Season 2011-12 Fan Articles

Cautious Optimism

By Stephen   Kenny  ::  20/07/2011   39 Comments (»Last) I believe Moyes would, if he could, sign one or two players ? nothing more. I think he rates the majority of his squad and he likes working with a smaller squad.

I also think he believes that this squad has the potential to challenge for 4th place with a good start to the season; something I believe may just be a little bit out of reach considering the competition for that spot.

I think we may see a bit more of the Moyes of old next season, blooding youngsters and playing for the win. I know every pre-season we always talk about if we could get off to a good start, if Moyes could be more positive against crap sides etc. This season I can see us getting it right more often than not. Last season was a difficult transition from a kick-and-rush side to a ball-playing team. Teams who were happy to stifle were a challenge that we should be more equipped to deal with.

I believe there is a hell of a lot of potential brewing just under our first team and it may burst through this season, something that would help me identify and take pride in a club that?s been like a ship with no captain for the last few years.

I know the reason we're not doing any business in the transfer market is because we're potless, but that in itself is an opportunity for Vellios, Hope, McAleny, Barkley, and one or two others to really kick on and make themselves a career at Everton. The lads below the first team who play up front must really be thinking perhaps this can be my year. They will have to push harder than they have ever pushed before but no-one ever got to the top of professional football on talent alone.

One thing that should spur these boys on is once you get in with David Moyes, if you work hard, you rarely go back out.

I take a lot of pride when I see a player come through our Academy and graduate to our first team and, while there?s a lot of negative aspects to the way the club operates, our youth set-up is something that Moyes, Kenwright and everyone associated with the club should be proud of.

Everton Football Club has a reputation for developing young players that?s envied throughout the game and is undoubtedly the only way this club will be able to kick on and challenge for trophies over the next decade. If this happened, it would mean a hell of a lot more to me than us buying £100M worth of players a season, although the chance would be nice occasionally.

It?s been a difficult few years with no money spent for, I believe, seven transfer windows, numerous cock-ups off the pitch, and embarrassing sound bites coming out of Goodison on an almost weekly basis. Several vital players have either had long term injuries or have been playing within themselves for long periods. I think we can allow ourselves a bit of cautious optimism.

If Leon Osman plays the way he did for the second half of last season, Magaye Gueye builds on the promise he showed, Mikel Arteta only plays half as good as he?s capable of, and Marouane Fellaini stays fit for the majority of the season, then already we will improve on last year. There are areas we need to improve but, on the whole, I wouldn?t be too downbeat if we have to go with what we?ve got.

I believe our fully fit first 11 would turn over Spurs and Liverpool. I?d also be quietly confident of doing Arsenal at home. Over a 38-game season, with the amount of sicknotes we carry, it's optimistic to think we will finish above any of them, though stranger things have happened. Having said that, it won?t be easy for Liverpool to bed four or five new players into a workable system and I think it will be after Christmas before they see the benefit of the signings they have made. And I still think they have a squad that?s unbalanced and over-rated.

Spurs have IMO one of the strongest squads in the league and should challenge Arsenal for fourth, assuming the Modric situation doesn?t de-stabilise the whole club, which would be ideal for us. Somehow I can?t see Redknapp allowing that to happen and they can easily replace him without new signings due to their squad depth.

A run of crazy good luck with injuries for us, and Arsenal's best two players leaving, would be needed for us to even get close to them IMO. Gibbs replacing Clichy at left back is a drop in quality in an already poor back 5 and the lack of a commanding figure at the back will again cost them, unless Gervinho is a top drawer centre-half.

Once again it appears that Wenger can?t see the glaringly obvious and will stick to his stubborn and IMO misguided agenda of not spending on proven players. With their set-up, they should be challenging for the league; they will be lucky to consolidate their Champions League status if Fabregas and Nasri, two of the three best midfielders in the league, decide to leave.

I don?t see anybody else in this league that we even need to discuss.

By rights we should struggle next year... everybody is improving and we are weakened. Our players are a year older and the club seems to lurch from crisis to crisis off the pitch. The fans are attempting to overthrow our very own Mubarak and the manager seemingly doesn?t learn from his mistakes (USA again?)... but I don?t think we will. For some reason, coming out fighting with our backs to the wall is the new Everton Way.

What price a cup?

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