Barclays Premier League 2011/12 Preview - Everton

Everton

Manager: David Moyes

Captain: Phil Neville

Last Season: 7th

In:

Eric Drier – Sporting Lisbon – Loan

Out:

James Vaughan – Norwich – £2 million
Iain Turner – Preston – Free

This Season:

Another tough season ahead for Everton, but that seems to always be the case every season for Evertonians. Notoriously slow starters, and industriously strong finishers, David Moyes know’s that they cannot afford more of the same and need to develop consistency from the get go. This Everton team is based on hard work, which tough defence and quality attack aspects further up the pitch.

No key signings as yet, with David Moyes having one of the smaller transfer budgets in the league, he knows full well the club have to sell before they can buy. Phil Jagielka is the only name being linked with a move, with Arsenal the main protagonists for the England international defender, however the £12 million offered wasn’t even considered by the Toffees.


Everton know that their weakness is scoring goals; they don’t have an out and out striker, while Jermaine Beckford and Tim Cahill were the clubs joint top goal scorers last season hitting 10 goals each. Louis Saha must try to complete a full season, while the Cahill/Saha combination, with Beckford coming from the bench will most likely game plan for Moyes this season.

This close knit squad cannot afford any major injuries, and with captain Phil Neville boosting the club by saying he expects to play for another two seasons, Everton can achieve a top 10 finish and push for a Europa League place should they keep hold of their key players in the remaining three weeks of the transfer window.

Prediction: 8th

Best Starting XI



One to watch this season: Mugaye Gueye

How do you think Everton will do this season, leave your comment below

Premier League Preview - Everton

Everton

Everton’s squad were depleted last season right from the very beginning when the likes of Phil Jagielka, Mikael Arteta and many others were missing through long term injuries, and subsequently Everton were not giving a true reflection of themselves in the early stages of the season.

Despite this, the resilient David Moyes, managed to bring in the excellent Landon Donavon and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov who settled straight away and impressed while the youngster Jack Rodwell and the rejuvenated Louis Saha managed to contribute Everton reaching a respectable 8th place finish in the league.

This season expect David Moyes to have a fully fit squad to pick from whereby this Everton side (if fit) could challenge Liverpool and Manchester City for that fourth place finish.



Key Player: Mikel Arteta

The Spainiard just this week has signed a new five year contract with the club. After being linked with a move to London and a return to Spain, the Everton number 10 has decided to stay which is music to the Everton fans ears. 28 year old Arteta is known for his passing ability, vision, creativity and composure and is vital to the Toffees and is the key playmaker in midfield. A fully fit Arteta can make the difference on any given day.



Manager: David Moyes

Key Signing: Jermaine Beckford

The talented striker is untested at the highest level in England, but David Moyes’s gamble on the 26 year old is the stuff dreams are made of. Beckford joins on free transfer after helping Leeds to promotion last year, and he is talented finisher with an eye for goal and an abundance of pace.



Aims: FA Cup challenge and Europa League place

Prediction: 7th

I feel Everton will be knocking on the door this season, but it all relies on the big names being fit. Everton have a great squad, a solid goalkeeper in Tim Howard, a very talented midfield with the likes of Steven Pienaar, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, Mikael Arteta, Tim Cahill and Leon Osmond, and an array of attacking options such as Louis Saha, Jermaine Beckford and Yakubu. Expect them to do well in the Cup competitions this year while causing problems for the teams challenging for the title.

First Five Fixtures: Blackburn (A), Wolves (H), Aston Villa (A), Manchester Utd (H), Newcastle (H)

Best 11
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