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What would I settle for this season?
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A lot of my expectations for the season have changed at the half-way mark.
Like a lot of people, I was genuinely expecting as much as hoping in August that we would be fighting it out for another top six finish and perhaps pushing for another cup final. Right now, that seems very far away and our injury list, league position and the head start and impetus that Villa, City and Spurs have over us would suggest that a top ten finish is the best we can hope for, let alone expect, in the league. In terms of cup competitions, our form is so inconsistent at the moment you would wonder what team would turn up on the day of a cup game.
Given that the Europa League doesn't start back until February makes me feel a little better about things but there are a lot of top quality teams left in the competition; with players still injured, I think that, between the league, FA Cup and Europa League, something will have to give.
With all of this in mind, I was thinking about what my expectations are for the rest of the season. To me, it seems obvious that keeping the squad together will be David Moyes's biggest challenge between now and the start of next season. Things have gone very badly on the pitch and there has been a lot of debate about player confidence, player unrest and I would be fearful about whether or not our better players will be looking to move on between now and the end of the August transfer window.
Like most Everton fans, I would gladly take us winning the FA and Europa Cups and not dropping another league point. Do I expect it to happen? Right now my head says no, of course it won't. Would I settle for semi-final and final appearances and a top ten league finish? At the moment, damn right I would. I'd take hand and all off you. And I think that to some degree we're capable of it.
With a little luck and a bit more confidence from the players, I do think it's possible. But right now, most of all, I think that I would just happily settle for us to have the current squad fit, and happy to be at the club come next August. If Coleman, Duffy and Rodwell were developed into first team regulars, all the better. I know this doesn't sound very ambitious of me but I think when fully fit we have the squad to compete with anyone.
I'm interested to hear from you folks to see what you expect or genuinely hope for between now and the end of the season.
Kieran Fitzgerald, Posted 03/01/2010 at 10:00:55
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I think with a little luck in the cup draws we will be capable of winning the Europa Cup and FA Cup and I believe that is what we should concentrate on as I feel the league is too far gone and the best we can hope for is a top 8 finish.
My only concern is with Saha and Pienaar. It is vital that we keep hold of them if we are to have any success.
"Destroying lesser teams by 5s and 6s." — And this has happened exactly how many times in the last X years?
Get a grip, Mr. Tunstead. You’re making Dodd seem like a depressive alcoholic.
I want Arteta to get some games under his belt so he can start next season fresh, the same with Jags.
Not overly bothered on the cups, I have to say, though Europe is always fun, but as for the league, anyone other than the biggish four and Spurs, Villa an Man City finishing above us will be disapointing. So that’ll be... 8th for us.
Oh and Liverpool to not get in the top 4 :)
That’d be a decent season, but unless something spectacular happens and we actually win something, I’d personally like to see Moyes thanked for his services and replaced as soon as the last game of this season is played — to give a new manager a whole transfer window to actually do something before transfer deadline day.
At the end of the day, we are a second-tier side and that won't change without big money. Me, I’d settle for playing good football from now till the end of the season.
1. Top 7/8 finish.
2. Win either FA Cup or Europa League. Or both!
3. Long overdue Anfield derby win.
4. Saha and Pienaar pen new deals.
5. Arteta and Jags to come back and hit form.
6. Billy Bullshit to depart.
Not asking to much!
For no more bloody serious injuries.
Maybe a more strategic and long-term focus than a few of you have mentioned: For Moyes and the board to work in tandem at the end of this season. By this, I mean for funds to be made ready by the board at the end of the season and for Moyes to have done his prep work so that we have some realistic targets that we can sign early in the summer.
So can we qualify for Europa:-
In the League I assume that the Top 7 will qualify on the basis that the Domestic Cups are likely to be won by a Top 7 team. I personally can't see Everton gaining 11 points back from the likes of Spurs, Villa, Liverpool, City or for that matter even overtaking Fulham. If you look at the bench yesterday, we are down to the kids again... we need a full 20-man senior squad from now, Jan 3rd, and we haven’t got it.
Europa Cup — I can't see us getting past this round or, if we do, maybe the next one, there are too many good European teams in it.
FA Cup — all depends on the draw. We all know Chelsea, Villa, Arsenal away will probably be too much for us, but I do believe it's our only possible route into Europe.
What I’m more concerned about is our ability to push on next year without substantial funds. I can't see Billy & Co coming up with any serious money and after our possible poor showing this year we are likley to have a further loss of revenues.
We are clearly not prized goods in the world of the money men. Old stadium, poor economic area, poor brand etc etc... whilst the rich get richer and, if Spurs or Villa get 4th spot, they will also start on the ladder to further riches.
We Everton fans embrace this Mickey Mouse because its all we have. The Europa offers no finacial gain to competing clubs and we ran at a loss playing in it last season... So tell me, Mike, what's the point in this cup?
Come the day when we are in for a real shout — and I mean real shout — of a Top 4 place, then by all means let's then treat it as a low priority in the use of the resources, but we ain't there yet.
Last season, we finished fifth and two appearances at Wembley with all the increased revenue that brought and he got... to have to sell one of his first team squad before he could bring in anyone despite all the usual OS bollocks of "targets in early", blah blah fucking blah.
I think it would have to be an absolute miracle with the pure spawn of that shower across the park to emulate that again this season so I’m not holding my breath on DM going to potless Bill with his empty bowl of gruel and getting anything more than short shrift.
I don't think Rednapp or O'Niell will be thinking this season... "Shit, I wish we were playing Thursday-Sunday every week in the Europa while we try to snatch 4th place in the Prem", Do you?
We sold one player and have been able to go out and buy genuine quality players. Last season, we got very average squad players like Segundo Castillo & Lars Jacobsen. We now have the begginings of a great side, it's just that injuries and the bedding in of new players has scuppered this process.
Moyes tends to put new players in slowly but this season he’s had to throw them in before they’ve had a chance to get used to the EPL. However, I said early in the season after Lescott left we’d be pretty rubbish until mid-January. I’m not sure we’ll win anything this season. I’ll go for 8th in the league and two semi finals in the cups.
It has been such a long time since we have had a fully fit squad and our best 11 on the field at the same time that we don't really know what we are capable of. But if you go off the last time our strongest team was available, we were beating Sunderland 7-1, SK Brann 6-1. Since then the team has improved with only the loss of Lescott weakening the defence.
I would rather be an optimist than a depressive who forever predicts the worst-case scenario.
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1 Posted 03/01/2010 at 16:15:44
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Our Europa League campaign will end in the next round as Sporting will be too strong for us over two legs.
Depending on the draw maybe 4th or 5th round in the FA Cup is the furthest we’ll go. Just my opinion.
The club is in serious turmoil and unless David Moyes gets some serious money then it’ll be the same next season, more loan signings and, like you pointed out, trying to keeping the squad together. Will Moyes want to stick around beyond this season if things don’t change? The future certainly doesn’t look bright!