Everton have slipped a little from their highest ranking of 5th in the Premier League Table, achieved through a fourth win in five games after the defeat of Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Other results meant they have since dropped down to 7th by the end of Matchweek 15 but the stellar set of wins (marred only by the shocking home defeat to Newcastle Utd) have helped to make many of the statistics look good as we head into the busy Christmas period.
And all this was accomplished with a dwindling squad impacted by injuries and suspensions; at least the suspensions are over for the next game at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon, when Idrissa Gana Gueye and Tim Iroegbunam will be available for selection by David Moyes.
The key player behind it has been Keirnan Dewsbury-Hall, whose contribution to games has reached new heights after he scored that brilliant first goal for Everton in the win at Wolves. We still wait to see if that has earned him the Premier League's Player of the Month award for November.
A key feature of the game this weekend will be how he is received by the home crowd, and how much, if at all, a return to Stamford Bridge affects his play.
Jack Grealish has continued to create loads of chances — 26 in total — and managed to score a key goal in the win at Bournemouth, when he actually took a rare shot at goal. But his play remains conservative when it comes to shooting himself, although he has been coming inside a lot more, and even switching wings, as well as doing vital work supporting the defence that we know is so important to the Everton manager.
There's been lots of talk about Harrison Armstrong returning but it seems premature, assuming Everton cannot ask for his season-long loan to be cut short at least before the transfer window opens on 1 January. If he could have been recalled earlier, wouldn't that have been considered when Merlin Röhl was removed from the playing squad with a hernia problem?
The German has managed just four appearances off the bench, averaging 23 minutes, after succumbing to a hip injury soon after he signed on loan at the beginning of September.
Tyler Dibling is still not being trusted with any meaningful game time after clocking up a paltry 4 minutes at the end of the Forest game, and perhaps we can expect this to continue during Afcon, when he will not be the natural replacement for Iliman Ndiaye, with Alcaraz favoured to partner Grealish and Dewsbury-Hall in Everton's attack.
The old adage: "If it ain't broke..." can be justly employed by Moyes up to the point when his selection options are reduced by the absence of Ndiaye and Gueye in the coming weeks, so it will of course be crucial to see how he and the team copes. But the next test is at Stamford Bridge before he needs to worry unduly about such things.
Reader Comments (17)
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2 Posted 10/12/2025 at 15:02:59
So this comment won't be here long. Maybe if I plugged a gambling site in my comment they'd let it stay? But there's just so many to choose from isn't there, look at them all around us!
Goodbye ToffeeWeb, you used to be so wonderful, and about Everton. Nevermore.
3 Posted 10/12/2025 at 15:11:42
But anyway, for the Chelsea game, I think (hope) Moyes sticks with the Garner, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye, Alcaraz, Grealish, Barry attack. Dbling can wait.
If Moyes left out either Ndiaye or Grealish in a cup game to make room for Dibling, a lot of us would probably see that as not taking the cup seriously. Play your best available eleven for every game. I don't see Dibling as one of the best eleven at present.
4 Posted 10/12/2025 at 16:09:04
Here's me thinking I could just go straight to the articles and posts I want to look at!! Once again, Michael, sorry, it won't happen again.
5 Posted 10/12/2025 at 16:45:47
I don't bet and it doesn't bother me.
6 Posted 10/12/2025 at 18:01:28
7 Posted 10/12/2025 at 19:55:32
The scary thing is that Everton can blow up early, like in the Spurs and Barcodes games.
If Everton can start strong and frustrate Chelsea, then they can be rewarded.
It would be nice to see Ndiaye sign off with a great performance but the door may be open for Dibling to get more minutes to make a statement.
The danger is Chelsea may be wanting to bounce back after yesterday's Champions League reversal. They have quick wingers as well as Cucurella so we need support for our full-backs, who are not the quickest on the turn.
8 Posted 10/12/2025 at 20:30:16
Chelsea 0-1 Everton
9 Posted 10/12/2025 at 21:01:02
10 Posted 10/12/2025 at 00:12:11
I don't think that Moysey will be calling them 'pants'. Quite the reverse. He's got a chance to knock off another monkey from his back. I'd take a draw now but we could win because I always think that we can win...
11 Posted 11/12/2025 at 00:14:26
It's one of those things where I don't really have anything rational or logical to say this, it's just what it is.
12 Posted 11/12/2025 at 03:11:10
13 Posted 11/12/2025 at 11:11:32
Yes, there definitely are more on the site but it really doesn't impact my reading.
14 Posted 11/12/2025 at 15:24:36
Anyhow, I want Moyes to start with the same 11 as against Forrest though I think he will recall Gana and drop Alcaraz.
Chelsea can beat any team in world football with their only issue being spoiled for choice with whatever 11 they select. On our day we can get results against anyone, just hope it's our day and Palmer leaves his shooting boots at home.
15 Posted 11/12/2025 at 17:21:49
What more incentive do the players need?
16 Posted 13/12/2025 at 14:51:05
I quite like the new layout and design.
As for Chelsea, I think it very much depends on which Everton turns up. If it's the one with the happiest looking Everton team I've ever seen, then we can stuff them, if it's the one where Pickford allows skunk supporters to get into his head, then we may be in trouble.
We should know in about 15 minutes.
17 Posted 13/12/2025 at 15:38:16
He looks like an ugly Afghan greyhound!
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1 Posted 10/12/2025 at 14:28:46
Chelsea are very inconsistent. Team selection has more options for this one.