Four points from two Premier League games and progress in the Carabao Cup represents a decent start for Everton. David Moyes, though, would like a little more help before the transfer window closes.
After yesterday’s 1-1 draw at Bournemouth, Moyes joked that he would quite like the window to stay open so Everton could bring in a few more players.
The smile did not disguise the point he was making.
“We have a good basis,” he said. “Let’s hope we can build on it.”
So what does that basis actually look like?
Pickford remains one of Everton’s certainties
There is little to debate in goal.
Jordan Pickford remains firmly established as first choice and made several important saves yesterday as Bournemouth threatened to put the game beyond Everton in the second half.
Mark Travers is an experienced deputy, with Tom King providing the third option.
It is one part of the squad Moyes doesn’t need to worry about.
Right-back remains the obvious gap
Merlin Röhl has started Everton’s opening two league games at right-back and coped reasonably well.
But the German was signed as a midfielder.
Nathan Patterson remains the only senior specialist right-back in the squad and was an unused substitute yesterday. His failure to nail down the position explains why Everton have continued to look elsewhere.
Kenny Tete could provide the answer. Everton have reportedly agreed personal terms with the Fulham defender, although the clubs still have to agree a deal.
Signing Tete would not only strengthen the defence, but it would also allow Röhl to compete for a place in midfield.
Centre-back is well covered
James Tarkowski’s stoppage-time equaliser yesterday was the headline moment, but his partnership with Jarrad Branthwaite remains one of the strongest parts of Moyes’ side.
There is decent cover too.
Jake O’Brien, if he stays, has shown he can play at this level and offers another option at centre-back, while Michael Keane provides experience.
At left-back, Vitalii Mykolenko remains first choice. His series of late blocks at Bournemouth helped keep Everton in the game before Tarkowski equalised.
Adam Aznou is the natural alternative, although his immediate future remains uncertain amid the possibility of a loan move.
If Aznou goes, Everton may have to consider whether there is enough cover for Mykolenko (there isn’t).
Hackney adds something Everton needed
Hayden Hackney’s £24m arrival from Middlesbrough was one of Everton’s more significant pieces of summer business.
He gives Moyes something different in central midfield: a player comfortable taking possession deep and moving Everton up the pitch.
Hackney started the opening league win against Crystal Palace before James Garner returned to the side at Bournemouth. He then replaced Garner after 62 minutes yesterday and was involved in some important defensive work as Bournemouth pushed for a second goal.
His arrival has increased the competition considerably.
Garner’s return is important; Harrison Armstrong has started both league games and Tim Iroegbunam made his comeback from injury yesterday.
Then there is Christian Nørgaard, currently unavailable through injury, and Röhl, who can move back into midfield once Everton solve the right-back problem.
Armstrong’s situation has dominated the weekend, but if his proposed move to Nottingham Forest is indeed off, Moyes has an interesting group to choose from.
Hackney, Armstrong, Garner, Iroegbunam, Nørgaard and Röhl offer different qualities rather than simply extra bodies.
Dewsbury-Hall has quickly become important
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall already looks central to how Everton want to attack.
He was arguably their most influential player at Bournemouth, creating chances and finding space between midfield and attack even when the team struggled for control after the interval.
Charly Alcaraz gives Moyes another option in that area and came on late yesterday.
Alcaraz may not be an automatic starter, but his ability to play as an attacking midfielder or further forward makes him useful across a long season.
The depth behind Dewsbury-Hall is therefore reasonable.
The wider positions are more intriguing.
Ndiaye is the player Everton cannot easily replace
Iliman Ndiaye remains Everton’s most gifted individual attacker.
He started on the right yesterday but can operate in several positions, and Man City’s interest so close to the deadline presents Everton with an uncomfortable decision if that interest develops.
Moyes made his own view fairly clear after the game.
“I don’t think we can afford to lose any players, certainly not our better ones,” he said.
Ndiaye falls firmly into that category.
Tyrique George has made an encouraging start following his move from Chelsea and started on the opposite flank at Bournemouth.
Brennan Johnson replaced him after 62 minutes yesterday and offers greater Premier League experience as well as pace and directness.
Tyler Dibling was an unused substitute but gives Moyes another young attacking option capable of playing wide or moving inside.
There is depth here that Everton did not have previously.
What they do not have is another player quite like Ndiaye.
Keeping him would be every bit as important as another arrival.
Barry is getting chances – now Everton need depth behind him
Thierno Barry has started the season as Moyes’ centre-forward and has already shown why Everton invested in him.
He should probably have scored at Bournemouth, where Djordje Petrovic denied him from close range, but the encouraging part was that Barry continued to find himself in scoring positions.
Beto replaced him after 70 minutes and remains the other established senior number nine.
The issue is not necessarily the quality of those two. It is what happens if one is unavailable.
Everton are trying to build a squad capable of handling a full Premier League season rather than simply selecting a starting XI.
Just two specialist centre-forwards leave little protection against injury, suspension or a loss of form.
Another option there would make sense.
What does Moyes still need?
The most obvious requirement remains a right-back.
If Everton can complete the Tete deal, Moyes would have a natural senior option there and Röhl could return to midfield.
Another forward would improve the attacking depth, while left-back may become an issue if Aznou leaves on loan.
Otherwise, this is a better-balanced squad than Everton had going into the summer.
Pickford provides security in goal. Tarkowski and Branthwaite give Moyes an established centre-back partnership, with O’Brien and Keane behind them.
Midfield now has genuine competition. Hackney has been added to a group containing Garner, Armstrong, Iroegbunam, Nørgaard and Röhl.
Further forward, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye, George, Johnson, Dibling and Alcaraz give Moyes different ways of supporting Barry or Beto.
There are still weaknesses, but fewer than there were.
The final two days may therefore be as much about who Everton keep as who they sign.
Armstrong now appears set to stay after a weekend of uncertainty. Everton will hope the same is true of Ndiaye.
Moyes’ assessment yesterday was probably the right one.
Everton have a good basis.
A right-back, perhaps another forward and no damaging late departures would make it look considerably better.
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