Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith has questioned the form of Everton wingers Brennan Johnson and Tyler Dibling, saying Johnson "never looked like a David Moyes signing" and that Dibling's lack of starts is a "funny one."
Johnson's struggles and Dibling's limited minutes
Johnson joined Everton on August 11 in a swap deal with Crystal Palace that sent Dwight McNeil in the opposite direction. The 25-year-old has scored double figures in four of five seasons between 2020/21 and 2024/25, including 18 for Tottenham Hotspur in the latter, when he netted the winner against Manchester United in the Europa League final. After drawing a blank in 26 outings for the Eagles following his £35million move on January 2, he enjoyed a bright start with the Blues, providing a goal and an assist in his second substitute appearance in a 4-0 Carabao Cup win at Preston North End.
However, Johnson has produced quiet displays of late. In Everton's last Premier League game, a 2-0 defeat at Arsenal, he touched the ball just nine times and completed six passes in 72 minutes on the pitch.
Dibling's role and Smith's assessment
Dibling was Everton's most expensive acquisition of the summer 2025 window, joining from Southampton for £35million, with the Saints having quoted a £50million fee weeks earlier. He played just 350 minutes of Premier League football in his first season on Merseyside, with only one minute coming after the winter window closed. This term, the 20-year-old's three starts have all come in Carabao Cup ties, while his three Premier League appearances have been cameos off the bench.
Speaking courtesy of BestBettingSites.co.uk, Smith said: "It never looked like a David Moyes signing, did it, Brennan Johnson? But it was chaotic towards the end of that transfer window, wasn't it? Maybe it was just another body to get in the door. But he's not played well at all, really."
On Dibling, Smith added: "Tyler Dibling is a funny one. You saw him at Southampton, and you thought: 'oh, he's a real talent.' I know he's only 20 still and I don't know what David Moyes thinks of him, because he hasn't started many games at all. So, it might be a case of putting him in and seeing what he can provide, because he's talented."
