Everton 0-1 Aston Villa: David Moyes says he 'can't magician' scoring issues

On December 31st, David Moyes, who was out of work, was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his contributions to football. After receiving the honor, Moyes stated in an interview with BBC Sport that he did not want to be "at the bottom of the league and fighting relegation."

However, the football world changes rapidly. Just two weeks later, Moyes signed to manage Everton, precisely the situation he had previously wished to avoid. The manner in which his predecessor, Sean Dyche, was dismissed was rather brutal. Although Moyes had said he was not seeking a return to club management, he described Everton as "a different proposition," and the chance to return to Goodison Park was "too big to turn down."

In his first home game in charge of Everton in 4,266 days, Moyes watched his team lose 0-1 to Aston Villa, realizing the scale of the task ahead. "It’s a huge challenge at the moment, I can see that," said Moyes. "Sean has got a group of players who are very good in their attitude and commitment, but we are desperately short in some areas of the pitch, mainly in the creation and finishing – we need to improve those levels." He also noted that "the club might not be in a position to bring in players who will change the situation in the market."

On the BBC's "Match of the Day" program, former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer said, "David Moyes is not a magician, but he has to find a way to get this team scoring goals. Otherwise, they are in huge trouble." Shearer added, "I would be very surprised if he hasn’t been given a promise that they will bring in players in January to help them. They desperately need a striker, a player who can put the ball in the back of the net."

Moyes had been out of work since leaving West Ham United in the summer. He said he made the decision to take the appointment quickly after speaking with Everton's ownership group chairman, Dan Friedkin, and club executive chairman, Mark Watts. Watts flew over from the United States to watch the game, and Moyes may feel he should have taken more time to consider the decision. However, emotion ultimately prevailed, with Moyes writing in the matchday program: "Everton Football Club means a great deal to me and my family."

Fans were generally supportive of replacing Dyche with the experienced Moyes, and the returning manager received a warm welcome as he walked out of the players' tunnel before the game. The change in management brought hope and optimism to the Blues fans, but by the end of the game, they had to face a reality check. A missed opportunity by striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin in stoppage time compounded the fans' frustration, as he blasted the ball over the Gladwys Street stand from an excellent position eight yards out.

Speaking about the miss, Moyes said, "If we had finished 1-1, I don’t think many people would have said it was a million miles away, but it just needs that crucial action, that crucial moment to help us score." He also added, "It's not just about tonight's game, it's about other games, and I think everyone can see it. I can't change it like a magician, I can't do that."

Southampton are currently at the bottom of the table, and of the four teams above them, it appears that two will join them in the Championship next season. Everton and Moyes are now battling for survival alongside Wolves and Leicester City, all three of whom lost their matches on Wednesday. Ipswich, who play Brighton on Thursday, have also joined the relegation battle. "It’s a huge task for David Moyes at Everton, as previous managers of that club have found," said Premier League winner Marc Albrighton on BBC Radio 5 Live. "It is a doable task to keep them out of relegation. There are some teams below Everton who are not performing as well. I think Moyes is the right man at this stage. He has been in charge a very short time, but I can only see them improving and getting confidence."

Dyche had highlighted that the goal-scoring problem had been present at the club for "four or five years" – and had existed for "a long time" before he arrived, and Moyes faces the same issue upon taking over. The Toffees have scored just 15 goals in 20 league games and have failed to score in nine of their last 11 top-flight matches. Calvert-Lewin has now gone 15 games without scoring after failing to find the net again in the recent match, and Moyes has hinted that on-loan Armando Broja may be sent back to Chelsea after suffering an ankle injury that could keep him out for up to 12 weeks.

With two weeks remaining in the transfer window, the club were happy to receive confirmation that they had not been charged this time for breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). Asked about potentially bringing in players to help the team, Moyes said: "We certainly need to do something and try and find a way to act in some way if we can." He also added, "But equally, if it is not going to improve the situation, then there is no point wasting your money, so we have to find better options than what we have got."