David Moyes kicked off his second term as Everton manager in the worst possible way as his side were beaten by Aston Villa at Goodison Park on Wednesday night. The game followed a theme for the Blues as their problems at both ends of the pitch were laid bare.

The only goal of the game arrived five minutes into the second-half when Ollie Watkins finished past Jordan Pickford after Jarrad Branthwaite carelessly gave the ball away. The result leaves the Blues just above the Premier League relegation zone.

Next up for Everton is another home game against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. And with that game in mind, and the defeat to Unai Emery’s side, our Blues jury have returned to have their say.

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Alex McMonnies - I think we were all left feeling pretty shell-shocked

This last week for Everton has been an exhibition in just how quickly things can change in football. I think we were all left feeling pretty shell-shocked last Thursday when it was confirmed that Sean Dyche would be departing the football club mere hours before the Toffees were due to take on Peterborough United in the FA Cup third round. I am well aware many Evertonians will have welcomed the news at the time, but for me, there was an inescapable sense of sadness that it hadn't worked out for the 53-year-old.

I am almost certain that in years to come, the majority of the fanbase will be able to look back and appreciate the job that Dyche did, keeping Everton's head above water in spite of so much working against them. He will almost certainly walk into another job when he feels ready, and I wish him the best of luck for when he does.

But as Dyche is all too aware, football can be a cruel business, and within just a matter of days, Everton had a new manager in the form of David Moyes, who returns to Goodison Park for his second spell in charge of the Blues. His appointment received a mixed reaction from supporters, but one positive surely has to be the speed with which the club moved in acquiring their obvious No.1 target for the job.

It was maybe a little surprising to see the Scotsman offered a two-and-a-half-year deal, as many would have viewed him as a mere stopgap; a safe pair of hands to guide the Toffees away from yet another daunting relegation battle. However, upon hearing Moyes' first press conference and interview, it could not be clearer that he has his eyes fixed on much more ambitious targets and is far from satisfied with Everton just surviving year after year.

The first match of the 61-year-old’s second spell in charge demonstrated that there is still a long way to go for this to become a reality. There were admittedly small improvements in the Blues’ performance as they lost 1-0 at home to Aston Villa, but the lack of creativity and composure from the players was still as excruciatingly apparent as it had been under Dyche.

Earlier this week, it was also confirmed that the Toffees were in the clear in terms of Profit and Sustainability for the latest financial cycle. This was met with huge sighs of relief from many supporters, and this piece of good news hopefully means that the club will be able to operate with slightly more freedom in the transfer market going forward, and potentially even in this January window, with Moyes making it clear in his post-match press conference that the squad desperately needs strengthening.

I dare describe them as 'good times', but Everton's most fruitful period of the 21st century was unquestionably during Moyes' first reign as manager, and there is minimal difference in quality between the side he took control of in 2002 and the one he has inherited this week. A repeat of the sort of project he oversaw in the mid-2000s would surely be welcomed by all connected with Everton Football Club.

Paul McParlan - The stats don’t lie!

Wednesday night’s defeat against Aston Villa only served to underline the size of the task facing David Moyes if Everton are to move into their new stadium as a Premier League club.

The Blues are now without a victory in six Premier League games; they have only scored in two of their last eleven fixtures and managed three wins all season, which all came against sides that were in the bottom three when we played them.

At Goodison Park we have found the net in four out of ten matches, and we have accumulated a paltry total of 15 goals all season. If these stats do not change, then this only ends one way.

Before last night’s clash, everything seemed to have fallen into place for Everton. Sean Dyche had been dismissed, David Moyes was back at the helm, we had avoided another PSR points deduction, and we were playing a team who had lost their last five on their travels.

There was a roar of expectation and approval when the teams entered the pitch, and then all those familiar failings to which we have become accustomed started to appear. Aston Villa’s best chances came from mistakes by Everton players.

Their goal was the result of a misplaced pass from the normally reliable Jarrad Branthwaite. The number of times that Everton squandered possession must have come as a shock to David Moyes. Abdoulaye Doucoure and Jack Harrison were the worst offenders, giving the ball away far too often.

Everton’s build-up play was slow, pedestrian and ponderous, lacking any creativity. Iliman Ndiaye showed some impressive touches, but too often he was forced to do his work out on the flanks rather than inside the box.

When we did launch an attack, we found ourselves up against a well-organised defence. In contrast, Villa were able to hit us with swift counter-attacks, using the pace of their forwards and their ability to pass the ball quickly forward.

It seems too many of the current squad are not of the standard required for Everon. We desperately need Dwight McNeil back from injury; he scores goals, provides assists and causes problems for defences. James Garner’s influence in midfield has also been missed.

Sunday provides another opportunity to end this poor sequence of results against a Tottenham Hotspur team that are leaking goals and missing several key players. It is a chance to start winning games again.

Moyes needs to recreate the fortress Goodison factor from his last time in charge here. Our form at home will be the key to survival this season. A fourth year fighting against relegation was not what we signed up for.

Removing Sean Dyche was the right decision; bringing in David Moyes may yet prove to be the correct one. But, with the players at his disposal performing at their current level, Moyes has a massive job on his hands. The stats don’t lie, and the only way we stay up is by changing those stats!