Thursday 9 August 2007

F365 Season Preview : Everton

Odds on championship: 750-1. Odds on relegation: 18-1

Manager: David Moyes (since March 2002). Odds on first out the job: 25-1

Last season: 6th, 58 points; FA Cup third round; Carling Cup fourth round

In: Phil Jagielka (Sheff Utd, £4m); Steven Pienaar (Borussia Dortmund, loan); Leighton Baines (Wigan, £5m); Lucas Jutkiewicz (Swindon, undisc);

Out: James Beattie (Sheff Utd; £4m); Richard Wright (West Ham, free ); Gary Naysmith (Sheff Utd, £1m); Scott Phelan (Bradford, free); Alessandro Pistone, Alan Kearney (released);

The Moyes rollercoaster has started to steady of late. The sequence of full seasons has run 7th-17th-4th-11th-6th. Perhaps, just possibly, no real trough will follow the latest peak and Everton will once again be there or thereabouts in the battle for Europe.

The Blues should have three aims this season, it seems to me. First, to treat the question of increasing their capacity, whether that means rebuilding Goodison, moving to Kirkby or finding another site in the city, as separate from issues surrounding the team otherwise. Second, to requalify for Europe. Third,.....

Read the full article here

No comments: