I fear this team the most for taking 4th, which will mean no CL for us. If Everton do make it to CL do everton fans think they will take the future expectations of the club to the next level? or will it just be a feather in your cap, that the club we enjoy while it lasts? Or will you use it as he stepping stone for progression and if so how will you do it and will you be able to do it?
Well, that's the question isn't it. I'm hugely pleased at the season so far, the style of play, the change in attitude and confidence. For the remainder of the season, I think Everton have a good shot at taking 4th, of course dependent on health & whims of fate. If we do qualify, I want the club to attempt to compete in the CL and perform well in the Premiership again next year. Keeping loan players such as Lukaku and Barry will be a large challenge, as well as finding the depth needed to compete in both competitions next year. Clearly, Everton have demonstrated the ability to compete in England this year - the question is, can Everton fund and can Martinez find and manage the size and quality of a squad necessary to be relevant in England and in Europe? I think Martinez can find and manage the players necessary to do so. I'm fairly confident that Lukaku won't be back - if he continues to have a good campaign in the 2nd half, then I can't see Chelsea letting go of him unless it's for stratospheric money. I think Barry will stick because he'll be seeing good first team football, something he wasn't getting at Man City. Adding 2 quality players for each line is what's necessary - up front, the middle and the back - so that as injuries happen and as the fixture schedule becomes crowded, Everton can have the quality it needs to be viable. And that leads to the money question: If Kenwright & co can find it, then I hope they'll take the shot. If not, then it'll have been a good year, with most likely an early exit from the CL and fighting for a Top 4 finish again next year. But I want Everton to have the ambition to find the funds, take the risks and attempt to compete with the best. It all makes for wonderful theater, anxious table watching and terrific football. So I'll take it.
Saturday morning, making some breakfast, sipping coffee - and Everton v Norwich on the computer - not a bad morning. though we're 12 mins in and haven't scored yet......though Lukaku just missed.....
Nice win today. Hopefully we get Distin back soon since Stones looked mighty shaky a few times today. I'm sorry to see Jelavic headed to Hull. He had such a great start with the Toffees, and it was never obvious to me what went wrong. Jelavic certainly seemed to put in the effort you'd like to see from your players -- perhaps his slump was just bad luck. Assuming Jela leaves us, who exactly do we have to back up Lukaku at striker? The always-seems-to-be-injured Kone? The not-sure-if-he'll-stay-healthy Deulofeu? Mirallas is listed as a forward, but he seems more comfortable and productive as an attacking midfielder than as a striker. Hmmmm.
Can't say I was too surprised. Our back line was pretty hopeless. The sooner we get Distin back, the better.
Everton 2-1 Aston Villa. What a brilliant goal by Mirallas! Even though Baines and others have hit some terrific strikes the past few seasons, I think that might be the best Everton goal I've seen in a long long time. And it was great to see Naismith continuing his recent scoring success. Hopefully he can keep it up!
Agreed re Mirallas - I am seriously concerned re depth up top - with Lukaku out, Traore hurt & not-proven, Jelavic gone - staying in Top 4 contention looks problematic!
Everton is in fifth, 6 points behind fourth place Arsenal, but Everton can catch up with a game in hand and a home game against Arsenal. Everton still has to play both Manchester clubs at Goodison Park. Everton's four remaining away games are easy, with none against the current top eight and two against clubs in the relegation zone.
hey guys - i think you will be in 4th after the Arsenal game on GD...with a game in hand; if it ain't gonna be us I would sure rather it be you.
Blues are playing well at the moment - it's rather nice to be in the mix for Europe with the way the schedule lays out over the rest of the season. There is plenty of opportunity, if we can cash in....
Sunderland 0-1 Everton due to an own goal. The away club won both games 1-0 this season when Everton played Sunderland. Manager Roberto Martinez commented that fourth place is requiring more points than usual. Over the past ten complete seasons, the fourth place club has averaged exactly 1.8 points per game (68.4 points). Everton has 66 points (exactly 2 per game) and is on pace for 76 points. In 2007-2008 fourth place had 76 points and in the other nine seasons I looked at fourth place had 73 points or fewer.
So, even UCL qualification is a higher bar this year on average, let alone doing well in the competition itself. I do have to say this season has shaped up so nicely - Blues are in the hunt for UCL, Martinez' hiring turned out to be terrific and Kenwright has a great problem: find more funds for next year (whether in UCL or Europa)! COYB - finish strong - 5 more matches!
Ugh, that was a bad, bad loss yesterday to Crystal Palace. The defense showed no sense of urgency and Tim Howard wasn't able to come up with the key save.
Everton beat Manchester United but still trails Arsenal by 1 point. Arsenal has no hard remaining games, while Everton still has to host Manchester City and go to Southampton. Arsenal ends at Norwich City, who could be desperate to avoid being relegated.
Dang that Crystal Palace....or, rather, Hey Blues, what were you thinking? Everton need help from Arsenal in one of these matches - either a loss or a draw while Everton win out.... @EvanJ - thoughts about Moyes? I'm personally sorry for him as he did right by Everton over the years, we do see in the changes that Roberto brought to Goodison that maybe Moyes had reached the limit of what he could do, even if he had a significantly larger budget & team???
Ya, loosing to Crystal Palace hurts...hard to be an optimist but I'm trying. Just need some help from Arsenal and to be perfect on the run-in.... COYB
The club has lacked a mental strength to take advantage of opportunities that have been presented to them. Like the 4th place CL spot, which should've now been the favourites to get. Was that the 6 wins, 5 1-0 wins, that ended with Shearer's stonking volley?
Yes: 19 October: Everton 2-1 Arsenal 27 October: West Ham United 0-1 Everton 3 November: Leeds United 0-1 Everton 9 November: Everton 1-0 Charlton Athletic 17 November: Blackburn 0-1 Everton 23 November: Everton 1-0 West Bromwich Albion 1 December: Newcastle United 2-1 Everton (ending the streak)