(Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
David Moyes’ use of his squad last season came under plenty of scrutiny, and for good reason.
He wasn’t trusting enough of enough players, and in the end, Everton suffered because of it, as fatigue and the general wear and tear after the rigours of a long Premier League season came back to bite key performers such as Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in that dismal run-in.
There’s two ways to look at it: Either it was all on Moyes, or some (or even most) of the players brought in last summer simply weren’t ready to make an impact. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, but at the end of the day, it’s a manager’s job to get them ready over the course of a campaign.
Big pre-seasons are needed from the likes of Tyler Dibling, Merlin Röhl and Harrison Armstrong, while Adam Aznou needs to be sent out on loan as soon as possible to get regular minutes, but Everton’s two new additions suggest that for all the frustrations with Moyes’ squad management, promising young players are still open to working under the Scot.
Tyrique George was only given just over 200 minutes of gametime during his loan stint across the back half of the season, yet impressed enough for Everton to purchase him earlier this week. George did not score or assist, but he created some gilt-edged chances and showed plenty of positivity in attack.
Everton have done well to negotiate down the initial payment for the 20-year-old, who — according to The Athletic — has not asked for assurances over his gametime. However, the powers that be at the club ought to be making it abundantly clear to Moyes that this is a player that needs minutes to keep on improving. Thankfully, George does provide a point of difference to the other wingers currently in Everton’s fold, and that should result in opportunities.
George had experience of what it can be like to bide your time under Moyes, but the same cannot be said of Hayden Hackney.
However, the Championship’s Player of the Season only ever wanted to join Everton, which helped the club’s hand during their lengthy negotiations with Middlesbrough.
While the size and stature of the club were no doubt an attraction for Hackney, there will have been some element of working under Moyes that the 24-year-old valued.
With almost 200 senior games under his belt, Hackney has the experience of English football that Moyes craves, and it seems the midfielder has valued the 63-year-old’s track record of developing players from the Championship. Notable examples include Tim Cahill, Joleon Lescott, Phil Jagielka and, more recently, Jarrod Bowen.
Whatever their respective reasons, both George and Hackney were keen to come to the club, pledge their long-term futures to Everton and, at least in the short-term, work under Moyes.
While Evertonians have every right to be concerned and frustrated with how stubborn Moyes can be at times, especially with younger players, the fact both of the club’s latest signings are of that profile, and they were so willing to come and play for him, should be seen as a positive.
Now, Moyes has to repay the faith those players, and the likes of Dibling, have had in him, and give a bit back.
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