In this episode, James and Shan reflect on their experience at Toffee Fest 2025 in San Diego, discussing the vibrant atmosphere, the weekend's activities, and of course, Everton's dramatic 1-0 victory vs Nottingham Forest. 

This episode represents a slight departure from the Blue Frontier's normal post-match episodes, with a more relaxed look at the game with a focus on the experience of a last-minute victory surrounded by fellow Blues. The guys highlight the team's growing confidence and strategic approach under manager David Moyes, the community engagement at Toffee Fest, reflections on Everton's rich history, and the excitement surrounding upcoming matches. 

Producer's Note: Thanks for indulging us on a different format this weekend, we expected to be able to record more content, but the San Diego & NA Toffees put forward a weekend full of activities! Many thanks to all who helped organize, to Matt Clevy for being a legendarily tall chauffeur and awesome person, to Darren Stuart and David France for being excellent guest speakers, the San Diego Loyal for hosting us at their tailgate, and all the amazing Toffees we had the pleasure of meeting! We'll be back to regularly scheduled programming soon enough.

 

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

 

 

Maybe it wasn’t the prettiest affair, but The Blue Frontier delivers a lively episode brimming with banter and sharp analysis. Hosts James, Shan, and Ryan kick things off with an exciting breakdown of the upcoming Toffee Fest 2025 in San Diego, where James and Shan will be on hand to join Everton ambassador Graham Stewart and over 170 North American supporters for a packed weekend of festivities.    The full trio then dives into Everton’s gritty 1-1 draw against Arsenal at Goodison Park—a cagey, tactical match that lacked sustained quality but in which the Toffees showcased resilience. Iliman Ndiaye’s cool-headed penalty canceled out Leandro Trossard’s opener, while Jordan Pickford’s heroics kept the home side in contention. The hosts unpack lineup changes, spotlighting players like Nathan Patterson and Tim Iroegbunam stepping up (or not), Ndiaye and Dwight McNeil making  their return from injury, and veterans like Idrissa Gueye excelling while others fade. With humor and insight, they also analyze what this point against a rotated Arsenal side could mean—can Everton build on it against top-tier foes? Looking ahead, they prep listeners for a battle of similar styles against Nottingham Forest, armed with data and tactical takeaways. As always, listener comments weave through the episode—thanks for your amazing support! Casual fans and die-hard Blues will love this front-row seat to the action. Follow, share, and subscribe for more Everton insights!   BLUE FRONTIER LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier   TOFFEE FEST 2025 REGISTRATION: https://toffeelink.com/toffeefest-2025-is-coming-to-san-diego/

After a long wait for another post-match, the Blue Frontier is back after Everton’s gritty 1-0 loss to Liverpool in the 246th Merseyside Derby. The trio is fired up and ready to go through what was a somewhat lackluster (albeit competitive) loss at Anfield. 

In this episode, they break down all the tactics and matchups, as well as discuss the more memorable moments such as from Vitaliy Mykolenko’s masterclass against Mo Salah, to Beto’s near-miss heroics, and James Tarkowski’s thunderous tackle sparking red-card debates. Tactical insights shine as they analyze Everton’s defensive resilience, Liverpool’s attacking edge, and the frustrating VAR calls that left Toffee fans fuming.

James, Shan, and Ryan also give their take on some of other individual performances and what’s next for the Toffees as they enter into a difficult April calendar.  The guys thank you all again for your listener comments via the discord and social media. 

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

The Blue Frontier begins their first of a multi-part series, looking at different Premier League clubs' transfer strategies, and assessing what Everton can learn from different approaches to team building as the Toffees prepare for a massive rebuild this summer.  The first team in the series, having just won their first trophy in 70 years, is Newcastle United. NUFC have spent big, but in doing so built a very good squad which is consistently contending for European football since the Saudi Arabian investment in October 2021.    James, Shan, and Ryan walk through the evolution of the current Newcastle side from the hiring of Eddie Howe in November that year to the most recent move for Paul Mitchell, including the latter's vocal criticism of the past recruitment strategies. Once fully recapped, the guys look at their prognosis going forward.  This episode goes DEEP into every window since the takeover, walking through the various structures, the influence of Dan Ashworth and Nick Hammond (who was at Leeds and is linked to Everton), Darren Eales, etc.    If you enjoyed the episode, or have any feedback reach out and let us know! And please be sure to leave us a rating/review on your podcast platform of choice.   LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier  Production: James Boyman

Everton’s new era under The Friedkin Group is starting to take shape, and The Blue Frontier crew is here to break it all down. In this episode, James, Ryan, and Shan take a deep dive into the appointment of Angus Kinnear as CEO-in-waiting. What does his tenure at Leeds United tell us about his vision for Everton? With a strong background in commercial growth and a different approach to football operations, Kinnear’s arrival raises major questions about the club’s recruitment strategy, its evolving structure, and the long-term sustainability of this model.

The team analyzes his past decisions, his views on PSR, and the delay in his start date—plus, how his leadership could shape Everton’s future alongside David Moyes. They also examine the financial realities of modern football, the role of a director of football, and the risks and rewards of moving away from existing recruitment structures. With insights from The Square Ball and Paddy Boyland (thanks to both for the fantastic source material), this is an in-depth look at the biggest off-pitch story at Everton right now.

Is this the bold move Everton needs, or are the Toffees taking a massive gamble? 

🎧 Follow, share, and subscribe for more in-depth Everton analysis!

 

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

The Square Ball Youtube channel (to watch the Kinnear interviews): https://www.youtube.com/@thesquareball_ 

The full crew is reunited on this episode of The Blue Frontier to dig into Everton's 1-1 draw at home to West Ham, extending their unbeaten run to 9 matches. Ryan, James and Shan dig into the phases of the game, from a stalemate of a first half, to WHU gaining traction to start the 2nd, to Moyes' successful triple sub that put Jake O'Brien in position to thump home the equalizer, the second time in three games he’s rescued a point for the Toffees. 

Moyes faced his previous club for the first time since leaving West Ham, and the pod brings you all the details of the fantastic Everton goal, as well as all the analysis in what was a very tactical match.  From strange West Ham team construction and the key matchups to the data insights that highlight the difference in the results.  The guys then discuss potential lineups going forward and what this Everton team might look like in the next match for what could be a difficult April schedule for Everton.      

📢 Join the conversation! Follow us on socials (links below) and leave us a rating/review if you enjoyed the episode. 

 

RSVP TO TOFFEEFEST: https://toffeelink.com/toffeefest2025/

POD LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

Everton escaped their trip to Molineux with a 1-1 draw against Wolves, bringing their unbeaten run to 8 games in the league, something David Moyes has not achieved as a manager since his OG spell leading the Blues. James and Shan are here to dissect the (admittedly) less-than-thrilling match which saw both goals scored within a 7 minute spell in the first half. They of course have to mention the absence of Cunha, as it wasn't mentioned enough elsewhere in the media. But they also dig into all the other major moments, including Moyes' different approach to the substitutions, Andre nearly headbutting Stuart Attwell, and much more. Our listener input and comments really shine in this episode as the guys continue to come to terms with secure Premier League safety with 10 matches still to play.

 

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier 

David Moyes's return has brought a good feeling back to Everton fans worldwide, and the numbers help tell the story we all know: Everton are thriving under his leadership. In this episode of The Blue Frontier, James and Shan take a deep dive into the data, breaking down how Moyes' tactical approach compares to Sean Dyche’s tenure. (05:54) From shifts in defensive structure to improvements in attacking play, we analyze key stats and standout performances from players like Jake O’Brien, Beto, and James Garner.

But wait, there's more than just performance analysis—Everton’s boardroom has been nearly as eventful. The guys discuss major executive shakeups, stadium financing updates, and what Abdoulaye Doucouré’s contract situation signals for the club’s future. (23:58) With so much uncertainty, they try to walk the thin line between speculation & reality.

Finally, we turn the spotlight to YOU, our listeners. (44:08) We answer your questions—who should Everton target in the transfer market? What’s the best matchday experience at Goodison? And, of course, the truly important debates: favorite vegetables, ideal first opponent at Bramley-Moore Dock, Everton as an animal, and more!

Be sure to leave a review, follow, share, and subscribe for the latest in-depth Everton analysis and fan-driven discussion from across the pond.

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier 

Everton’s unbeaten run continues! The Toffees extend their streak to seven matches after a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Brentford’s G-Tech Community Stadium. It was a chaotic affair that Evertonians might feel hard done to not take all three points from.

In this episode of The Blue Frontier, James, Ryan, and Shan break down all the key moments—from Beto’s big chances to Jake O’Brien’s impactful goal and Mark Flecken’s unreal goalkeeping display. The trio dive into the tactical nuances and key matchups, analyzing Brentford’s effective set pieces, Everton’s missed opportunities, and what this result means heading into a crucial stretch of the season.

And, as always, the conversation wouldn’t be complete without listener input! The hosts dig into a ton of comments from the loyal Blue Frontier listeners, before wrapping up with a preview of Everton’s next match against Wolves.

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and follow us on socials for more Everton coverage and analysis! 

 

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier

 

 

Everton and Manchester United played out a dramatic 2-2 draw at Goodison Park, but the biggest talking point wasn’t the goals, it was the disastrous refereeing. In this episode of The Blue Frontier, James, Ryan, and Shan break down Everton’s blistering start, where Beto and Doucouré fired the Toffees into an early 2-0 lead, only for controversial officiating and set-piece struggles to hand United a way back into the match.

The trio dive into the tactics, the key performances, and, of course, the game-changing VAR decisions that left Evertonians in fury. They also take a wider look at the PGMOL’s ongoing struggles with officiating and VAR implementation in the Premier League.

Follow, rate, and subscribe for more Everton analysis! 

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/thebluefrontier