Second-Season Syndrome

Too many false dawns.

But I'm going to enjoy Martinez whilst he's here.

We play good football for a charismatic manager.

Not some dull, rigid , boring old bastard.

And , every season we'll beat at least one of the Sky 4.

Goalkeeping cover will become a real issue if Howard is injured or suspended. Robles is a real trainwreck

There are players at Everton who are at the age when the wife is telling them "Oh, that MLS league looks nice; let's move to the USA next year."

Players who have nothing left to prove and want a couple of easy well-paid years before retirement.

God help us if we don't get some new blood in before the season starts, doom and gloom, I feel that way, sorry to say.

Martinez is managing down expectations with each passing week and we are in grave danger of starting the season with a small unprepared squad due to both a lack of signings and decent pre season games with first teamers actually playing together.

Other teams are onto how we play under Martinez too so know what to expect and how to exploit us.

I hope I'm proved to be totally wrong but as things stand I cannot see us finishing as high as last season and expect Man Utd and Spurs to leapfrog us at the very least.

As we all know, our squad still needs further additions for the forthcoming season to match our first season progress last term.

Also, our attractive style was mightily pleasing last season as we came close to breaking into the top 4, but our efforts in the 2 domestic cups left room for improvement. Then we factor in the additional demands of Europa and the asking rate is higher again.

The factor beyond Roberto's control is that I have begun dream bigger and I certainly owe it to him to be both fair and realistic especially this season, not just greedier.

I'm fascinated to see what he builds and genuinely I do believe in him. It's just that I still have very deeply ingrained fears with deep roots.

Roberto will make more progress with the challenges which he faces and has set himself than I will with my longstanding Evertonian hangups !

We have signed an 18-year-old and a 21-year-old so far this transfer window. If we are hanging onto all of our cash for a top striker, I can't see us signing three or four ready to go senior players between now and the end of August. With the likes of Osman, Pienaar, Jagielka and Distin all being a year older, this is going to put extra pressure on the squad.

We may have to take a top ten finish this season instead of a top six one if we want to see our squad development policy come to fruition. This season, we will probably see the younger players get a lot of game time in the EL, the domestic cups, and twenty minutes here and there in PL games

You can see the above as being a glass half empty or you can see it as being a sensible approach given the hype around our youth teams and the lack of financial muscle compared to other clubs. Neither option seems enjoyable compared to the pleasure that was last season.

However, the money isn't here – and even if it was, he wouldn't get it – so we're back to the situation that faced the few previous managers who looked on the cusp of achieving big things.

Surprisingly to me, Roberto got us to 5th spot with his team playing some scintillating football. How could anyone not enjoy that? But as to the future, the non-happenings of this close season have brought us back to reality.

The signings of the ageing Barry and the no-mark Besic – and even the maybe-capture of Lukaku, can hardly be seen as likely to improve on last season and as the writer indicates, history shows that sitting on one's laurels has so often been the road to disappointment.

But I've still put my money on a finish two places lower than 5th!

Right?

Martinez has strengthened the squad, improved the way we play and increased the players self belief in a palpable fashion. We may not finish as high as 5th but I can't see us finishing lower than 8th. Our baseline has simply moved forward since Moyes' 2003 season. Man U had a shocker last year and finished 7th - if we had a shocker I think 9th or 10th would be as bad as it could get. Frankly I expect us to be a better side this season given more playing time together with the "new" style and better depth in the squad.

It is totally realistic to suspect that as with Moyes and Royle, the Catalan's second season may provide a real challenge and the test will be how he and us Evertonians cope with it.

If we finish say 12th or lower, will he be judged a one season wonder ? Will those who see him as the Messiah, suddenly start calling him Brian - or worse ? Or, if he stays around, will his present day disciples keep the faith and give him the time afforded to Moyes to get it right - or somewhere near to right ?

I suspect not. More than one season of 'recession' and I bet 'the miracle worker ' is toast.

I can't think of any poster apart from your good self who uses this term - in fact I am struggling to remember any poster gushing about Roberto's talents. Any defence of the man is deemed to be adoration by some posters because that is the way they choose to read the situation.

Most of the Blues I personally know were a little wary of the man and his methods as was I. Most of them have now adjusted to his style; but as always it will be his teams deeds out on the pitch that will be the barometer but he will get the benefit of the doubt for at least this season unless it is an unmitigated disaster.

This man is made for Everton and I only hope that your consistent attempts to belittle those who recognise this fact ends up with you having egg on your face when he leads our team to a cup or CL qualification.

If we are in the bottom half of the table and out of the Europa League come Christmas then feel free to say "I told you so" until then could you not let the rest of us enjoy what is left of the close season.