It’s been over 24 hours since Folarin Balogun achieved what so many Toffees could only dream of by walking out of Everton Football Club for good and moving on with his life.
Unfortunately for us, Evertonians are chosen and our relationship with the club is lifelong. We are stuck with Everton forever, through good times and bad.
The problem is that lately – new stadium aside – it seems that the bad times are overwhelmingly present compared to the good. We’re all painfully aware of the 31 year trophy drought, the recent relegation battles and what appears to be a lack of ambition at the club. There’s no point in going over old ground, as the last week or so at the club has raised more immediate and alarming issues that need to be dealt with here and now.
There are no two ways about it – this was a dreadful summer transfer window for Everton and I am still angry about it as I write this.
While there were small successes like the returns of Jack Grealish and Tyrique George, the shrewd signing of Hayden Hackney and decent fees acquired for Beto and Tim Iroegbunam, they were trumped by the farces like the Balogun drama, the owner trying to sell our best academy prospect in over two decades and the drawn-out search for a right back. Most Evertonians were expecting Iliman Ndiaye to leave either this summer or next, but in a world where one goal-a-season man Savio/Savinho costs potentially up to £85 million, to only get £65 million for Ndiaye is appalling business. But that’s what happens when you leave it until deadline day to do your deals. Your desperation is clear for all other clubs to see, and they won’t think twice about using it to their advantage.
The result of the summer shambles means Everton have been left in a desperate situation with a depleted squad, featuring 18 outfield players. Of those 18 players, we have one senior striker, one left back and one right back. We are a series of key injuries away from a genuine crisis and Christian Norgaard has already got the ball rolling on that front, with his return date from injury a mystery to all.
So what can be done about it?
A squad full of leaders
Let’s look at the positives. While the squad is small, it is also full of great characters. Players like Jordan Pickford, James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite, Michael Keane, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Jack Grealish and James Garner are a manager’s dream to work with. Personality-wise, they are hardworking professionals (okay, maybe Grealish could lay off the booze a little) and all leaders in their own right.
And despite earlier concerns about the injury to Christian Norgaard, having him around the place is a great addition, even just for his character. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was extremely complimentary of Norgaard during his time in North London, where game time for him was few and far between, praising his “unique quality to make others better and maintain a culture to the highest standards”. It’s a perfect Everton addition in that regard, almost Gareth Barry-like.
David Moyes
We also have the right manager for the situation we have been left in.
While I, like many Evertonians, have been extremely critical of David Moyes in recent weeks and months, having him in charge of the team at a time of chaos is slightly comforting. His track record of getting the best of a small squad with limited resources during his previous spell at Everton was unquestionable. Who could forget a strike partnership of Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini helping Everton to a fifth-place finish and FA Cup final in 2009?
In a previous article, I stated that progression into the later rounds of the cups was hugely important to Everton this season. After what happened on deadline day, I’m sure the majority of Evertonians now realise that we may need to reassess our targets somewhat for this season.
With 16 league fixtures until the January window opens, we are going to have to hope and pray that injuries and suspensions are few and often, while some of the first XI is going to have to be flogged far more than was originally planned this season. As painful as it is for me to write this, hopes for Europe and a trophy may need a reality check, and that is entirely the fault of the ownership and board.
I’m not excusing Moyes entirely, though. I’m well aware that he is a pivotal part of the infamous transfer committee that failed to prepare Everton for this season. There will be conversations to be had about his future at the club and the sporting model going forward later down the line.
But for now, we fans, players and the manager must stick together.
And part of that means setting aside any differences.
Jake O’Brien
Any Everton fan with a brain can see that all is not rosy between Jake O’Brien and David Moyes this season. Having played the last 18 months out of position at right back, and doing an admirable job in the circumstances, to see him sat on the bench this season while Merlin Rohl plays there suggests there’s been a disagreement at some point between player and manager.
It is totally understandable for O’Brien to voice his concern about playing at right back and wanting to play in his natural position. It’s not as if he threw in the towel after a handful of games – he’s done okay, but Everton were always going to be an improved side with a proper right back. As for any animosity, Moyes needs to let this go now and integrate O’Brien back into the team at centre back where possible. Jarrad Branthwaite’s injury record suggests he is likely to miss games during this season and O’Brien is a more than capable replacement. To alienate players in our current situation is simply not sustainable. We need all hands on deck now.
Our full backs
This includes new signing Ainsley Maitland-Niles. I’d like to offer an apology to him to start with, as it can’t be easy starting at a new club with doubts around your ability already being raised before you’ve even kicked a ball in blue. He can’t help being the tenth choice on our list of desired right backs and, despite Angus Kinnear’s promise that we’d wait to get the best player in that position, one thing he promised is true: Maitland-Niles is a player who wanted to come here.
🗣️Happy to be here and raring to go! pic.twitter.com/hcVZmHgEb5
— Everton (@Everton) September 3, 2026
That’s more than could be said for Guéla Doué, who, after the club spent the summer begging and trying to convince him to join, ultimately signed for Bayer Leverkusen. Maitland-Niles will have my support and the best thing we can do is to give him the chance to prove himself at right back.
The same applies to Vitali Mykolenko. Yes, he’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but on his day, he’s a solid defender. We will need him this season, and it was negligent of the club to allow Adam Aznou to depart and leave him without an understudy.
Thierno Barry
Another player we need to get behind is Thierno Barry. Having started the season in strong form, I’m sure he couldn’t foresee a situation where he’d be the only senior striker at the club.
December 2025: Barry's first Everton goal.
August 2026: four goals in two games. pic.twitter.com/0ypiRLgaO2
— Grand Old Team (@grandoldteam) August 26, 2026
Last season, Barry proved to be a divisive figure. There was undoubtedly potential there, but some questionable finishing and a raw physical profile meant that he wasn’t universally popular with fans. A return of eight goals in his first season in the Premier League suggests he has the ability. He is clearly a striker that is fuelled by confidence, so Evertonians are going to have to help him through this season, even when he’s not at his best. He didn’t ask to be put in this situation and if the owners want to fork out for three months of Karim Benzema mentorship, then I’d be all for it…(I’m only half joking).
We can all tell when Barry’s race has run (usually the 70th minute), and it may be up to the likes of Brennan Johnson and Tyrique George to step up and help the team in makeshift roles. Johnson has come here after a less-than-impressive six-month spell at Crystal Palace, and has the chance to rebuild his career at Everton. I stumbled across a compilation of his goals for Tottenham Hotspur on Twitter recently and the majority of them came from his ability to get into the right positions at the back post. We have already seen an example of this with his goal away at Preston North End. Like with Barry, if Johnson is a confidence player, the fans must play their part in that and make him feel at home here.
Tyler Dibling
And finally, on the subject of confidence, we come to Tyler Dibling. Just over a year since signing for Everton, it’s safe to say we haven’t seen anywhere near close to the form we expected from Dibling. While that is totally understandable due to the lack of minutes he’s been given, there may be other circumstances at play here.
This is a young lad who has moved over 200 miles away from his home and family with an enormous price tag on his shoulders. That is a tough situation for any player, let alone a 20 year old. Some of Russell Martin’s footballing philosophies may be questionable, but for him to say that Tyler Dibling was “the most talented player he has ever worked with” is something that must be acknowledged and taken seriously.
There is a player there and it is David Moyes’ job to find and unleash that player. I understand if Moyes wants someone ‘Premier League ready’, but he sanctioned this signing in the first place.
And what if we have a potential gem in Dibling? What if he eventually leaves and goes on to succeed at another club? We’ve seen this before with the likes of Ademola Lookman. Game time breeds confidence and the only way to be ‘Premier League ready’ is to play in the Premier League. So play him.
The Friedkin Group
The Friedkin Group (TFG) haven’t exactly covered themselves in glory lately.
If the last week or so hasn’t taught them about what it means to be custodians of this great club, then nothing will. To attempt to sell our best youngster for a relative pittance to a lesser team than us is unforgivable and something that Evertonians will never forget. Throw in a shambolic end to the transfer window and it is now clear that they are no longer fit to continue as owners.
The fans want to know why TFG bought the club in the first place and what their intentions are while at the helm. The longer they go without making a statement will only increase the level of anger towards them.
Did they sense an opportunity to buy a Premier League club on life support on the cheap? One which came with a fancy new stadium and would be easy to asset strip? Yes, there’s been some better financial deals in terms of shirt sponsorship and hospitality, and during Angus Kinnear’s many interviews, we were led to believe that our financial troubles with SCR were now behind us. Fast forward two weeks and the attempted sale of Harrison Armstrong and eventual desperate sale of Iliman Ndiaye suggest that that may not have been entirely truthful.
Evertonians don’t want to be lied to anymore. State your intentions and state them truthfully. As the owners, you are merely temporary custodians of the club. A football club is its fanbase and something that remains constant no matter who is at the top.
I said it before in a previous article, but I’ll say it again, as it is of great importance. The only thing TFG seem to understand is money. So send in the short term, we must send them a message. Don’t buy the overpriced pints and food at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Don’t buy programmes or merchandise from the club shop. Our fans have been fleeced enough since moving stadiums, and while it is never excusable, at least we could understand the motive if it resulted in a better set of players on the pitch and better performances. Neither of those things have happened, and not only do we continue to be stagnant, we are also now at real risk of decline.
There may be a time when Evertonians have to unite and step up their action even further against TFG. Whether this is in the form of a mass walkout during matches or boycotting games altogether like Lazio have done this year remains to be seen. We must get our message across somehow.
We do not want to be a side project to AS Roma. Multi-club ownership is one of the many things wrong with modern football and there will always be one set of fans feeling aggrieved by a lack of transparency and care as they play second fiddle. It’s clear for all to see that Everton aren’t a priority for TFG. Dan Friedkin has yet to attend a game – not even historic occasions like the final game at Goodison Park and the first game at Hill Dickinson. He hasn’t even given an interview to the club’s media channels and he certainly hasn’t spoken to fans.
If you don’t want to be here, then sell to someone that does.
The Manchester United game
First, however, we have the small matter of Manchester United at home on Sunday.
How should Everton approach this game? And how should we as fans play our part?
Any anger we have should be directed at the owners and board only; we need to be behind the players and manager from the get-go. Too often, we wait for a crunching tackle or bad refereeing decision to spark us into life.
From minute one, Hill Dickinson Stadium needs to be an absolute bear pit. If Everton get out of the blocks quickly and hit United where it hurts, they will crumble very easily. On paper, they have a Championship-level manager and a sluggish midfield very capable of being overrun if you make life difficult for them from the off. We’ve seen it on occasion with these so-called ‘bigger clubs’ when they come to our home but not often enough. They don’t want a fight, so give them one. It worked for Hull City.
Finding ourselves in such a desperate situation in early September, it seems that the only way to make this season a success is for fans, players and the manager to put their differences aside and stick together. We need to adopt an ‘us against the world’ mentality and we can start by doing this on Sunday. As for the owners, their time in charge will come to an end. Hopefully sooner rather than later.