Everton supporters have had their say after a week that saw the club put up for sale by The Friedkin Group and the team maintain their unbeaten start with a 2-2 draw against Hull City.
Last Friday it was confirmed that The Friedkin Group were seeking new investment options, including the potential sale of the club they bought less than two years ago. On the pitch, David Moyes' side drew 2-2 with Hull City on Sunday afternoon, with some defending costing them all three points.
Fans split on ownership news
Paul McParlan said matters on the pitch have once again been overshadowed by events off it. He said it is a never-ending loop from which the club have found no escape, with the ownership saga still providing unwanted attention and drama.
He highlighted positives in the 2-2 draw, noting the team are still unbeaten after eight games and sit in fifth place. Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall produced their best displays of the season, while Thierno Barry scored his third league goal.
However, he said it was a match they should have won, with the team failing to finish the game off after leading 2-1 with over 20 minutes remaining. He blamed uncharacteristically catastrophic defending and a failure to take chances.
Squad depth concerns raised
Paul McParlan also questioned why Jarrad Branthwaite was forced to play at left-back and why Adam Aznou was allowed to go out on loan. He said the failure to invest heavily in the squad and the attempt to sell Harrison Armstrong during the last window clearly indicated that Dan Friedkin was trying to cut his losses.
He said Friedkin has quickly realised that the finances required to have Everton challenging for the Champions League are far more than he anticipated and that investing in AS Roma is a less expensive route into Europe.
James Kellett described the 2-2 draw as arguably the most frustrating result of the season, with two pieces of sloppy defending costing the team their first away victory. He said Ainsley Maitland-Niles had his first poor outing in an Everton shirt, while Barry was not clinical in front of goal but redeemed himself by scoring the Blues' second goal.
He said Everton's shallow squad depth arguably helped them against Hull, as it allowed Barry the opportunity to correct his mistakes in the same game. However, he said the lack of depth is a foundational problem that needs fixing.
Patience urged until January
James Kellett said supporters are left in a situation they need to suck up until at least January, with options within the squad thin. He said players are not going to be added to the team until 2027, so the best supporters can do is commit their support to who they have.
He said the next few months will deplete Everton's resources in the short term, meaning players will be asked to feature in unfamiliar positions, and mistakes will likely creep into performances. But he said unlikely heroes could pop up for the Blues.
Mark McParlan said it was disappointing to take the lead from behind and still throw away the points, but he was not going to harp on too much about the defence given the three consecutive clean sheets prior. He said the dropped points could be regretted, with 12 from six would have been fantastic.
He noted the main goalscoring threats in Dewsbury-Hall and Barry are on the scoresheet, which will be crucial to any success this campaign. Barry has netted six in eight this season, having only managed eight in the entirety of the last campaign.
He also expressed sadness at the spectacle of Richarlison appearing for Tottenham's u21 side at Cheltenham Town in the 'Jersey Mike's' Trophy midweek. He said he is pleased the unbeaten run has continued, even if frustrated by the draws and worried about tougher upcoming fixtures.
Of the Friedkins wanting to sell up, he said the lack of reaction and discussion tells its own story, with supporters sensing their interest was waning. Now, he said, the club are in limbo again.
