After a 3-0 defeat to Spurs last weekend, one question hangs over Everton. Are they really any better than they were last year?
This summer, David Moyes and the Everton board spent £113 million, their biggest outlay ever.
Yet, after nine Premier League games, it already feels as though they’re in the same position they were last season under the now Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche.
Fan frustration is already beginning to grow after several disappointing defeats, and an early Carabao Cup exit to Premier League strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers. Moyes’ cautious and defensive style of football hasn’t helped the atmosphere either.
SAF at BMD saw @Everton squander chances that came our way, failure to defend corners & just too slow attacking allowing @SpursOfficial to win comfortably in the end. Inconsistent refereeing didn’t help, but lack of ideas & unwillingness to shoot is killing the early season hopes pic.twitter.com/7VgdfaHm9t
— Graeme (@Graeme_EFC1878) October 27, 2025
Nine games in, The Toffees have already matched the number of defeats they suffered at the same stage last season despite the significant outlay on new signings.
The Blues are currently only one win better off than last season. The arrivals of Tyler Dibling, Jack Grealish (on loan), Thierno Barry, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall were expected to raise the club’s level, but progress has been slow.
This summer’s transfer window smashed previous spending records, with the move to the new stadium clearly playing a part. Everton wanted shiny new signings to match their fresh surroundings.
Some have impressed, with Grealish and Dewsbury-Hall standing out and showing their quality from the start. Others, however, have found life more difficult. Barry and Dibling have struggled to make an impact, with limited game time and inconsistent performances preventing them from finding form.
So, if Everton have spent big, moved into a new stadium, and strengthened across the pitch, who’s to blame for their lack of progress? As is often the case in modern football, the manager must come under scrutiny.
Under Moyes, Everton tend to beat the teams below them but rarely challenge those above. Clubs like Crystal Palace, Brighton, and Brentford consistently punch above their weight against top-half sides, something The Toffees have failed to replicate.
So far, Everton have already been beaten by Liverpool, Spurs and Manchester City, highlighting their continued struggles against stronger opposition.
For Moyes, the pressure will only continue to mount. With a new stadium and an ambitious squad, fans expect Everton to push for a top-half finish and compete on all fronts, not simply survive.
If the club hopes to retain star names like Grealish and meet the ambitions of their new ownership, results must improve soon.
