adminEverton have not been particularly expansive or exhilarating during the opening month of the 2026/27 campaign, but David Moyes will be extremely pleased with his team’s grit and unity following a difficult summer.
The visitors were buoyant after holding Tottenham Hotspur to a draw in their previous Premier League outing. North London has frequently proved a challenging destination for the Toffees, but they departed N17 having restricted Spurs to only a handful of opportunities.
Whatever your opinion on xG, the fact that the hosts recorded 0.64 compared to Everton’s 1.17 underlines the quality of Moyes’ team’s display.
If only there were greater quality and depth in the attacking ranks. A weakening frontline has been evident for several years now, dating back to when Richarlison was sold to Tottenham Hotspur for a notable £60m.
How Everton have failed to replace Richarlison
When Everton sold Richarlison to Tottenham for a substantial fee, it was disappointing, naturally, but did not initially appear damaging. The Merseysiders had secured a significant financial return.
Richarlison was dangerous and dependable at Goodison Park, while his spell in the capital has been far more inconsistent, with the Brazilian now frozen out under Roberto De Zerbi after attempting and failing to engineer a transfer this summer.
Everton had made an effort in August, but were unable to reach an agreement, with the Brazilian forward’s explosive message following the collapse only pushing him further into the wilderness at Spurs.
It was not to be, but the eventual failure to complete deadline-day moves for either Folarin Balogun or Joshua Zirkzee perfectly demonstrates how Everton have struggled to get the right decisions when attempting to improve their attack in recent years.
When you consider Iliman Ndiaye’s transfer to Manchester City, alongside the failure to bring in a comparable replacement, that disappointment becomes even greater.
With Beto and Dominic Calvert-Lewin also departing in recent times, leaving Thierno Barry as the only recognised option at No. 9, there is little doubt Everton face a major task in rebuilding their attack – with another poor deal potentially becoming their worst signing since Richarlison was sold and replaced by the infamous Neal Maupay.
Everton man is the biggest downgrade since Richarlison to Maupay
Perhaps Farhad Moshiri believed he had pulled off a clever acquisition when Richarlison departed for the capital. Maupay arrived in his place, with the unpredictable striker moving from Brighton for £15m.
What a dreadful signing. Furthermore, the controversial forward’s remarks about the Blues have made him despised by a large section of the Everton fanbase. Understandably so.
Now, selling Ndiaye to Manchester City for £65m this summer and replacing him only with Brennan Johnson on the right wing could represent the biggest downgrade since that previous switch. Against Tottenham, the Wales international squandered a superb opportunity to win the game, firing well over after receiving a tidy pass from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Ndiaye was an exceptional player for Everton. He made things happen, with Toffees writer Lyndon Lloyd praising him as having “magic in his boots”. Johnson does not compare.
To be fair, the former Crystal Palace player is not a direct replacement. He exchanged positions with Dwight McNeil this summer – a move which has reportedly cost the two clubs £22m – with McNeil eventually securing his transfer to Selhurst Park. However, Johnson generally operates from the right, and Everton’s inability to recruit a replacement means attention is now firmly on Johnson as he attempts to deliver where the Senegalese star did with such flair last season.
Much like Maupay, who managed just one goal in 32 appearances for the Merseyside club, it does not appear Johnson will come close to matching Ndiaye’s impact, a significant step down from the prolific form that defined his earlier years at Tottenham.
The frustration must be directed at those making the decisions. Moyes is not without fault, while technical director Angus Kinnear has badly mishandled matters this summer.
When playing at his best, Johnson understands how to find space inside the box and make the appropriate run at the right moment, but his glaring miss against Tottenham showed just how lacking in confidence he currently is.
His overall contribution is nowhere near Ndiaye’s level, and there is little doubt this is shaping up to be a significant downgrade for a team that previously had a player possessing such an X-factor at their disposal.
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