David Moyes seeks reinforcement after 3-0 loss to Bournemouth

Signings are the need of the hour and manager David Moyes lamented the lack of reinforcements off the bench following the 3-0 loss to Bournemouth in the first match of the Premier League Summer Series.

On a sweltering afternoon at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the Blues went toe-to-toe with the Cherries for the first half and created several chances. However, Andoni Iraola was able to rely on his substitutes for a fresh dose of energy and three goals from Philip Billing, Dango Ouattara and Daniel Adu-Adjei in 15 minutes sealed the game.

Speaking about the lack of signings at this stage of the transfer window, Moyes said, “Yes, but let's be fair, it's not just players missing. We need to sign a lot of players and we're hugely aware that we need to bring a bunch of new players in as well. I wish we could have had them earlier because it would have helped us now and helped us prepare them for the team.

“But I thought [Thierno] Barry came on and actually did well for us as well. He came on and held the ball up quite well, looked as if he was going to work in behind. So there was a wee bit of a positive from that.

“We're fully aware that we've come here with a really limited squad and numbers and quite a few injuries as well.”

The Blues had to make the trip to the US without star centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, who suffered a minor niggle in the friendly with Blackburn Rovers. Michael Keane and James Tarkowski not being at 100% fitness meant that Jake O’Brien was the only centre-back available for the first match of the US tour.

“I think five players had to play out of position. We've had to play with three centre-halves injured today and find a way of getting a team that could be at least competitive. We always knew there was this possibility that we could lose like this because of the lack of defenders we've got out of the side at the moment. But we've tried to put them out to give us the best possible chance,” Moyes added.

Before the match with Bournemouth, the Everton manager said in an event in New York that the club needed to sign “nine or 10 players before the start of the season.” Asked to clarify his comments in the press zone following the game, Moyes felt justified in his assessment.

"Well, we've signed three, so if you take that off, we're still in the need of maybe five or six players," he said. "That's what we have to try and do.

“It’s one of these times where I’ve never had to sign so many in one window, like we’re doing. We’re sort of picking up a little bit where we’re at the end now and there’s a lot of people out of contract and a lot of loan players we had in because of the financial situation so we’re having to sort of find a way now.

“Look, we’re trying really, really hard behind the scenes to get things done and as you can see, we’re going to need it.”

So far, the Toffees have signed French striker Thierno Barry from Villarreal, goalkeeper Mark Travers from Bournemouth and made Charly Alcaraz’s loan spell permanent. However, they still need several additions after losing a whole host of players this summer including the likes of Abdoulaye Doucoure, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Ashley Young, Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom among others.

 

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