Everton Banter

21 Dec 2025 15:40:34
I know it's always easy to be wise with the benefit of hindsight, but whoever artherised the 42 million purchase of Dibling, deserves his P45.
Yes, one day the boy my turn out to be a real player, but as things stand, he is miles off meeting the standard of a premiership player. A speculife punt on a young player, who may turn out to be a top player, givern time, is fine, but only if your talking about 3/5 million, as things stand, we have a better player piling his trade, with Accrington Stanley.


There has been a lot of talk about recalling Armstrong, but do we have the same option to recall Heath ?

21 Dec 2025 17:34:07
So you don't want to play a young man who has hardly any game time, but you want to play a young man who is playing for a team 17th in division two?

21 Dec 2025 19:19:59
This Dibling lad is nowhere the standard. Southampton didn't want him and no other Club other than us would pay the money. Of course we have seen Dibling, latest was his 20 mins against an Arsenal side in 3rd gear. Put him in the reserves for a few games or bring back Armstrong and loan Dibling out 'for game time'.

21 Dec 2025 19:24:00
Why has Dibling not been given a few U21 games to keep up to speed with competitive football. Paul Scholes reckons we got a fantastic player in Dibling and he's a pretty good judge of a footballer.

Hard to judge the kid by his involvement in 5 to 10 mins of a game. No chance to get into the game. Players need consistency, not 10 mins here and there.

21 Dec 2025 15:00:43
Moyes said that McNeil got the start last night because he is an experienced player. Experienced or not, if when a player gets on the pitch and shows nothing, what benefit does having experience give.

22 touches, 0 successful dribbles, 0 successful crosses, 10 passes, 0 duels won and lost possession 8 times.

If you are going to play him, at least play him on the left or in the 10.

People can slate Dibling and say he hasn't shown anything but he hasn't even had the opportunity to do so. Most of his minutes have come at the end of games that are already over and are predominantly against the elite teams in the league, other than one start against Palace where they absolutely battered us in the 1st half and every single Everton player was dreadful, bar Pickford.

4 minutes away at Anfield.
9 v West Ham.
4 away at City.
10 against Newcastle 3 goals down.
4 against Forest.
6 against Chelsea.

Forward players thrive off rhythm and confidence and he has had no opportunity to build up either. I agree that when he has come on, he hasn't shown the best effort, urgency or attitude but the lad looks dejected and he is being asked to come on against the leagues best teams when the game is already over, watching players like Dwight McNeil get a start over him.

It would p*** me off too watching a player doing absolutely nothing to warrant staying on the pitch and waiting to get on. The kid is 19 and it is not his fault that we went and chucked 40m on him to sign him without any intention of backing him or at least handling his bedding in period better. Moyes or his staff have done absolutely nothing to help him.

I have no issues that he is not starting ahead of Ndiaye, he is after all our best player but there have been plenty of opportunities to give him more minutes and give him the platform to build up some confidence. The way he has been handled is s***e, simple as that.

I hope he goes on loan and gets playing football again.

Plenty more players that should be getting called out ahead of Dibling and at least they have had the opportunity to show what they can do on a more consistent basis.

{Ed025's Note - but Moyes must see him day in day out BN and deems him not worth a start or even more minutes, we did pay a hell of a lot for him considering his age and ability, even when he has come on he has looked lethargic and out of his depth imo mate, of course i want him to succeed and i know he is very young and probably struggling to adapt but i cant help thinking our recruitment team have once again lumbered us with a duffer..

21 Dec 2025 15:30:27
Talk of him going to Preston on loan mate.

{Ed025's Note - for me thats an admission that he is not ready and needs to go into the championship to find his feet GB, hence why i think the fee we paid was extortionate and shows the lack of due diligence carried out mate...either that or some very large brown envelopes have been bandied around..

21 Dec 2025 15:59:32
To be fair Ed Davey has always said he’d use Dibling sparingly and is one for the future, does seem a hell of a lot of cash to then loan him out mate.

{Ed025's Note - its a massive gamble though GB..

21 Dec 2025 19:23:03
Good GB, I just said loan. Bring back Armstrong loan Dibling out but I am not so sure he would get in Prestons Team.

21 Dec 2025 14:09:10
A word of thanks to Bluepotato and his post below on chances created excellent post, dear Santa please send us us a couple of strikers this Christmas.

21 Dec 2025 16:24:19
No worries, pal. Just trying to bring a bit of balance to the discussion but I suppose even that won't appease some folk.

21 Dec 2025 16:35:45
Good stuff mate can’t argue with any of that.

21 Dec 2025 12:38:22
Time for a change methinks. Get Grealish off the wing he's wasted out there. Bring him into the middle where he can actually get involved in the game. Move McNeil/Alcaraz to the left and give young Dibling a run of games on the right. Have Rohl and Garner in the middle.

21 Dec 2025 13:28:45
Hopefully KDH will be back for our next game.

21 Dec 2025 14:45:14
Put Grealish in the middle he will drift out to the left, City tried that with him.

21 Dec 2025 14:57:59
Well tell him not to :)

21 Dec 2025 15:18:41
Waste of time BMD, not allowed to clip em round the ears any more either 🤣🤣🤣.

21 Dec 2025 16:09:49
Put Grealish up top could be a new arnoutovitch or whatever he is called he was a leftwinger then ended up doing ok upfront. Horrible bloke though.

21 Dec 2025 17:43:05
Grealish hasn't really got a shot on him though. He is very tidy on the ball though and can pick a pass. Also think of the amount of fouls we would get just outside the box. Loads of chances for Garner to put it over the bar.

21 Dec 2025 12:29:56
So unlucky again yesterday VAR certainly favours the so called top Teams, though I have to say Arsenal were far from even being good on another day different ref etc etc etc we would have beaten them, roll on Jan.

21 Dec 2025 13:35:06
Arsenal didn’t have to get out of first gear GB.

21 Dec 2025 13:53:11
True mate but to say we were without two of our best players I thought we did ok.

21 Dec 2025 14:52:01
Defenders were immense so was our woodwork, so were the supporters. As someone else said Grealish in the middle (if he will stay there) , I would say that, Ndiaye on the left, give KDH the 8, find a RW from somewhere, a RB, striker (s) we would go up a level.

21 Dec 2025 15:01:11
I like the idea of putting him in the centre, him and KDH work well together. Out on the wing teams just double up on him and that makes him less effective.

21 Dec 2025 15:14:06
Works for me mate.

21 Dec 2025 11:28:33
We repeatedly see in posts that "everyone knows that we need a striker", which is a fair point, as the two that we have are useless. Managers inherit players that simply aren't good enough. Moyes inherited Beto, but Barry was chosen, which begs the question why did we sign the worst striker to be signed by any Premier League in the summer transfer window? We shouldn't be signing players just because we need one.

I remember Moyes saying that we wouldn't sign anyone who didn't improve the squad, so my other question to Moyes and the recruitment team would be where does Barry improve us?

21 Dec 2025 11:56:46
Whilst neither striker is scoring I’m not sure what fans expect when the service to them is non-existent.

The strikers are feeding on scraps and until Moyes changes his setup or tactics it won’t change.

Yesterday he takes Barry off for Beto but keeps tactics the same - it makes no sense.

Would have preferred to see Beto and Barry together as atleast it’s trying something different.

Not even a top striker would do well in the squad currently based on the tactics we’re playing.

{Ed025's Note - you are not wrong Dan..

21 Dec 2025 12:12:36
Ah Dan a spot of sanity. Agree it would have done no harm to at least had a go with two up front as our wide players offered nothing. But we seem to have supporters who target certain players while others get a free pass.

21 Dec 2025 12:20:55
Say that to somebody like Zian Flemming.

21 Dec 2025 12:47:38
I think it's a combination of both in all honesty. Look at the stats for the entire league for chances created.

1) Arsenal 141
2) Liverpool 135
3) Man City 126
4) Man U 125
5) Chelsea 121
6) Bournemouth 105
7) Brighton 104
8) Fulham 94
9) Leeds 92
10) Villa 91
11) Newcastle 85
12) Palace 83
13) Everton 81
14) Forest 81
15) Spurs 80
16) West Ham 69
17) Wolves 64
18) Sunderland 63
19) Burnley 61
20) Brentford 61

At 81 chances created, we are off the boil compared to the top 5 on this list but we are creating chances in games. Our forwards are very wasteful, we see that with our own eyes every game. One thing is certain, we can't go through the rest of the season without splashing the cash on another forward, someone with an eye for goal to turn chances into points. Maybe hard to come by but there has to be better out there than we currently have. Roll on January!

21 Dec 2025 13:36:54
Struggling to remember those 81 chances BP?

21 Dec 2025 14:05:32
I was a bit surprised myself, bmd, but it shows we are creating opportunities in games, we just can't finish our dinner at times mate.
Last season, we created a total of 161 chances in the entire campaign. I'd bet that this stat was improved once DM took over from Dyche as we didn't seem to do much in the months leading up to him leaving.

21 Dec 2025 14:55:21
Shropshire, add to that why Dibling - why that amount of cash - we are not in the position (yet) to be spending £60 odd million on 'for the future'.

21 Dec 2025 15:49:44
The stats say we’ve created 81 chances, however watching the games there is absolutely no chance anywhere near half of them were created for our forwards.

Majority of our chances are coming from Ndiaye, kdh, Grealish and garner. They all link up well and appear to pass to each other more often than whipping in a ball for the striker.

We also have created a fair few chances through corners, which in most cases those chances are being met by our defenders.

I stick with what I said originally and that’s a top striker would struggle with the opportunities our strikers are getting.

The way we current set up and play is not suited to our strikers scoring.

21 Dec 2025 16:22:30
The strikers have still had chances given to them, some on a plate others not so much, and the total goals scored by each isn't good enough. Their conversion rate has to be amongst the poorest in the Premier league, given they have two between them. There is no defence for how wasteful they have been.

There's been a few posts blaming everything and everyone other than those two forwards. The stats show that we need a better forward line, strikers who can actually make a difference by putting the ball in the back of the net. I hear what you're saying, gd, but I have to respectfully disagree. A good forward would not be on one Premier league goal at this time of the season, they would have a good few by now. Some of their misses have been the difference between turning one point into three and possibly defeats into draws. As a paying fan, I expect better and I'm hopeful this can be rectified in the next window. I'd let both of them go if a sensible offer comes in and then start again, providing we get strikers in ourselves first.

21 Dec 2025 08:36:55
Wrote out a much longer version of this, but trimmed it back, as i'm trying not to be as negative (trying) , but I think last night was a Massive disappointment.

The result, on paper, was respectable, but i think, on the pitch, it was far more down to us handing them the lead and them being so nervy about losing top spot that they were happy to sit on it. If they needed it to be 3-0, I have no doubt they'd have been able to get it.

My main frustration, though, and worry for the coming weeks, is the way Moyes handles absences.

I know we were depleted last night, but he has this infuriating "better the *rubbish* I know" mentality that I think massively holds us back. Dibling hasn't started great, but anyone who watched him last year knows there is a player in there - McNeil we all know there Isn't a player in there - so why start Dwight? It takes me back to when Lennon/ Walcott used to start each week ahead of Lookman; yeah, Lookman was inconsistent and often didn't 'do enough' in his opportunities, but neither did Lennon and Walcott? Same again when we used to have to watch Rondon play every week, while Simms sat on the bench. I would far rather watch a prospect give it a go, struggle, but get some game time and minutes, than give the majority of the match to someone who has Proven themselves inadequate.

Could apply the same to the fullbacks, but as I said, Trying to keep it brief.

{Ed025's Note - a lot of us see things that way as well Alex..

21 Dec 2025 09:05:10
What Dibling was, was a standout in a poor side, we despite some of the doom and gloomsters, are not a poor side. Would of could of (3-0) is not the reality, we played okay against a good side. They hit the woodwork, so what. What is killing us is lack of service and piss poor strikers (best I can say is above league 1/2 standard) .

We need striker (s) almost impossible in January and a RB/RWB/RW as a priority. Dibling had 20 mins yesterday and I saw nothing, Moyes (who I like) messed up, don't know how many times Dibling was watched prior.

21 Dec 2025 11:01:39
I’m putting that loss on Moyes he sent a team out for a 0-0 at home with a we may get lucky hope.
Time to see if dibbling is worth anything, can’t be worse than McNeil can he?
There’s still deadwood to trim we need a few more windows yet.

{Ed025's Note - we all knew it would take a bit of time Wolf, but i stil dont like taking knives to gunfights mate..

21 Dec 2025 11:45:24
What’s this nonsense about Dibling? The lad is always brought on with a few minutes to go and when the team has already given up. We had one shot on goal all night, now that’s not just down to the striker.
Moyes played McNeil because he is more defensive minded, and that’s the problem here. We focus more on not losing than going out to win.
Our wide men created nothing, our midfielders created nothing, but let’s blame our striker and a young lad who in my opinion is being managed poorly, given ten fifteen minutes here and there or no time at all.

Watching a player who offers nothing get game time before him, it’s a joke. But hey let’s blame the youngster because the manager sees him in training.
We are where we are in the league because the league this year is very poor, we are slowly turning into the Scottish league we’re a couple of teams are decent and the rest are bang average.

21 Dec 2025 11:46:17
Can’t argue with that Alex.

21 Dec 2025 11:50:11
I think the Grealish bubble has burst too. It kinda summed it up when the pundits said he holds it up and draws fouls. He certainly hasn’t offered any real attacking impetus the last few. Not sure I’d spend £50m when it comes to it.

21 Dec 2025 12:02:36
I definitely wouldn’t Bobby.

21 Dec 2025 12:16:56
Grealish was poor, McNeil was poor Alcaraz was poor. These three are supposed to be creating chances for the striker, did they do that? But hey let's blame the striker and some young kid brought on when the games done.

21 Dec 2025 12:26:27
Who’s blaming the striker as you say those 3 were poor especially Alcaraz worst I’ve seen him play, hopefully some recruits in in Jan.

21 Dec 2025 15:03:21
Not blaming Dibling, I am blaming those that scouted him and whose reports convinced the Club to part with £40 mill. 20 mins he had yesterday, I saw nothing to change my mind. Strikers, RW, RB, RWB, would give us a boost in Jan. Supply and lack of someone on the end is killing us.

{Ed025's Note - im with you DMS..

20 Dec 2025 23:54:05
Is what it is tonight. We were without our 3 best outfield players, Arsenal are arguably the favourites for the league and the champions league and they could only beat us via a penalty. Not sure what JO was doing for that tbh, utter madness.

Quite obvious that we need 3-5 signings before we can compete for Europe and this season, imo, was a write off anyway. Said it before, currently the only players that are good enough for this club moving forward are Pickford, JB, Garner, KDH and Ndiaye (not including loan players) .

We desperately need a striker but I think getting 2 wide defenders in will dramatically improve this team and should be prioritised above a striker. It is notoriously difficult to find players in Jan, let alone a striker. I would try and finish as high as possible this season and it would favour us/the squad to avoid Europe and build again in the summer.

Imo the challenge on Barry is not a penalty but in todays rules it most certainly is and 100% if that was down at the other end and we were 1 up, you can be sure that it would be given to Arse.

21 Dec 2025 01:31:14
I think it's better other way round. Striker 1st then full backs.

21 Dec 2025 07:54:24
Striker (s) first I agree. Whatever the opinion on FB's (Mykolenko by the way was top of a poor list of Everton stats) , Moyes does not appear to have our concerns.

What we still don't have is a RW, Ndyie is not a RW, McNeil isn't, Dibling! who knows I saw 15 mins of him last night, not impressed, maybe he needs the 15 to warm up.

21 Dec 2025 09:31:20
Until we get the striker we need every window, summer or winter, should be spent prioritising this. We simply cannot go on with what we have. No one is expecting them to score, it’s painful.

Also I thought TB was awful last night. So much talk about giving this lad more minutes, my goodness he just walks around as if he’s shopping with his missus. He had 15 minutes of football and he couldn’t be bothered to run! Poor with the ball and lazy without it. No where near good enough.

21 Dec 2025 11:56:58
Don’t talk nonsense the lad is brought on in the last nockings when the game is gone. His confidence is on the floor right now because he is being managed poorly.
Rather than question playing McNeil who offered nothing for most of the game you target a young lad who gets the last fifteen minutes.


No mention of Alcaraz who offered nothing or Grealish who was ineffective.
No let’s just target a young lad who gets fifteen minutes. Pathetic.

21 Dec 2025 12:20:14
Agree BMD it's easier to blame a young player than actually look at what went on before he got his few minutes.

21 Dec 2025 13:03:28
Yes I mention him because he was poor. That’s a fact. The rest is opinion to which we’re both entitled to. Nothing pathetic about that. He has started too, and was brought off at half time. I’m just asking for effort, something neither confidence or age should really impact on.

As for the other players you mentioned, I agree and maybe I could have balanced the post with mentioning them too, fair enough. But I stand by what I have said.

21 Dec 2025 13:40:04
Well your wrong.

21 Dec 2025 14:16:21
Got to agree, Dibbling has shown absolutely nothing to suggest 40m was good business. Granted, his appearances have been limited and few and far between, but he hasn't looked up to the job in any of those starts. I'd give him a start against Burnley, if only to give him a bit of confidence, but the lad has to hit the ground running. It's easy to blame the manager for not playing him but there is obviously something not quite right. I mentioned it in another post a while back, maybe the lad is just struggling to adapt to life with us right now. Sometimes it takes a while for new players to adjust to new surroundings etc, Barnes being one example. We might not see the best of this lad until next season.

CA was awful for the most part yesterday. He gives the ball away too cheaply at times, passing without looking where his team mate is. DMc was a bit better in the 2nd half but the performance was still not good enough. Goes to show that our squad doesn't have the depth for when we have our first team players unavailable.

20 Dec 2025 23:11:26
That's Chelsea and Arsenal out of the way for now. Our next 5 games all look winnable but I really don't see who will get the goals to win them. I'll be happy with 10-12 points from them.

20 Dec 2025 22:38:32
Never happy to lose but I'm not down after tonight. We know we have a big problem up front but we've just lost 1-0 to a team that is now top of the table and has been up there for a number of years.

Moyes, although I didn't want him back, has only had one window and we are much better than we were this time last year. Another good transfer window needed and we will finish top 8.

20 Dec 2025 22:51:42
This is how I feel Reg!

Although Arsenal were only good in a few moments tonight.

Roll on January, I hope we get the much mentioned striker we all know we need.

{Ed025's Note - we will still need better service to him though Benny..

20 Dec 2025 23:22:32
Yes we do Ed, service is crucial…just look at how well DCL is suddenly doing at Leeds as a time example of that, banging in goals for fun now just when we have no strikers.

{Ed025's Note - two pretty poor performances against 2 top teams Elvis will not define our season so far though mate, we do need players of course and with a striker being a priority that must be addressed first but i am pretty happy where we are compared to recent years..

21 Dec 2025 09:32:02
DCL was offered a contract, much to our dismay.

20 Dec 2025 22:20:20
I really can't remember the last time football was enjoyable.

21 Dec 2025 07:57:29
Every week Bleeds Blue, I watch Premier, Championship and non-league, if one pisses me off one puts a smile on my face.

21 Dec 2025 08:13:38
Unfortunately it's very rarely Everton putting the smile on 😅.