As a Everton fanatic I have been dismayed by an awful start to the season for Everton including a humiliating home 6-1 defeat to Arsenal, followed by a poor performance in a 1-0 defeat away at Burnley. There’s no doubt that the effect of the Joleon Lescott saga has had a big effect on that start.
Everton’s team is built on team spirit and when one of the squad is so obvious about not wanting to play for the club anymore its bound to effect the rest of the squad. The Everton team that showed up against Arsenal on the opening was a shadow of the team that finished 5th in the Premier League and made it to the FA Cup final last season. They looked lifeless and couldnt seem to keep the ball.
Yet in the last 20 minutes of the game at Burnley, Everton finally started looking like the team of last season and could even have equalised if it wasn’t for Louis Saha’s poor penalty.
They have also managed to make it through to the group stages of the Europa League, with a comfortable 5-1 aggregate victory over Czech side Sigma Olomouc. It was a huge boost for all Evertonians in a summer which has provided just frustration. The whole Lescott saga is now over and we can move on and concentrate on the future.
Everton boss David Moyes now has money to spend, which has been a luxury in seasons gone by. He started his spending by bringing in a commentators nightmare in Russian midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov from Lokomotiv Moscow for £10million. His priority though is a replacement for the previously mentioned Lescott at centre-half.
The club have agreed a £5million deal for Portsmouth defender Sylvain Distin. The experienced defender could be the ideal replacement for the England international. He is a good solid commanding defender, who will be the ideal partner for the rather quiet Joseph Yobo at the heart of the defence. Another England cap Phil Jagielka should be back from injury in November and that gives Moyes more of a choice at the back.
The Scot is also looking for more cover for back line and has been linked with Newcastle defender Steven Taylor. He would be an ideal signing also, with the England under-21 star young and hungry. He also wants to leave the Magpies according to reports. He can also double play at right-back, which as most Evertonians know is a problem position.
Its very rare as an Evertonian to experience excitement about transfers, as David Moyes is usually the poor relation of Premier League managers when it comes to transfer budgets. The only unfortunate thing for the Toffee’s is that David Moyes hasn’t got much time left to sign the four more players he desires.
What we know is that the Scot will be doing his up-most to sign the players he needs to strengthen a threadbare squad. He knows that he needs greater strength in-depth, after having to name youngsters on his substitutes bench for the first two league games.
With new signings arriving and players such as Nigerian striker Yakubu returning from injury and Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta set to return in the next month, the future is looking less bleak and brighter than after that awful defeat against Arsenal.
Everton have a very good squad when everybody is fit and available and performances should and will improve in the next few weeks. David Moyes will make sure that happens. For Everton the season starts here with a victory over Wigan on Sunday afternoon, hopefully anyway!
- Soccer News Like
- Be the first of your friends!
