Everton's midfield is a museum piece, and David Moyes is the curator

David Moyes is extending Idrissa Gueye's contract at Everton. This is not a vote of confidence. It is an admission that the club's midfield is a museum exhibition, and Moyes is the curator who prefers old relics to new ideas.

Why Gueye represents a tactical dead end

Gueye, at 35, remains a ball-winning terrier. But in possession, he is a liability. His pass completion rate in the final third is among the lowest in the Premier League. When Everton build from the back, Gueye often drops deep to receive, turns sideways, and passes square. This slows transitions and forces attackers to drop deeper to get the ball.

The statistics paint a clear picture: Everton rank 17th in progressive passes from midfield. Gueye averages just 1.2 progressive passes per 90 minutes. Compare that to a modern deep-lying playmaker like Brighton's Carlos Baleba (4.8) or even a defensive midfielder like Declan Rice (3.9). Gueye's role is to break up play, then give the ball to someone else. That worked in 2019. In 2025, it is a tactical dead end.

The argument: Moyes is building a system around a fossil

Moyes's new contract for Gueye signals a broader philosophy: prioritise defensive solidity at all costs. But the costs are mounting.

  • Everton have scored only 28 goals in 30 games, the third-worst in the league. Their expected goals (xG) from midfield is the second-lowest in the division. Gueye has zero goals and one assist all season, which is not his job, but his job is failing to link defence to attack.
  • The average age of Everton's first-choice midfield trio (Gueye, James Garner, Abdoulaye Doucouré) is 29.3. Only three Premier League clubs have an older first-choice midfield. This is not experience; it's entropy.
  • When pressed high, Gueye's pass accuracy drops to 67%. Teams like Liverpool and Manchester City specifically target Everton's midfield press because they know Gueye cannot handle it. In the Merseyside derby, Liverpool forced 12 misplaced passes from Gueye alone, leading to six shots on goal.

The club's analytics department likely flagged these numbers. But Moyes is ignoring them in favour of loyalty. The result is a midfield that cannot control games, that cannot progress the ball, and that actively invites pressure.

Counter-argument: Gueye's defensive stats still impress—but they mask a deeper rot

It is true that Gueye ranks in the top 10% of midfielders for tackles and interceptions. He covers ground well and reads danger. Proponents argue his presence frees up Garner and Doucouré to push forward. But that argument collapses under scrutiny: Garner and Doucouré have combined for only three league goals. The forward push is a myth. Opponents simply bypass Gueye by playing through or over him. His defensive work rate is high, but it is reactive, not proactive. Everton's midfield covers ground but never controls it. They sit deep, invite pressure, and hope to counter—yet they lack the pace and precision to do so. The system is built for a 4–4–2 from 2015. The Premier League in 2025 is about pressing triggers, half-space rotations, and vertical passing. Gueye cannot play in that system. Moyes is not updating the engine; he is polishing the hubcap.

Verdict: Everton will finish 15th next season unless Moyes abandons this plan

By the end of the 2025–26 season, if Gueye is still a first-choice starter for Everton, the club will finish 15th or lower. The midfield will struggle to create, the forwards will starve, and Goodison Park will witness a slow, painful stagnation. Moyes's loyalty to Gueye is a self-inflicted wound. Predictor: Everton's points total will drop by at least five points from this season if Gueye starts more than 25 league games. That is a specific, falsifiable claim. Let's see if Moyes proves it wrong—or if he is content to keep polishing the past.

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