Everton’s winless run against Aston Villa in the Premier League stretched to 13, as the Toffees settled for a 0–0 draw at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

On paper it looked like a stalemate, but the match itself told a different story: 20 shots, 46 touches in Villa’s box, and over 2 expected goals: evidence of a side creating plenty, just not finishing it. Emi Martínez, inevitably, played spoiler with another standout display.

On this episode of The Blue Frontier, James, Shan, and Ryan break down the fine margins. Beto’s chaotic afternoon, Michael Keane’s unexpected threat at set pieces, and Iliman Ndiaye's awkward fit on the right all come under the microscope. There’s praise for James Garner’s resilience out of position, cautious optimism around Merlin Röhl’s full debut, and frustration at David Moyes’ conservative substitutions.

With Villa undermanned yet still unbeaten in the fixture, the crew ask: was this two points dropped, or proof that Everton are steadily climbing? And with the Merseyside Derby at Anfield looming, the conversation turns to how this deeper, still-unbalanced squad might fare against far sterner opposition.

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Deadline Day is in the books, and the full TBF trio takes stock of Everton’s summer. James, Ryan, and Shan walk through the full window position by position, testing their own preseason assessments against what actually unfolded. Merlin Röhl’s late arrival from Freiburg, the sale of Youssef Chermiti to Rangers, and the splashy additions of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jack Grealish headline the discussion - but so do the gaps left untouched at right back and defensive midfield.

Along the way, the panel weigh Everton’s €120m net spend against squad balance, highlight which misses were blessings in disguise (no Soucek, no Aké), and consider whether patience with Tyler Dibling and other young signings points to a longer-term plan. Listener polls and comments from the Blue Frontier Discord bring fresh perspective on how fans grade the business and where they expect the club to finish.

It’s an audit of Everton’s window: not surprisingly, there are some different grades and viewpoints on how successful the Toffees have been.

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Everton’s August renaissance rolls on. A 2-3 win away at Wolves makes it three straight victories in all competitions. Almost unbelievably, that means as many league wins in August as the previous four years combined. Beto bullied Wolves’ back line for the opener, Iliman Ndiaye leaned into the banter with a wolf-themed celebration, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall unleashed a bullet on the volley as good as any the Toffees have seen in some time.

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Defensive lapses let Hwang Hee-chan and Rodrigo Gomes drag Wolves back into it, exposing Everton’s ongoing right-back and center-back depth issues. Jack Grealish again stole the show: dictating play, winning fouls, and racking up another 2 assists, looking every bit like Everton’s new potential talisman. James Garner’s bite in midfield, Beto’s hold-up play, and the away support also earned high marks.

With Branthwaite’s return looming, Tyler Dibling pushing for minutes, and transfer rumors swirling (yes, Tomas Souček…), the squad balance debate rages on. Shan and James dissect the win, the wobble, and what Moyes’ Everton are becoming.

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Everton made it ten straight wins in their League Cup openers, seeing off League One Mansfield Town 2–0 at the Hill Dickinson with second-half goals from Charly Alcaraz and Beto. It was more “professional” than thrilling, but hardly short on storylines.

On this episode of The Blue Frontier: American Everton Analysis, James, Ryan, and Shan dive into a night of rotation and returns: Vitalii Mykolenko back at left back, Seamus Coleman making his season debut in his 17th year with the club, and teenager Tyler Dibling getting his first senior minutes. Harrison Armstrong’s poised midfield display takes center stage, while the debate rages on between Thierno Barry’s promise vs Beto’s end product.

The trio weigh Moyes’ lineup choices, the value of squad depth that finally looks like depth, and what these performances say about Everton’s evolving balance ahead of Wolves in the league and the looming close of the transfer window.

LINKS:

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133 years after Goodison Park first opened, Everton christened their new Hill Dickinson Stadium with a 2–0 win over Brighton. The Blue Frontier crew break down a landmark day: goals from Iliman Ndiaye and makeshift left back James Garner, Jack Grealish’s impressive debut in blue, and Jordan Pickford’s penalty save that sealed the occasion. We dig into the tactical wrinkles: N’Jai shifted right, Grealish roaming the left, and Moyes’ new-look 4-2-3-1 holding firm despite Brighton’s pressure.

Tyler Dibling’s £35m signing also gets the full treatment: upside, risks, and how he fits into an attack suddenly packed with dribblers. We separate noise from numbers, debate who looked ready for prime time (Keane??), and ask whether Everton’s luck finally turned.

LINKS:

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Everton’s Premier League season opener at Elland Road ended in familiar fashion: August defeat, a handball controversy, and a fanbase perhaps already questioning the transfer committee. In the the first post-match recap of the new campaign, James and Shan break down Leeds United 1–0 Everton, by the numbers and by the VIBES.

James Garner’s surprise turn at left back, to Beto’s isolation, to Ndiaye battling triple-teams, to Jack Grealish’s anticipated debut, the pod digs into every angle. Was Tarkowski harshly punished for “making himself bigger”? Did Everton’s midfield look as lost as the numbers suggest? And what does this say about a recruitment team that has addressed everything except Everton’s glaring needs, with just two weeks left in the window? The duo dives into it all on this one.

Producer's note: Missing Ryan’s tactical brain this week and the match was during work hours - apologies if the analysis isn’t as sharp as usual.

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Get in touch: bluefrontierusa@gmail.com

Intro composed by Steve Barkwill, voiced by Laura Lockwood

Back from Atlanta and back behind the mic, the Blue Frontier trio break down Everton’s 2–2 draw with Manchester United in the final match of the PL Summer Series. The conversation covers tactical shifts, including James Garner operating as a deep midfielder, Charlie Alcaraz forced wide, and a promising first look at Adam Aznou. But many of the usual issues remain. The right side of the pitch still looks unsettled, and Beto continues to work in isolation.

Off the pitch, Everton becomes the first Premier League club to receive Living Pension accreditation. The Budweiser stadium deal and ongoing public transport concerns also come under the microscope, with Bramley-Moore's opening just around the corner.

In the final segment, the group examines Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s arrival, the stalled pursuit of Tyler Dibling, and rumored moves for Dion Lopy and Jack Grealish. As time runs out in the window, the strategy behind Everton’s recruitment becomes harder to pin down.

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

Get in touch: bluefrontierusa@gmail.com

Intro produced by Steve Barkwill, voiced by Laura Lockwood