David Moyes has told Everton to “go for the jugular” and stay “full throttle” as the Blues prepare for Saturday’s trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers, insisting he will not allow any sense of comfort to creep in despite the clear progress made since his return.
Speaking at Finch Farm, Moyes reflected on a year in which Everton have shifted from survival mode into a far steadier Premier League position, but he was emphatic that the job is nowhere near finished.
“I want to go for the jugular,” Moyes said. “I want to get Everton there as quick as I can. And while I’ve got a chance, I’m going to try and do it.”
The Everton manager explained that he has seen, and fought against, the trap some clubs fall into when they reach a point of safety in the spring, only to drift through the final weeks. He recalled his first spell at Everton, when the club used to avoid relegation by Easter and then “lost all the games” between Easter and the end of the campaign.
Moyes said he “hated” that mindset and is determined the current team keeps pushing, even if pushing hard carries a risk of the occasional blow-up.
Moyes was asked about the club’s position 12 months into his second spell, with Everton’s points return over that period putting them among the stronger sides in the division. He admitted it brings satisfaction, but warned against expectations running away.
“My dream is that we could be close enough company and we might be challenging for a European spot,” he said. “But the realism is that we’re probably only in the middle batch and we’re going to have to find a way of staying there or trying to get better if we can.”
That bigger ambition, he suggested, will be shaped by Everton’s broader reset away from the financial constraints that have limited squad-building in recent windows. Moyes referenced PSR issues that have only recently begun to ease, while also stressing the need for discipline rather than reckless spending as the club moves into a new era.
He pointed to the new stadium at Hill Dickinson as a significant step for Everton’s future, with increased revenue expected to improve the club’s scope, but he was cautious about any assumption that money alone solves problems.
Moyes also spoke about the need to strengthen Everton behind the scenes, including rebuilding areas that support the first team. He said he wants the club’s academy age groups to become competitive forces again, challenging at Under-18 and Under-21 level, and ultimately pushing for success in elite youth competitions.
On the immediate football matters, Moyes dismissed any suggestion that teenage attacker Tyler Dibbling is struggling to settle, after a quiet recent cameo. The Everton boss said the issue is more about limited opportunities to influence matches, and the time some players take to adjust when they move.
He said Dibbling must keep improving and keep building, adding that he expects him to develop as chances come, whether through form, injuries or suspensions elsewhere in the squad.
Moyes also offered insight into how he handles difficult learning moments for young players, revealing he did not speak to Dibbling immediately after he was withdrawn at half-time recently because he wants the player to start understanding and analysing those moments himself.
“The one at half-time obviously hurts,” Moyes said. “You need to realise why you’re getting taken off at that time. What did you not do? What could you have done better?”
Asked about Merlin Rohl’s increasing involvement after injury issues, Moyes was candid that the midfielder has yet to play to the level expected. He said the player looked “fantastic” in training and was far better conditioned, but setbacks including a hip problem and a hernia have interrupted momentum, leaving him short of rhythm in matches.
With Wolves next, Moyes’ central message was that Everton cannot afford to coast. He wants a strong run in the cup, a higher league finish, and a mentality that keeps driving right to the end of the season.
Even if Everton ultimately settle as a “pretty safe mid-table team”, Moyes believes that would still represent massive progress on where the club have been. But his focus is firmly on making the next jump, and he made clear he will not accept Everton simply being satisfied with stability.
