What needs to change ahead of Brighton after a toothless
The energy surrounding Everton Football Club was undoubtedly positive as the team headed into the first game of the season against Leeds United.
The new Hill Dickinson Stadium and the arrival of Jack Grealish had fans in a good mood, especially after the progress on the pitch under David Moyes in the latter half of the 2024-25 season.
After 45 minutes at Elland Road on Monday night, that positive energy was gone and, despite small improvements in the second half, a penalty conceded by James Tarkowski put an end to any hopes of crawling away with a lucky 3 points.
Everton didn’t create a single shot in the first half, and only took 31 touches in the Leeds half, of which only two were in the home side’s penalty area. Leeds were mostly restricted to half-chances, but the Toffees’ inability to retain possession gave Leeds plenty of opportunity to put pressure on the Everton back four.
Due to injuries to Jarrad Branthwaite and Vitalii Mykolenko, David Moyes employed a back four of Jake O’Brien, James Tarkowski, Michael Keane, and James Garner, who had been used as a makeshift right-back in the past but was playing as a left-back. Garner’s move into the back four meant that the more defensive Tim Iroegbunam stepped into midfield alongside Idrissa Gana Gueye.
Defensively, the changes didn’t cause too many issues; Everton only conceded two shots on target, apart from the penalty, but they wreaked havoc on the team’s build-up play.
Leeds pressed well as a unit, leaving the Everton defence little time to pick their pass into the midfield. Most of the time, they didn’t, forced to hoof it forward to Beto, whose hold-up play left much to be desired, but wasn’t surrounded by physical players who could help him out. Iliman Ndiaye and Kieran Dewsbury-Hall are both slight technical midfielders, while Carlos Alcaraz was simply losing his battles for the second ball.
When Everton tried to play out from the back, it was even worse. Losing Branthwaite is a blow, as he’s naturally good with the ball at his feet, but moving James Garner to left back meant that Everton were left without a player in midfield who could move the ball forward.
Tim Iroegbunam completed just 14 passes in his 71 minutes on the pitch. Compare that to James Garner, who occupied the same position against Roma and completed 49.
So what can David Moyes change ahead of Brighton? Assuming he’s picking from the same squad he had available this week.
If Mykolenko is fit, then the back four picks itself, and Garner moves back into midfield. If he isn’t, Moyes could employ a back five similar to what we saw in the Premier League Summer Series.
The back three would mean additional support for either Nathan Patterson or Seamus Coleman at right-back, and could also allow for Dwight McNeil to play left-wing back. It’s a position he’s occupied before, and it would give Everton another option for carrying the ball forward and linking defence and attack.
On the other side of the pitch, Ndiaye and Dewsbury-Hall showed small flashes of creativity in an otherwise dull game, so they will naturally be in the side again, while Carlos Alcaraz should make way for Jack Grealish after an average performance, provided David Moyes deems the new man able to play from the start.
At striker, even if he doesn’t start, Thierno Barry deserves a longer cameo after a disappointing showing from Beto, especially against a Brighton defence that lacks pace.
Regardless of the personnel changes, supporters will hope to see a much-improved performance from the team on a historic day for the football club as a whole.
Reader Comments (30)
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Difficult to argue with those conclusions. Choose a starting line up and set the team up to win from the start rather than cling on in the hope of a late goal.All of us don’t want to see our team lose but we can stomach a loss if the team plays positively and is totally committed but are beaten on the day by a better team. We can not and will not tolerate a negative mindset where we appear to concede that the opposition ( whoever they may be ) are better than us and should be feared.
I guess I’m not surprised by the massive over-reaction.
Yes, we were pretty awful, especially in the first half, but we lost 0-1 to a dodgy penalty in a match where the officials completely bottled it. They didn’t even give us a corner when the ball went a yard over the line.
Out of possession, we were typically solid. I never really felt like Leeds were going to score and Pickford didn’t make any difficult saves, just a couple of fairly routine ones. To read some of the comments, you’d think the ball was bouncing off our woodwork every 5 minutes.
In possession, we were absolutely dreadful. I don’t know if it was Moyes’s set-up or the players feeling tense, but we just didn’t attack. Our first home game needs a completely different attitude. I don’t really know how Moyes complains about needing attacking options when he didn’t even use the ones he’s got. McNeil should have come on, even if it was only at left-back, once the goal went in.
Complaining that the manager, coaches, all the players, the owners and the tea lady are all irretrievably terrible might make you feel better for a bit, but it’s not true, realistic or helpful.
What needs to change is our attitude in possession of the ball.
Dave Lynch 3 Posted 19/08/2025 at 09:44:33
Bit of an oxymoron post that, Mike (with respect).
Your last paragraph is down to bad management as the manager’s job is to motivate the team.
Josh Horne 4 Posted 19/08/2025 at 09:55:55
Mike@2 they were not hitting the woodwork every 5 minutes, I agree that they really weren’t much of a threat.They weren’t very good in fact, but we still conceded the entire pitch to them for most of the match and snuffed out our own attacks by playing back to the keeper. That has to come from the manager, and he has got form for it.
Angus that is about right.Iroegbunam was out of position. I would have reversed position with Dewsbury Hall.Possession in midfield was woeful. I put that down to lack of a coherent plan and coaching.Beto is never a Target Man and hoofing the ball does not utilise the available players. The forwards ball supply was non existent.
Moyes did not want a West Ham result, so he set up what seasoned Professional s he had.With the negative caution of a relegation Manager youth was not given a chance.This is a problem when the Club’s transfer policy is to reduce the average age of the squad and put a emphasis to use the available resources to do this, This is the correct policy.Moyes will only play youth under pressure..
Sometimes it is difficult to judge the state of Everton. We sign a few players who, on paper, seem an improvement on what we have and contributors start mentioning “Europe” or “top 5”. We lose one game and we are relegation certainties and the manager has to go. My dad used to say that you are only ever 3 bad results away from a crisis at Everton.
I’m as frustrated as everyone and have two Leeds fans at work who haven’t stopped gloating today. They’re worse than RS fans. A one-team city who laugh at our fans, our songs, our team but have spent most of their recent history outside the top division. Today has honestly been worse than losing a derby because begrudgingly, I have to admit that the RS are lightyears ahead of us but a good Everton side would have beaten them last night.
Brighton at home is a tricky game in a new stadium which is as new to us as it is to them. Lose two matches and we’ll be into the usual dread and it’s not even September.
What needs to change? We need to start recruiting players that we need rather than what we want. How on earth can we still have Seamus Coleman as our main option at right back? How on earth is Michael Keane starting a season at centre back? Why have we signed two goalkeepers who will get minimal game time? Why have we recruited Barry who seems on (extremely) early signs to be Moise Kean II? Do we ever learn? Why do we seem to pin transfer hopes on a single player and waste weeks in protracted negotiations that we’re never going to gain from? We did that with Giroud years ago and still haven’t learned. Why do we continually look to play the ball backwards? Why have players got no awareness that if they lose the ball in a certain position then we’re in trouble? Why don’t we sign players with pace and aggression? Why do we give stupid fouls away in dangerous areas? Why does our keeper start a session of keep-ball in our area only to then launch it 5 passes later? Why do we make substitutions after the opposition have made 3 or 4 changes? Why do I get swept up in pre-season optimism and feel flat as anything at the end of August?
It’s the hope that kills you with Everton.
Make no mistake Moyes cost us this game.
His team selection and strategy played right into Leeds hands and basically said we won’t attack you so come get us especially the first twenty minutes.
Leaving Grealish on the bench and playing Beto on his own up front was a big error and gave Leed the confidence and impetus to get most of their players forward at every opportunity
Okay in the end they almost snatched a draw only for some bad luck but it wouldn’t have exonerated Moyes.
They need a big comeback game against Brighton but how many times have we said that and it never happens.
Colin Malone 9 Posted 19/08/2025 at 13:45:34
Moyes is Moyes. He won’t change.
Go and get the Bournemouth manager.
Jack Convery 12 Posted 19/08/2025 at 15:28:36
The Moyesiah has apparently been giving Beto, coaching sessions. Well if last night was anything to go by, that’s gone really well. Davey pointed out Beto, a week or so ago and said he wanted more from him. Maybe the players didn’t like, one of their own being publicly called out. They certainly didn’t run through any brick walls, for the manager last night. As usual, something is amiss behind the walls of Finch Farm. TFG have a habit of moving Managers on, who complain. De Rossi for instance, a Roma Legend. Be careful Davey Boy.
Pat Kelly 13 Posted 19/08/2025 at 15:33:57
Don’t underestimate the extent of the problems we’re facing.
Keane, Coleman and Gana in the last chance saloon. Patterson as brittle as ever and can be written off as having nothing to offer. Branthwaite needs nursing. A couple of months before he’s back to his best and hopefully he can remain fit. Beto is a lost cause. Chermiti is in our growing ranks of the “not ready” (read won’t ever be ready). Likewise, Tim Woebegone. Barry, maybe ready some day, Moyes notwithstanding. Aznou ? What’s going on there. One for the future? McNeil has become a bit part player.
But at least our “marquee” signing is, according to Moyes, probably able to play every second game. He’s not a keeper though. But we’re OK on that front.
Christy Ring 14 Posted 19/08/2025 at 21:20:15
Looking at last night’s game, I know Beto was isolated, but he won very few headers, couldn’t control the ball, if DCL had put in that lack lustre performance he would have been slated, and this crap, that he can’t play with his back to goal, show me a striker who’s not facing his own goal? We need a striker badly, would a free signing Vardy do a job?
Colin Glassar 15 Posted 19/08/2025 at 21:40:28
I see we are being linked with Moyes old boy, Edson Alvarez (WHU), who I’ve never heard of. If Moyes wants to get a hammer he should go for Jeremy Bowen.
Dale Rose 16 Posted 19/08/2025 at 23:06:45
It was a dire performance and lacked organisation. We havent had a decent striker since Lukaku. Why we got rid of Young I don’t know. We seem to have bought some young players who lack premier league experience and are for the future project. Well the future is tomorrow. We are not in the position to be a project for years to come so lets just concentrate on now and the basics.
Bob Parrington 17 Posted 20/08/2025 at 01:37:02
Having watched all of the games in this round, I have to own up that, to me, our beloved Everton appeared to be the worst, most clueless team of all those on display. Surely, this lack lustre performance cannot be repeated. IMO Moyes tactical approach to the game was completely negative and that affected the team morale.
Things had better change for the Brighton game and we must sign, at the very least good, speedy RB and RW.
Only one game so far, I know. But far worse performance than expected and not acceptable.
Celta Vigo RB – Óscar Mingueza aged 26 and can also play CD, LB, CM, RM. Out of contract in 2026. Current Spanish International RB. Transfermarket has him valued at £20m. Seeing as he’s out of contract and an oven ready player, to coin a phrase, this is someone we should be inducing with a 4 year contract and an optional 1 year extension. He’s obviously better, than what we have and shouldn’t break the bank.
FFS EFC get your finger out and sign players, who have experience and are ready to go NOW !
Alan McGuffog 19 Posted 20/08/2025 at 07:25:33
Jack forget it. A line from the poem Drakes Drum. ” Capn art thou sleeping there below “. There’s no sense of urgency in this club Moyes runs the team like a Sunday league outfit. ” you can play at the back can’t you Tommy ?”, ” has your mate still got his boots “?,…” that lad with the Transit..he can play on the right ?”.Don’t expect anything in this window. Maybe the ” sleeping giant” prefers to snooze.
What needs to change? One word. Intensity.
Play with commitment, passion, ferocity. Get the crowd on its feet and and roaring.
Everything else is peripheral. Our core value is playing harder than the other guy. Do that.
Ajay Gopal 21 Posted 20/08/2025 at 07:41:03
So, today’s rumour is that Crystal Palace are lining up Dibling to replace Eze. So that’s that then. How did it get to the point where teams who were well below us – Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Brentford, Bournemouth, Brighton, Aston Villa, Newcastle,Wolves – have players who they are able to sell at huge fees, and then replace them with high priced talent, while we stand by watching as our most valuable assets get slowly sold with low quality replacements? (Richarlison, Gordon, Onana). Kinnear & Co. have been seriously underwhelming so far. TFG made a huge mistake in letting Kevin Thelwell go. Under unprecedented financial constraints, he managed to keep us afloat with loan deals (Harrison, Mangala, Alcaraz) and the odd decent purchases (Ndiaye, Tarkowski, McNeil, O’Brien, Young). Even with the deals that didn’t come off – Lindstrom, Broja, etc – we at least could see what he was trying to do. Who knows what he would have achieved with a 150 million budget?
Colin Glassar 22 Posted 20/08/2025 at 07:46:57
Ajay, soon Morecambe FC will be out-bidding us at this rate.
Sam Hoare 23 Posted 20/08/2025 at 07:58:05
Ajay, “that’s that then”? From a rumour?! Feels a bit defeatist! I’d be very surprised if Steve Parish was willing to pay £45m for a 19 year old winger; very likely its a story planted by Dibling’s agent to put more pressure on Everton.
Moods are low this week after that wretched performance on Monday but lets not forget that the transfer window is a shady spectacle full of shadow and mirrors where 90% of what we read in the papers and online is guesswork.
I’ve no doubt we will have at least one additional RW in the next 11 days, whether that is Dibling or someone else we can’t be so sure. Personally I’m more convinced that a high class 6 is going to be the difference maker for us right now. Angelo Stiller anyone?
Andrew Ellams 24 Posted 20/08/2025 at 08:26:14
Sam, is it beyond the realms of impossibility that Dibling could replace Eze if he was to move on? (he looked like a man on his way when he left the pitch on Sunday).
Nigel Scowen 25 Posted 20/08/2025 at 08:36:02
I also have no doubts we will get a RW before the window shuts Sam and it’s got to be Takefusa Kubo imo. I appreciate the problems it caused in the past but right now the situation could become so dire we need to bit the bullet and accept that we may need to pay over the odds for a couple of full backs and a right winger.
Agreed Mike. We played that game like it was another pre season friendly, no intensity or passion. Penalty decision was a disgrace but in reality we deserved absolutely nothing from that game. First game of the season and I’m already chucking stuff around the lounge.
Andrew Merrick 27 Posted 20/08/2025 at 09:33:53
Mike 20, thats exactly what we should have done at Leeds because thats all they did and all they had.If we had matched that our few more talented players might have shone.I commented enough on the live thread about squad deficiencies, but I worry we have messed up this window big time.
Kim Vivian 29 Posted 20/08/2025 at 10:15:27
It’s only because it’s the first game of the season that I’m not chucking stuff around the living room. There’s only one way from that performance on Monday and that’s up. Hopefully we don’t go sideways at the weekend but with that (even decimated) squad we should have been considerably more aggressive.
What’s the saying…? If you feel weakened, you need to fight harder!
Liam Mogan 30 Posted 20/08/2025 at 10:15:49
Possession of the football, and keeping hold of the ball under intensity is one of the most difficult things for teams to achieve.
It requires all 11 players to have a high technical level, the team shape to be set up correctly, movement off the ball, pre-arranged patterns of play, the team ethos to be ‘forward thinking’ – usually with a higher line than we play.
Moyes has never had a team that dominates possession at its core. He is essentially a non-possession coach.
No matter what players come in, we will never be that type of team. New recruits will be brought in with the aim of improving the KITAP1 ideology and maximising breaks, free kicks etc.
Tbf to Moyes, it may be the way we need to operate for a few seasons until we can increase the quality and depth of the squad. Perhaps then we could change our footballing philosophy.
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