Everton Need Stability Under Moyes

Everton’s unbeaten run ended, but the case for sticking with David Moyes remains, with pragmatic selections, squad limitations up front, and a tough Arsenal trip next demanding a solid, cautious plan.

Until the weekend, Everton had gone eight games unbeaten in the league and cup. We could maybe, should have won some of the games we drew, but we didn't, so we move on. I am neither a David Moyes in or out; maybe his pragmatic, safety-first approach doesn't suit a lot of the posters on here, but up until Saturday it had got us up into the dizzy heights of European positions.

What we needed on Saturday was a striker with the ability to hold the ball and let the back three know they were in a game, and be worried when the ball got played forward. Unfortunately, in Barry that's not in his game; balls over the top for him to run onto is his game. I pause in using the word strength.

Moyes is using what he has. The game had many tasty tackles going in, and Armstrong, already on a yellow, was potentially at risk with the referee's decisions seeming questionable depending what team you follow. Bringing him off was, again, the pragmatic approach; whether Norgaard was the right choice to replace him is up for debate. Instantly, he seemed not fit as the game was fast and aggressive, and he got caught. Later, he seemed more in control and trying to direct play, but I'm not sure it was that sort of game. For me, he's got minutes in and will be better next time out.

Hackney would have been my choice. I'd have taken off Barry and brought on Alcaraz. Surprisingly, with Rogers still on the pitch, not bringing Dibbling on, on the right, was probably the correct decision. O'Brien at right-back would have matched the aggression and given Rogers more to think about.

So back to where I started, I instantly think, look what happened to West Ham when they got rid of Moyes. We have needed stability for so many seasons, so now is it time to breathe in, take a minute and think. What would happen if the Moyes out group got their way?

Who comes in? What does that do to the stability, taking out the leadership, especially with the owners looking to sell? Moyes' contract is up in summer; why is that? TFG will have planned their tenure and realised what financial position makes them money. World-class stadium, Premier League team either in or out of the European positions, with a manager whose contract is up so no payout should the new owners want their own man. TFG will have known they were going this summer and planned accordingly.

Who knows? Had Roma declined and not got European football and we had whether it would be Roma up for sale. We have Arsenal away next week, not easy, so hope for a clean sheet and anything else is a bonus. I think all of us, with our hands on our hearts, would take a pragmatic approach and make it hard for Arsenal, hit them on the break, because going all-out attack is a suicide mission.

So expect solid defensive choices and team selection for next week.

Stability, girls and boys. Slow and steady wins the race. Just my take on it.

Written by Big C October 19 2026 15:14:49