- Opta data reveals Everton have used just 22 players in the league this season.
- Clash away at Spurs offers an opportunity to finally ditch the rigid selection blueprint.
- Fans are demanding starts for Tyler Dibling, Adam Aznou, and Harrison Armstrong.
As Everton prepare for their final Premier League game away at Spurs, serious questions are being raised regarding the fringe players in the squad.
With European football now off the table following recent stumbles, will David Moyes finally award meaningful minutes to the young talents who have barely featured so far this campaign?
Everton squad depth: How Opta data proves Moyes’ over-reliance on experience
Throughout the season, Moyes has consistently chosen experience over youth. Compared to other clubs across the top flight, the manager has actively preferred to work with a tight-knit group.
According to data from Opta, the numbers firmly back up what fans are witnessing week in, week out:
- Squad depth: Everton has utilised just 22 players in the Premier League this season—the fewest of any team in the division.
- Lineup changes: Only Nottingham Forest (51) have made fewer changes to their starting XI than the Blues (54).
Why Everton’s rigid selection policy proves Moyes must rotate against Tottenham
This rigid selection blueprint would be far more defensible had the Toffees successfully secured a European spot. However, with the very real possibility that the club could finish in a nearly identical league position to last year, you have to wonder: wouldn’t Moyes have been better off blooding some of Everton’s academy products and younger signings?
This debate feels particularly relevant given recent performances, during which Moyes’ trusted band of regulars have looked increasingly laboured.
Considering there is little left left to play for except pride and prize money, is it time for some of the club’s bright young talents to get a proper runout?
Three starlets who deserve a Premier League start vs Spurs
Tyler Dibling: Will Everton’s summer signing finally get a chance?
Despite arriving with a wave of excitement surrounding his potential, Tyler Dibling has found Premier League opportunities frustratingly hard to come by under David Moyes.
The highly-rated winger has logged just 350 Premier League minutes this season. While his ability and technical ceiling remain incredibly well-regarded internally at Finch Farm, his restricted game time has made it a challenging transition to senior life on Merseyside.
For the fans, the situation is somewhat confusing. Everton spent months tracking and securing Dibling’s signature, making a significant financial outlay for the youngster. Seeing him effectively deemed surplus to requirements this campaign raises valid questions about the club’s current developmental and recruitment blueprint.
Adam Aznou: Why has €9m left-back been frozen out?
Signed from Bayern Munich for an estimated €9 million last summer, the Moroccan international has endured a miserable campaign at Hill Dickinson when it comes to top-flight selection.
The teenage left-back has yet to play a single second of Premier League football. It’s a baffling statistic when you consider that his only senior appearance for the Toffees came in January’s FA Cup tie against Sunderland, where his thrilling cameo suggested a player with exciting potential.
With Vitalii Mykolenko carrying a heavy workload, handing the former La Masia graduate his top-flight debut against Spurs would be the perfect reward for his patience.
Harrison Armstrong: Academy graduate stuck on Everton bench
Homegrown midfielder Harrison Armstrong returned to Everton in January following a highly impressive loan spell with Preston North End, but his career momentum has stalled in recent months.
Initially recalled by Moyes to counteract injuries and AFCON absences, the 19-year-old local lad stepped up admirably, accumulating nearly 500 Premier League minutes. However, his game time plummeted sharply once senior personnel returned to full fitness.
Armstrong has barely featured at all in recent months. Moyes’ rigid preference for experience and risk-averse tactics during the run-in has cast a shadow over the midfielder’s immediate progression, sparking fresh concerns over whether the club can provide a genuine, long-term pathway for its brightest academy graduates.
Summary: Why Moyes must drop regulars for Tottenham vs Everton clash
With European football no more, Everton badly off form, and the preferred XI looking increasingly knackered, a ‘business as usual’ approach over selection seems redundant.
Moyes has spent the season playing it safe, but the final game of the campaign offers a zero-risk opportunity to experiment. It’s time to unleash Dibling, Aznou, and Armstrong. If the Blues are to progress next year, the groundwork for the future must be laid in North London this weekend.
