Leeds United vs Everton: Preview and Predicted Lineups

Pat Kelly

1 Posted
17/08/2025 at
10:44:38

We’re still dithering in the market. KDH looks the only decent PL-ready player we’ve brought in. Grealish, perhaps, time will tell if he gets his mojo back. There’s still so many gaps and our season starts tomorrow. Then there’s the lame ducks we have up front, Beto, Chermiti. So our hopes are riding on young Barry. What’s another year ?

Phil Bickerstaff

2 Posted
17/08/2025 at
11:46:31

Lewis, McAtee and Hutchinson all gone to Forrest.three of the best youngsters in the premiership and three we wanted.
Wtf are they doing at Everton
Oh sorry we signed a third pick keeper and a 18 year old for the reserves who will never be seen again
Long season awaits

Derek Knox

3 Posted
17/08/2025 at
11:49:41

Pat K, not so much dithering, as most targets we have gone for, are in high demand, and have chosen elsewhere, mostly Clubs involved in Euro Comps. While we definitely need more players for sure, we must recruit wisely and not just get some in just to make the numbers up.

Many players are going for ridiculous Fees, which are not commensurate with their ability imho. It will be interesting to see some we have been linked with, if they justify their Fee, flourish or fail !

Tommy Carter

4 Posted
17/08/2025 at
11:52:35

McAtee and Hutchinson are 2 targets I hope we were seriously in for.

I do think Moyes should name specifically the targets we have missed out on and have made this point before. If players are turning us down in favour of other clubs, name them. Then we all know where we stand.

Looks like the Dibling deal is moving further away from us as he takes a place on the bench today.

Ian Bennett

5 Posted
17/08/2025 at
11:57:56

Dibling on the bench for Saints, Fofana played a full game for Lyon yesterday. Fatawu played a full game.

McAtee is going Forest, so you can forget that one, Tommy.

I still think it will be one of Fofana, Fatawu or Dibling.

Jake FitzGerald

6 Posted
17/08/2025 at
11:59:27

What purpose does naming players who have “turned us down” again, Tommy?

Do you think that players’ agents phone every club that’s interested in them to notify them that they’ve been “ditched” and then triumphantly announce their new beau club?

That’s not how player negotiations work.

Clive Rogers

7 Posted
17/08/2025 at
12:03:41

The big worry is scoring goals. Barry has potential but doesn’t look ready at present, while Beto hasn’t scored for quite a while. None in pre-season and his hold-up play was poor.

Priorities are a Winger and a proven striker now.

Grant Rorrison

8 Posted
17/08/2025 at
12:05:37

It won’t be Fofana. He’s not interested in coming here. It won’t be Dybling unless someone changes their stance on his value.

Nobody knows how much Leicester want for Fatawu. Unless it’s silly money, I’d just pay it. Easily the best option.

Tommy Carter

9 Posted
17/08/2025 at
12:10:30

The purpose is to reassure the fans of who our serious targets were prior to them opting to go elsewhere.

I think it serves a valuable purpose. Such as when Kendall left because he wanted to sign Dion Dublin and the board refused to sanction it. And likewise with Joe Royle with Tore Andre Flo.

Royle and Kendall both went public and then the fans knew where we stood and what the barriers to progress were.

All we hear now is Moyes owning about not getting the players who he wants. Well who are they? And his implication is that it’s an everyone else but him stopping it from happening. Is this the case? Are the people behind the scenes to blame? Or are players just selecting preferred alternatives.

I’d like to know. I’d certainly like to know if players are choosing Forest, Bournemouth, Brighton etc ahead of Everton.

I certainly remember it being helpful to me as a supporter in 1995 knowing that we were actively trying to sign Collymore and Chris Armstrong because it gave me an indication of what direction the club were looking to go in. We never got those deals done either but I found the information helpful. Likewise the following summer when we declared interest in Alan Shearer. It was never going to happen. The following summer, Ravanelli. Again. Didn’t happen but at least we didn’t have managers moaning about faceless and nameless transfers not being done.

Kevin Molloy

10 Posted
17/08/2025 at
12:15:13

I think we’re significantly less than we were last season at the moment. If we bring in Dibling that changes things, but that’s by no means guaranteed with these top gun recruiters from the Championship running the show. We’ve got no right winger, and no Jarrad or Doucoure.

Obviously Doucoure is a hard watch, but he was absolutely key to the way we set up. We didn’t do much with the ball, but we sat in and made things very difficult for the other side.

How many times did we knock the momentum out of the other team and then grab a goal and the points last season? That won’t be the case now, teams can play through us as evidenced by our preseason games.

Hopefully Grealish settles but I’m not expecting anything significant for at least a month till he gets match-fit. I’m also worried about the form of Beto, Alcaraz and McNeil. I was hoping they’d show a lot more than they have. Let’s hope it’s all right on the night, but Leeds look like a tough nut (what a surprise).

Andrew McLawrence

11 Posted
17/08/2025 at
12:20:10

It’s tiring now reading about who we are supposedly going to sign to then find out they have gone to Forest or wherever.

Feels like something is going on behind the scenes.

Pat Kelly

12 Posted
17/08/2025 at
12:39:22

Derek #3, I’m thinking specifically of Dibling. No one else has moved in for him there was and is a deal to be done for a relatively small difference in valuation.

That difference might well be made up if we finish a couple of places higher than we otherwise would. Not to mention the strong prospect of an appreciating asset.

Ryan Holroyd

13 Posted
17/08/2025 at
12:42:43

Phil @18

‘An 18-year-old for the reserves who will never be seen again’

Which 18-year-old?

Also, Lewis hasn’t gone to Forest

Ryan Holroyd

14 Posted
17/08/2025 at
12:48:25

Tommy Carte…

We already know which targets we’ve been in for:

Malick Fofana
Francisco Conceição
Johan Bakayoko
Tyler Dibling

Stuart Sharp

15 Posted
17/08/2025 at
13:00:59

The price Brentford just paid for Ouattara makes me realise how much attacking talent is going for just now. I think Ouattara is good, but £42.5M?

Maybe younger, promising talent with Premier League experience (ie, Dibling) is worth more than I appreciated, especially given the premium on Englishmen.

Raymond Fox

16 Posted
17/08/2025 at
13:03:28

Never mind our attack, our likely defensive line-up for this game is a makeshift one.

I think Moyes can move players around to form a decent attacking formation.
It should be a tightish game and could go either way, I suspect.

Tommy Carter

17 Posted
17/08/2025 at
13:25:05

@14 non names by Moyes except for Dibling

Ryan Holroyd

18 Posted
17/08/2025 at
13:34:17

He tells his trusted press guys – like Joyce.

Christy Ring

19 Posted
17/08/2025 at
13:34:23

Stuart @15,

That’s crazy money for Quattara, who hardly got a game at Bournemouth, it just shows the way the market’s gone.

Robert Birks

20 Posted
17/08/2025 at
13:55:22

Just taken our beloved dog Izzy to the vets. 16 years but still very difficult to let go of her.

Puts footy in perspective, folks.

Dale Self

21 Posted
17/08/2025 at
13:58:48

Condolences, Robert.

Ryan Holroyd

22 Posted
17/08/2025 at
14:01:48

Sorry to hear that, Robert.

Loss of a pet is awful.

Christy Ring

23 Posted
17/08/2025 at
14:06:36

Robert, heart breaking after 16 years to lose your soulmate.

Christy Ring

24 Posted
17/08/2025 at
14:10:41

Forest one up after 6 min’s, could see Brentford in bother this season, losing two of there best players, and Wissa next.

Rob Halligan

25 Posted
17/08/2025 at
14:11:51

Robert, so sorry to read that mate. A mate of mine had to take one of his Westies to the vets last night as it had a tumour around its mouth, and was advised to do the humane thing. So sad.

Derek Powell

26 Posted
17/08/2025 at
14:48:14

These first three games need to be won: 9 valuable points in this gonna be hard season… but “In Moyes We Trust” goes the shout!

John Williams

27 Posted
17/08/2025 at
14:55:49

Watched part of the Ipswich v Southampton game.

I thought Ashley Young, who came on for the last 15 minutes, looked worth a shout… just realised, he was with us last season!

Dibling, £45M, someone is joking.

Robert Birks

28 Posted
17/08/2025 at
15:00:21

Lads I appreciate all the kind comments about Izzy.
Hurting like hell.

Sean Kearns

29 Posted
17/08/2025 at
15:09:04

Pickford

Coleman – Tarky – O’Brien – Aznou

Gana – KDH

Alcaraz – Grealish – Ndiaye

Beto

We need to replace Doucoure’s goals and Jimmy Garner provides sweet fuck all… Praying we get Bissouma

Liam Mogan

30 Posted
17/08/2025 at
15:12:04

Moyes is ultimately a conservative coach. He’ll play Garner and Keane I think.

Paul Kossoff

31 Posted
17/08/2025 at
15:17:03

Pat Kelly 1. What’s another year. And that’s the nearest we will get to the Euro’s.😕

Christy Ring

32 Posted
17/08/2025 at
15:28:10

Sean# 29 Doucoure scored important goals for us, but it’s a bit of a stretch to say “ we need to replace Doucoure’s goals”, he scored 3 Premier League goals last season, and disagree about Garner.

Raymond Fox

33 Posted
17/08/2025 at
15:31:37

You did the right thing Robert, she had a good long life I’m sure.

Paul Kossoff

34 Posted
17/08/2025 at
15:42:10

Igor does a Bing Crosby for Brentford.

Sean Kearns

35 Posted
17/08/2025 at
15:49:01

Christy # 32… Garner scored 0 premier league goals last season, Gana also scored 0 Goals. My point stands. We will miss Doucoure’s goal threat…. Does anyone remember James Garner ever scoring for us? Or assisting? He does sweet fuck all just runs around.

Peter Mitchell

36 Posted
17/08/2025 at
15:53:20

Sean – both of those players played in the team with Doucoure, so they are not replacements for him. KDH is the Doucoure replacement, so if he score 3 or more, job done!

Sean Kelly

37 Posted
17/08/2025 at
16:06:42

Robert sorry to hear that lad. I had that displeasure twice before with two springer spaniels. It’s horrible for the family. Hopefully Everton can raise your spirits.

Sean Kearns

38 Posted
17/08/2025 at
16:07:06

I’m not saying they are replacements. Just saying they offer the exact sum of 0 in terms of scoring goals. Which is the point of the game after all…. So even Doucoure’s paltry 3 goals will be somehow missed. It’s a sad state but we are making progress finally. The squad is getting stronger.

Paul Kossoff

39 Posted
17/08/2025 at
16:14:23

How do they get the decaf out of the coffee, and then where does it go?😕

David West

40 Posted
17/08/2025 at
16:32:21

Paul 39. It probably goes to Forrest !

Liam Mogan

41 Posted
17/08/2025 at
16:51:38

James Garner made a great through ball assist for Beto against Leicester last season if I remember correctly?

Sean 32 – you are right that he doesn’t have any real end product. Sometimes he shows some glimpses of real quality, but then it it disappears for a dozen games or so.

Sean Mitchell

42 Posted
17/08/2025 at
16:54:46

David #40

Class that 👏😂

Sean Mitchell

43 Posted
17/08/2025 at
16:56:42

Garner could do no wrong watching Grealish and KDH in training.

Robert Tressell

44 Posted
17/08/2025 at
16:57:49

Stuart # 15, quick plug for the article I’ve just written on that very subject. £40m is no longer a big fee you’re right. If we have ambitions of a top 10 finish then we need to pay at least Brentford level prices for players.

Paul Kossoff

45 Posted
17/08/2025 at
17:06:12

David 40. Do Nottingham import to BMD via the Mersey?

Paul Kossoff

46 Posted
17/08/2025 at
17:13:53

Robert 44. Newcastle United have signed midfielder Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa for £40m.

Danny O’Neill

47 Posted
17/08/2025 at
17:14:10

Tommy @4. Why would Moyes name specific players? It’s not how professional football clubs behave to satisfy fan speculation.

Robert @20, my sincere condolences. Most who read my drivel on here know what my dogs mean to me. I always consult them the morning before an Everton match to get a feel.

I’ve just added my 5th, having lost 3 along the way. My boy, passed in September. Heart attack and only 7. I was taking him out and he collapsed on the drive. Now it’s one thing that he weighed in at 52kg (105lbs), Add dead weight to that and it was an epic moving him 10 metres back into the house.

Now I still have the girl, Bella. Francesca Bella in a loose reference to Francesco Totti. The wife’s choice and long before any TFG connections to Roma.

My new addition is Enzo. 14 weeks old. Being pack dogs (Rhodesian Ridgebacks), I’ve always tried to keep 2, as they prefer company.

I always say, dogs know loyalty like humans can only talk about.

Paul Kossoff

48 Posted
17/08/2025 at
17:16:48

Man Utd 0 Arsenal 1. Mistake by United keeper, why have they got a goalie in that cost £5 million?

Robert Tressell

49 Posted
17/08/2025 at
17:21:07

Yes exactly Paul. £40m is a very run of the mill price for a player.

Tommy Carter

51 Posted
17/08/2025 at
17:31:05

@47

If he doesn’t name them then the book stops with him. He’s the manager and he’s the problem as to why we aren’t signing players.

Dithering Dave. Who at one of the biggest and most powerful football clubs in the world, had a market full of players available to him and ended up with Marouane Fellaini and got a custard pie from Leighton Baines.

Robert Tressell

52 Posted
17/08/2025 at
17:38:07

I agree Moyes was rubbish at Utd Tommy but I think the problem with our summer is purse strings, not Moyes.

Danny O’Neill

53 Posted
17/08/2025 at
17:41:55

Sorry Tommy, I have to disagree with you. No way is any manager going to disclose which players they have bid for and lost out on.

Back to them. Slot has made it clear they are still in the hunt for new signings and looking for another forward option. But he hasn’t mentioned names and wouldn’t be drawn by the hungry journalists, simply saying he won’t discuss players that belong to other clubs.

Moyes is doing the same.

Ian Bennett

54 Posted
17/08/2025 at
17:46:07

And club standing Robert. Some just won’t come as we’ve been widely regarded as a basket case for the previous 3 or 4 years.

Openly selling anything, directors staying away, points deductions, sackings, relegation fights, getting involved with organisations with a questionable reputation.

All that will take a while to overcome, never mind European qualification or football style.

Robert Birks

55 Posted
17/08/2025 at
17:51:33

Thank you Danny. Your comment touched home and meant a lot to us.

Derek Knox

56 Posted
17/08/2025 at
17:55:48

Tommy @ 51, I think you are being harsh there as regards Moyes and potential Transfers. Unless you have been privy to every possible one, which I very much doubt, how could you possibly know the details.

I am no great Moyes lover, but am grateful for his input last season where if (hypothetically) we had stuck with Dyche, there was a strong possibility we, would now be in the Championship.

Be realistic we are not the Club we once were, mainly through bad Management/Board appointments, so therefore not so attractive to potential transfer targets. I do believe though, if we rebuild, our time may come again. It won’t be easy but not impossible either !

Robert Tressell

57 Posted
17/08/2025 at
17:55:53

Ian # 54, I think recent history is largely irrelevant now post takeover. How low do you think our standing is? Sunderland have attracted players from Champions League runs in Xhaka, Talbi, Mukiele and Mandava. Plus talents like Diarra and Adingra. Surely our standing is above Sunderland?

Billy Shears

58 Posted
17/08/2025 at
18:00:05

Ain’t got a clue about personnel or I how we set up for this one. but we’re should be ok for a point.

2-2 draw, methinks.

Andrew Ellams

59 Posted
17/08/2025 at
18:12:25

Robert, bad smells don’t disappear that quickly.

Mike Gaynes

60 Posted
17/08/2025 at
18:14:00

Ian #54, key point and I agree. When the money is comparable, players need a reason to come to us. It’s been a long time since we gave them that reason. Now we have the means to change it.

Robert #57, recent history is always relevant until you change it. As for Sunderland, an imperfect comparison in my view. They’ve spent £60 million more than us, none on players we were in for (can you imagine Moyes wanting Xhaka?). Compare us to clubs with whom we’ve actually competed for players, and I think Ian’s point stands.

Sean #35, I can remember. Leicester game. Garner’s through ball to Beto was our best pass all season. And as for Doucs’ goal threat, we have already replaced it and then some. What we will miss about him is his up-front ball pressure. And his inspiration.

#51, when have you EVER heard a manager name the players he bid for and missed on? Never. What possible purpose would it serve? Bizarre that you keep pushing this point.

Phil (Kelsall) Roberts

61 Posted
17/08/2025 at
18:21:12

Paul, it is the caff they get out of the coffee not the decaff.

Neil Copeland

62 Posted
17/08/2025 at
18:23:36

Robert #20, I am so sorry to hear your news.

I lost my older Springer (Max) who was 12 just over 3 weeks ago. Like you I had to make a decision after he went downhill very fast (a few days). It is devastating but also the kindest option and borne out of love, I like to think that he understood.

Anyway, back to the football. I am so looking forward to the game tomorrow, it will be a hostile atmosphere but with our usual away support we can handle it. Daniel Farke had a tough time when he last managed in the Prem with Norwich, we can win this one.

Colin Glassar

63 Posted
17/08/2025 at
18:30:52

So if we win tomorrow we go into the top 6. Does that make us any more attractive to potential players signing? Clutching at straws here.

Kieran Kinsella

64 Posted
17/08/2025 at
18:41:32

Ian

It’s not just standings it’s money. Brentford just gambled 45 million on a guy who couldn’t cut it at Bournemouth. If it works out great if it doesn’t they’re not Chelsea and can’t but 5 more for a similar price to try again. If reports are to be believed we are having trouble agreeing reasonable fees. But it’s not just us. Every club seems to have realized spending needs to reigned in but at the same time wearing their seller hats every club is demanding top dollar. Hence it’s been a slow window with a massive gap between what sellers want and what buyers will pay. That’s why Isaak is stuck in limbo. If we had the mindset of the Koeman era we’d already have signed the Soton lad and to hell with the consequences. But would that be wise?

Robert Tressell

65 Posted
17/08/2025 at
18:41:33

Mike # 60, so how come Grealish has come then? Why would he come to a recent basket case club? And why did Barry give up champions league football for a recent basket case club?

If we’d have matched Ipswich’s asking price for Hutchinson but offered a higher wage – which recent basket case club does he pick?

The one with a failed Spurs manager, points deductions, shady owner, years in the wilderness and probably a one off shot at the Europa league because Spurs and Utd were so abysmal last season?

Or the one with a failed Man Utd manager, new stadium, new owners, ever present in the Prem etc?

I think he just goes for the higher wage, no?

Si Cooper

66 Posted
17/08/2025 at
18:43:10

Colin (63), if we win easily and with style.

Kieran Kinsella

67 Posted
17/08/2025 at
18:45:34

Mike Gaynes

You’re speculating though because who have we definitely been in for that we missed out on? Allegedly, the Fulham FB but surely the fact he’s settled in London was a factor in him staying where he was. Other than that we’ve been rumored to be linked with various players who are still where they were when the window opened.

Ian Bennett

68 Posted
17/08/2025 at
18:46:08

Its a definitely a more difficult sell.

Some would dismiss Everton out of hand. Others you’ll be starting the conversation on the back foot explaining the past. In a competitive environment whether youre signing academy, back room staff or first team players, then that’s a more difficult task than it should be.

Being on the psr naughty step and submitting plans of players to be sold, will have never been kept in house between Everton and the Premier league. It would have been leaked all over the show, and will have told untold damage to the reputation of efc.

The media still dismiss us as a club. Thats where we are. Why are players and agents thinking differently?

David West

69 Posted
17/08/2025 at
18:47:21

Hutchinson, mcatee & Ramsey all show that players want European football.

Forrest, villa & Newcastle are a bit further in their squad development too.

It’s not about us not stumping up the 30 -40m it’s the players decision to come here.

We have not been an attractive place to play for years now, it will take time to change that.

In the meantime we need to be more creative, more willing to take the punt on the 10- 15 -20m

Players before they go to Leicester, Southampton or wolves. They all have bought some good quality at decent prices or developed young players.

We need to be patient, we all want a better side, but I’d be more interested in incremental long term improvement than buying players that are overinflated because we want new players.

Ramsey wouldn’t have come here from villa right now.

Hutchinson had loads of clubs circling.

30m for mcatee is a gamble, it could pay off, I’d rather take 2 £15m gambles.

I’d be happy with a couple of good loans and a RW & RB.

This season is important to show we have changed and we are a better place now than the shambolic years gone by !

Si Cooper

70 Posted
17/08/2025 at
18:53:06

Are there no players as good as / better than Hutchinson still potentially available?

If we get someone better than him in by close of the transfer window then I will be glad we didn’t waste that money on him.

Talking about the ‘going rate’ for players, who else thinks Tijjani Reijnders, if his performance yesterday was typical, could be the best value for money signing of the summer at £46.5m? Potentially a late bloomer as his career doesn’t seem to have really taken off until he was 25.

Have I been spelling ‘forest’ wrong?

Martin Farrington

71 Posted
17/08/2025 at
19:01:43

Watched a few games this weekend and there are some terrible teams. No one outstanding other than possibly Man City, but Wolves were awful.
Arsenal wont win the league. Not after that performance but they were sufficiently solid enough. Gyokeres was terrible. Maybe just an off day. Utd have no threat. They have a player in Mbeumo and possibly Cunha if he stops complaining. Fernandes was good in patches. Palace Chelsea was dull as dishwater and nothing other than a snooze. There are many teams worse than us, if we can stay fit that is. And with no resilience I fear we will be having to play frequently on the bones of our arse, with players miles out of their comfort zone. we knew we needed numbers. Good players. So far exactly what we TFF failed to address. IF WE had a squad, we’d have a shout at developing and maybe pushing for Europe. TFG have not impressed so far. The transfer window aint closed, maybe it will be last minute chaos.
As for Leeds, I see them smashing us down the left and centre.
Without goals (again) preseason a carry over from last years woeful return is exactly what isn’t required.
Maybe us, 1-0 ???

David West

72 Posted
17/08/2025 at
19:07:10

Si.
It’s a different market if you are an elite team, buying elite players from other elite clubs, and business between PL clubs is over inflated in my opinion.

Is Reijnders a better player than grealish was at 100m? Or declan rice 100m?
The 47m for Reijnders is massive in Italy, not so much here if your taking a clubs best PL player.
It’s not like we could have had him for 47m ( I know you didn’t suggest that )
The 65m the RS got for Diaz seems low if Hutchinson is 46m it’s about how much the sale effects the selling club as much as the players actual value.

Robert Tressell

73 Posted
17/08/2025 at
19:13:49

David # 69, and Grealish, Barry, Mukiele, Xhaka, Adingra, Ouattara, etc etc are good examples of players who have moved to clubs not in Europe (along with Milenkovic, Anderson and others who joined Forest last season).

Indeed lots of highly rated players seem happy to join the Saudi league.

David West

74 Posted
17/08/2025 at
19:21:45

Robert 73.
I get your point I’m not saying you can’t buy players if you’re not in Europe.
It’s an easier sell, more attractive proposition if you are in Europe, usually means you have been relatively successful the year before at least.

Mike Gaynes

75 Posted
17/08/2025 at
19:24:20

David #69, agreed, and I happen to think that the RW and RB will both come from “good loans” probably right before September 1.

Kieran #67, just re-read Moyes’ comments over the past few weeks. He has made very clear with his recurrent frustration that we were in for players we didn’t get. Please don’t join the Tommy Carter brigade demanding that Moyes tell us exactly who they are and what we offered, but there certainly have been some… probably more than we read about.

Robert #65, Grealish and KDH came to us for opportunities they weren’t getting from their current employers, and because they liked what they heard from Davey. Did you ever read a word about either of them that indicated we had to outbid other competitors, let alone that they turned down higher offers to come to us?

With your last question, you seem to have overlooked my comment at #60: When the money is comparable” . But truly, if I have to explain that despite their performances last season Spurs and United have far higher market profiles than Everton, I’m throwing up my hands here. The obvious is the obvious. And that’s going to attract some players that we cannot.

Until we change the narrative — which I believe will happen this season.

Kieran Kinsella

76 Posted
17/08/2025 at
19:28:18

Mike

I don’t know who Tommy Carter is but he sounds like trouble lol

Kieran Kinsella

77 Posted
17/08/2025 at
19:31:23

David

That Reijnders guy is something. Just his intelligence. Not the quickest not the most skillful but his read of the game. He reminds me of Tim Cahill with his ability to read where to be near goal. But additionally, he also anticipates the game and creates brilliant openings. Real player City have got there.

Kieran Kinsella

78 Posted
17/08/2025 at
19:32:20

But yeah is he was English price doubled

Derek Knox

79 Posted
17/08/2025 at
19:37:01

Kieran, reminded me of a verse from T’was On the Good Ship Venus.

The First mate’s name was Carter
By God he was a Farter
When the wind did fail
And the ship wouldn’t sail
We’d get Carter the Farter, to Start Her ! 🙂

Mike Gaynes

80 Posted
17/08/2025 at
19:37:29

Kieran, three straight correct! Agreed, Reijnders looks pure class. Very different style from De Bruyne but will fill that role very well I believe.

Tommy Carter

81 Posted
17/08/2025 at
19:54:22

@76 Kieran. I’m not. But I sometimes have an opinion on here that some people find unpalatable and then tell me I’m wrong as though it were a fact.

Raymond Fox

82 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:01:44

A team in Europe are in a position to pay players larger pay packets because the clubs income is more due to being in the comp.

From a players point of view thats an obvious plus, also you get more TV exposure, another plus.

The downside is you may be asked to play 3 times a week, some may enjoy doing that but most wont.

Si Cooper

83 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:08:01

David (72), you are over-complicating things.
I do understand the vagaries of the market, but I just asked about potential value for money, as that is independent of who you are buying from.
I’ve only seen his performance from yesterday, but if it is indicative of a typical performance rather than being an exception, then he looks like a fantastic acquisition.
Certainly easily quick and skilful enough as far as I could see, and with bundles of energy and instinct. Not quite same as Grealish, but potentially a step above Rice.

Tony Abrahams

84 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:12:13

I thought you was going to look a little deeper Tommy, because I remember Jurgen Klopp, telling everyone that he had got lucky with players who had turned him down and then never produced for the club’s, who they chose to sign for instead!

Saying Everton are not a club that players would want to play for because they are not in Europe, is ludicrous, imo, especially when you look at both the facilities inside finch farm, and also our incredible new stadium.

Has PSR, totally changed how it operates now Robert? I ask because you say £40 million is not that big of a fee nowadays.

This might be actually be true, but unless clubs can balance their books by selling players to reduce their PSR deficit, then it looks to me that even a few average signings, could bring about a lot of problems unless the rules have changed?

Ian Bennett

85 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:21:39

It’s how you choose to circumvent psr. Sell the girls team, sell a car park, sell a hotel, sell an academy product.

Villa sold their women’s team, and just sold Jacob Ramsey for £40m.

If you want a strong first 15 to 20 players, then you need a side trade in punting out players. Thats what we don’t have, with nothing in reserve to punt out later.

Tony Abrahams

86 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:28:58

I have just read an article by Joe Thomas in the Liverpool echo, who is reporting that Moyes, has also been surprised that a few players have kind of just said “No” when asked if they would be prepared to join Everton.

Moyes says that players want European football and because there are loads of great stadiums (referring to the stadiums that they have just played in in America) he doesn’t think this is a real advantage.

I obviously disagree and believe it’s more about what finances our new owners are prepared to pay, (something that was also alluded to in this article) and whilst this might not be such a bad thing when you consider the way we had been getting run, but when Moyes talked about there being loads of great stadiums, he failed to mention that there are not so many great crowds🤷‍♂️

Thanks Ian, it makes a lot of sense with regards our outlay, because I think the only money we have received is that little few million for Maupay?

Kieran Kinsella

87 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:34:48

Still frustrates me how we missed out on Haaland when he showed up begging for a trial as a kid. Only to be laughed out of the place, told he was “No Fraser Hornby,” before being wrestled to the ground by security, thrown in a transit van with a sack on his head and dumped by a chippy in Toxteth with a sign around his neck reading “Inge, you’ve got more chance at Everton than your lanky son. Norwegians and only welcome in the stands at Anfield.”

That was a big mistake IMO.

Danny O’Neill

88 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:35:07

I see that Villa have sold another player; Ramsey to Newcastle for a reported £40. I’ve been saying all summer they would have to in order to avoid further PSR / FFP sanctions.

Yes, money talks, as can the lure of European football, but players can still be attracted by the lure of a club like Everton. Barry could have stayed. Grealish wants to prove himself and play regularly to edge his way back into the England setup. Dewsbury-Hall could have stayed at Chelsea drawing a big pay cheque. Aznou could have stayed and tried his luck at Bayern. Branthwaite chose to sign a new 5 year contract.

I know what I’m like, but I’m not as naive as I may appear. Those who know me, know that I am realistic.

For the first time in decades, it actually feels like change is on it’s way and there are reasons, footballing reasons, that players will want to be part of that.

Ian Bennett

89 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:37:34

Prices will probably change in the last week or so.

Players wanting £150k per week, prepared to take £125k, and clubs wanting £45m and taking £40m.

It’s a test of nerve, with perhaps more realism in place when the window is about to shut.

Thats the hope, or perhaps the strategy. Weve certainly not paid without haggling terms or price.

Tommy Carter

90 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:38:31

@84 Tony. You and others miss my point.

Moyes is going public and heavily implying that there is some fault within the structure of the club for transfer failures so far this summer. Thus absolving his own self appointed messianic contribution. No doubt all his old school proper football men pals will be scoffing at old Moyesie being held back by the hierarchy once more.

I want him to name a player that has chosen another club ahead of us. Name and shame them. So that they can be afforded the opportunity to explain exactly why in their own response.

Robert Tressell is the only one talking a bit of sense on this thread.

Players move for the money. And only if the money is evenly matched by a number of parties do other factors come into effect. And they can be prioritised in a number of different and highly subjective ways. The money though. That bit is objective. Completely. And the primary objective.

Brendan McLaughlin

91 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:39:18

Course it was Kieran #67

Almost as bad as Little Pig One… opting for straw!

Christine Foster

92 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:40:36

I’ve said it before, it’s the Legacy cost. From an outsiders perspective, for the last 20 years we have have been badly managed, dreadfully with relegation, been in constant dispute with the Premier league, points deducted, had to sell our best players, we’ve had more managers than hot dinners, blah, blah blah..
Come and join Everton..
Yes we have new owners, yes we have a brilliant stadium,yes we have more money to spend, but the reputation damage is done and it’s going to take a few good seasons to change that perspective. The media certainly haven’t helped but it’s a better narrative now than we’ve heard for years, but it’s like turning an oil tanker around to become a “go to” club.
It might take signings like Grealish to make others believe we have changed but the very good and the high potential have so many other choices in the PL now it’s hard to be that “go to” club. It will change, we are on our way back, but we still feel a might unattractive to some.

Robert Birks

93 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:41:49

Neil thanks so much for your consoling words pal. 👍

Ray Robinson

94 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:43:03

Ian, the point at which we start to traffick players (like Chelsea do) is probably the day that I give up on football. We still do have an asset that we could sell to allow us to re-invest heavily, namely Branthwaite but I’m glad we’re keeping him.

Don’t forget, Gordon was sold to mitigate PSR. More recently, we have sold Dobbin, Cannon and Simms. Currently, there is Harrison.

But, I take your point that we haven’t deliberately been stockpiling young talent, specifically to dodge PSR.

Simon Dalzell

95 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:43:27

Robert. (20). My sincere condolences. My beloved Bentley passed a few months back, age Nine. He went in for what should have have been a fairly routine procedure, but sadly never survived it. I blubbed like never before. I understand your pain my friend. Sixteen love filled years to look back on, as we know time heals.

Danny O’Neill

96 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:46:13

Tommy, with all due respect, I think you’re missing the point. There is no chance the club are going to name names.

The only time you hear from any club is when a signing is done and announced.

Jake FitzGerald

97 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:48:19

Tommy, I’m sorry, but your naming and shaming of players thing is just plain weird on all sorts of levels. No manager and no club is ever going to do that.

Tony Abrahams

98 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:53:45

I have said the same as Robert (I think) Tommy, in my post@86, mate, and when I spoke about Klopp, naming players who had turned him down, I was saying I thought you might have looked a little bit deeper because I think Mike, was referring to you when he said that managers naming players that had turned them down had never happened.

I don’t think I missed your point Tommy, just as I don’t think any player who has turned us down, would be shamed if they were actually named.

Christine Foster

99 Posted
17/08/2025 at
20:55:33

Every single players thinks they are better than someone else, agents whisper in their ears what they are worth, supply and demand, the better the players the more they demand. Cash rich clubs buy and sell, noone runs down contracts, sign a new one or we sell you, no matter who you are. We sold to pay bills, not to buy and sell. Doucoure and DCL probably left because they wanted more but we didn’t get anything for them and all the other that left. Ian was right, until we are able to offset player costs by buying and selling, we will struggle with PSR or whatever the latest version is. We not only have to perform better on the pitch but also off it. Right now it still feels we are behind the 8 ball too often.

Mark Murphy

100 Posted
17/08/2025 at
21:00:09

Simon, I was the same when my Volvo was scrapped!

Funny how we get emotionally attached to cars, isn’t it? 😬

David West

101 Posted
17/08/2025 at
21:07:40

Si.

Sorry I was actually agreeing with you on Reijnders. I believe he’s top top quality. If you’re replacing KDB you need to be.

I was just thinking, if he was at West Ham or Newcastle or Villa, and Man City came for him, it wouldn’t be £47M. Buying in England isn’t where the value is.

I think City will come strong this season, they looked so much more comfortable than Liverpool. Bournemouth were good, like, but Man City looked like a well-oiled machine.

Pep has been licking his wounds, he will want that title back, and little Uncle Fester’s team look wide open on the counter.

Andy Crooks

102 Posted
17/08/2025 at
21:08:52

One of the fundamentals of being a Blue is an utter inability to understand why any player on earth would not make us his first choice!

Wages, if insisted on, can be negotiated at a future date.

Peter Moore

103 Posted
17/08/2025 at
21:15:52

Robert (20) and also Neil having lost Max recently. Dogs love us and we love them. They are part of the family aren’t they. Man’s best friend indeed. Sincere condolences.
May the lads put on a show at Elland Road to lift the spirits, win 3 points and reasons to be cheerful!
UTFT.

Tony Abrahams

104 Posted
17/08/2025 at
21:16:02

If the price was bigger and the wages were better then I think your first paragraph would be 100% true Andy, but after the last few years, it’s not something that I want to be beating up TFG, with, just yet!

Ian Bennett

105 Posted
17/08/2025 at
21:24:37

A similar fee for Tonali?

An Italian record for a national as I understand it Eur 70m or £60m at the time.

I like both.

Kevin Molloy

106 Posted
17/08/2025 at
21:25:11

I found Moyes comments about being turned down for players odd too. Why would he think after we’ve been stinking the place out for a decade that we would be able to trump clubs who can offer European football? That’s about ten places away from where we’ve been, surely he knows we are currently a mid table club at best and should be recruiting at that level (in the same waters as Palace Bournemouth and Brighton). if we want to compete with European clubs. then first we need to bleeding qualify for Europe!

Brendan McLaughlin

107 Posted
17/08/2025 at
21:42:46

Kevin #106

Maybe Moyes believes the hype/hope… Everton a big club?

Robert Birks

108 Posted
17/08/2025 at
21:43:16

Thanks Simon. Appreciate the words. Keep looking at the clock and think its exactly 9 hours since she passed away.

Ryan Holroyd

109 Posted
17/08/2025 at
21:54:29

Moyes getting blamed by Tommy because our American profiteers were wont spend money.

Every single manager at Everton gets stick and im tired of it.

How about the blame on our useless owners such as Kenwright Moshiri and The useless Friedkin Group

Neil Copeland

110 Posted
17/08/2025 at
21:55:11

Peter, cheers mate.

Absolutely, a good performance and 3 points will certainly help! Super Jack will tie them in knots.

Mark #100, sorry mate – not funny.

Andy #102, absolutely. Any player should consider it to be a huge honour and privilege to play for the worlds best club!

Kevin Molloy

111 Posted
17/08/2025 at
22:01:18

someone’s been telling him porky pies Brendan.
Youtube understands we play Leeds tomorrow and kindly selected the same game from 75/76 for me to watch. I wish I hadn’t bothered now, what an awful place Elland Road is. That ghastly crowd.

Tom Bowers

112 Posted
17/08/2025 at
22:12:11

Going to be tough because we know Leeds will come out full of intensity but hopefully Moyes will have them focused and weather the storm.

A good start is so important.

Conor McCourt

113 Posted
17/08/2025 at
22:12:54

That’s the great thing about ToffeeWeb how posters see things so differently. All week I’ve read about what a loss it was to miss out on Hutchinson for £37.5 million when although clearly a very talented boy really unimpressed me last season as I was expecting so much more from a guy who excelled in the Championship.

I don’t dispute that playing in a better side may see him flourish but he often flattered to deceive and I think it’s a huge outlay for someone who has a lot to prove.

Yet on this thread it seems a universal view that for just 5 million more Outarra is the world going mad. This is a guy who looked a player every time I watched him and couldn’t understand why he didn’t get more minutes. Perhaps Ireola felt he and Semenyo were best in the same position.

Last season he had a goal contribution 1 every 2 matches in terms of minutes played and looked their standout player in preseason. I think he will be a great signing for Brentford and wouldn’t have minded him if we can’t get Dibling.

Ian Wilkins

114 Posted
17/08/2025 at
22:20:31

We have a transfer budget, probably constrained by PSR, but could be as much as £150m. Problem is we needed 10 players to rebuild a squad, at £40m a pop we only get 4, can’t spend heavily at that level, even tho it seems current market value ( this window) for an ordinary player. Dibling at £45- 50m eats up too much of the budget.
We have nothing to sell ( without worsening the squad) so it’s all outgoings.
Difficult balancing act.
We need some clear loan targets who can bolster this squad alongside a couple of quality additions.
Moyes was hoping most of the business, save a loan or two, would have been done sooner. A lot it appears is now going to last minute. That can be a bit of a risk.

Brendan McLaughlin

115 Posted
17/08/2025 at
22:30:00

Ian #114

If we have £150 million to spend and we give 4 year contracts…that’s like £600M.

Ian Bennett

116 Posted
17/08/2025 at
22:34:14

Loans tend to happen in the last or week, whilst theres a lot of free agents still looking for clubs.

Zouma, Vazquez, Ziyach, Brownhill looking for clubs, plus players out of contract next summer available for nominal fees like a Tripper, Coufal etc or for the more exotic Alaba, Rudiger, Caravjal.

Unlikely on the latter, but no one saw Hierro captain of Real going Bolton, Dugary going Birmingham, or Boro signing Boksic. All class by the way.

Robert Tressell

117 Posted
17/08/2025 at
22:34:21

Mike # 75, but who did Forest outbid for McAtee and Hutchinson. We were rumoured to be interested but I don’t think there were reports of a bid for either. To these players don’t appear to have chosen Forest over us. I think Frankfurt bid for McAtee but either it wasn’t enough or he turned down typically lower wages in the Bundesliga (and Champions League football too).

We could surely have attracted Mukiele too ahead of Sunderland? This giving us an experienced RB fresh from champions league football with Leipzig and PSG?

I get that we’re less attractive than the richest 8 clubs (although Villa look troubled). But if we are prepared to meet selling club valuations and offer better wages then we’ll beat the other clubs to pretty much every player we target.

As for Europe, playing for a team who might win the Champions League is a big draw. Playing for a team unlikely to win it, not so much (hence Barry joining us from Villarreal etc). Playing in a competition to find Europes best most mediocre team is no attraction whatsoever. Wages will always win that competition.

Tommy Carter

118 Posted
17/08/2025 at
22:44:24

@109

You’re way off the mark Ryan. Moyes creates a narrative wherever he goes that the club cannot do any better than what he delivers. He got to 2013 with us and he could’ve managed us from that point until 2043 and never won a trophy or had us playing champions league football.

He doesn’t like having money to spend because he doesn’t know what to do with it. When he had money at Everton he bought Bilyaletdinov, Andrew Johnson, Yakubu, James Beattie, Per Kroldrup. Some of his bigger signings at West Ham were abject failures and his biggest spending transfer windows saw the result of him taking that club backwards. They finished 7th one year and he spent nearly £200m and finished 14th.

At Man Utd with all the money in the footballing world at his disposal at that time and he didn’t have half a clue on how to spend it. His only thought was to try and buy the best players from the team he had just left.

There is no sign that I can see that the owners are not backing the manager with funds. If that’s the case, I want to know it.

Stu Gre

119 Posted
17/08/2025 at
22:48:47

Well said Tommy

Tommy Carter

120 Posted
17/08/2025 at
23:00:18

@109 and further Ryan

Based on your comments then I’d assume you’d be happy that Koeman, Allardyce, Benitez, Lampard or Dyche were never moved on?

Ridiculous.

I exclude Marco Silva and Ancelotti who in my opinion were up to the task of managing Everton. But Marco had lost his way much like Martinez before him.

These managers performed poorly and none of them made things any better than how they found it.

Despite the bonkers regime of hiring such managers over the period 2016-2024 – the managers themselves were simply not good enough.

Ryan Holroyd

121 Posted
17/08/2025 at
23:07:58

Tommy – I’m sick of blaming managers. End of.

Blame our horrendous owners from Kenwright to The Friedkin group.

Not every manager we have is shit.

Even ancelotti couldn’t get it right.

Ask yourself why Liverpool always get good managers.

They’re owners are mostly always top class.

From the owners to the ceo to the manager. They mostly get it right.

And every manager we employ is ‘not good enough’

Then stop employing them

Because they don’t employ themselves do they

James Newcombe

122 Posted
17/08/2025 at
23:09:28

I see a rumour on BBC Sport about Spurs being in for Kubo. If so, that’s another target we can forget about!

Nicholas Ryan

123 Posted
17/08/2025 at
23:12:29

Slightly off topic, but I saw most of the Wrexham v West Brom, Championship game the other day. Match dominated by a great display and 2 goals, from a certain Isaac Price. The West Brom manager was saying something along the lines of ‘Well, we won’t have him long’!!

Paul Kossoff

124 Posted
17/08/2025 at
23:20:31

Phil 61. “Paul, it is the caff they get out of the coffee not the decaf.”
But it’s taking the caffien out of the coffee that makes it decaf, meaning it’s been decafinated, it has no caffien. Ok, just for you, the caf has been de,d, it’s decafinated. Jeeeez!!!! I dispare I really do.

Paul Hewitt

125 Posted
17/08/2025 at
23:25:55

James@123. I watched Kudo play yesterday, he scored and was impressive. Not a chance we will sign him.

Mark Murphy

126 Posted
17/08/2025 at
23:28:00

“Slightly off topic” but come on you Saints!
NEVER write off the Saints!
Up the fcuking wools!

Paul Hewitt

127 Posted
17/08/2025 at
23:35:03

Absolutely mark. 👍

Kevin Molloy

128 Posted
17/08/2025 at
23:40:21

actually reflecting on this, I think the reason Moyes has come out with this ‘players don’t want to come cos of what’s gone on’ is cos he knows that one reason that may be going to be given to the Friedkins as to why we’ve not got them in is ‘it could be the manager” and he’s looking to get ahead of that narrative.

Don Alexander

129 Posted
18/08/2025 at
00:46:39

Seeing this post is from lil ol me, I expect not to be read by devout fans who prefer to ignore the decades long mediocrity of our, err, “professional” performance on and, more obviously to those acquainted with reality, off the pitch, but the horrible reality now is that the likes of Tyler Dibling costs £40 million plus, on account of his mere potential after one moderately attractive season for an utterly shite club in terms of performance,

He’s far from the only the only one in that price range with such a shallow record however but it’s my opinion that Friedkin will have felt ever since he bought in that he’s been slapped senseless every day by the untenably greedy, largely fantastical, “development” of a Premier League whereby the so-called top clubs can spend what they want whilst the rest can, to put it politely, just fuck off to lick their wounds.

His (and many others’) pockets are way off able to compete in such a corrupt regime.

Laurie Hartley

130 Posted
18/08/2025 at
01:56:59

Don – have a seat – I agree with you!

We sold Richarlison for £60M and Gordon for £40 M because we had to thanks to “them”. Both Richarlison and Gordon would be starters against Leeds if we still had them.

It has dawned on me recently that the only reason I follow Everton is because I, like you, am an Evertonian. Genetic in my case and probably yours also.

So what what do we do?. Keep going in the hope that we will be great again or give up?

I watched the Sunderland fans rejoicing yesterday – they have been through even worse than us so I am going to keep going.

I am hoping we win tonight. Beto to get a hat trick with assists from Grealish, Ndiaye, and Dewsbury Hall😳

George Stuart

131 Posted
18/08/2025 at
05:21:16

Robert 44. we need to pay at least Brentford level prices for players.
Is a phrase I never in my long life expected to see.
We should spend Man Utd. Level sums and lose our first game at home. Albeit against a tasty looking Arsenal.

George Stuart

132 Posted
18/08/2025 at
05:37:00

Just to pump up the optimism, I’m going to predict we finish above Man Utd. For the second season in a row.

Jerome Shields

133 Posted
18/08/2025 at
06:01:57

It is not the Stadium that is important it is the fans in it and how they feel they are being treated and belong. Evertonians will make the stadium their own and Moyes will know they are there..

Moyes has always went to the depths to lower expectations. That is how he has remained a Premier League Manager so long without winning a domestic competition at Clubs who have a history of doing so.

He is part of the Transfer team more so with no Director of Football.Again he is lowering his responsibility and won’t be promising anything in Players negotiations.

It is likely that the main problem on the transfer front is that TFG wants to invest in younger players and Moyes wants seasoned Professionals.He will only play young or inexperienced Premier League players if he had to.

Moyes always has had a limited squad.He could not handle a large squad for multiple competitions or a sustained Premier League challenge for a top 4 finisb.I always hope I am proved wrong.

He will do Ok this season on the transfer window he has had, with a few loans, but don’t expect him to win a competition.

Jerome Shields

134 Posted
18/08/2025 at
06:30:25

What Moyes is doing is negotiating with the Fans and the TFG group to keep his job.He started off needing 10 players.Hopefully he will be getting to know that there will be no let off on how HIS team performance, which he is getting well paid to do.Our Chief Executive and Recruitment Manager are ex Leeds.

H

Club Approximate Average Age

Leeds United (2025/26) ~25.4 – 25.6 years

Everton (current/2025/26) ~24 years 9 months

Everton (2024/25 full squad) ~27.9 years

—

L

Sam Hoare

135 Posted
18/08/2025 at
07:50:01

I still find some of our summer business perplexing. We have spent 30m+ on a striker who may well be second choice for a while and have have boought in two experienced players in Grealish and KDH who arguably play best in the same area as our strongest player last year (Ndiaye in the left half-space). Meanwhile we have not one single natural RW or PL level RB and i’m not convinced yet that Garner is a top ten level 6. It’s decent players we’ve bought in but it looks unbalanced to me so far.

That said I think we would have beat Leeds with Branthwaite in the team. His loss is tricky as his partnership with Tarkowski has been so strong and without him we probably are more likely to sit deeper or get caught on the break, especially if Keane plays which I think he probably should as it means less moving players around and into their less favoured positions.

Without Branthwaite I see it as pretty even today. Leeds will be up for it and I’d probably take a 1-1.

Ryan Holroyd

136 Posted
18/08/2025 at
08:32:02

‘ Moyes has always went to the depths to lower expectations. That is how he has remained a Premier League Manager so long without winning a domestic competition at Clubs who have a history of doing so.’

Yet he keeps talking about wanting to be in European

I remember some of our fans didn’t want to play in Europe during his first tenure!

Which teams he has managed have a history of winning competitions? It’s definitely not Everton West Ham and Sunderland.

Only Manchester United. And they struggled big time since Alex Ferguson left

Robert Tressell

137 Posted
18/08/2025 at
08:44:31

George # 131, indeed. Hopefully TFG can build the club back up so we can compete again for players like Cunha, Sesko and Mbeumo – and Brentford level transfers like Dibling (akin to what the Bees have just spent on Ouattara) are used to beef up our bench.

John Williams

138 Posted
18/08/2025 at
08:56:43

Talk about winning trophies in the PL.
My calculations are, there are only 4 managers in the PL that have won a trophy with a PL team.
Pep and Slot, PL Titles.
Glasner FA Cup.
Howe Caraboo Cup.
We can all wish and hope and that includes 80% of the clubs.
Its much harder these days than it was in the past.

Rob Halligan

139 Posted
18/08/2025 at
09:01:02

John, Arteta won the FA Cup in his first year at Arsenal. Maresca won the Conference league and Club World Cup with Chelsea, or are you only counting domestic trophies?

Grant Rorrison

140 Posted
18/08/2025 at
09:09:02

Funny, I thought he said we should be competing for Europe when he came back in January. That we needed ‘elite players’ for an elite stadium. Hardly lowering of expectations.

Given the club has been rejoicing about getting the better of championship sides in relegation battles for the past few seasons seems a bit rich.

Who got us into the Champions League last time around? To date our only qualification for a competition that’s been around for decades.

Or established us as the 5th best side 2 years running in 2007-2009 era?

If his expectations were so low why were we trying to buy top- class players like Moutinho, Banega and Fernandes in order to bridge the gap between ourselves and the remaining elite level clubs?

It was the clubs inability to back him that caused us to stagnate and eventually decline, not any failing on Moyes part.

People don’t want to acknowledge how hamstrung Moyes was here last time. You need only look at the difference being able to field a decent right hand side, during the loans of Landon Donovan, when we beat Chelsea and Man United back to back at Goodison and came within a whisker of winning at the Emirates, to see the difference a small amount of additional quality made.

Peter Mitchell

141 Posted
18/08/2025 at
09:18:12

Rob @139 – if you include European trophies, then you need to add Moyes to the list for his conference league win with West Ham. On that basis, we have one of only 7 current PL managers to have actually won something domestically or in Europe.

Actually, scrub that – we need to add in Unai Emery at Villa as well – so one of 8?

Rob Halligan

142 Posted
18/08/2025 at
09:23:50

Peter, Emery hasn’t won a trophy whilst manager of Villa. All his came with Seville, I think.

Ryan Holroyd

143 Posted
18/08/2025 at
09:41:49

Grant – absolutely spot on I think
Most Everton fans blame every single manager we have rather than those above them.

I’ll happen again under this manager abd we will hound out the next manager after him and the next manager under him.

Ryan Holroyd

144 Posted
18/08/2025 at
09:53:13

How I think we’ll line up

Pickford
O Brien Tarkowski Keane Mykolenko (if fit)
Gana Garner
Ndiaye KDH McNeil
Beto

I work with loads of Leeds fans so please Everton – JUST WIN

Robert Williams

145 Posted
18/08/2025 at
10:16:14

Ok, I’ve read most posts on here and understand the various reasons why players have turned down playing for our great club.
Christine spells it out but one thing that has not been mentioned is the attraction to play for a top flight manager.
Where do we think dour Dave stands in that respect.?
Is he an asset or a hinderance?
When he says he is disappointed that he can’t get the players he wants I just wonder when he has a quiet moment he asks himself ‘Is it me?’

Tommy Carter

146 Posted
18/08/2025 at
10:19:20

@140 Grant

Because when Moyes had the chance to capitalise on ascendancy towards champions league qualification in 2005. He spent all his money on an overweight and unfit James Beattie, Per Kroldrup, Simon Davies, Andy van der Meyde and got Matteo Ferrari on loan.

Arteta obviously worked after Moyes reluctantly signed him after pursuing Scott Parker ahead of the Spaniard – only for Parker to choose Newcastle Utd ahead of us.

The only other signing that worked was Phil Neville. Signed as a central midfielder.

So at a pivotal moment in the history and development of the club and team, this was the best he could do. An atrocious set of recruitment that sent the club backwards.

Martin Berry

147 Posted
18/08/2025 at
10:24:23

I expect us to have a good season because we will sort out the right side, we will bring in an enforcer at no 6 in case Gueye is injured.
When this has been sorted we have a very strong team.
I also predict that Beto will easily do double figures because in Grealish and KDH will find him with the right pass. It looks like Beto’s hold up play has improved, also his finishing will be more accurate.
He covers a lot of ground and centre halves don’t like playing against him, mark my words he will have a stellar season.

Tony Abrahams

148 Posted
18/08/2025 at
10:28:21

Everton had won at least one domestic honour in every decade they had existed until the turn of this century Ryan (barring after the war in the fifties) and then along came the greatest Evertonian, who has ever lived.

Moyes won nowt and got over eleven years, whilst I don’t think any other manager had ever been given more than five years without winning a trophy before Kenwright changed the narrative.

So before the turn of the last century, Everton had always been a club who were expected to win things: it’s been a long quarter of a century for our very loyal fans.

Ryan Holroyd

149 Posted
18/08/2025 at
10:40:49

I get that Tony.

But again I come back to the people at the top who have allowed this situation.

We’ve won 7 trophies since WWII

Liverpool 45

United 49

Chelsea 28

Arsenal 23

City 28

Spurs 16

Everton 7

We’ve had plenty of seasons to win before and after Moyes and apart from two good decades done nothing

Why have we won nothing since Moyes left, if it’s all his fault?

Why did we not build after he got us regularly 5th 6th 7th ?

Jake FitzGerald

150 Posted
18/08/2025 at
10:51:59

Martin # 47 Careful with your positivity there – the ToffeeWeb Four Horses of the Apocalypse will be coming for you with that kind of talk. Apparently, despite new owners who don’t appear to be shysters, a superb new stadium and a handful of decent-looking new players, we’re actually in a doom loop of despair and relegation and always have been, according to the last 48 hours on here.

Raymond Fox

151 Posted
18/08/2025 at
11:18:46

For this game we are all over the shop, the defence will have to be cobbled together. Our best defender is out and we will probably have a centre back at full back and there are also doubts about left back.

I’m less concerned about our midfield and forwards but we need someone to play in the right wing position. I’ll leave that to Moyes he should be able to come up with some kind of plan.

Leeds will be still integrating their new players so that will be in our favour, against that their crowd will be going ballistic.

I’ve really not a clue what to expect but I think a draw will be a decent result.

Phil (Kelsall) Roberts

152 Posted
18/08/2025 at
11:19:07

Ryan – I make it 8.

Just be glad we do not support the other teams like Villa, Blackburn, Newcastle, Huddersfield, Wolves who were also regular trophy winners up until the 1960s. Tough being a blue with only 8 wins.

Looked it up – which came first, Newcastle’s last title or WRD’s 60 goals? And the answer is. . . .
Next Question – since Spurs’ last title we have won it 4 times. Their last title is nearer to today or Christmas day 1897? And the answer is. . . .

Changing the date makes a difference, except I get 48 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/liverpool-fc/erfolge/verein/31 so let me know the criteria and I will make my point. Ta.

Danny O’Neill

153 Posted
18/08/2025 at
11:47:07

Ryan @143, I think your “most Everton fans” comment about blaming managers isn’t accurate.

Yes, they’ve come in for criticism over the years. Moyes playing down expectation, which I find patronising. Dyche, despite keeping the ship afloat, lost the players, the will and then importantly, the supporters. Lampard was tactically naive, but dragged us through. Benitez was never accepted. Koeman didn’t want to be here… and the less said about Allardyce, the better.

I think “most” Everton supporters, certainly the ones I sit or stand with, are fully aware of the deep-rooted problems that took us to the brink, and they don’t sit in the dugout.

Tony Abrahams

154 Posted
18/08/2025 at
12:18:51

We never built because we had a man who didn’t want to relinquish control of Everton, Ryan, and although most people would take 5th, 6th or 7th now, it was still an era of stagnation.

My thoughts this week are mostly going to be about the great Evertonians who fought to keep our club away from Kirkby. I was talking to a Liverpudlian the other night who became very sad when he spoke about his very good mate AJ.

“I knew AJ,” I said, “I’m sure he was a member of KEIOC.” “He was, yeh,” said his mate, and it is these very loyal and genuine Evertonians (who took a lot of stick because of the lies that came from the deceitful mouth of Mr Divisive) that I will be raising a glass to on Sunday.

Conor McCourt

155 Posted
18/08/2025 at
12:44:43

Tommy you raise a major concern for me about Moyes ability to use funds effectively when given decent levels of backing.

I think his power play with the owners was essentially a consequence of his frustrations at West Ham where he had to compete with both Sullivan and Steidten (director of football) for control of players coming in. The shit show there meant he was determined to have a greater say at Everton and used his excellent start and Friedkins determination to get him as leverage to have greater control of transfers.

The fact Thelwell was given the boot I would suggest was indicative he wasn’t about to repeat the same frustrations he faced with the Londoners.

The worry from an Everton perspective is that we are placing too much power in the place of one man which is an outdated approach and secondly to your point that the vast majority of the signings Moyes recruited when given the resources were dreadful. Even before Moyes poor final season there was the desire from West Ham fans for Moyes to stick to coaching and Sullivan to keep his nose out and for Steidten to have greater control as the few successful signings like Kudus were recruited by the DOF.

Potter has become a bit of a joke figure since he took over but he has been hampered by the mess he has inherited and no funds to correct it.The ridiculous recruitment of Alvarez and Ward Prowse to replace the void left by Rice (2 players that can’t run) is a major weakness still now and Potter wants rid of the likes of Mavrapanos, Areola, Ward Prowse who Moyes brought to the club.

The former Brighton manager is a builder of clubs rather than an impact manager and so he will need to get a few bodies in to sort out the deficiencies in the squad and having to sell Kudus. He will do a decent job there as long as he gets enough results there to survive the short term.

As you say Tommy Moyes self preservation act at the start of preseason has no doubt hindered the ability to get deals over the line as clubs have been aware of our desperation and ambitious foreign targets are aware that others don’t want to come. The Friedkins have certainly backed their manager and I don’t think they will have taken kindly to his antics when they have had to overhaul the squad and would have wanted a feel of positivity, new beginnings going into their first full season with a brilliant new stadium.

Tony Waring

156 Posted
18/08/2025 at
12:49:15

We should’nt discount the 1985 team which would have won much more if it had not been for disgraceful behaviourin Brussels by certain supporters from the other side of the city. We were barred from Europe which we might have taken by storm if we had been allowed entry.