What we learned from Tottenham 1-0 Everton

(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Finally, it’s done. This ultimately pointless season is over. It ended in pointless fashion, too. Everton were terrible as they slumped to a defeat in a whimper.

Here’s the final what we learned piece of 2025-26.

NDIAYE CANNOT PLAY CENTRALLY 

Iliman Ndiaye has been terrible lately. He was terrible again this time out. But at least, and David Moyes should not get much credit — the Scot did try to mix something up.

In my opinion, Ndiaye shouldn’t have started on Sunday. He should have been benched and Tyrique George should have been given a run.

Moyes elected against it, but did move Ndiaye central, behind an ineffective Thierno Barry. 

However, it was a change that did not work. Ndiaye was anonymous, as he has been as of late, but also as he has been previously when deployed there.

Another dismal showing from the man who should be Everton’s star player.

O’BRIEN NEEDS TO STEP UP

Jake O’Brien should not be playing at right-back. He should be played as a centre-back, and there’s no excuse for it.

But there’s also no excusing the basic errors O’Brien continues to make.

He is now well accustomed to playing at right-back and should be able to do the basics. Some of the errors he makes, meanwhile, cannot be simply put down to him playing wide or out of position.

Look at that ludicrous mistake against Sunderland last week. A lazy, reckless and clumsy touch that led to Brian Brobbey equalising.

O’Brien needs to get a run at centre-back, starting in pre-season. He and Jarrad Branthwaite should be the regular pairing next season. But he also must step up.

EVERTON MUST SIGN A GANA REPLACEMENT

Idrissa Gueye did not feature in any of the last four games of the season. Is it any surprise, then, that Everton have finished the season with such a whimper?

Gueye is definitely past his best, but his importance to this team still cannot be underestimated.

Yet he will be 37 not long after next season kicks off, and that is assuming he is even at the club anyway. As it stands, Gueye is going to become a free agent at the end of next month.

But what the last few games have shown is there is a huge void in Everton’s midfield. Even if Gueye were to stay, Everton need a holding midfielder — one to get on the ball, keep the shape and dictate the tempo. But without the Senegal international, the issues are ten-fold.

IT’S TIME TO BE RUTHLESS

Everton aren’t going to improve by valuing “stability”.

If Moyes is to stay, it needs to be made abundantly clear to him that he must fit into TFG’s vision, and not the other way around. 

If he wants to stay, he has to change, he has to adapt. If he won’t, he should be shown the door. And that decision should be made quickly.

Everton will finish the season in the same place as last year, and just one point better off. It’s not good enough.

The same logic must also be applied to the squad. The likes of Michael Keane, James Tarkowski, Vitaliy Mykolenko, Tim Iroegbunam, Dwight McNeil, Barry and Beto are simply not the players to take this team forward.

That shouldn’t all be done in one summer, but there must be improvement across the board.

Read more - No final day favours from Moyes after another pathetic showing

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