Everton fans who warned West Ham supporters to be careful what they wished for when David Moyes left the London Stadium are now raising many of the same complaints about the Scot themselves.

David Moyes left West Ham nearly two-and-a-half years ago, but he remains a big talking point in east London.

Less than seven months after Hammers News highlighted the growing criticism of Moyes on Merseyside, the mood has taken another turn following Everton’s 2-0 defeat to Arsenal on Saturday.

The result itself was hardly a shock against the reigning champions. But the manner of the performance, combined with Everton’s recent struggles, has left supporters questioning whether Moyes is taking the club forward or simply keeping them ticking over.

For West Ham fans, there is an unmistakable and rather ironic sense of déjà vu.

Everton fans turn on Moyes over familiar problems

When West Ham parted company with Moyes in 2024, Everton supporters were chief among those warning the Hammers to ‘be careful what you wish for’. Moyes had delivered stability, European football and the Europa Conference League trophy, yet many West Ham fans wanted a more modern, progressive and attacking manager.

Now a growing section of the Everton fanbase is making remarkably similar complaints.

Following the Arsenal defeat, one supporter on Evertonia called for Moyes to go, describing his tactics as ‘ultra cautious negativity’ and criticising his predictable team selections and substitutions.

Another complained that Moyes was simply trying to limit the damage, arguing that Everton had offered little ambition or urgency before the game was effectively lost.

On Reddit, one Everton supporter summed up the frustration: “The squad’s not great but Moyes has absolutely no ideas for it. Utterly drab and yet he refuses to start Hackney or Dibling.”

Others questioned his use of Brennan Johnson ahead of summer signing Tyler Dibling, while late substitutions and the failure to introduce younger options earlier also attracted criticism.

The complaints sound familiar to West Ham supporters who became frustrated by Moyes’ cautious approach, particularly when results began to deteriorate.

West Ham’s Moyes warning rings true as familiar divide develops at Everton

The irony is that Moyes has already demonstrated he can provide exactly what Everton needed when he returned: organisation, stability and a manager capable of navigating difficult circumstances.

But that does not mean the football is beyond criticism.

Evertonia’s post-match discussion reflected deep frustration with a style of play some supporters believe is outdated and excessively defensive. One fan argued that Moyes’ approach belonged in another era, while another suggested the club’s ambition was being limited by its willingness to settle for safety-first football.

That is precisely the dilemma West Ham faced. Supporters could appreciate what Moyes had achieved while still believing the club needed a different direction.

Now Everton are confronting the same question: when does stability stop being progress?

There is an important counterargument. Some supporters defended Moyes after the Arsenal defeat, pointing to the quality of the opposition, Everton’s limited squad and the absence of key players.

One Reddit user said they felt sorry for the manager because he had few options available, while another said they were grateful for the stability Moyes had brought but were ready for a more creative approach next season.

Moyes himself acknowledged after the defeat that Everton needed to create more chances, while also pointing to periods in which his players defended well.

That context matters. Losing away to Arsenal is not, on its own, evidence that a manager has failed.

But when supporters repeatedly complain about the same things — cautious tactics, predictable selections, late substitutions and a lack of attacking ambition — the argument becomes harder to dismiss as an emotional reaction to one result.

Everton fans once warned West Ham that life after Moyes might not be better. The Hammers’ subsequent struggles certainly gave that argument some ammunition.

Now the same supporters are discovering that keeping Moyes does not necessarily eliminate the frustrations they once told West Ham fans to tolerate.

There is further irony to the situation given West Ham fans are raising similar frustrations about Nuno Espirito Santo.

Just as he did, and still does, at West Ham, the Scot still has admirers on Merseyside, and his achievements deserve recognition. But the tide of opinion is shifting, and the warning that Everton fans issued to West Ham is now coming back to haunt them.

Now the shoe is on the other foot and it’s clear being careful what you wish for works both ways.