Everton aiming to ensure a strong start to the season amid turbulent summer

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Everton’s 1-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers in front of 11,399 at Ewood Park may have looked routine on paper, but for those inside the ground—and especially those who stayed late—it offered deeper insight into the challenges facing David Moyes. With pre-season intensifying and Premier League kickoff nearing, Moyes knows the work—on and off the pitch—is far from done.

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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.

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