The Blue Frontier - American Everton Analysis

Jake O'Brien at right back and Merlin Röhl ahead of him did not look like Everton's route to a first away league win. They ended up giving Newcastle a problem.

James and Shan discuss a 1-0 win at St James' Park in which Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall drove much of Everton's best attacking work, Thierno Barry took the decisive chance and Jordan Pickford preserved the lead with a late save. The focus is on how Everton found outlets on the right, moved the ball forward more quickly and varied their set pieces.

There is credit for seeing the game out with some patience, but also the qualification that Newcastle were poor and still created two dangerous chances. We consider whether O'Brien and Röhl should remain a pairing, Tyrique George's growing influence and how David Moyes manages Barry and Dewsbury-Hall's minutes. Listener comments help frame the debate before a look ahead to Coventry.

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

David Moyes has clearly been listening to The Blue Frontier. Hayden Hackney and Tyler Dibling get their chance, chaos ensues, and Everton beat Newcastle 3-1 to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

James and Ryan get into the Hackney, James Garner and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall midfield, the quicker transitions and the quality that turned a chaotic game into a decisive win. Thierno Barry delivers a goal and an assist, Hackney opens his Everton account, and the hosts consider how much of this lineup and approach should carry into the Premier League.

There's also Jack Grealish's disciplinary absence and a trip to Fleetwood Town that gives Everton a very inviting chance to reach a long-awaited cup semi-final. Fleetwood still have to be beaten, but we're allowed to enjoy the draw.

As ever, thanks to everyone whose comments and questions helped shape the episode. LINKS: https://linktree/thebluefrontier

Everton lost 2-0 at Arsenal in the pouring rain after an early goal left little hope for the visitors.

James, Shan and Ryan look at how Arsenal played through Everton's midfield, why so much of the attack still went down the left without Jack Grealish, and why Thierno Barry's best chance deserves more credit than another missed-chance verdict.

Then the discussion turns to what David Moyes can change now. Tyler Dibling and Hayden Hackney offered different options from the bench, while Tyrique George and Brennan Johnson were asked to play in a side that rarely attacked quickly. Would a different selection help, or does the approach need to change too?

There's disagreement over whether this squad is worse than last season's, and some practical suggestions for using the players Everton already have.

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

Everton dragged Chelsea into the kind of physical, aggressive first half David Moyes appeared to want. Five bookings, confrontations all over the pitch and a committed defensive effort kept the match level, even if Everton offered little going forward.

Then Everton switched off. Just 43 seconds after halftime, Jorrel Hato escaped down the side Merlin Röhl and Ainsley Maitland-Niles had been selected to protect, and Pedro Neto put Chelsea ahead. James and Shan break down the lapse, Jordan Pickford's part in the goal and why Everton never found a convincing response.

They also debate Thierno Barry's finishing, Jack Grealish's role, the lack of midfield progression and Christian Nørgaard's difficult debut. The episode closes by asking how much Everton's first defeat should change the outlook for the season.

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

Everton remain unbeaten after a 2-2 draw at Hull City, but this felt much more like two points dropped than one rescued. James, Shan and Ryan examine a strange match in which Everton created six big chances, recovered from Joe Gelhardt's opener and took the lead through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry, only to surrender control through poor defending and a series of curious personnel decisions.

The discussion focuses on Hull's threat in transition, Jarrad Branthwaite at left back, the Tarkowski-Keane pairing, Ainsley Maitland-Niles' eventful afternoon and whether David Moyes' substitutions left Everton less likely to find a winner.

There is also praise for Barry's work beyond the missed chances, a discussion of what Everton's unbeaten start actually tells us, and a short reaction to TFG exploring new investment options. The full trio then closes with thoughts and prayers for a deeply uneven Premier League.

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

Everton head into the international break unbeaten after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Ipswich Town.

James examines a performance that produced the right result without ever becoming comfortable. Everton created the better chances and looked dangerous when their press generated quick attacks, but Ipswich exposed the continuing problems with progressing the ball through midfield.

There's also discussion of Thierno Barry's decisive goal and disallowed header, Jack Grealish becoming Everton's primary creative outlet, another strong Jarrad Branthwaite performance and Tyler Dibling's lively appearance from the bench.

PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode is adapted from James' immediate post-match livestream, tightened up for the podcast.

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

Everton are into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup after substitute Charly Alcaraz finally broke Wolves' resistance in a 1-0 win. The Toffees controlled most of the match but struggled to turn that dominance into goals, with former Everton goalkeeper João Virgínia producing an outstanding performance.

James and Ryan examine what worked, what David Moyes might have done differently and why the players brought into the side became the real story of the night. Tyler Dibling leads that discussion after supplying the decisive pass and making an impact at both ends of the pitch. With help from several listener comments, the conversation turns to how Everton can use him alongside the rest of the squad, the cases made by Jake O'Brien and Alcaraz, and what the performance means for Moyes's rotation. The episode closes with a look at the fourth-round draw and Everton's possible path through the competition.

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

A scoreless afternoon at Spurs offered little spectacle, but plenty to argue about once the result and performance were pulled apart.

James and Ryan ask whether Everton should regard 0-0 in North London as a good away point or a missed opportunity against a vulnerable Tottenham side. They examine how Everton stayed compact and limited Spurs to two shots on target, why Barry was isolated and Johnson's runs went unused, and whether David Moyes' substitutions protected the draw when the match was there to be won.

The discussion also looks beyond the result: Maitland-Niles' promising first start, Hackney's puzzling role on the right, the midfield's continuing progression problem and what might need to change against Wolves and Ipswich.

Listener comments help test both sides of the argument throughout. Thanks, as ever, to the Blue Frontier community for making even a fairly uneventful 0-0 worth talking about.

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

Everton rescue a dramatic point at the death against Manchester United, and The Blue Frontier returns for its first post-match show since a transfer window that left more questions than answers.

The bangers from Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Tyrique George will get the replays, but the tactical battle gives James and Ryan plenty to discuss. Why could Everton push United back without controlling the game? How did United keep finding a spare man in midfield? And how much did Grealish and Hackney change things from the bench?

We also weigh the encouragement of the comeback against the problems that remain, discuss Tarkowski and the case for Jake O'Brien, and look at how Moyes might use the squad over the coming weeks.

As usual, comments from the Blue Frontier Discord and wider Everton community help drive the conversation. Thanks to everyone who listened, challenged an argument or sent something in. The show is better for it. LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

Deadline day delivered one final dose of chaos for Everton. James and Ryan break down the collapse of Folarin Balogun's proposed move from Monaco, the desperate late approaches for Joshua Zirkzee and Tammy Abraham, Iliman Ndiaye's departure for Manchester City, Jack Grealish's return and the arrival of Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

The individual deals matter, but this episode is ultimately about the plan behind them...or the apparent lack of one. Did Everton improve the squad, build for the future or simply raise money while becoming thinner? The discussion turns to the club's recruitment structure, the roles of Angus Kinnear and David Moyes, and what the Friedkin Group may need to change before another transfer window begins.

This is a more frustrated Blue Frontier than usual, although Ryan does locate a silver lining or two in the absence of our dearly missed Captain of the Optimism Train. Thanks for listening, as always.

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

Everton leave the Vitality Stadium with a 1-1 Premier League draw against Bournemouth on August 29, 2026, rescued by James Tarkowski's stoppage-time volley after a match that changed completely at halftime.

The Blue Frontier breaks down an encouraging first-half press, the open-play chances Everton fail to convert, and the loss of control that allows Bournemouth to create five big chances after the break. Thierno Barry keeps arriving in the right areas but runs into an excellent Djordje Petrovic, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall drives the early attack and Iliman Ndiaye covers an absurd amount of ground. James Garner and Merlin Röhl also sit at the center of the midfield and fullback questions that emerge as Everton tire.

The episode opens with the proposed £40 million Harrison Armstrong move to Nottingham Forest and what it says about David Moyes, youth pathways, and Everton's transfer strategy.

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

Everton cruise into the third round of the Carabao Cup with a 4-0 win over Preston North End at Deepdale on August 26, 2026, and The Blue Frontier assesses a rare night of uncomplicated competence.

Thierno Barry supplies the headline with a hat trick built on sharp penalty-box movement, while Brennan Johnson adds a goal and an assist off the bench to show a glimpse of why his pace helps Everton's attack.

James and Shan examine how David Moyes' side handled possession-dominant football against a compact Preston setup, producing 29 shots and nearly four expected goals, almost entirely from open play.

They also discuss James Garner's encouraging return, Tyler Dibling's uneven but useful start and how much anyone should infer from two wins against limited opposition.

The conversation then turns to a frantic end of the transfer window: Iliman Ndiaye's reported Manchester City interest, Jack Grealish's possible return, Everton's unresolved right-back search and the baffling prospect of Jake O'Brien leaving without a proper run at center back. The result was comfortable; the squad-management questions are anything but.

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

The Premier League is back and so is The Blue Frontier with a new format and a new approach to the 26/27 season to capture all the action and analysis of Everton's opening day victory over Crystal Palace at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Shan and Ryan break down what was an excellent result, but not an excellent performance, and try to determine how it bodes for the Toffees going forward. In additional to the lineup choices, the duo explore all sorts of post match comments from the Manager along with thoughts on a new RB, what to do with Harrison Armstrong / Adam Aznou / Tyler Dibling, how the tactics benefitted Ndiaye (and exposed Tarkowski), and ultimately how Everton should handle the rest of the window. The boys welcome the feedback on the new format - feel free to give it a listen!

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

Everton finally break their summer media silence, but Angus Kinnear and David Moyes do not appear to be reading from quite the same script. James and Shan compare Kinnear's claim that the squad is "in a good place" with Moyes' insistence that Everton still have "an awful lot more" to do before the transfer window closes.

The discussion centers on the unresolved right-back search, the difference between investment and short-term spending, and whether Everton's recruitment strategy can support the club's stated European ambitions. They also assess the Jack Grealish decision, the risk of selling Iliman Ndiaye this late in the window, and what those choices would mean for Tyler Dibling and Tyrique George.

The episode closes with a preview of Everton vs Crystal Palace in the opening match of the 2026/27 Premier League season. With injuries leaving major questions at right-back and central midfield, the lineup may expose how complete this rebuild really is.

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

Everton's summer may have finally found a pulse. James Shan break down the 3-1 preseason win over Newcastle United on August 12, a friendly that offers some encouraging evidence without falling into any kind of preseason delusion. Thierno Barry's renewed confidence, Harrison Armstrong's two assists, Tyrique George's directness and Tyler Dibling's flashes all sharpen the competition for places before the Premier League opener, while questions remain on the gaps left in the team. The discussion turns to Everton's straight swap of Dwight McNeil for Brennan Johnson: the financial logic, the trade-offs in creativity and set-piece delivery, and why Johnson's pace, movement and finishing give David Moyes a more natural right-wing profile. Tim Iroegbunam's possible £15 million move to Hull City raises a different question about selling athletic potential from a crowded midfield. The pod closes on the right-back choice between Héctor Fort's upside and Daniel Muñoz's immediate reliability, plus Christian Nørgaard's short-term value as a true #6.

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

The Blue Frontier brings the full trio back for Part Four of its 2025/26 Everton Team Assessment, turning to the front line and the club's stubborn inability to create enough chances or put the ball in the old onion bag. James Boyman, Shan Khan and Ryan Williams carry forward four recruitment priorities: open-play creation, progression, ball retention under pressure and athleticism.

They test Beto and Thierno Barry against Wyscout and SkillCorner data, debate whether Everton should extend Beto or reset at centre-forward, and weigh the romantic returns of Richarlison and Romelu Lukaku against the actual market. Attention then shifts to Iliman Ndiaye, Tyrique George and the increasingly complicated Jack Grealish question. Right wing is the real battleground, with Tyler Dibling's development, Dwight McNeil's future and a sprawling shortlist assessed through film, data, fees and David Moyes' preferences. The conclusions are not unanimous, but the squad-building logic is clear.

Players Discussed Centre-Forward

Recent transfers and free agents: Gonçalo Ramos, Álvaro Rodríguez, Callum Wilson, Raúl Jiménez

Reported targets: Folarin Balogun, Franculino Djú, Christian Kofane, Dušan Vlahović, Gabriel Jesus, Liam Delap, William Osula, Troy Parrott, Santiago Castro, Alexander Sørloth, Ayase Ueda

Free agents: Che Adams, Danny Ings, Enner Valencia, Jordan Ayew, Jamie Vardy

Relegated-club options: Tolu Arokodare, Taty Castellanos, Zian Flemming, Lyle Foster, Ashley Barnes, Armando Broja

Potential loans: Evan Ferguson, Tammy Abraham, Joshua Zirkzee

Data and alternative profiles: Lucas Beltrán, Jonathan David

Wild cards: Richarlison, Romelu Lukaku

Left Wing

Current squad and recent business: Iliman Ndiaye, Tyrique George

Market comparisons: Anthony Gordon, Yan Diomande, Crysencio Summerville

Reported target: Jack Grealish

Right Wing

Recent transfers and free agents: Harry Wilson, Abdul Fatawu, Karim Adeyemi

Reported targets and options: Jacob Murphy, Roony Bardghji, Assane Diao, Esmir Bajraktarević, Ethan Nwaneri, Jarrod Bowen, Jamie Leweling, Dario Osorio, Matías Soulé, Dwight McNeil

Free agents: Adama Traoré, Riyad Mahrez, Krépin Diatta

Previous targets and possible opportunities: Dilane Bakwa, Johan Bakayoko, Edon Zhegrova, Maghnes Akliouche

Wild cards: Tim Weah, Christian Pulisic

Data targets: Yankuba Minteh, Mohammed Kudus, Stanley Mills, Nestory Irankunda, Diego Moreira, Tom Fellows, Takefusa Kubo, Konstantinos Karetsas

The Blue Frontier brings the full trio together for Part Three of its 2025/26 Everton Team Assessment, turning a long-running full-back problem into something slightly more useful than another list of rumors.

James Boyman, Shan Khan and Ryan Williams carry forward the four major squad needs identified earlier in the series: more open-play creation, better progression, stronger ball retention under pressure and improved athleticism. They apply that framework to Everton's current options, starting with Vitalii Mykolenko, before using Wyscout data, physical metrics, film study and reported fees to assess the market.

Hugo Bueno and Kellen Fisher stand out as realistic left-back options, while Rico Lewis, Djed Spence, Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Raoul Bellanova, Lutsharel Geertruida, Devyne Rensch, Guéla Doué and Héctor Fort lead a wider right-back discussion. The episode ends with each host building an ideal plan and a more Moyes-shaped version, separating attainable upgrades from inflated fees, tactical mismatches and the players Everton probably should have found a year earlier.

Left-back targets

1. Jayden Oosterwolde 2. Hugo Bueno 3. Nathan Aké 4. El Hadji Malick Diouf 5. Rico Henry 6. Oleksandr Zinchenko 7. Darlin Yongwa 8. Matt Targett 9. Mika Mármol 10. Ali Maamar 11. Kellen Fisher 12. Martin Luciano 13. Joaquín Seys 14. Adrien Truffert 15. Samuel Iling-Junior 16. Vanderlan 17. Lucas Esquivel 18. Nathaniel Brown 19. Román Vega 20. Caleb Wiley

Right-back targets

21. Rico Lewis 22. Djed Spence 23. Brooke Norton-Cuffy 24. Raoul Bellanova 25. Aaron Wan-Bissaka 26. Neco Williams 27. Lutsharel Geertruida 28. Wesley 29. Zakaria El Ouahdi 30. Óscar Mingueza 31. Joel Veltman 32. Thomas Meunier 33. Ricardo Pereira 34. Sacha Boey 35. Kyle Walker-Peters 36. Jackson Tchatchoua 37. Alberto Costa 38. Alidu Seidu 39. Anton Gaaei 40. Héctor Fort 41. Iván Fresneda 42. Vanderson 43. Jordan Teze 44. Wilfried Singo 45. Joe Scally 46. Guéla Doué 47. Tiago Santos 48. Devyne Rensch 49. Marc Pubill 50. Agustín Giay 51. Givairo Read 52. Juanlu Sánchez 53. Timothy Weah 54. Alex Freeman

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

EVERTON 25/26 SQUAD ASSESSMENT PART 2: MIDFIELDERS. With Hayden Hackney's move from Middlesbrough finalized, Shan and Ryan dive straight into Everton's CAM, CM, and DM positions. In true Blue Frontier fashion, they build on the four needs laid out in Part 1 — more open play creation, better progression, stronger ball retention and press resistance, plus greater athleticism — then run the current squad through Wyscout indexes and on-ball metrics. We get into the rankings of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at CAM as well as James Garner at CM, and illustrate how the absence of a disciplined, ball-progressing six stands out clearly. They give a full breakdown on Hayden Hackney, balancing his elite progression and activity against high turnovers, risky decision-making, and what he will need to adjust from the Champtionship to the Premier League. Rumors around targets like Mandela Keita are weighed alongside free agents, relegated options, and data-driven names such as Hugo Larsson and Pablo Maia. With David Moyes locked into the 4-2-3-1, they assess fit, budget reality, and whether recruitment is finally targeting the right gaps.

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

At long last, The Blue Frontier heads into the offseason with its annual Everton squad assessment. James, Shan, and Ryan break down the team from every angle, using overall results, attacking and defensive outcomes, physical data, style-of-play metrics, and individual performance numbers to get at the real question: what does Everton need to fix before the summer transfer window?

The trio looks beyond the surface of 49 points and a -3 goal difference, digging into David Moyes' direct attacking approach, Everton's struggles against pressure, league-low substitution usage, defensive drop-off, transition-heavy attack, and the need for more ball retention, progression, open-play creation, and athleticism.

Beto, Barry, Iliman Ndiaye, Jack Grealish, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, James Garner, Jarrad Branthwaite, and Jordan Pickford all come under the microscope. The episode ends with four key areas Everton must improve, setting the foundation for future position-by-position transfer analysis.

Links: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

Everton close the Premier League season with a flat 1-0 away loss to Tottenham on May 24, 2026, helping Spurs secure survival and giving Everton supporters one final grim data point in a month-long collapse. James and Ryan try to rise above the obvious frustration, reviewing the match with a fair but unsentimental eye before turning to the bigger question: was this just late-season recency bias, or a warning about Everton's actual trajectory?

The episode covers Iliman Ndiaye's central role, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's struggles, Jake O'Brien's rough matchup with Mathys Tel, João Palhinha's match-winning influence, and the late energy from Tyrique George, Charly Alcaraz, and Harrison Armstrong. With Everton finishing 13th, just one point better than last season, the discussion widens to David Moyes, squad building, youth development, transfer value, and whether "stability" is progress or just a nicer word for standing still.

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier