David Moyes Discusses Everton's Squad Challenges and Jack Grealish's Return

David Moyes admits Everton misjudged the length of time it would take one of their summer signings to get fit – and he still hasn’t seen him on the training pitch.

"I don't think we expected his recovery to take this long when we signed him," Moyes said. "We are looking forward to gaining his experience, but we haven't even had him on the grass yet. It is disappointing - for us and for him - but hopefully it won't be too long."

While one recruit remains sidelined, another could be about to step into the spotlight. Jack Grealish is pushing for his first start since January, and Moyes made it clear how important that could be.

Grealish, he said, is "a boy who needs football matches more than he needs training", a line that underlines how keen the manager is to unleash him this weekend. "It will be incredibly exciting to have him in our starting line-up. If he gives us what he gave us at the start of last season, we will be thrilled."

Everton have opened the campaign unbeaten. That sounds impressive, but Moyes’ assessment was more nuanced. He likes the resilience. He wants more edge.

Their start is "pleasing in some aspects", he admitted, before adding that he "would have liked to get another win rather than a draw somewhere along the way". The standards remain high, even as he praised his squad for doing "a really good job".

Small squad, big togetherness – that’s the trade-off Moyes sees. With numbers tight, he believes the group can build the kind of spirit that powered Leicester City to their shock title.

"You only have to look at Leicester City's title-winning squad to see how their small group of players thrived," he said. "It's the amount of games which means you need the extra players, but we don't have European football this year so maybe we can find a way of getting through with what we've got."

That doesn’t mean this is his ideal scenario. Far from it. Asked what he would prefer, Moyes was blunt: he wants more bodies.

If he had the choice, he would rather have had "more numbers" this season, setting his ideal at "21 outfield players" instead of the 18 he currently has. The gap is obvious. So is the risk.

Everton are already scanning the free agent market in search of reinforcements. The club know they need help; the problem is finding the right kind.

Moyes confirmed they are exploring options but warned against expecting an easy fix. It "isn't easy to find a player who could make a difference" at Premier League level once the window has closed.

Next up is Tottenham, still hunting their first league goal and first win of the season. That kind of pressure can crush a side. It can also make them dangerous.

Moyes has lived that tension before and refused to be drawn into any complacency. "It wasn't too long ago that we were in those situations as a club. We know we can only look after ourselves. We didn't quite make it over the line there a couple of months ago, so hopefully we do it this time."

Beyond Tottenham lies the international break, two weeks that can shred carefully built momentum and fitness in a matter of days.

Moyes expects a challenging spell for managers everywhere. "There will be a lot of players who will end up playing a lot more minutes than others and injuries could be a problem as well," he said. "We've got to hope that our boys do play a bit, but maybe not all of the games."

Between an undercooked signing, a thin squad, a returning Jack Grealish and a dangerous Tottenham side, Everton stand on a fine line. The next 180 minutes of football will show whether that small group can carry the weight.