English Premier League – Everton 2011 Preview
Everton football has become almost non-competitive in recent years, finishing consistently in the middle of the table each year. This is a complete reversal for a club that use to be on the same level as Manchester United in the past, and is so dominant in terms of fans.
But there is no doubt that they have lost some of that fan base as of late because of their poor performances year after year.
Odds to win the 2011-12 Premiership outright 300/1
One thing this year’s Toffees’ side will have in their favor is the squad’s current chemistry after playing together for several seasons as well as manger David Moyes 10th season at the helm. That continuity could go a long way for the team in keeping their morale up if the season gets tough.
Moyes has done a spectacular job when you factor in the money situation for the club, and has accomplished a sort of “Money Ball” success; building a good team with limited resources. It is because of their manager that they still have a fighting chance to win some metal at the end of the year.
The Scot has managed to retain the majority of his team through the summer, and this again adds to the club’s continuity. They were offered deals for a number of their key players like defender Phil Jagielka and midfielder Marouane Fellaini, but Everton refused all offers. [ad-3678122]
On the downside, the biggest, and most consistent problem for the team has been injuries.
It seems like every year the team’s top players go down with injuries, and last year was no different. Fellaini missed nearly half the season while midfielders Mikel Arteta and Tim Cahill missed nine and 11 games respectively. To add insult to injury forward Louis Saha, who is the team’s most deadly striker, missed 18 of the team’s 38 league games.
A bright spot for the Toffees has been US keeper Tim Howard, who, despite playing for the United States in the World Cup last year, pulled double duty in Everton between the sticks and remains a force to reckoned with.
But, as with the American international squad, Everton will not be able to count on Howard to win them games as his positioning can often times be suspect from crosses and corners .
It was a bit disappointing that the team didn’t try and pick up another striker this summer, as it would have been a coveted luxury to have an extra option if Saha were to go down with another injury, or young and promising forward Jermaine Beckford doesn’t build upon his strong campaign last year.
Matt’s Everton Prediction
Everton has all the pieces one looks for in a Premiership contender, with the except of depth. Therefore, it’s is hard to say whether or not they will be able to make a charge for the title against so many other stacked EPL sides. If they can keep the bulk of their key players on the pitch, they will likely finish in the top 10 once again.
If not they could find themselves smack in the middle of a relegation fight.
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