Nice thoughts, Andy.

The intangibles if you like. Although there really is no substitute for quality, as that game last night showed.

I want to say that pining for a small tightly-knit squad goes against the massive 20-man matchday squads that are prescribed in this day and age. But perhaps it takes just one bad apple in that squad to spoil the whole barrel. (How true is that truism, I wonder?)

So having more players than you absolutely need increases the risk – especially as the ones on the fringes get little game-time and could become disruptive if they feel hard done by.

But there is no magic formula. We just have to hope they get it right.

we are now entering the most exciting phase of the season, when the football ends, and we can move to the important task of monitoring news now/ Everton. I feel confident that with Everton News and Goodison News we will be kept upto date with all the important developments in a way that just wasn't possible before.
Parking the sarcasm for a moment, it is going to be fascinating. We are left with the husk of a squad, but that means we are going to be buying and selling like mad. It really is all change this Summer, and whilst there are many who have reservations over the Moyesiah, I think the record shows that he's always done well for us at this particular aspect of the job. Certainly I'd rather him in charge than, say, Ronald Koeman, as we glance around for our cheque book.

Andy O/P that’s a good post Andy and you know I respect you as a genuine Bluenose and a man but your post shows you are thinking everyone is as genuine as yourself and you live your life that way but today life is not like that and in today’s money mad football scene most players put themselves first and what is best for themselves and winning medals means, to them, getting more money and moving on to the next richer club with now and again a Seamus Colman joining the club and appreciating what he has got——not many like him Andy or yourself.

Good honest post Andy. If our players had your commitment, we'd be in better place. We won't become world beaters overnight, but we can make progress.

You don't have to have the best 11 players. You have to have a team that will fight for each other, show desire and win together.

We've met Andy and you're as blue as anyone I know. Hope to see you next season. If you get the ferry to Birkenhead, you can salute the new Everton Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock as you sail past before you enter her.

God bless, blue boy.

No doubt plenty of us on here have both played at a decent level and maybe coached too like myself. For what my comment is worth, I wholeheartedly agree with Andy's main point. That elusive team spirit (man management) from the coaches perspective I think is critical. We won our 3rd div cup three season's in succession, the last being the toughest. We certainly weren't the best technical team in the division but the boys just would not give up, never knew when they were beat.

Andy my friend, you've written a masterpiece here. Passion, courage and luck often mean as much or more than physical talent or goalscoring records at previous clubs.

You're right also about the ethos of this club, and the likelihood that Moyes' hiring -- though we both opposed it -- will serve to connect this new batch of players to that ethos (as well as the new owners and executives).

The importance of bringing in players who reflect Everton's traditional philosophy cannot be overstated, and Davey does have a history of recognizing such players. Here's an excerpt of what he wrote in the foreword to Tim Cahill's autobiography:

What stood out to the naked eye was that he was tremendously effective in both boxes: defensively able and usually the first to head clear, but also with the hunger, ambition and engine to be up in the opposition penalty area quickly afterwards looking to do danger...

...his personality knocked our socks off. Not only was I very impressed by this guy in whom I was about to invest a lot of faith and a lot of hope, but Bill was bowled over too. What oozed out of him was not only resolute self-belief but great character.

If Moyes focuses on those character traits -- on and off the pitch -- in the players he signs this summer, we will do well.

All that said, it'll still help a lot if we get some pace in the side. ;-))

Mike #6. What a brilliant review from Moyes of one of our best. Sadly, these days, Dithering Dave likely won't be allowed the time to do his very complete due diligence on potential new signings as we will need several in a hurry plus the likes of Leeds, West Ham etc will nip in first if he takes too long.

No to P*** on your chips but

It is the creation of a group like this that overcomes fatigue and comes back from 2-goal deficits.
The last time we came back from a 2 goal deficit was 19th May 2022 at home to Crystal Palace. We have had a fair few allowing teams to come back from a 2 goal deficit in the intervening period.

But yes, team morale is key.

Ahhh.. to have just ONE player with Tiny Tim's character in the team! Very good post, Andy. I do believe that luck plays a huge part in putting together a competitive team. We have had absolutely rotten luck in that department. For example, I believe Marco Silva's reign collapsed because of 2 events - (1) Kurt Zouma on loan was an absolutely key figure in having a great end-of-season, and we were odds-on favourites to sign him from Chelsea, but in the summer Chelsea failed to sign their key CB target (don't remember) and one of their other CBs suffered a season long injury just before summer. So, they refused to sell us Zouma (2) We let Gana leave when he was playing the best football of his career, and his replacement was Gbamin, who was unfortunately crippled by injuries. Then Delph came in but he was mostly injured that season, Moise Kean did not set the world on fire, Gomes and Iwobi were struggling, and basically everything that could go wrong, went wrong. I firmly believe that was the beginning of the downward spiral, which we have miraculously survived.

I see Doucoure has gone public with his, “I want to stay” campaign. It seems like he thinks he deserves a new, improved contract.

Now I like Doucoure for his work rate but that’s all he has. He scores the odd (important) goal but his passing and positional sense is piss poor. If he wants to earn a ton of money he can go to Saudi Arabia..

I don’t think Moyes, or TFG, will be impressed with his whingeing.

Just read that Colin. If someone wants to pay him £100-130k+, then good luck to him.

I wish him the best.