A regular criticism of Everton centres around how they do (or do not) press. Fans often get frustrated with a seeming lack of pressure applied to opposition defenders, believing Everton step off too much.
This was the case again as fans watched on Monday, with Everton going down at home to Manchester United.
Yet even on the eye test, it was clearly not the case, and the numbers back it up.
In the first half especially, when United had more of the ball, Everton were set up to try and spring on the counter. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was tasked with trying to nip in on the likes of Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo, and at times, Leny Yoro and Harry Maguire, with Thierno Barry also not afraid to put on the afterburners to try and close down the space afforded to United’s defensive players.
No player on the pitch won possession back more times than Dewsbury-Hall (10). But then when he had it, he was incredibly sloppy, losing possession 26 times, and not all of that was just him trying to take a risk — he was misplacing passes and having heavy touches, which is not commonplace for him.
But it speaks to a wider issue with this Everton team.
According to @markstats, United lost possession 35 times in the build-up zone (their own third) on Monday, yet Everton did not translate any of those turnovers into a shot.
There were chances to do so, but Everton’s players either hesitated in getting an attempt off, or they played a poor pass that saw the move break down.
It is a trend Everton have suffered from all season long, too.
The Toffees rank fourth in the Premier League for high turnovers won, with 208. Only Arsenal (210), Brighton (227) and Manchester City (232) have forced more such scenarios — a high turnover is classified as a team winning possession back within 40 yards of the opposition’s goal.
Yet only three teams — Wolves (19), Brentford (20) and Tottenham Hotspur (21) — have had fewer than Everton’s 22 shots from such scenarios. The Toffees have only scored two goals from high turnovers.
That 10.58% conversion rate when it comes to translating high turnovers into goals ranks 20th in the Premier League. Wolves rank 19th, with 12.03%.
So, who is to blame? Is it the manager, or the players?
The truth, as usual, is probably a bit of both.
Clearly, whatever pressing triggers the team work on in training are being executed relatively well. But then what comes next is a big let down.
Some of the accountability has to be on the players — it is those who have to make the right decision, at the right time. When to release the ball, who to play it into. Then there is movement. Thierno Barry, in particular, is nowhere near aware enough of his own positioning and does not seem to be making the runs to really stretch defences.
But then, where are the patterns of play? Where is the urgency from the players deeper to charge upfield and offer support?
Surely, that does come down to coaching too. Just winning the ball back high upfield cannot be the target. The target is, surely, to win the ball high upfield and then use that scenario to craft a goalscoring opportunity.
Everton do not have enough shots, and again, that seems to be a mix of the players and the manager not being brave enough. Too often, Everton’s attackers just take one touch too many, and the opportunity to have a punt goes begging. Often, it then ends up getting recycled all the way back to the defence, or even Jordan Pickford, and the Toffees’ inability to break down a packed defence then comes to the fore.
Clearly, Everton are capable of pressing effectively, but they are not efficient, and it is that efficiency that needs to improve.
If that happens, then there is still a route to (relative) success.
All stats via Opta Analyst unless otherwise stated
Reader Comments (33)
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2 Posted 25/02/2026 at 15:57:48
1) It is not done in a coordinated fashion. The players seem to run around like headless chickens chasing a lost cause but, luckily enough against Man Utd, they felt the pressure.
2) Our players generally are not fit enough to maintain a high press for long and are blowing for tugs after 15 minutes.
3) We do not have the quality to take advantage of a turnover because, with the exception of Tyrique George, there is no pace in the side.
Until we get some pace and quality on the flanks and a decent finisher, we will stumble along in mid-table. I don't believe for one minute that no players were available in January who would have improved the squad... but let's see how the "Elite" recruitment team do in the summer.
3 Posted 25/02/2026 at 16:14:34
That's why Everton are a striker's graveyard. That's why Dibling isn't playing as well as he should be. That's why Rohl, Alcaraz and Aznou aren't picked. And finally, that's why our football is so boring.
Defending is and always will be Moyes's priority. Getting back on subject pressing is very important -- we won the league because at that time we were masters of it.
4 Posted 25/02/2026 at 16:31:40
Most sides these days pack their teams with athletes and pure raw pace and power.
We basically have players who are no longer effective when it comes to scoring goals and entertaining, it's been like this for some years.
Look at our full-backs compared to others in the Premier League. Other teams' full-backs play in the opposition penalty area and are basically wingbacks, full of energy and can cross a ball in a variety of ways along the deck and aerially.
We only have hitting high crosses to a fella that's not particularly good in the air anyway for his height; it's senseless football.
We haven't scored more than 42 goals in the Premier League since the 2022-23 season, so that's two full seasons and probably this one (unless we somehow find a goal glut but, given the fixture list, that's unlikely).
We are currently stuck on 29... which is piss-poor.
It seems like rocket science at Everton to ever break the mould however.
5 Posted 25/02/2026 at 16:44:39
Very good, sensible post.
Anyone who denies the facts in your post is not really looking at what style of football Moyes has served up throughout his whole managerial career.
6 Posted 25/02/2026 at 19:33:18
7 Posted 25/02/2026 at 20:40:18
Name me any side in the Premier League, apart from the Bottom 3, that Dibling, Aznou, Rohl, Alcaraz would be starting in??
I think you would struggle; these players are not Premier League standard.
8 Posted 25/02/2026 at 20:42:36
They have hardly played.
9 Posted 25/02/2026 at 20:51:41
10 Posted 25/02/2026 at 20:56:10
And should that include Moyes given he says he signs off on everyone?
11 Posted 25/02/2026 at 20:57:46
agree with that. Near 14 months Moyes has been back, to listen to some, you would think he got here last week.
14 months to work on improving the playing style (hasn't happened). They are, as you say, his buys.
12 Posted 25/02/2026 at 22:18:07
13 Posted 25/02/2026 at 23:22:51
No matter who plays in the starting 11, we just don't carry a goal threats from various parts of the pitch.
We need better players, starting with 2 full-backs and 2 strikers.
14 Posted 25/02/2026 at 00:27:14
So is everyone in our squad come to that, dependent as some of the few with such potential have, to rely on somehow devising a personal plan to progress amid a squad of sad mediocrity (it's been the case for 30 years now but those now in charge show no sign of improvement).
Like all but the "top" two, three, four of clubs unaccountably above sanction via the absurd legislation imposed by the Premier League on the rest of the teams, they for years have been permitted to massively outspend all the other clubs, including us, to effectively destroy competitiveness where it matters, namely on the pitch.
Re-appointing a manager who's shown for decades that he's effectively content to continue to crank out the same old rhetoric and game plans that makes him very wealthy whilst we, our club, now play in a state-of-the-art stadium just praying for owners with a glimmer of ambition and, dare I say it, accountability to its vital fan-base.
And, believe me, we are vital to Freidkin, the Silent One.
15 Posted 26/02/2026 at 11:11:51
16 Posted 26/02/2026 at 11:44:22
A Branthwaite and O'Brien partnership would see us playing 15-20 yards up the pitch.
17 Posted 26/02/2026 at 12:08:18
If you look at the Premier League table today there are 5 of the Top 6 you would expect to be there. The only slight suprise is Aston Villa in 3rd, although when you look through their squad, it's a very good one. Spurs are the ones that have badly underachieved this season.
Just have a look at all the Top 6's squads and compare them to ours, that's the main reason we are in 9th and they are where they are.
18 Posted 26/02/2026 at 12:18:02
20 Posted 26/02/2026 at 13:15:44
I know you want to blame Moyes for our ills, but I'm just pointing out that the quality of a team's squad has a mighty big say in how well you do. I don't think that's in doubt.
21 Posted 26/02/2026 at 13:20:10
A lot of it is to do with how you use the squad.
22 Posted 26/02/2026 at 13:47:06
23 Posted 26/02/2026 at 14:23:02
I'll leave you with these figures:
Squad Value Table
Spurs £876M
Newcastle £709M
Forest £591M
Palace £536M
Brighton £510M
Everton £423M
All of the above are below us in the table.
24 Posted 26/02/2026 at 14:30:49
25 Posted 26/02/2026 at 16:15:09
Wouldn't that imply that Moyes is using our squad's limited value better than more talented clubs are using theirs, at least in terms of results?
Not exactly the point you're trying to make, is it? ;-)
26 Posted 26/02/2026 at 16:28:27
If what we are watching is Moyes getting the best out of a cheaper-rated squad, let's hope we don't hit a downward turn.
27 Posted 26/02/2026 at 18:43:17
If Dyche was still in charge, they would be.
Let's give Moyes a better squad, then look to improve on the manager.
28 Posted 26/02/2026 at 18:56:58
29 Posted 26/02/2026 at 18:59:23
30 Posted 26/02/2026 at 21:02:41
31 Posted 26/02/2026 at 22:04:15
It could be…. it shouldn't be, but it could be.
32 Posted 26/02/2026 at 23:21:56
33 Posted 28/02/2026 at 09:48:00
Moyes is our problem. Hopefully the Freidkins will cotton on if they haven't already.
We need to get shot asap and give these guys a chance.
34 Posted 03/03/2026 at 06:33:58
See Dibling vs Coleman.
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1 Posted 25/02/2026 at 14:56:58
We did same for two periods in the second half, Man Utd were at there worst when we pressed high collectively.
Our biggest issue with pressing is we do it 2 v 3 or 3 v 4 the majority of the time. Always an out for the opposition.
Press high or mid in numbers or don't do it at all.