David Moyes admits he has been dissatisfied with each Beto and James Garner during Everton’s pre-season, as he reveals an injury concern ahead of the brand new campaign.
It has been a difficult summer for the Toffees in what needs to be an exciting time for the club as they move into their recent stadium under recent ownership.
The squad is thin after the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Mason Holgate and Ashley Young all left at the tip of their contracts and signings have been slow to reach.
Carlos Alcaraz has made his loan move everlasting and each Thierno Barry and Adam Aznou have arrived, but Moyes would really like more arrivals before the season begins in two weeks.
The Scotsman’s frustrations are usually not limited to the transfer market, nevertheless, as he has voiced his unhappiness with a few players.
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Speaking before Everton’s 2-2 friendly draw with Manchester United on Sunday, Moyes called out striker Beto, saying: ‘I’ve been a bit dissatisfied with Beto and I’ve told him. We’re needing a bit more and he can do more and he has done more.
‘So we’re hoping we are able to get a bit more from him, but he’s a very honest working lad and I’m sure he’ll try to prove that tonight.’
Beto played 60 minutes of the match in Atlanta before being replaced by summer signing Barry, who he will likely be competing with to play up front this season.
The Toffees boss also admitted he had been underwhelmed by the performances of James Garner to this point this summer, but that modified because of his display against his former club on Sunday.
‘I’ve actually been pretty dissatisfied in Jimmy within the early games in pre-season, but not tonight,’ said the manager. ‘Tonight, I believed he played rather well and he actually went all of the space.
‘But you’ve got to recollect, we’ve played Jimmy Garner at right wing-back because we’ve not had other people to do the job. Jimmy’s a bit more flexible but we played him just a little bit deeper and I believed as the sport went on, he was the one who was still chugging along and I used to be pleased with him.’
While Moyes was pleased to see James Tarkowski back within the team after injury and suggested Jarrad Branthwaite will soon be available again, there was less excellent news about Nathan Patterson.
The defender has featured on the American tour but was not involved against the Red Devils, with the manager revealing he has a fitness concern.
‘Nathan has got hernia symptoms,’ said Moyes. ‘Whether it means he’s got a hernia or not, we’re unsure, but we’ll have him assessed on Tuesday after we get back.’
Results-wise, Everton’s pre-season has not been good, with Sunday’s draw coming after defeats to West Ham, Bournemouth and Blackburn Rovers.
Their final pre-season game comes on Saturday at home to Roma before their Premier League campaign begins at Leeds United on Monday August 18.
On the prospect of latest signings before then, Moyes said: ‘I feel there’ll be deals next week. I feel we’re getting much closer. But I felt that 4 or five weeks ago as well.
‘Obviously, we’re getting near the tickly bits and we’ve got to get some things done.’
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