Kinnear also said: “We have definitely had discussions with the ownership and David about how we use the Carabao Cup and FA Cup to give the fans something to really cheer and get behind.”

Former Everton and England midfield man Leon Osman told BBC Sport: “I was a bit surprised at the statement and at the timing because, as Moyes said, I don’t think anyone was saying for much of last season that not getting into Europe was a failure.

“I do think when you get on the cusp of something and it slips away, it can feel like you’ve failed, but I would call it a disappointment rather than a failure because so often in the last five years, before David Moyes took over, Everton have been trying to keep their heads above water by staying in the Premier League.”

Moyes bristled, questioning whether journalists were “dead stupid” when asked about the importance of cup competitions, and spirits will have been lifted by the convincing second-round Carabao Cup win at Preston North End.

Kinnear said in the same interview that Everton‘s squad was “in a good place” – although added there was work to do.

Moyes sounded a markedly more cautious note, warning fans not to get carried away with an opening Premier League win against Crystal Palace and victory at Deepdale.

It is clear Moyes wants TFG to deliver more backing before the transfer window closes to improve, and bolster, a squad which ran out of steam so badly last season.

He said: “For us to be a side which is competitive, I still think we have got a lot of work to do. Hopefully we are able to try and do some of it.

“We need more players. Our squad is not big enough and we need to get more quality in some areas if we can do.

“I’m not sure we will, but it’s not for me and the want of trying, that’s for sure.”

The messages were certainly mixed, adding to a summer of mixed fortunes in the transfer market, that even led to Prime Minister and fanatical Evertonian Andy Burnham to comment on one of the hot topics when he said: “There is one thing I would just ask, sign a right-back.”

This is what makes the final few days of the transfer window so vital for Moyes, who is in the final year of his contract, and Everton.

And it will not simply be about incomings. Moyes will be desperate to hang on to Iliman Ndiaye, the inspirational forward who has been central to his plans.

Everton have signed the PFA Championship player of the year Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough. Christian Norgaard will provide experience from Arsenal as a replacement for departed veteran Idrissa Gueye, while deals for young German Merlin Rohl and England under-21 winger Tyrique George, on loan last season, were confirmed. Brennan Johnson arrived from Crystal Palace in a straight swap with Dwight McNeil.

Moyes, however, makes it plain he does not think this is enough.

So now Everton‘s fans must wait to see if owners, chief executive and manager can reach a meeting of minds to give Moyes what he wants and demonstrate exactly what TFG’s ambitions are.

Dan Friedkin, the club’s billionaire chairman, has not attended any Everton games and while absences are not uncommon among American owners, there still lurks a suspicion among Toffees’ fans that TFG’s interest is more piqued by their Serie A giants Roma, who are in the Champions League.

And despite such a promising start, questions still remain, especially that vexed matter of a right-back that has become such a bone of contention among Everton fans.

Cincinnati Reds fans are rightfully disappointed with the state of the franchise after failing to follow up on last season’s (brief) playoff run, but there is still interest in the team’s future, even if it’s mostly tinged with vitriol.

The fact that Reds fans have questions is a testament to the fact that they haven’t completely checked out — although it would be hard to blame anyone who has.

Here are some questions readers sent in (they have been slightly edited for length, clarity and style):

What is your best early guess on what the 2027 Opening Day outfield will look like? Is it likely we will have seen the last of TJ Friedl, Noelvi Marte and Will Benson in Reds uniforms by the end of next month? — Jonathan V.

Anything involving 2027 is difficult, but I’ll start with JJ Bleday in either left or right field. I can see Héctor Rodríguez starting in one of the other two spots, but feel less certain on that one. Center? There aren’t many internal candidates other than Blake Dunn, who has a chance to be ready by Opening Day, assuming such a thing exists. The longer the lockout continues, the better the chances he’s ready.

That’s hardly an inspiring answer for a team with the least valuable outfield in baseball (negative-5.4 bWAR). Guessing at additions from outside the organization going into a labor dispute with an ownership group that has done nothing but cry poor since its pre-pandemic spending spree seems futile.

Friedl certainly looks to be on track to be non-tendered, and Benson will be able to enter free agency this offseason.

As for Marte, there’s still enough talent, and he has an option left, so I don’t know if releasing him at this point makes much sense. In the end, Marte may be one of the prime examples of how Major League Baseball’s gutting of the minor-league system to save the owners pennies kneecapped development. Triple A just isn’t good enough at this point for players like Marte to take success there into the big leagues.

There’s a world where Matt McLain moves to center field — and it may be easier to move him there and have either Sal Stewart or Edwin Arroyo at second base. The versatility of Spencer Steer and Stewart could make McLain an option in center if he can somehow find his stroke again.

Of the young players other than Elly De La Cruz, Stewart, Chase Burnes, and Andrew Abbott, which two would you build around, which two do you need to see a leap from, which two would you move on from? — Zach H.

As far as young players to build around, I’ll go with Rhett Lowder and, honestly, I’m not sure I see anyone else. That said, five players, including three starting pitchers, isn’t nothing. It’s not the Dodgers, but with the right players around them, it can be enough for a couple of playoff runs. I don’t think you build around relievers, but I will buy Chase Petty stock in the bullpen.

For those I need to “see a leap from,” I am still relatively bullish on McLain (although nowhere near where I was heading into the season), and I think there’s a chance Rodríguez could make that leap with more exposure to real big-league pitching. As noted earlier, this version of Triple A is just not enough to prepare young players for what they’re going to see every day in the big leagues.

I don’t move on from talented players who make the minimum and have options remaining, so I’m not ready to ditch Marte (who is a Super 2, so he won’t be making the minimum, but I also don’t fear his arbitration case) or Arroyo. So, just like your first question, I’m not sure I can pick two, since by definition, most young players are on minimum contracts and have options. Now, that doesn’t mean if I find something better, I wouldn’t move on from the likes of Marte or, to a lesser extent, Arroyo, but that’s a bridge to cross when there’s a 40-man roster crunch.

Who are some realistic “needle-mover” CF and RF candidates acquirable for the 2027 Reds? In my scenario, the club would re-sign Tyler Stephenson at catcher, stick with McLain at second, and commit to Steer at first base and Stewart at third base. That leaves the two gaping outfield holes, along with Bleday in left. — David G.

At this juncture, I don’t know who is out there. The Reds have actually done pretty well at digging up bargain-bin outfielders like Bleday and Austin Hays and have passed on (or been passed by) some other big-name outfielders out there the last couple of years that haven’t turned out to be great investments, like Anthony Santander, Harrison Bader, Cedric Mullins or Adolis García.

Honestly, the free-agent pool for the upcoming season isn’t that impressive, and it could be difficult to find trade partners willing to unload a bat, especially with the current labor climate.

The Reds don’t have that next bat in the minors, so that’s where the versatility offered by Stewart, Steer and McLain can come in handy.

That said, without any outside help, no outfield configuration makes anyone feel confident the team can move from the bottom of outfield production to even the middle.

Was the Reds’ approach at the deadline indicative of how they’ll approach the offseason leading up to the lockout? Will they be patient/passive/opportunistic, or will they try to improve as much as possible before the work stoppage? — Tyler B.

The fact that ownership has been quiet since Phil Castellini took over is not a good sign that the ownership group will be aggressive, that’s for sure. When the younger Castellini, who was approved as the team’s controlling partner this spring, has spoken in the past, he’s mostly bemoaned the economic state of the game. I find it hard to believe he’ll open up the purse strings in the lead-up to what could be the nastiest labor battle since the 1994 strike.

Ahead of the last lockout, Nick Krall was obviously under pressure to tear down the team to the bones, either not re-signing or trading the likes of Sonny Gray, Nick Castellanos, Tucker Barnhart, Wade Miley, Eugenio Suárez, Jesse Winker and Amir Garrett.

The difference between that lockout season and this one may be that after the 2021 season, the Reds had some players they were willing to move that other teams wanted. Krall said at the trade deadline that the lack of moves was because of a lack of demand. There’s been nothing on the field in the last month to ramp up that demand, especially heading into the unknown of this offseason.

Indiana has given hope to college football teams around the country after making the Playoff in 2024 and winning the national championship in 2025. So which sleeper teams could emerge in 2026?

The Athletic launched its College Football Playoff projections on Wednesday, powered by Austin Mock’s model that simulates the season 100,000 times. Here, Austin and Scott Dochterman convene to pick CFP sleepers from the Power 4 conferences (under 15 percent to make the bracket) and the Group of 6 (under 6 percent).

ACC

Mock: Louisville (13.9%). Under Jeff Brohm, Louisville has been ascending, but the theme has been close losses to derail its chances. Seven of the Cardinals’ eight losses over the past two seasons have been by a touchdown or less. So I’ll take a chance on the Cardinals in hopes that the close game luck will go their way. Factor in that they avoid Miami and play the 12th-easiest schedule in the ACC, per my model, and the path is there. They’ll be giving the reins to Ohio State transfer quarterback Lincoln Kienholz, who pushed Julian Sayin for the starting job in Columbus last year. A lot swings on their Week 1 matchup with Ole Miss in Nashville, but I’m happy to back Brohm against a favorable ACC schedule when all they have to do is win a conference that had a chaotic race last season.

Dochterman: Virginia (9.6%). The Hoos were close to the CFP last year before falling in overtime to Duke in the ACC championship. Virginia won a school-record 11 games and returns the Power 4’s most experienced roster. So at 9.6 percent to make the Playoff, the Cavaliers are a quality bet. They have the ACC’s most advantageous schedule by missing Miami, Clemson and Louisville. An overhauled passing game, led by Missouri transfer quarterback Beau Pribula, could vault Virginia back into the CFP discussion just in time to play rivals North Carolina and Virginia Tech to end the season.

Big 12

Mock: Kansas State (10.9%). My model pegs the Wildcats as a fringe Top 25 team, but they play the second-easiest schedule in the Big 12 and avoid Texas Tech. When talking about sleepers, there has to be an identifiable path. An easy schedule is a good way to rack up double-digit wins. But the reason I’m most excited about Kansas State as a sleeper is that I’m a believer in new head coach Collin Klein, who returns to Manhattan from Texas A&M. A 2012 Heisman finalist quarterback for the Wildcats, he was their offensive coordinator in 2022-23 — two of former coach Chris Klieman’s best teams. Factor in his success as OC with Texas A&M the past two years, and I think there is some upside with quarterback Avery Johnson and the offense.

Dochterman: Houston (10.9%). I was a bit surprised the Cougars fell under 15 percent, so I happily scooped them up for this exercise. Willie Fritz has become a miracle worker throughout his coaching career, and after a 10-win season in 2025, he just might push Houston into the CFP. The Cougars return veteran Conner Weigman at quarterback and add the nation’s No. 1 recruit in quarterback Keisean Henderson. With plenty of returning starters coupled with impact transfers like running back Makai Hughes, Houston has the pieces to play upper-echelon Big 12 football. Depending on its results with Texas Tech (Sept. 18) and Utah (Oct. 24), Houston could be in the CFP discussion all the way through Selection Sunday.

Big Ten

Mock: UCLA (3.6%). I’m not here to say the Bob Chesney is the next Curt Cignetti, but his track record of winning football games is impressive. Chesney won at least nine games in his final three years at Division-II Assumption, a number the program didn’t achieve for the next six seasons. He won double-digit games twice at FCS Holy Cross, a feat it hadn’t achieved since 1991. The guy can win, and he can do so at programs that aren’t a well-oiled machine. Chesney, who replaced Cignetti at James Madison, brings over plenty of talent from his JMU team that made the Playoff last year — and he also now has a former five-star quarterback recruit in Nico Iamaleava. The Bruins also play the third-easiest schedule in the Big Ten by avoiding Ohio State and Indiana.

Dochterman: Iowa (12.2%). According to Austin’s model, the Hawkeyes fall just below the 15 percent threshold, which puts them in prime territory to qualify as a sleeper. Iowa lost to Oregon and Indiana by a combined seven points last year, and this year’s schedule is a bit more advantageous holistically. However, a Big Ten opening stretch at Michigan, vs. Ohio State and then a Friday game at Washington could sink Iowa before mid-October. But if the Hawkeyes can win one of those games, they can remain in CFP contention all season. Iowa’s final six games come against the old Big Ten West, against which it is 12-1 since 2023. If the Hawkeyes can sort out quarterback and kicker while accelerating defensive line play, they can be in the conversation.

Iowa beat Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl after both fell short of the College Football Playoff last year. (Mike Carlson / Getty Images)

SEC

Mock: Vanderbilt (5.2%). Backing Vanderbilt after the departure of Heisman runner-up Diego Pavia is tough, but luckily, there is talent to replace him. Five-star freshman Jared Curtis didn’t win the job right out of camp, but he is slated to play in the opener. And considering the first two games are against Austin Peay and Delaware, there is a chance we see Curtis starting before too long. If Curtis can come in and play to his potential early, the case for Vandy as a sleeper team isn’t hard to get behind. While no schedule is easy in the SEC, Vanderbilt does face the third-easiest slate in the conference. Outside of the road trip to Georgia and a home game against Alabama, Vanderbilt should be playing in a bunch of single-digit games. Curtis could be the difference-maker.

Dochterman: Missouri (9%). The Tigers come in at 9 percent, which makes sense considering they play four CFP teams from 2025 plus SEC favorite Texas. But Missouri has a potentially explosive offense that could allow its defense to catch up by October when its schedule really ramps up. Ole Miss transfer Austin Simmons has mountains of potential and takes over at quarterback. Running back Ahmad Hardy, who was a Doak Walker Award finalist, was shot in the leg in May and still hasn’t practiced, but he could return soon. Should the defense come through and the Tigers notch an upset or two, the finale against old Big Eight rival Oklahoma could determine a CFP spot.

Group of 6

Mock: Army (5.5%). The theme of my sleepers is easy paths to winning double-digit games, and Army fits the bill. The Black Knights face the second-easiest schedule in the American Conference, and they get South Florida in Week 2 — perhaps before USF starts clicking under new coach Brian Hartline. The schedule is so favorable that my model has Army favored in every game but two (at Memphis, vs. Navy). I think the offensive line can be a strength, and this season could play out similarly to 2024 when it finished 12-2 — only Notre Dame isn’t on the schedule this time.

Dochterman: New Mexico (4.4%). There’s a big question mark at quarterback with incumbent Jack Layne out following offseason elbow surgery. But third-year Luke Moga, a former four-star prospect from Oregon, has flashed during camp. Beyond quarterback, New Mexico returns one of the nation’s more experienced rosters after finishing 9-4 last year in a breakthrough season under coach Jason Eck. Mountain West games against probable challengers North Dakota State and UNLV are both in Albuquerque. If the Lobos compete in an early-season road trip to Oklahoma and sweep the conference, they should become a CFP contender.