adminDespite remaining unbeaten across their opening five Premier League fixtures this season, plenty of Everton supporters have been left craving more from the club’s displays.
The Toffees’ undefeated beginning to the new campaign has enabled them to secure a position inside the Premier League’s top five following the first international break of the season.
The limited business completed during the summer transfer window has only intensified the pressure on figures such as Angus Kinnear, with supporters calling for changes in the not-too-distant future.
Even when he has been given responsibility for work in the transfer market, it’s fair to say he has failed to bring in players capable of making a major impact in the Premier League.
Why Brennan Johnson has been a failure for Everton
As part of their plans to take the club to another level during the 2026/27 campaign, Everton secured the signing of winger Brennan Johnson from Premier League rivals Crystal Palace.
The move also saw fellow winger Dwight McNeil head in the opposite direction, with the intention of bringing new ideas into the senior squad at the Hull Dickinson.
However, only a few weeks into his time on Merseyside, it’s fair to say the Welsh international has struggled to live up to the expectations surrounding his arrival.
Johnson has featured in each of the Toffees’ five league matches so far this season, although only three have been starts, with his statistics highlighting his difficulties in attacking areas.
The winger has failed to record a single goal or assist during that period, while none of his four attempts at goal have been on target.
His lack of attacking intent and willingness to take on defenders has also come under scrutiny, with the winger completing just 0.3 of the dribbles he has attempted this season.
That record puts him in the bottom 15% of attackers across the division, further highlighting the difficult beginning he has experienced on Merseyside.
Why one Everton star has been worse than Johnson in 2026/27
Everton’s unbeaten opening to the new campaign may have concealed some of the weaknesses that have emerged at the club in recent times, particularly after their poor finish to last season.
Moyes has largely been working with the same group of players this campaign, largely as a consequence of the club’s limited transfer activity over the summer.
Consequently, most of last season’s regular starters have continued to play an important role in his plans, although not all of his trusted players have been able to produce consistently.
Attacking midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was among the headline additions of last summer’s transfer window, joining Everton from Chelsea for a reported £25m.
He enjoyed an excellent start to life at the club and quickly became a regular starter under Moyes, before his form declined significantly during the latter stages of his debut season on Merseyside.
The 2026/27 campaign offered the Englishman another chance to rediscover his best form, but it’s fair to say he has found things difficult during the opening weeks of the new season.
Although he has managed to score once across the first five league matches, his underlying figures highlight the difficulties he has experienced in recent weeks.
Dewsbury-Hall has been dispossessed an average of 1.8 times per 90 minutes this season, with that figure the highest among any midfielder in Moyes’ senior squad.
That statistic also puts him in the bottom 20% of midfielders throughout the division, highlighting how frequently he has surrendered possession when attempting to progress the ball.
He has also created only 0.2 big chances per 90 minutes this season, meaning players such as Thierno Barry have received fewer quality opportunities in front of goal.
The former Chelsea midfielder has also struggled physically in recent weeks, as demonstrated by his aerial duel success rate, which currently stands at just 25%.
Much like his possession statistics, he has failed to match the figures of other players in his position, with 80% of number tens having won more aerial battles so far.
His downturn in form will undoubtedly frustrate supporters given the standards he reached last season, leaving Moyes with the difficult task of finding a solution.
Dewsbury-Hall and Johnson have emerged as two of the biggest underperformers within the senior squad this term, with both players needing to discover the level of form required to succeed in the Premier League.
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