After beating Manchester United and claiming FA Cup glory back in May 1995, very few Everton supporters would have believed their beloved club would go 32 painful years without a trophy.
A generation of Toffees fans have lived without ever seeing silverware on the blue side of Merseyside, but it’s safe to say it’s not been through a lack of trying from the higher-ups.
Since the turn of the millennium, over £1b has been invested into the playing squad to try and bring the glory days back to Goodison Park and now the Hill Dickinson.
Countless players have been able to get supporters off their seats with their performances on Merseyside, with one player constantly offering an unpredictable nature during his spell at the club.
Why Bolasie was one of Everton’s most unpredictable talents
One of Everton’s biggest drives to end their trophy drought came in the summer of 2016, as the hierarchy invested over £50m in new talents throughout the senior squad.
The biggest addition during the aforementioned window was that of winger Yannick Bolasie, who arrived from Crystal Palace for a fee in the region of £25m including add-ons.
Such a deal was a hugely exciting one at the time, with the former DR Congo international seen as a top attacking talent after registering double-figure goal contributions the season prior.
However, he would only spend two years within the Toffees’ senior ranks due to injury struggles, subsequently amassing just 32 senior appearances on Merseyside.
Despite his limited minutes, the now 37-year-old often managed to get supporters off their seats with his direct and relentless dribbling ability within attacking areas.
He certainly wasn’t afraid to pull off a moment of magic and showboat his way past opponents, with his best performance coming against Sunderland as he provided an assist for Romelu Lukaku.
However, there’s no denying such moments were often inconsistent and somewhat infuriating for the supporters when his trickery failed to deliver the goods in the final third.
How Moyes has his own Bolasie on the bench at Everton
In the modern day, Everton are still desperately on the hunt for silverware, with David Moyes once again trying to lead the club closer towards their former glory.
The Scotsman has an abundance of talented players within his senior ranks, but the inconsistency in the Premier League has often prevented a solid run at securing success.
Talents such as James Garner and Jarrad Branthwaite have both been included in the recent England squad and even featured during Saturday’s defeat to Spain.
The pair could well be joined in the national ranks by Tyler Dibling in the years ahead, but the winger will need to perform on a consistent basis if he is to reach his full potential.
Everton supporters were thrilled with the £30m deal to land the attacker last summer, but his move to join the Toffees has failed to ignite as many anticipated.
The youngster only started four games in the Premier League last campaign, and has only featured once in England’s top-flight during the 2026/27 season.
Moyes clearly does not see the Englishman as a regular starter at present, but he could well prove to be his own Bolasie – as he’s a player who is capable of getting fans off their seats.
Dibling was handed a start against Wolves in the Carabao Cup a couple of weeks ago, with such a showing demonstrating his ability to star in forward areas like the DR Congo star.
|
Tyler Dibling – stats against Wolves |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Tally |
|
Minutes played |
90 |
|
Touches |
75 |
|
Pass accuracy |
0% |
|
Chances created |
2 |
|
Dribbles completed |
3 |
|
Assists |
1 |
|
Fouls won |
3 |
|
Duels won |
64% |
He featured for the entirety of the contest at the Hill Dickinson, and subsequently completed three dribbles – with such a tally the highest of any player on either side.
The youngster also managed to complete 90% of the passes he attempted on Wednesday evening, which resulted in the Englishman creating two chances.
His ability to glide past the opposition and provide an impressive end product was similar to that of Bolasie – with the manager needing to give the attacker more senior minutes.
Dibling also drew three fouls from the opposition and emulated the big-money man in often being dragged down by the opposition to prevent him from being in full flow with the ball at his feet.
His subsequent performance in the Carabao Cup was undoubtedly his best in an Everton shirt, but it’s safe to say he won’t progress if the manager doesn’t give him the game time.
He has all the tools needed to be a success on Merseyside, which could see him play a vital role in helping the club end their unthinkable wait for silverware.
