Everton not ready for the the Premier League season, warns David Moyes | OneFootball

Everton’s poor pre-season continued with a 2-1 defeat to West Ham United at the Soldier Field in Chicago, leading manager David Moyes to warn that his side is “not ready to start the Premier League season” just two weeks away from the campaign opener.

Moyes has repeatedly pointed fingers at Everton’s slow business in the transfer window as a cause for concern on the US Tour so far. He sounded the alarm bells once again after defensive mistakes allowed Lucas Paqueta and Niclas Fullkrug to secure the win for the Hammers.

“We’re not ready to perform well enough in this tournament. We’re not ready to start the Premier League season,” Moyes told the press in the aftermath of the contest.

This was their second defeat on US soil after beginning the Premier League Summer Series with a 3-0 loss to Bournemouth in New Jersey a few days ago.

The Toffees had also struggled against lower league sides Accrington Stanley and Blackburn Rovers in Lancashire and only managed to beat Port Vale 2-1 in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The final assignment for Everton on this tour is a friendly against Manchester United in Atlanta on Sunday. By then, the manager believes that the club can add more quality and depth to a squad that is severely lacking in numbers.

“There’s a bigger turnover of players now at clubs. They used to say, ‘Hey, let’s sign maybe three or maybe four players tops every season. ’

“But because of the way the bigger squads and maybe boys who are not getting a game, they want to go, you find that there’s a bigger revolving door of players. So a lot of clubs will be signing quite big numbers, which they are now, more than what was done in the past, if you look at it.”

So far, the Blues have brought in striker Thierno Barry, goalkeeper Mark Travers and full-back Adam Aznou while turning Charly Alcaraz’s loan spell permanent. They need at least “five or six more players” according to Moyes after letting nearly a dozen players leave the squad this summer.

Reader Comments (12)

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Pete Hughes 2 Posted 31/07/2025 at 11:23:13

Not the first time Moyes has come out with comments like this about not being ready for the premier league season?

Rob Beattie 3 Posted 31/07/2025 at 11:29:30

Not overly concerned.Lost DCL Harrison & Doucoure which is 3 plus's as far as I'm concerned. We're never any good in pre-season.Wish we'd sort out couple more transfers tho.If we don't get CM then Harrison & Tim should be given their head

Yes we failed AGAIN in the transfer market.

It was as sure as a dump in the morning that it was gonna be a farce.

No way were TFG replacing the exodus and adding more which we so desperately needed. As I stated to much derision.

However it is Moyes job to rally the few into a winning position.

Crying weakens his authority in the dressing room, training pitch, boardroom and everywhere. Agents add another 50% minimum because he has weakened his hand.

I moan about lack of players Davie, not you. Your job was to get the leavers replaced, but you failed. You should have stayed at home to secure more numbers rather than a pointless US trip. Tell TFG to eat grit coz you need players and that wont happen in Trumpet Land.

Your job is now to get them to be ready for the start of the season with a smile and words of valour and encouragement. Well done for fucking that up too

Si Pulford 7 Posted 31/07/2025 at 11:37:58

With you there Rob. The players we have lost were universally disparaged on these players and with Barry and Armstrong coming in for DCL and Doucoure were not too different to how we finished last season. And I expect a few more in the door as the window progresses.

I get what Moyes is saying though. It is a bit catch 22. We want to improve not sign like for like replacements for the players who have left because the ones who have left weren’t good enough. But getting that profile of player to sign for us is nigh on impossible. It’s going to take time. It feels like of we could get one big name in everything becomes easier. Grealish or Luiz maybe. But it’s easier said than done.

Alan McGuffog 9 Posted 31/07/2025 at 11:42:50

Must be a real boost for the squad him saying that

Ryan Holroyd 10 Posted 31/07/2025 at 11:53:48

Martin @4

Apparently Forest want 5 players, the Palace manager has been complaining about their lack of signings, West Ham want players, Newcastle fans and manager are complaining, spurs need to off load players before they buy.

Should all of their managers be criticised to Martin?

To be fair you have been consistent in your head falling off since June

Legacy Cost: When the chickens came home to roost.David Moyes is no mug, the master of the underwhelming comment, tell it as it is, not my fault, get the first blow in quick.Sadly he has a point. 5 or 6 new players before the season starts, pretty unlikely, if it does they will probably be loans, a couple of pros who can do a job as the rebuild is pushed out further.I'm not blaming Moyes for the situation we are in, nor the way we are playing or even selection choices, no, what we are seeing is the legacy cost of The past God knows how many years of sheer incompetence of ownership, management and business failure. No player of quality faced with a choice of Premier clubs are picking Everton, I don't blame them, if I was on the outside looking in, I wouldn't. TFG have to prove themselves every bit as much as Moyes does. They are right to fix the business first but they may well have to pay over the odds to get quality of playing staff to look seriously at joining us.If I was Desperate Dan, I would land my Spitfire on Formby Beach and walk along the shore to BMD and tell Moyes to shut up and do his job. Public, albeit it veiled, criticism of others or sheer disappointment in not bringing in better players, is not helping the cause, sends a wrong message to possible acquisitions who know how desperate we are, agents aren't stupid.People talk of "Hollywood managers" but they can draw players who would not look twice at the club otherwise, perhaps such an appointment would have been made as a statement of intent by the new owners, but we have persisted with David Moyes. Of course it also depends on the owners expectations and objectives on and off the pitch. How much there is available and what the measure of success is to them inwhat time frame.We knew beforehand that communication was almost non existent from TFG as experienced elsewhere but expectations with the new stadium amongst the fans was high, mine included, by the sound of it Moyes too.What we are seeing is the gap between Legacy cost and expectation, reality bites. Our esteemed manager now has to earn his coin over a season with whatever we can get. We don't need reminding what we are short of, we need to stop the bleed, plug the gaps and find players who will make a difference.

Dont panic, is anyone suprised we have lost both matches?

We know we want 5 + good players, when we get them and settled in we will be fine.

We played well and got some very good results when Moyes took over last season. we still have most of the players from those games.

I have said previously that we will miss Doucoure though, its a pity he wanted too much money.

What I don't like is Moyes publically talking down the ability of our existing players, it might make them more keen to do well but it cant do their confidence any good.