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Step 4: Europe Secured ? What Next?

Amidst the understandable euphoria of yesterday's cup victory, one thing has, perhaps understandably, been overlooked. Everton have now qualified for Europe. With the top 4 (including Chelsea) all guaranteed of some European football via the league, then even if we lose the FA Cup final and finish 8th or lower, we'd still recieve a Europa league qualifiers position in the 4th qualifying round (one before the league).

Whilst not everyone may relish the secondary European tournament, with more money and a group stage next year it could prove to be a step up from the Uefa Cup and it's certainly still more auspicious than nothing.

It also signals a third successive entry into European football (although admittedly this years campaign was a short one!)

It also signals another tick on what were my (and I suspect some of which were also Moyes') targets for the campaign.

1. Improve quality of team/squad - Done Whilst Castillo and Jacobsen look likely to depart in the revolving door, both Felliani (who's looking better all the time) and Saha (when he plays) have unarguably improved the squad's quality.

The growth in stature of the back 5 (yes including Hibbert!) must also be considered here and barring Utd (Ferdinand and Vidic are good) this is surely one of if not the best defensive unit in the league?

The blooding into the first team of Rodwell must also be counted as a very good addition and to a lesser extent (well bar THAT goal of course) Gosling too - would like to add Baxter to this list, but he's not had enough games yet to show either way. And last, but by no means least, our own loan blue Brazilian Jo has to be counted as a successful temporary measure (well at Goodison at least).

Obviously the squad is still thin and the loss of Fernandes and departures have to be factored in too. Whilst Fernandes never really convinced me (and I think Felliani is a better replacement for us with his height and aggression plus a scoring touch) I for one wasn't happy to see Carsley leave and his absence and our subsequent need to regel the midfield was a major factor in our early seaon shambles - this has since been mitigated by the rebirth of Neville as DM and Rodwell as cover.

Likewise, Andy Johnson was a good squad player but had gone off the boil and a combination of Saha signing, the up and coming Vaughan/anichebe and Cahill/Felliani playing further forward and laterly Jo have ensured he wasn't missed too greatly (xx) and the profitable transfer was good business.

Ultimately though the biggest signing for me was that of Moyes for 5 more years. Sure contracts don't mean much these days, but Davey is an honorable man and I like the think the reason for the long delay was whether he could guarantee the full term to continue his job here. The fact that he did (and let's face it he could easily have gone elsewhere for more money in his pocket and on transfers) ensures stability for the future and should keep this burgeoning, constantly improving team together for the forseeable and maintain the special spirit that has been built at this special club.

Overall then, yes it could have been a whole lot better (the Obinna work permit was a particular loss - we really need a pacy winger) and further midfield class in the shape of Moutinho was a disappointment too, but overall the first team looks better than last year and without injuries we would have options from the bench who can cover and/or make a difference (Vaughan, Gosling, Rodwell, Saha for Yak, Yobo. Valente).

2. Avoid relegation battle - Done I know this really shouldn't be on the agenda anymore and to be honest it won't be on mine next year, even Moyes has stopped talking about it, but for any club outside of the sky 4 (and especialyl with our yo-yo history) this has to be a check on the sheet. Suffice to say this has been emphatically achieved.

3. Good Cup Run - Done Though in the UEFA and Carling Cups w fell at the first hurdle, a good run in the most important tin pot (for me anyway) was achieved once we knocked out the RS. Taking Villa down (and dinting their confidence) was a great step up and to get to the Semis qualifies as great cup run in my book. Now of course our ambitions are turned up to 7!

4. Qualify for Europe - Done Unless I've misunderstood the Uefa rules (and let's face it they change every year so I might have), we're in the Europa League next year. Yes I'd prefer Champions League, but especially given our terrible start I'm more than happy to be able to dig out the passport.

5. Secure top 6 finish - Pending Even with the European place form the cup, this does matter I think, both from cash perspective and from progress as a whole. Three successive top 6 finishes, or potentially a 6, 5, 5 would mark out consistency and underline to potential recruits/investors that this sleeping giant is on the virge of breaking back into the top tier once again.

At the moment it looks like 5th is there for us to win and 6th is really only ours to lose, so I'd feel pretty confident that we can maintain this.

6. Secure top 4 finish (CL place) - pending, but unlikely Given the financial and status implications, this has to be our primary target for genuine progress to the next level in the seasons ahead. Whilst I do obviously still hold out hopes, in all honesty I think we've missed the boat this year.

I don't think the Villa away game was the crucial point there (although we should really have held on), rather it was a case of last minute lapses at Goodison vs Villa and Arsenal and poor away performances at the bar codes, Blackburn and Pompey. Had we held on at home against the teams above us and got just one win against those poor away teams we'd be 5th and 3 points off the Arse now.

We didn't, we aren't and 9 points (well 10 really if you consider goal difference) from 6 games against an in-form Arsenal side is too big an ask, especially when our next 'must win' game is away to Chelsea.

7. Win a Trophy At the end of the day even the riches of a CL place aren't as important as the silverware. In 10 years time no-one will remember who finished 4th and earned an extra £5 million for the kitty, but they won't forget the FA Cup winners. Can we overcome Chelsea? Of course we can, it's a one off game and anything can happen.

Whilst their team is better man for man in every department barring defence, the advantages in preparation have to be ours. Obviously we can't afford to take our foot off the gas completely, but with Chelsea challenging hard on 3 fronts we have less games (and less arduous games) ahead of us and our prioties are different - it's all about the FA Cup for us, but for them the Prem and the CL are (hopefully) more urgent distractions.

Just getting to the final has to considered a massive achievement, with 5 premier league opponents and 3 of them from the top 4/5 of the league (Villa were 4th at the time I think) we've had the toughest route to Wembley imaginable.

Overall then, whatever happens next I think we have to count this as a very good season. An improved team, European football secured and a brilliant cup run giving us a chance of a trophy... and still 7 games to play with an odds on chance of maintaining a top 6 finish, a fair shout of 5th and an (admittedly long) shot at 4th.

The report card so far stands at: B+

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