Everton traveled to Bolton Wanderers for the Blues' second preseason matchup of the season, a game that ended up with neither side finding the back of the net in a somewhat lackluster 0-0 draw.
The Toffees did score once in the first half, via a lovely cross from Merlin Rohl that Thierno Barry knocked past Bolton goalkeeper Jack Bonham, but it was ruled offside by the linesman and proved to be the only major chance for either side throughout the ninety minutes.
Obviously, with preseason matches, the main focus is on fitness, but engaging with updated tactics, if such a thing exists for David Moyes, would be an important second area of concern.
With that in mind, Everton did open the match in a manner we haven't seen from Moyes in quite a while, with the trio of Jarrad Branthwaite, Jake O'Brien, and James Tarkowski beginning the contest in a back three, with Rohl and Adam Aznou serving as wing backs.
Given the current state of affairs at right back, this setup is not the worst idea from Moyes, although it doesn't necessarily make the most of Rohl's skillset. It does, however, allow more time on the pitch for Aznou, who was once again lively during his time on the pitch.
He did have a moment showing why Moyes doesn't trust him as an out-and-out left back, where he didn't check his shoulder and allowed a Bolton winger to get past him, but the young Moroccan managed to use his athleticism to recover and cause problems for the attacker.
The second half saw Moyes shift back to his usual back four, with O'Brien once again slotting in at right back, and Vitalii Mykolenko coming on for Aznou. It was a bit problematic how quickly Moyes pulled the plug on the formation, especially since the likes of Dwight McNeil saw extensive time on the pitch during the match.
The need to sign a right back is all the more glaring, even as Everton wait for the "ideal" option to come along.
All in all, it wasn't the best performance from Everton, as they failed to cause much trouble for Bolton no matter how the lineup was constructed, a worrying development considering the lack of involvement from James Garner, Hayden Hackney, and Tyler Dibling on the day.
Unfortunately, it was announced before the match that Garner had groin surgery this week, although the hope is he'll still be ready for the beginning of the Premier League season. Dibling has a minor knock, while Hackney is supposedly still being "integrated into squad training after recovering from an injury at the end of last season.
That's worrisome for Everton given how the midfield of Harrison Armstrong, who was quite good, and Tim Iroegbunam, who was less so, performed today.
The Blues continue their preseason away to Stoke City on Tuesday afternoon.
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