Everton Hill Dickinson Stadium
Everton Hill Dickinson Stadium
Everton fell to their first defeat of the season on Saturday afternoon, and it was a dour affair at the Hill Dickinson as Chelsea won 2-0 through Pedro Neto's second-half brace.
They flaked away after the break, but the Merseysiders did have chances to go ahead in the first half, but they withered upon Neto's opener, lacking any kind of fluency in attack thereafter.
Pedro Neto celebrates for Chelsea
Pedro Neto celebrates for Chelsea
David Moyes did say in the build-up that Everton would need to be clinical this year. They are not among the most free-flowing creative outfits in the division, and their lack of incisiveness proved costly here, with a shaky defensive display putting a dampener on the club's promising start to the season.
Why Everton slumped to defeat vs Chelsea
Everton flattered to deceive against Chelsea, unable to contain Neto in the second half and rueing Thierno Barry's missed opportunity before the break. The Frenchman is Everton's only senior striker, with Beto and Iliman Ndiaye both sold in August without being replaced.
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Most Big Chances Missed in the Premier League (2026/27)
Player
Thierno Barry
Gonzalo Garcia
Igor Thiago
Dan Ndoye
Erling Haaland
He rose and met Jack Grealish's cross, but couldn't finish his dinner, as has so often been the case in the Premier League. Since the start of last season, he has missed 21 big chances in the division.
Barry wasn't the only culprit, though. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall looked off the pace, and Jordan Pickford suffered one of his shakier games, with the Three Lions mainstay's distribution also poor.
From the bench, it would be fair to say Christian Norgaard had something of a disastrous debut in midfield. Booked instantly, the Norwegian summer signing from Arsenal looked "like a grandpa" out there, according to journalist Eduardo Hagn. To be fair to him, though, he's bound to be lacking in match fitness.
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford
However, all these stars may have failed to impress, but there's another member of the Evertonian persuasion who should not be starting each week in the Premier League.
Sadly, he might have to.
No one is talking about how bad Everton flop was
Everton blew it this summer, failing to make the signings Moyes needed to build on last season's fruitless push to qualify for Europe for the first time in a decade.
This was clear against Chelsea, whose flashy new attack proved too much for Everton in the second half. Still, they didn't help themselves in defence.
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Everton Player Ratings vs Chelsea
(GK) Jordan Pickford
(RB) Ainsley Maitland-Niles
(CB) Jarrad Branthwaite
(CB) James Tarkowski
(LB) Vitalii Mykolenko
(CM) James Garner
(CM) Harrison Armstrong
(RW) Merlin Rohl
(LW) Jack Grealish
(ST) Thierno Barry
Indeed, Ainsley Maitland-Niles was awful at right-back, thus far confirming that he is not the solution to an issue which has frustrated the club for some time now.
Maitland-Niles joined Everton from Lyon for just £3m this summer. A bargain, to be sure, but given that he is not offering the support needed at full-back, it's hard to argue that the Toffees are getting bang for their buck.
Morgan Rogers and Jorrel Hato made a mockery of the one-time Arsenal youngster down Everton's right. Combining and shrugging the 'defender' out of the way, before converting past a flapping Pickford.
Arrivals such as Maitland-Niles, 29, and Norgaard were supposed to shore up this Everton outfit, adding some much-needed experience and reinforcing Moyes' defensive system. It hasn't happened thus far, and the manager is bound to drop Maitland-Niles before long.
You wonder how long Moyes will continue to start Maitland-Niles at right-back before turning to trusty Jake O'Brien, who is a solid defender but short on pace and athleticism when used in a makeshift wide role. Merlin Rohl can also do a job in the berth.
jake-o'brien
However, neither option is ideal, and it all goes to show that Everton technical director Angus Kinnear made a real hash of things during the summer transfer market.
Maitland-Niles made an emphatic start to life on Merseyside, but as a defender, he has been exposed on a number of occasions already this season. Right-back continues to be an unsolveable problem for Moyes.