Tyler taking time to get it RIGHT

...BUT DIBLING NOW READY TO SPREAD WINGS

- By PAUL WHEELOCK

GIVEN the amount of positions that needed filling in Everton’s dismantled squad, it was hard to pinpoint just one.

But if you had asked most Evertonians in the summer about the signing David Moyes needed the most, they would have said a right winger.

It’s important not to underestimate the task faced by Moyes and the new-look off-the-field team put in place The Friedkin Group at the end of last season.

Of the 27 players who made first-team appearances for the Blues during the 2024-25 campaign, 10 are no longer at the club.

And given that figure of 27 includes youngsters Roman Dixon and Harrison Armstrong, who is currently excelling once more in the Championship, this time on loan with Preston North End, it underlines just how difficult a challenge it was in not only replenishing the playing ranks, but improving it.

While it was not always plain sailing - Moyes made that clear during the preseason tour of America - one look at the Premier League table heading into the festive period suggests that Everton have emerged, from what was an unprecedented situation for a topflight club, stronger.

The Blues welcome table-topping Arsenal to Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time on Saturday night sitting ninth in the standings, two points off Crystal Palace in fifth and four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, who they went toe-to-toe with last weekend at Stamford Bridge in going down to a 2-0 defeat.