There is something quietly telling about the way Everton's new owners, the Friedkin Group, operate. Rarely seen at Goodison, rarely heard in public, they have let the football do the talking — or, more often this past year, the results. So when chief executive Angus Kinnear surfaced to describe last season's failure to reach European football as precisely that — a failure — it landed with a thud on both sides of Stanley Park.

Not least because David Moyes, the man tasked with guiding the club to said European football, says nobody told him that was the expectation in the first place.

Moyes was characteristically direct when the Kinnear quote was put to him. He said he was surprised by the owners' disappointment, explaining that at no point had anyone at the club told him he needed to deliver European football or even push for the top end of the table. His stated aim, he suggested, was to move into the new stadium on solid ground without a turbulent campaign. By that yardstick, 13th place was a job done.

The numbers, though, tell a more uncomfortable story. Everton were inside the European places when Merlin Rohl gave them the lead against Sunderland in their second-to-last home game of the season. What followed was a capitulation — they lost that game 3-1, then fell on the final day at Spurs, finishing 13th after failing to win any of their last seven league matches. So the possibility was there. It slipped away. Whether you call that failure or disappointment probably depends on who's writing the cheques.

Kinnear was unambiguous: "The Friedkins are winners. They want to win and we didn't win anything." He also mentioned discussions about using the Carabao Cup and FA Cup to give supporters something to genuinely celebrate — a reasonable enough objective, though it does rather suggest those running the club are calibrating expectations downward in the league.

Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman offered the kind of grounded perspective you'd expect from someone who actually played in front of the Gwladys Street. He thought the word 'failure' was a touch strong given where the club had been in the five years before Moyes returned — a club, let's not forget, that spent much of that period looking nervously over its shoulder at the relegation places. Building toward Europe, he argued, takes the sort of sustained investment and patience that Brighton and Bournemouth demonstrated over several years.

Moyes is clearly frustrated that the squad isn't yet where he needs it. He was blunt enough to say they need more players, that the current group is not big enough, and that certain areas require quality additions before the window shuts. The manner in which last season ended — seven games without a win — points to a squad that ran out of legs and belief simultaneously. That doesn't fix itself with one or two signings, and Moyes knows it.

There have been additions. Hayden Hackney, the PFA Championship Player of the Year, has arrived from Middlesbrough, and Christian Norgaard brings genuine top-flight experience from Arsenal. Merlin Rohl and Tyrique George have also come in, and the Carabao Cup second-round win at Deepdale against Preston offered a moment to breathe after the opening Premier League victory against Crystal Palace.

But the manager is cautious, warning supporters not to read too much into those early results. He wants more before the window closes and is reportedly anxious to hold onto Iliman Ndiaye, who was so central to whatever attacking momentum Everton generated last season.

Greater Manchester's Mayor, and devoted Evertonian, Andy Burnham even weighed in, making the very specific request that the club sign a right-back. When a regional politician is taking to a public platform to discuss your transfer business, it tells you something about the noise surrounding the club right now.

The window closing in the next few days will say a great deal about whether the Friedkin Group's stated ambition is backed by genuine investment — or whether Moyes is left to shape a top-half challenge with a squad he himself admits isn't quite sufficient. Both parties seem to want the same destination. Whether they agree on the route, or how much fuel is needed, is a rather different matter.

Frequently asked

Why did Everton miss out on Europe last season?
Everton were inside the European qualifying places going into their penultimate home game but lost 3-1 to Sunderland and then fell on the final day at Tottenham, finishing 13th after failing to win any of their last seven league games.
What transfers has Everton done this summer?
Everton have signed Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough, Christian Norgaard from Arsenal, Merlin Rohl, and Tyrique George. Manager David Moyes has said the squad still needs more additions before the transfer window closes.
Is David Moyes staying at Everton?
Moyes is currently in the final year of his contract at Everton. No new deal has been confirmed as yet, and the coming weeks — including the last days of the transfer window — are likely to be significant for both club and manager.