Ask yourself, in a season that promised so little once it became clear that the transfer window was going to end up being more frustrating and damaging than predominantly productive, what — or rather who — have been the genuinely exciting aspects of the campaign so far?
Thierno Barry’s four-goal haul in the first two matches, the continually impressive form of young Harrison Armstrong, and the hope and early signs of an injury-free season for Jarrad Branthwaite might make the list. For this writer, however, it’s been three players: Tyrique George, Hayden Hackney, and Tyler Dibling.
Which is why it is utterly maddening that all three players have found themselves dropped from David Moyes’s starting XI and, in the case of the latter two, left as completely unused substitutes in Saturday’s dismal loss to Chelsea.
Hackney arrived at Everton on the back of a season where he was named Championship Player of the Year and, pressed into action with a starting role in his Premier League game, he immediately looked at home in the top flight as the Blues beat Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium on the opening day.
He followed that up with a game-changing introduction off the bench in the next home game, a 2–2 draw with Manchester United, during which he was involved in both of the Blues’ goals.
The first equaliser in that match was, of course, scored by George when he rocketed home Hackney’s pass with his right foot and the young winger was named Man of the Match for what appeared to be his breakthrough display after a difficult loan spell last season during which Moyes frequently overlooked him in favour of retaining faith in the likes of Dwight McNeil, a player with no future in Everton blue. His reward since has been one start, in the goalless draw at Spurs, and a mere 70 minutes worth of action since.
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Then there is Dibling, another young signing who had a miserable first year at Everton but who, starting with some impressive outings in pre-season, finally appeared ready to take his chance. Typical of Moyes, he had to wait for the League Cup ties against Preston and Wolves to get one but on both occasions he showed up, no more so than against the Midlanders, when he put in his best display — and first 90-minute game — since arriving from Southampton. Since that Wolves game? 28 paltry minutes as a sub, but both times he did more with those brief cameos than many of his team-mates had managed in full matches.
As Ell Bretland outlined in his post-match piece last Saturday, Moyes is repeating the same mistakes that critically undermined the run-in to 2025/26 and cost Everton a place in Europe. His refusal to make the best use of the playing personnel at his disposal meant a jaded and over-worked team stumbled over the line and finished a disappointing 13th.
And his stubborn, safety-first approach at the very least prevented the Toffees from making a go of the final stages against Chelsea. Instead of throwing on the enterprising, forward-thinking Hackney to chase the game, Moyes introduced a painfully unfit holding midfielder in Christian Nørgaard whose foul set up Pedro Neto’s killer second goal.
Instead of replacing Jack Grealish with the precocious and unpredictable talents of Dibling, he opted for his tried and trusted in Brennan Johnson who is both a totally different profile of player but also one who hasn’t demonstrated the same kind of bums-off-seats excitement that Dibling did in the few minutes he has been given this season.
Given the club’s failure to bolster the ranks at full-back and striker, Moyes has almost no options when it comes to team selection in certain areas of the pitch. As fans many have observed, that is often when he is at his best, and the opposite situation, in midfield and out wide, proves the point. Given the choice, he will almost always err on the most conservative option or the player that provides “legs” and graft over genuine flair.
It’s why he favoured Merlin Röhl, who is neither a right-back nor wide player, over any of his natural wingers against Chelsea; the crushing irony was that that very on-brand decision the Scot made was an effort to counter Pep Chavarría who didn’t even end up playing.
David Moyes is 63. Even at 43 during his first spell in charge at Everton, he was stubbornly and infuriatingly unadventurous. He managed to assemble a team that played some lovely football at times but the hallmark of his management has always been pragmatism and safety. He won’t ever change and calling on him to do so would be like shouting into a hurricane.
It doesn’t stop you desperately hoping the old leopard could change his spots, though. Because the game has changed. You can’t graft your way to success in the modern-day Premier League. You need dynamism in your team, attacking prowess, pace at full-back and out wide, an ability to both press opposition sides and beat their press with quick passing, triangles and movement. Moyes’s preferred starting XI from the most recent Premier League fixtures possesses too few of those vital ingredients but — and with all due deference to their youth and inexperience — there are many of those qualities that George, Dibling and Hackney can offer.
There is almost no chance that any of that trio will be in the line-up to face Arsenal this coming weekend, the type of game where Moyes routinely falls back on his arch conservatism. Perhaps the most we can expect is George to come off the bench late on.
The hope then is that they will be handed their chance in the League Cup tie against Newcastle next week, that the pressure to make every meager second they're given on the pitch won’t prove to be too much, and that they all grab it with both hands.
Barring a devastating injury crisis, it’s unlikely that Everton will be dragged into a relegation scrap; with a self-imposed ceiling on our ambitions and, one would hope, some security in the impression that the three promoted clubs will struggle to stay up, this season should be something of a free hit.
An opportunity to use every member and facet of the squad, to develop the younger players and enhance their value to the club on the pitch or in the market should they needed to be moved on.
More than that, after years of struggle and mediocrity, it’s a chance to give match-going fans something to look forward to watching, young players to support and to enjoy watching them blossom. And who knows, they might even help us win a few games and make the chore of following this confounding institution fun even while it remains in frustrating limbo off the pitch.
##### Alcaraz seizes rare moment to put Everton through against Wolves Tyler Dibling shone down the right flank and completed the full 90, claiming an assist as Charly Alcaraz swept home the game's only goal
##### Such a Relief: David Moyes Got it Right A strong Everton line-up put in a strong performance at Preston
##### Barry grabs cup hat-trick as Everton swat Preston aside Thierno Barry scored three times and Brennan Johnson notched his first goal in royal blue as Everton made easy work of the Championship side to set up another date with Wolves.
Selected thoughts from readers
1 Jerome Shields
20/10/2026 07:07:00
Having said all that he could beat Arsenal and Newcastle by some fluke.One player could hit form or get a lucky break and galvanise the team organised by Moyes overcoming his innate deliberate caution tactics on the day.But there would still be no younger player development plan or change in match preparation.I have learnt that over the years. Moyes does have the players, I don't believe he doesn't.
2 John Collins
20/10/2026 08:14:28
Law of averages may play a part Jerome.
Don't think he has ever won at Arsenal in around 25-30 attempts
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