Football Season Guide

Everton struggled badly for large parts of last season and begin the upcoming campaign determined to have more of a success and re-establish themselves as a side challenging for the European places. The toll of the extra games in the Europa League, coupled of a number of injuries, proved too much for the Toffees and they were nowhere near the standard set in 2013-14. There was quite a lot of discontent towards Roberto Martinez at various points of the season and only a late-season improvement in results and performances put a bit of a positive lookout on the campaign as a whole. Martinez has proven that he can simultaneously make Everton a very effective and pleasing on the eye side and will be aiming to strike the right balance this time. Tom Cleverley and Gerard Deulofeu are the only two signings of the summer so far and while the former returns to the club on a permanent basis after being on loan a couple of years ago, Cleverley gets re-united with the manager that gave him a breakthrough in the Premier League back in 2010-11. He and Martinez worked together at Wigan back then and there has been a degree of admiration and respect between the pair ever since. Cleverley was close to joining last season and now arrives on a free transfer in what represents something of a coup for the Toffees. One feels that further strengthening is needed, especially with the loss of a couple of centre-back back-ups in Sylvain Distin and Antolin Alcaraz. Moreover, John Stones remains firmly on the radar of Chelsea and a transfer of the much-coveted defender is still very much on the cards. Everton still have some excellent players in the squad and should definitely improve after the struggles of last season. Whether they good enough to challenge for Europa League remains to be seen but they should be able to command at least a top-half finish comfortably.