Everton maintained their unbeaten start to the Premier League season with a 1-0 victory over Ipswich Town on Saturday. Thierno Barry's first-half goal, which deflected in off James Tarkowski's long-range effort, proved decisive. The forward's fifth goal of the season was somewhat fortunate, but VAR denied him a second midway through the second half.
With the international break now underway, our Everton jury has returned to share their thoughts on the team's progress.
Encouraging signs and a squad photo throwback
Mark McParlan highlighted the release of the all-squad photo featuring just eighteen outfield players as a hilarious throwback to the 1980s. He noted that David Moyes is proving he thrives in such circumstances, with the 1-0 win over Ipswich not entirely convincing but the job done again.
McParlan believes the decision to rule out Barry's second goal may have been influenced by the Manchester derby VAR controversy. He pointed to encouraging signs from Tyler Dibling and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, and noted the squad is without injury except for Christian Norgaard. Everton are unbeaten in seven to start the season.
However, McParlan expressed concern about the three-week international break, calling it "disruptive international break purgatory." He acknowledged that the Nations League is a significant improvement on meaningless friendlies but said the extended absence will be tough for Premier League fans.
England recalls and a strong domestic core
Jarrad Branthwaite and James Garner have earned much-deserved recalls to the England setup, which McParlan sees as proof that players can achieve things while playing for Everton. However, he noted that every minute Branthwaite plays will have Evertonians on high alert for potential injury.
McParlan was encouraged by the strong domestic core of the squad, with 11 English players among the fifteen involved against Ipswich, plus one each Welsh and Irish. He hopes the team can maintain form when facing Newcastle home, Newcastle away, and Coventry at home within nine days at the end of October and beginning of November.
Squad depth concerns and a fine cliff edge
James Kellett observed that Everton's unbeaten run leaves them in seventh place and in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. He noted that the break offers Christian Norgaard and Merlin Rohl a chance to regain fitness, but five players from the starting XI against Ipswich have been called up for international duty.
Kellett warned that given the Blues' lack of depth, this creates an extremely fine cliff edge that the team must navigate until at least the January transfer window. He recalled that in early 2026, once numbers dwindled in the squad, things got ugly quickly on Merseyside.
He described it as another season of highs and lows, with Evertonians potentially having to roll with the punches. Kellett emphasized the importance of remembering these early matches when times get tough, as reassurance that the team can compete at a high level.
Manager, players and fans united after transfer window
Kellett noted that manager, players and Evertonians alike have been left to dry following a ridiculous summer transfer window, so unity is of utmost importance. He praised the commendable start, noting that while all previous opponents sit below them in the league, the team has managed to come away with two points from The Vitality Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Paul McParlan highlighted the stark contrast between how the season started compared to how the last one ended. Everton are one of only five teams still unbeaten in the Premier League and are through to the last 16 of the Carabao Cup.
He recalled the calamitous transfer deadline day which saw the sale of Iliman Ndiaye and failure to sign another striker, but noted that most fans appear to have accepted that points matter more than performances. David Moyes has shown he can produce competitive teams in these circumstances.
McParlan described the Ipswich win as a classic example of grinding out results, with Everton grimly holding on to a 1-0 lead against a ten-man Ipswich side in the final minutes. He called the decision to rule out Barry's second goal contentious, with most pundits believing it should have stood.
He praised Jarrad Branthwaite's defensive masterclass, Jordan Pickford's excellent saves, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles potentially being the answer to the right-back problems. Harrison Armstrong produced another impressive display in midfield despite struggling with an injury, showing why it would have been a colossal mistake to sell him to Nottingham Forest.
McParlan noted that Tyler Dibling made an impact off the bench and is finally starting to show signs of the talent that persuaded Everton to spend £40 million on him. He hopes for a breakthrough season for Dibling and would like to see Charly Alcaraz have more time on the pitch, and perhaps Braiden Graham at some stage.
He acknowledged criticism of the failure to improve the team in the last transfer window but pointed out that Tottenham Hotspur spent over £300 million and now lie bottom of the table with no wins. Sometimes, throwing money at a problem does not always solve it.
