There can be no denying though that Moyes’ midfield purchases were far superior to any that have arrived since (granted that Koemaggedon was a complete apocalypse event)
Back then we had a higher quality of midfield player and still bumped up against the top 5/6 (regardless of what people think of the manager). We now have lesser quality players but we’ve paid the fees that demand we challenge the top 6. Until Silva is given funds to change that his hands are tied. Gomes is a step in the direction as he can actually play football but the rest are all carthorses. Gueye Schneiderlin Siggurdson are awful players, McCarthy is reasonable but never fit, Davies is not yet ready to carry a midfield. That’s hardly the midfield roster of a side with top 6 ambitions.
Silva either needs to do what Klopp has done and bypass the midfield, or player trade to improve the quality of it. A good starting point would be punting that no mark Gueye.