Seasons 2016-17
Opinion & Articles
Contributions from our editorial team, featured columnists and readers.
Strictly business? Goals not love will be lost if Lukaku leaves
Lyndon Lloyd
28/06/2017There has been adulation for Lukaku's feats in an Everton jersey but not as much genuine love and affection and the feeling appears to have been mutual from a player who is all business.
No room for sentimentality at Barkley's crossroads
Lyndon Lloyd
13/06/2017At one stage an Academy starlet destined to emulate Wayne Rooney's success but for Everton instead, Ross Barkley finds himself in an awkward situation this summer.
Farewell, Arouna — we hardly knew you
Lyndon Lloyd
09/06/2017As arguably the most uncomfortable legacy of Roberto Martinez's tenure returns to the club following his loan spell with Hull City, another of the Spaniard's less successful acquisitions prepares to leave Everton after four unproductive years.
Barkley and Everton keep on keeping on
Lyndon Lloyd
15/04/2017A significant day for Everton as they registered an eighth successive home win in the league since 1990 and Romelu Lukaku equalled William Dean's record of scoring in nine games in a row in all competitions at Goodison Park.
Irrepressible Blues continue to revel in home comforts
Lyndon Lloyd
09/04/2017Leicester's irresistible force met the immovable object that is Everton at Goodison Park in 2017.
Everton pegged back at the last gasp in agonising fashion
Lyndon Lloyd
05/04/2017Having clung to a 1-0 lead handed to them by Phil Jagielka's first goal since May 2015, Everton were within touching distance of a second win at Old Trafford in a little over three years.
Another big derby let-down
Lyndon Lloyd
01/04/2017A defeat underpinned by poor tactics and collective underperformance that in many pundits eyes cements Everton as a top-seven side at best this season
Everton Left Counting the Cost of Someone Else's Battle
Lyndon Lloyd
25/03/2017As if you didn't need another reason to hate international breaks...
We'll Play With the Smell in the Second Half!
Lyndon Lloyd
21/03/2017Lyndon had the privilege to chat with Dr David France's wife, Elizabeth, again and solicit an independent insight into the goings on at Toffeeopolis.
Koeman's Blues in cruise control with another home win
Lyndon Lloyd
20/03/2017It's fair to say that Ronald Koeman has his feet very much under the table at Everton who have now put themselves in a position to disrupt the top six if any of the four or five teams above them stumble following a sixth straight home win.
Hospitality, Heritage and Honours: Gwladys Street's Hall of Fame Returns
Lyndon Lloyd
15/03/2017ToffeeWeb was among the honourees as one of Dr David France's many initiatives returned after an eight-year hiatus
One more bargaining tactic or genuinely the end of the road?
Lyndon Lloyd
14/03/2017So, Romelu Lukaku won't in fact be signing any new contract at Everton… not yet, at least.
Everton comfortable victors in 'best of the rest' clash with West Brom
Lyndon Lloyd
12/03/2017If there's a measure of the progress made under Ronald Koeman in just a few short months, it's that a 3-0 win over the only team likely to challenge Everton for seventh place could feel so routine.
Everton still well short of Tottenham benchmark
Lyndon Lloyd
06/03/2017High hopes were dashed at White Hart Lane in what was a sobering reality check really for Everton and the notion that they could yet sneak into the top four.
Everton's midfield axis shines as Lukaku draws level with Ferguson
Lyndon Lloyd
25/02/2017Another home game, another victory. Goodison Park is becoming a fortress again after last season's miserable record on home turf.
Sense over sentiment should preclude Rooney return
Lyndon Lloyd
22/02/2017The Prodigal Son's return seems almost pre-ordained to some Evertonians but the club should resolutely look forward as it seeks to realise Farhad Moshiri's vision
The Creativity Gap
Lyndon Lloyd
17/02/2017Everton are much improved in recent weeks but away from home, some of the hesitancy and one-dimensional tactics that dogged them earlier in the season persist.
A Place to Call Home
Lyndon Lloyd
07/02/2017Everton could be closer than ever to leaving Goodison for a new stadium. It's a massive undertaking fraught with risk but at the right location and with the right design, it could be the awakening of English football's sleeping giant.
Four-goal Lukaku steals the show as Everton put six past Bournemouth
Lyndon Lloyd
05/02/2017Everton slapped down Bournemouth's fightback with some scintillating attacking football to eventually run out 6-3 winners at Goodison Park.
Winter window represents measured reconstruction
Lyndon Lloyd
01/02/2017Everton's January may have been quieter than hoped on the transfer front but it sets the stage for a summer of significant additions.
Honours even in ragged contest at Stoke
Lyndon Lloyd
01/02/2017Everton battled Stoke, the conditions and themselves at times and had to be content with a point after falling behind to another dreadful early goal
Magic but erratic — Deulofeu's departure invokes mixed emotions
Lyndon Lloyd
23/01/2017Gerard Deulofeu became fan favourite at Everton but he couldn't produce his magic consistently enough. He is getting a new lease on life at Milan and leaves a vacancy at Everton that Blues fans hope will be filled.
Patience, poise and persistence rewarded in huge win for Everton
Lyndon Lloyd
21/01/2017It's hard not to feel optimistic again as a clear path to progress has emerged following a victory at Selhurst Park that showed the continued emergence of a different Everton. An Everton that can marry the silkier, more possession-based approach aspired
The Stuff of Dreams
Lyndon Lloyd
16/01/2017On a transcendent afternoon at Goodison Park, Everton served up moment after memorable moment in their humbling of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City
Valencia the difference as Everton ring in the New Year with victory
Lyndon Lloyd
02/01/2017The Ecuadorian's introduction may have been decisive but there were encouraging performances from Ross Barkley and Tom Davies as the Blues equalled their best league win under Ronald Koeman.
The Last Reserves of Patience
Lyndon Lloyd
20/12/2016Evertonians are rightly growing restless at the slow pace of change under Ronald Koeman and the absence of genuine football being played under his stewardship but there is little option for fans but to draw on their dwindling reserves of patience and hope things come good in 2017.
No Let-Up in Everton's Derby Pain
Lyndon Lloyd
19/12/2016The fight was there but the quality was desperately lacking as Liverpool plundered a stoppage-time goal at Goodison Park
Everton in free-fall with fourth consecutive away defeat
Lyndon Lloyd
10/12/2016A mess from back to front, Everton extended their miserable run to 10 games with a solitary win and continue their slide towards the bottom half of the table
Consistently Inconsistent
Lyndon Lloyd
08/12/2016Yannick Bolasie's ACL hammer blow has sharpened focus on the three remaining wingers whom Koeman has been rotating for weeks searching for reliability
Koeman may need fresh approach to solve lingering problems
Lyndon Lloyd
24/11/2016The upcoming transfer windows may provide opportunity to resolve some deep-seated issues but in the meanwhile it's incumbent upon the manager to try something different.
Koeman's Detachment Will Mean Little If He Brings Blues Success
Lyndon Lloyd
10/11/2016The manager's "cold fish" demeanour may be something Evertonians will have to accept as a necessary part of the club's attempts to take the next big step forward.
Moshiri's Music for Evertonian Ears
Lyndon Lloyd
07/11/2016Farhad speaks! The conduit may have again been Jim White but the 13-minute chat was candid, revealing and should be hugely encouraging for Everton supporters.
Fireworks are all Chelsea's as Everton are destroyed at Stamford Bridge
Lyndon Lloyd
06/11/2016In a painful illustration of the Blues' short-comings, Ronald Koeman's side were dismantled by an irresistible Chelsea side.
Superiority counts for nothing as fortune favours Burnley
Lyndon Lloyd
23/10/2016Despite dominating their hosts, Everton suffered a bitter defeat at Burnley and another check to the early-season optimism under Ronald Koeman.
Koeman comes close to putting one over old pal Pep
Lyndon Lloyd
16/10/2016For a few tantalising minutes of this game, a stunning victory beckoned Everton following Romelu Lukaku's excellent break-away goal. Unfortunately, Ronald Koeman's side hadn't caught City on an off day they were punished for one of the rare occasions where they afforded David Silva too much room and left substitute Nolito unmarked to plunder the equaliser.
Does Koeman have room yet for Everton's youngbloods?
Lyndon Lloyd
13/10/2016Is too much being made of Ronald Koeman's apparent aversion to using young players so far or is he merely focusing on beefing up in the short term what was a struggling, unfit squad with robust, experienced players?
An Evening in the Bosom of the Everton Family
Lyndon Lloyd
04/10/2016There can be few venues as majestic and grandiose for a gathering of Evertonians than Liverpool Cathedral, the splendid setting for a very special dinner hosted by Dr David France and his lovely wife Elizabeth to mark the launch of his new book, Everton Crazy
Food for thought for Koeman as Everton have to settle for Palace draw
Lyndon Lloyd
01/10/2016The ingredients for a stirring return to winning ways against Palace were certainly there — a packed house under the lights at Goodison Park — but a lack of guile and a shortage of quick, incisive passing moves left the Blues looking a little one-dimensional
Book Review: Everton Crazy
Lyndon Lloyd
27/09/2016Interspersed with some wonderful comic gags, Everton Crazy charts the twists and turns of Dr David France's life, with the ups and downs of the club he fell in love with serving as an ever-present anchor, focus and obsession.
Just when we dared to dream a little…
Lyndon Lloyd
23/09/2016A shocking performance at Bournemouth caps a chastening week where supporter expectations will have been realigned and sights will have been lowered.
Everton's reality check will have been instructive for Koeman
Lyndon Lloyd
21/09/2016Everton's early exit from the League Cup was as familiar as it was frustrating but the manager will hopefully have learned a lot about his squad as he continues to settle into the Goodison hot-seat.
Everton's resolve clearly evident on a day to remember for Barry
Lyndon Lloyd
18/09/2016Everton brushed off an awful decision by Lee Mason to allow Middlesbrough to take the lead after 20 minutes, turned the match on its head and and had it effectively won by half-time.
Lukaku catches fire as Everton torch Moyes's Sunderland
Lyndon Lloyd
13/09/2016What a difference four months make when it comes to analysing the contrast between the Everton that trooped off the field at the Stadium of Light just six Premier League games ago having been soundly beaten and the one that romped in the second half this evening to a handsome 3-0 victory.
The Return of Gwladys Street's Hall of Fame
Lyndon Lloyd
09/09/2016David France's celebration of the men who have made significant contributions to the development, welfare and success of Everton Football Club and returns with four new inductees who will be selected by you, the fans, and then officially added to the pantheon of Blues greats at the next Hall of Fame Dinner in March 2017.
No Sense Dwelling on Everton's Window of Missed Opportunity
Lyndon Lloyd
01/09/2016By leaving so much important business so late, yesterday's deadline was, in the context of high expectations, hugely disappointing for many Evertonians but there is still enough talent in Koeman's squad to propel the Blues to the next transfer window
Restored fortitude helps Everton secure a second successive win
Lyndon Lloyd
28/08/2016Everton could, and probably should, have won by a wider margin than 1-0 but it was their more formidable rearguard that helped them secure three valuable points in a match that might easily have got away from them under the previous regime.
Koeman's Change in Tack Reaps Rewards for Everton
Lyndon Lloyd
21/08/2016How refreshing to see an Everton manager not only have options on the bench but to also have the courage to use them regardless of the stage of the match.
Bolasie's high-priced wizardry can bring 'x' factor to Everton
Lyndon Lloyd
16/08/2016As explosive and dazzling as he can be enigmatic and defeasible, Yannick Bolasie will be nothing if not unpredictable. His price tag may have been high but by taking the step up to Everton, the French-born winger has the ideal stage on which to shine.
Gueye shines in promising dawn of Koeman era
Lyndon Lloyd
14/08/2016While important, the enormous psychological boost of avoiding defeat could prove to be more important in the long run — an injury-hide side shorn of their top goalscorer and running at 70% capacity managed to hold off one of the teams likely to be challenging in the top four this season through a combination of discipline, tenacity and sheer hard work, a far cry from a few months ago when Goodison was enveloped in despair.
Begin Again
Lyndon Lloyd
12/08/20162016-17 marks the beginning of the Ronald Koeman era, one that is off to a slow start but which hints at having plenty in store as the Dutchman beds in alongside new Director of Football, Steve Walsh.
Profit over promise for Everton as Stones gets his move
Lyndon Lloyd
09/08/2016Fewer Evertonians will shed a tear as John Stones leaves for the “greener pastures†of the Eithad Stadium than would have a year ago. It will still gnaw at the gut, however, that fans won't get to see if Stones could blossom into the Everton defensive legend many believe he could have become.
Restlessness setting in but Everton's new dawn needs time to break
Lyndon Lloyd
15/07/2016The new Premier League season still feels a long way off but in others it's alarmingly close given how little transfer action there has been at Finch Farm. It's hard not to get impatient but the sea changes occurring at Everton at the moment need time to play out.
Arsenal vanquished amid the roar of Fortress Goodison
Lyndon Lloyd
14/12/2016Everton finally came up with a response to weeks of under-performance with a spirited performance under the lights to hand Arsene Wenger his first Premier League defeat for four months.
Oh what fun it is to see Everton finally win away again
Lyndon Lloyd
26/12/2016As victories go, this one was sorely needed. It wasn't pretty, especially in a dour first half, and neither was it completely convincing but Ronald Koeman's side rediscovered some important aspects of their makeup and their play on their travels that could once again form the foundations of a charge for the European places.
Coleman saves face but more questions than answers remain
Lyndon Lloyd
20/11/2016Koeman's Everton remain unconvincing going forward as the Dutchman's struggles to find a reliable combination continue
Everton end 2016 with frustration still in tow
Lyndon Lloyd
30/12/2016It's somewhat fitting that a year characterised by frustration should end with another infuriating Everton performance and two more dropped points against one of the poorest sides in the Premier League.
Everton's impotence reaches galling levels in defeat at Southampton
Lyndon Lloyd
28/11/2016Koeman has big problems on his hands. His team lacks any fluidity, cutting edge or genuine battling spirit and he has a striker whom he proclaims to be among the best in Europe toiling away with barely any support in a role to which he just isn't accustomed.
Fan Articles and Talking Points posts are authored by outside contributors. Their views may not represent those of the site owners and their publication does not constitute an endorsement of the views held therein.
Top of the Page