Dewsbury-Hall buy gives Moyes options the manager craves

A LACK of options sometimes leads to necessary experimentation. It has been the case for David Moyes and Everton this summer.

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The Blues' small squad during preseason has been no secret. Moyes has frequently referenced the lack of players and, at times, has had to cobble together an XI just to get a team on the pitch.

"We were nearly struggling to field the team in some ways today," he said after the 3-0 loss to AFC Bournemouth on tour in the United States. "We had five players playing out of position, really."

That night, Everton fielded a back five that included two fullbacks at centre-back and two midfielders at wing-back. In the following game against West Ham United, there was a three-man defence again - a formation Moyes did not use in any Premier League game last season.

On Sunday against Manchester United, there were more changes. The familiar back four returned, although the midfield structure was different.

James Garner sat deepest, with Idrissa Gueye and Tim Iroegbunam pushed higher. It meant there was no natural No. 10 in the team.

While Moyes' rare dalliances with a back five may have been born of necessity, that may have been less the case against Manchester United.