David Moyes has backed Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's frustration at suggestions that Everton's season was a write-off following a chaotic end to the transfer window, as he hopes performances like the win at St James' Park can be the blueprint for success.
The Blues have been left with just 18 outfield players, including solitary recognised options in the striker, right-back and left-back positions. Dewsbury-Hall declared in September that he was annoyed with "meltdowns" over the state of Everton's squad and suggestions they'd "be lucky to stay up."
Moyes shares midfielder's frustration
Moyes' men go into their final game before the second international break this term seventh in the table, and if they defeat Coventry City they could finish the night as high as fourth. Although the general consensus is that he has been dealt a bad hand by wantaway owners The Friedkin Group turning off the financial tap, asked if he understood where his midfielder was coming from with such a response, Moyes said: "Yeah, absolutely, I feel it as well.
"I feel disappointment that I couldn't give them some extras. But at the moment, the ones we've got there are showing that they're right in amongst it and let's be fair, we've lost a few important players.
"When you think that Seamus (Coleman) and Gana (Gueye) went in the summer and then Ili (Ndiaye) went as well. So, we've lost people who were really influential around the club and around the building as well.
"There's lots of things just sort of changing, so we're sort of rebuilding bits of it. But they've done a good job in the main. They've been in most of the games, trying to get results."
Standards set by Newcastle wins
The Glaswegian gaffer, who steered Everton to nine top-eight finishes, including their highest ever Premier League position of fourth during his first spell in charge, believes their display in defeating Newcastle United for the second time in five days has now set the bar for the remainder of the campaign.
Moyes said: "I'm trying to make sure that we keep high standards if we can, and to be fair, I think the two games, Thursday and Monday, were both good levels of games. Obviously, we scored more goals on the Thursday game than we did on Monday, but I think I'm trying to keep the standards high and we want to try and keep our levels the best we can be.
"So, I hope we can keep it up, but it was probably a more rounded, better performance than we've had, certainly away from home. We hadn't won away this season and I was aware of that, so, I was hoping that we could get one under our belt because last season we did do well away from home, we were pretty consistent with our results."
Options for Coventry clash
Moyes mixed things up in terms of personnel and tactics for the second fixture against the Magpies, so could he shuffle his albeit limited pack again for Coventry City's visit? Reflecting on pushing Merlin Rohl up from right-back to right wing, he said: "We could have played Tyler (Dibling), we've got Brennan (Johnson), so I think we've got some options.
"Merlin gives us something a little bit different, but he's also been doing a pretty good job at right-back as well. We've been able to use him in both roles when we've needed it, and that's helped me a little bit.
"But Brennan and Tyler, they're the ones who we're looking to. Tyrique (George) has come in and done pretty well in the games he's played."
