Why the rush to move on from David Moyes?

Goodison Park has spent much of the season oscillating between cautious optimism and familiar groans, yet the numbers argue that the current campaign represents exactly the kind of calm, mid-table campaign Evertonians spent years craving. With 12 Premier League fixtures remaining, Everton sit eighth—level on points with the congested pack below and only marginally adrift of the European places. Nevertheless, Tuesday’s chaotic 10-minute collapse at Bournemouth prompted some supporters on social media to suggest David Moyes’ second tenure should be measured in single-digit fixtures rather than months.

That knee-jerk frustration is understandable: the late capitulation on the south coast felt like a microcosm of the club’s decades-long habit of snatching disappointment from the jaws of satisfaction. Yet context matters. Everton are as close to fifth-placed Chelsea as they are to 15th-placed Leeds; one swing of results could shunt them toward either European contention or the lower half. Opta’s projection model anticipates a 10th-place finish on 52 points—underwhelming from today’s vantage point, but hardly disastrous for a squad that spent last spring fighting relegation.

Since returning 13 months ago, Moyes has overseen 18 wins from 45 league matches, a total that places Everton joint-eighth in that span. Only five ever-present sides have lost fewer than their 13 defeats, while the club’s 14 draws—second most in the division—highlight a new-found resilience. Defensively, the improvement is even starker. Despite an expected-goals-against tally of 58.2, the Toffees have shipped just 49, a figure bettered only by Villa, Manchester City and Arsenal. Such overperformance may regress, but elite shot-stopping and last-ditch defending have become hallmarks of the current side.

Attacking output remains a legitimate concern: chances are scarce and goals even scarcer. Still, the squad’s spine now looks organised, competitive and, crucially, harder to beat than at any stage since the early-Carlo Ancelotti era. Europe was never the stated objective—January’s modest spending underlined as much—but the table offers an unexpected opening. Bournemouth, Sunderland, Fulham and Crystal Palace each trail or match Everton despite comparable resources, while fashionable Brighton have won once in 13 league outings. Even Newcastle, superior on paper, have struggled for consistency.

Moyes has always divided opinion. During his first Goodison stint, sublime highs arrived hand-in-hand with maddening lows, and the current sequel follows a similar rhythm. Yet the broader trajectory is upward: relegation fears have been replaced by mid-table security and the tantalising possibility of continental qualification. The Scot’s contract enters its final year this summer, leaving owners The Friedkin Group with a decision on an extension. What they should not be contemplating, with tangible progress on the pitch and stability off it, is an abrupt severance.

Everton may ultimately fall short of Europe, and disappointment will linger if they do. Still, perspective is required. After seasons of managerial churn, financial chaos and survival dogfights, eighth place with a third of the schedule remaining is neither failure nor cause for yet another managerial reset. Moyes has earned the right to attempt the final push, rough edges and all.