The coming 2015-16 season bodes as one of the most highly anticipated in recent memory for the blue boys from Merseyside.
It was a massively disappointing campaign last season, from a roster and manager who have proven they are more than capable of challenging the big boys for those ever-coveted Champions League places.
Over the past half decade, Everton, along with Tottenham Hotspur, have made themselves the perennial challengers to the favourites of the Premier League.
While not quite reaching the heights of Champions League qualification, the Toffees seemed to segregate themselves above the mid-table logjam, yet just below where their ambitions would take them.
It’s perhaps been a trend Everton fans have taken for granted. They finished 11th last season, the first time they’ve not been in the top half in almost a decade. Can Roberto Martinez return them to their upper-mid table rank, with hopes of Champions League qualification seemingly moved aside for the time being?
What bodes well is Everton’s activities in the transfer market thus far. With the season still a few weeks away, former Manchester United defender Tom Cleverly has been brought in following a loan stint with Aston Villa, and Spanish speedster Gerard Deulofeu has finally been brought back on a permanent basis, following his stellar loan season in 2013-14.
Deulofeu’s signing will sort out Everton’s seemingly dry wing prospects that saw Kevin Mirallas heavily pressured to create, Aiden McGeady fail to impress and Steven Naismith and Ross Barkley both forced to play wide, despite being much better suited centrally. Leighton Baines struggled without injured partner Steven Pienaar, and Seamus Coleman seemed to be lacking confidence without an established winger in front of him.
Needless to say, Deulofeu’s admitted excitement at being back on Merseyside has generated even more adoration from relieved fans.
It’s Tom Cleverly’s signing though, that could prove to be the best piece of business from Martinez. There was frustration among the fan-base at Martinez’s insistence on playing an out-of-form Gareth Barry in midfield. While undoubtedly holding years of experience, Barry’s performances were well under-par for his own standards. Frustration grew that neither Muhammed Besic or Darron Gibson (when fit) could get a spot alongside James McCarthy in the middle.
Adding Cleverly to the midfield stocks will not only add more depth to the thin squad, but mount pressure on Barry to maintain decent performances.
Luke Shaw has also resigned, putting an end to a dramatic saga which saw him at one point linked with a move to Anfield.
Antolin Alcaraz and Sylvain Distin were both released at the conclusion of the season, with John Stones well and truly cementing his place in the back four alongside skipper Phil Jagielka.
If Everton can resist the big money being thrown at them from Chelsea for the young prodigy (34m pounds is the figure being thrown around), they’ll have one of the most promising young spines in the Premier League. John Stones (21), James McCarthy (24), Ross Barkley (21) and Romelu Lukaku (22) all have the potential to be world-class players. There’s a long way to go for each of them, particularly as far as consistency is concerned, however all have shown moments of brilliance that should have Martinez doing all he can to keep them together.
The jury is still out regarding Barkley, in terms of whether or not he’ll ever live up to the hype generated, or where on the park he’s best suited.
While it’s undeniable the explosive energy of he and Lukaku bursting forward is an exciting partnership, Barkley has struggled to create many opportunities, often drawn into a long range shot, or playing the ball out wide away from his Belgian striker.
It might well suit him to begin playing a deeper role, as a more box-to-box styled midfielder, an idea that Martinez has experimented with before.
Without doubt the absence of midweek travels across the continent for the Europa League will do a world of good for the youngsters and their consistency. The Europa campaign looked to be the silver lining in an otherwise disappointing season, until the unforgettable drubbing a Dynamo Kiev to send them crashing out.
Most fans would agree with the relatively thin squad Everton possess, competing in Europa just isn’t worth the sacrificing of League position.
With a solid core group of youngsters, experience to guide them, and a reduced schedule without European competition, it seems the success this coming season will ultimately come down to Martinez.
Roberto was heavily criticised by the fan-base last season for his stubbornness, seemingly sticking his head in the sand when his style of football wasn’t working.
His maiden season saw buckets of goals flying in, and very little at the other end. However it seemed EPL managers had figured him out well and truly by his second campaign, most teams opting to sit back and let the back four pass it around aimlessly before breaking forward on the counter.
When he replaced David Moyes, there was plenty of optimism surrounding the apparent upgrade of footballing wisdom at the helm. However it appears Everton playing one style of football is now down to Martinez being stubborn, as opposed to Moyes’ being ignorant, or tactically limited.
There’s no doubt the building blocks are there for an era of success at Goodison Park. A core group made up of both youth and experience bodes well going forward, however ultimately it should come down to consistency of the squad to pick up points where they should, and Martinez to realise that the Premier League requires a ‘horses for courses’ approach.
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