Everton are a club shrouded in sentimentality, and whilst that may be appealing for many fans who might view the Toffees as their 'second team', for Evertonians it marks mediocrity that has spread into their 27-year (and counting) stint without a trophy.

So often the desire to keep dead wood around due to things they have done in the past has made the playing squad weaker, whilst a reluctance to act with a ruthless and decisive touch again leaves them behind the trend.

Even as recently as with Frank Lampard, who was clearly struggling, the 44-year-old was only dismissed as the January window neared its conclusion. This left his replacement Sean Dyche no time to bolster a threadbare squad, thus making them the only Premier League club not to make a signing.

To truly progress as a club the hierarchy must become more cut-throat, abandoning this happy-go-lucky attitude that allows them to be bullied by bigger clubs.

The first steps must come this summer, should they retain their status in the division, by culling a playing squad that have let down numerous managers. One such name that springs to mind when referencing both mediocrity and sentimentality is Tom Davies, who must be the first to go.

What is Tom Davies' record at Everton?

Having broken into the first team as an 18-year-old, his performances in that debut campaign led fans to believe that he could hold down their midfield for many years to come. He was all-action with an eye for a pass, yet had that youthful exuberance that saw him try the extraordinary, whether it be a skill or a shot.

His infamous goal against Manchester City epitomised that, as he burst down the right flank only to chop inside, dumbfounding Yaya Toure and another defender before chipping over Claudio Bravo later in the move to score.

However, having since played 176 games for the senior side, the 24-year-old has struggled to push on from the immense platform he gave himself.

His recent cameos from the bench this season serve to exacerbate this, as he looks erratic and uncomfortable, doing little to calm the nerves of fans.

Even back in 2021, podcaster Lee McLean called for his exit, as he rather harshly branded him an "extremely poor footballer" on the Bullens View podcast.

However true that may be, the £25k-per-week disappointment is set to see his contract expire this summer, and Dyche would surely have seen enough to know he does not merit an extension to his 14-year stay.

The former Burnley boss must let him go, which would finally mark an exit from the club's usual desperation to hang onto the past. If they are to finally earn success once again, they must instead look forward and move past the dead wood that has haunted them of late.