Everton remain unbeaten in the Premier League after a frustrating 2-2 draw at Hull City on Sunday, a result that left manager David Moyes lamenting his side's failure to convert their dominance into a comfortable victory. The Blues created six big chances but took only two, with Moyes insisting in his post-match press conference that his team "should have gone on and won the game comfortably."
The draw was particularly galling given the context of Everton's upcoming fixtures: Chelsea at home and Arsenal and Newcastle United away. Moyes' side, currently fifth, have shown resilience but are dropping points they can ill afford, especially with the club's ownership situation in flux following the Friedkin Group's decision to sell up.
Attacking threat on full display
Despite the dropped points, Everton's attacking play offered plenty of encouragement. Jack Grealish, preferred to Tyrique George on the left, was a constant menace, making more passes ending in the final third than any other player on the pitch and completing 95% of his passes in that area. His control helped Everton see a season-high 65.2% of possession, while he also made the joint second-most touches in the opposition box alongside Hull's Joe Gelhardt.
Brennan Johnson, however, struggled to make an impact on the right flank. He made just 27 touches, the fewest of any starter alongside lone striker Thierno Barry and Hull's Matt Crooks, and failed to complete a single final third entry. His disallowed goal in the 34th minute, ruled out for a 'subjective offside' after a Konstantinos Tzolakis mistake, was his only real moment of threat.
Barry, meanwhile, was a physical force but wasteful in front of goal. He racked up five big chances, scoring once, and his xG of 4.4 is closer to Erling Haaland's league-leading 4.8 than Bukayo Saka's third-place 3.6. His xGOT of 3.49 indicates a player whose finishing is below the quality of the chances he gets, despite his impressive physical performance, winning 12 of 17 duels and clocking a top speed of 35.5km/h.
Midfield balance questioned
While Everton dominated possession, their midfield was exposed in transition. Both Hull goals came from Everton losing the ball in midfield and being caught on the counter. James Garner attempted 90 passes, the first Everton player to attempt 80 or more in the league this season, but he won just one of five tackles, leaving gaps when Hull broke.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who scored and assisted, was the only one of the three midfielders to make a successful tackle or interception, but the overall balance was off. Harrison Armstrong, playing a more functional role, had limited influence, while the right side of the pitch was isolated, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Johnson exchanging just six passes compared to 23 between Grealish and Jarrad Branthwaite on the left.
Defensively, both full-backs were vulnerable. Branthwaite, playing out of position at left-back, was bypassed too easily by Oli McBurnie, while Maitland-Niles was at fault for both goals. Vitalii Mykolenko's return from injury cannot come soon enough for a side lacking natural alternatives at full-back.
Assessing a strange performance
This was a performance that was close to being excellent, but ultimately fell short. Everton's ability to create multiple big chances per game is a genuine strength, and with small improvements from Barry in front of goal, this unbeaten run could easily become a winning streak. The Blues have the joint-best defence in the league, having conceded just five goals in six games, and have only conceded in the first half once this season.
That defensive solidity provides a platform to build on, even if the xG against of 8.3 suggests some underlying fragility. With tough fixtures ahead, the unbeaten run may not last, but Everton should back themselves to cause problems for their supposedly superior opponents. Moyes is demanding more because he knows how close this team is to turning draws into regular victories.
In the context of the summer's chaos and the Friedkin Group's decision to sell, that deserves more recognition than it has received.
