bournemouth and blown them out of the water.

Conor McCourt

52 Posted
27/10/2025 at
11:08:31

Ian@62

I like how you have completely absolved all responsibility from the manger. We know that Thomas Frank works on set pieces day and night.
The only players in their starting line up yesterday that are dangerous are Bentancur and Van Der Ven.

The first corner was clearly Frank identifying a weakness in our zonal set up. Their 2nd biggest threat Bentancur is round the back totally free avoiding all our big men and our zonal marking, then powers his header after having a free run and jump before putting it across goal where their 1st biggest danger standing at 6ft4 is free after running of the back of Grealish.

The 2nd goal comes as Van Der Ven running from the back post again unchallenged, gets in front of a static Keane little nudge on Pickford which takes the weight off his body so he can’t come and then use his height advantage to have another free header on goal.

You can blame individuals all you want but that was Franks set piece coach exposing a weakness and getting his key players in position to exploit. We had no one tracking the goalscorer and no one aware of his presence as we were static in our zone, looking at the ball waiting to head i, no awareness of the threat and no protection for our 6ft goalkeeper.

Now we are seeing a total U-turn from you who strangely has told us just two days ago that KDH has to start and can’t be substituted due to his ‘quality’ differential over Alcaraz. He might run more, he might be busier and he has a decent left peg but quality I think not. Alcaraz has 3 goal and assists at Everton and is a lot more incisive, can take the games to the opposition, is always looking forward and has a much better strike on him. KDH has the experience edge but both have their strengths and the former should not be on the pitch every minute irrelevant of contribution or what’s needed in the game.

As for some of your critique of having to play a low block etc and we aren’t very good etc. Well we don’t have to play it that is the choice of the manager.
If we are so bad why is our best player and chief threat over the last 3 seasons sat twiddling his thumbs, a guy who had 7 goal contributions this time last year in a team who is struggling for goals.

Robert Tressell

53 Posted
27/10/2025 at
11:09:29

Iraola is a long shot but he would come – as Steve says – if TFG show big ambition.

There’s no two ways about it – that means spending Champions League level fees and wages. So a transfer kitty of no less than £200m, I expect. And attracting players like Muani, Kudus, Woltemade etc etc.

Otherwise he would have no bigger budget than Bournemouth but with much higher expectations.

Martin Farrington

54 Posted
27/10/2025 at
11:12:12

And so the slide to the bottom begins.
An Old Arse one way one shitstem manager.
Piss poor summer signings (bar a couple) to plug the record hole left by the previous piss poor dof.
Piss poor performances from ALL the players.
As for the ratings,

Pix 4.5
very weak performance.
Put a player on the front post and they don’t score the first.
With a six yard box cluttered with blue shirts, all useless stood in their zones. The ineffective Myk marking their tallest at the rear, and he fell over. Pix has returned to his coke habit, can get off the white line.

Obi. 5.5
Is dependable most of the time and did ok. Headed goal was excellent, lost confidence when it was disallowed.

Tarks 4.
Liability. Caught out all over the place and never made any difference for any of their goals.

Keane 6.
Having to fill in for the walkabout Tarks when we were under counters and numerous Spurs. forrays. Was also ineffective for the goals.

Myk. 3.5
Appalling.

Illy 6.5
As the game went on became more and more frustrated and threw a strop when Obi failed to pass to him in 2nd half. Needs to be more productive passing wise after his clever dribbling. Had no need to venture offside.

Jack 6.5
Not a great night for him.
Was not clinical enough with his chance. Unnecessary offside positioning ruined an excellent goal by Obi.

Gaye 4.
Another terrible showing. Giving away stupid free kicks in dangerous areas when we clearly couldnt defend set pieces. Offered little anywhere and looked like an old man against them.

Garner 5
Was all right in points but without speed, or an eye for a pass. Is unable to get a grip and take control of midfield. Is better at RB.

KDH 4
Ineffective throughout. Seemed lost. Contributed little other than at set plays, which didnt provide much.

Beto 3.5
Not much service. Yet again. Its clear the manager wont engage his striker tactically, which he admits to. Smart over head kick with little power his only real opportunity. Isnt a danger.

Merlin 5
Did ok, game was over when he came on. Looks like he needs to start.

Charlie 4
One of his first passes was backwards from CML, straight to a spurs player on the edge of our box, who managed to mess it up. Not much else really.

Barry 5
All of a sudden knows how to control a pass and trap the ball. Thus opening up a whole new world to him. Was ok but offered little potency.

Moyes 4
Got it wrong tactically. Very wrong.
Honest enough to admit our goal was correctly disallowed.

Pawson 4
On a relatively trouble free night booked players unnecessarily whilst not booking for a couple of bookable fouls. Is a poor referee,and unable to get through a match without several blunders, frequently critical ones. Shocking comical voice.

Ryan Holroyd

55 Posted
27/10/2025 at
11:29:54

Iraola Would be off his head to come to Everton.

A small budget compared other clubs he could go to.

Fan expectations out of kilter with said budget

He’s best of waiting for Pep to leave City or Barcelona next season

Tony Abrahams

56 Posted
27/10/2025 at
11:30:36

We all argue about who should be starting games and this is something I have heard Moyes, talking about with reference to Dwight McNeil.

But. But there’s five subs available nowadays, and the most successful managers are usually prepared to use them all, in a lot of games.

Moyes, has got his strengths but his biggest weakness is that I personally don’t think he’s adept at implementing a squad, which means that the players who are not getting picked to start, really suffer imo.

Ryan Holroyd

57 Posted
27/10/2025 at
11:32:54

Why not something like this:

Pickford
Garner. O’Brien. Tarky. Aznou
Rohl. KDH
Ndiaye. Alcaraz. Grealish
Barry

Marc Hints

58 Posted
27/10/2025 at
11:36:04

Ryan #57 I like that side

Brian Harrison

59 Posted
27/10/2025 at
11:42:39

Ryan 57

I am sure Iraola will have a choice of clubs to pick from, and while I would love him here I think he will get more lucrative offers than coming here. I am surprised that you would select Tarkowski ahead of Keane, who is way ahead of Tarkowski in performances this season.

Ryan Holroyd

60 Posted
27/10/2025 at
11:57:33

Because I think Keane makes players worse !

Robert Tressell

61 Posted
27/10/2025 at
12:20:24

What is it about pace and width?

The last big turning point overhaul of the squad saw us buy multiple number 10s when we needed pace and width in attack.

This summer we’ve bought 6s and 8s and inverted wingers. Once again everything is slow and central.

All of the teams doing well have width and pace – since that is what open gaps when in possession, and also allows effective counter attacks.

Martinez was a chump in many respects but he was very astute in his upgrading of the Moyes team he inherited.

Pace and quality and width from full back and wingers. Quality and pace at CB and a well balanced trio in midfield. It allowed numbers in support of Lukaku.

If Martinez took over this squad I expect he would play a 4231 of something like this:

Pickford
Garner
Aznou
Mykolenko
Obrien
Rohl
Gueye
Alcaraz
Grealish
Dibling
Barry

Sin miedo!

We would ship goals but we would be much better able to score goals. Hard to know if it would work or backfire.

However the future plays out, I deeply hope that we work very hard to bring in pace and width to unlock the potential of this side.

Steve Brown

62 Posted
27/10/2025 at
12:21:05

Robert @ 53, I think that is the question.

How big is the ambition of TFG for Everton, and how much are they willing to invest in squad improvement (PSR permitting)?They appear to be quite cautious and more focused on stability, rather than pushing for success.

That being said, it would be a lot easier to hire Iraola than sign Semenyo. Improving the quality of the squad will be a massive challlenge and require huge investment over time.

The point I would disagree on is that Bournemouth have higher expectations than Everton. Expectations for a club the size of Everton are enormous, and as Ryan says the fans expect trophies. Pressure comes with that, but the best managers want that.

Success for Bournemouth is staying in the premier league long-term with a run in Europe. That for their fans is beyond their wildest dreams, given their peak in terms of trophies was winning the Championship in 2015. I suppose winning the Third Division South was also a big moment for them.

Dave Abrahams

63 Posted
27/10/2025 at
12:41:36

Robert (61) Not questioning the 4231 style of play but how many of that team do you think Martinez would have signed because I agree that Martinez was pretty astute in his upgrading of the Moyes team he inherited.

Ryan Holroyd

64 Posted
27/10/2025 at
12:49:52

We’re just stuck in this perpetual cycle of signing a few players in the summer, most get excited for abit, then we get knocked out the league cup, then we struggle until March, then sack the manager, then things pick up, we get to the summer and the same thing happens.

We don’t get in Europe
We don’t win anything
We don’t get relegated
We don’t play exciting football
We’re not renowned for anything (apart from number 9 shirt I guess)
We have owners that have sold at least 10% of the shares in the holding company.
They more occupied with Roma than us.

Ryan Holroyd

65 Posted
27/10/2025 at
12:51:28

What is success for Everton Steve? I mean this genuinely.

Conor McCourt

66 Posted
27/10/2025 at
13:00:30

Steve David Moyes has had a greater net spend in his one season at Everton than Ireooa has had his entire time at Bournemouth.

Bill Foley is an ambitious owner and he backed Gary O Neill to stay up. Most promoted clubs have done this then struggle the second season so the owner made another huge investment to ensure they would avoid a relegation battle and give the new manager the players he wants to alter the style.

Last season was only a moderate level but this season they sold nearly all of their key players including their entire defence and had to replace their goalkeeper with the only key assets remaining in the shape of Semenyo and Evanilson.

In essence what he is doing flies in the face of everything we are told about our expectations. Basically he has spent £30m net every year and he has done by signing players under 25, many in their teens and without any Premier League experience and moulding them with a core of experienced journeymen.

Ryan Holroyd

67 Posted
27/10/2025 at
13:09:21

Net spend is such a bad indicator Conor.

Bournemouth have had three seasons of signing players in the 20m to 35m bracket.
Yes they have bought very well.

We’ve had one season of decentish money being spent after 3/4 seasons of asset stripping the squad.

Steve Brown

68 Posted
27/10/2025 at
13:23:51

Ryan, for me success is winning a trophy. That is why I find our lack of seriousness in the EFL Cup over 30 years infuriating.

Winning a trophy would transform this club far quicker than incremental increases in net spend. It is tempting to think of a 5-year plan to reach a regular Top 6 finishing position as success.

But it isn’t.

Robert Tressell

69 Posted
27/10/2025 at
13:23:58

Steve # 62, I agree Everton have higher expectations than Bournemouth (not sure how I phrased it). I think our fans expectations exceed those TFG have in mind though and are funding for.

Dave # 63, with Martinez I think we may have signed Barry, Alcaraz, Dibling and Rohl. He would then have signed two fullbacks and a wing forward like the three I mention at Sunderland: Adingra, Mukiele and Mandrava. Pace, width and quality.

Steve Brown

70 Posted
27/10/2025 at
13:28:28

Conor, great post.

That is why we should go all out to hire Iraola in the summer. I think we could get him as well.

Moyes has a future in the club to support the CEO in putting the football recruitment and operations structure together in place to enable him to build a sustainable approach.

Jack Convery

71 Posted
27/10/2025 at
13:54:07

It seems Roma have had enough of Ferguson and want to send him back to Brighton in January. That means he will be on his way to HD on loan. Mark my words.

We now have a minus 3 goal difference. I can’t see us scoring goals and come December Gueye and Ndiaye will be off to sunnier climes, muttering tfft. When skies are grey is back in vogue after the sunshine of August and September.