00:00Everton's 1-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers in front of 11,000 at Seward Park may have looked
00:07routine on paper, but for those inside the ground, and especially those who stayed late,
00:12it's offered deeper insight into the challenges facing David Moyes.
00:16The Blues brought around 5,000 travelling fans to dominate the Darwin end, but couldn't
00:21respond to an early Blackburn goal.
00:24The performance, while neat in parts, lacked sharpness.
00:27Post-match, Moyes was seen in conversation with CEO Angus Kinnear inside the Ewood Park tunnel.
00:36The Blues have made smart moves this summer, but with the rebuild far from complete.
00:41Their Translytics trip to New York, the Premier League Summer Series, carries extra weight.
00:48Moyes will want another addition on the plane.
00:50The new keeper, Mark Travers, signed from Bournemouth, made his debut and produced two smart saves.
00:58While he couldn't stop the early goal, the 26-year-old looked solid and ready to challenge Jordan Pickford,
01:04though few expect the England No. 1 to be displaced any time soon.
01:08Further forward, positional questions remain, as Jake O'Brien Everton's most expensive signing last summer
01:16was again used at right-back after initially being signed as a centre-half.
01:21Moyes could return him to that role, depending on Nathan Patterson's progression and Jared Brantway's fitness.
01:28Right wing continues to frustrate. Neither Jack Harrison nor Jesper Lindstrom offered much last season,
01:37and Dwight McNeil, deployed as an inverted winger at Blackburn, had moments, but the side still lacks a natural wide winger.
01:46Moyes has historically relied on intelligent midfielders out wide, but that creative presence has yet to emerge in his second spell.
01:53Everton fans may take heart in the new signings and the permanent deal for Charlie Alcaraz,
02:01but this was a performance that raised more questions than answers.
02:06With pre-season intensifying and Premier League kick-off nearing,
02:10Moyes knows the work on and off the pitch is far from done.
Comments