Choose Your Glass

I am thoroughly convinced by Brands.

I am not thoroughly convinced by Silva, but I did see improvement over the last two months of the season. Next year will be very interesting for him.

Looking forward to the summer window.

...and guaranteed to bring a rich return when we do sell him on.

I doubted Silva and particularly his ability to turn a nosedive around but it seems like Steve Ferns maintained that the 17 day Silva was able to spend with the players worked wonders.

The defense is now very solid as evidenced with the number of clean sheets despite Pickfords wayward behaviour and the players all seem confident and motivated.

We just need those 1 or 2 quality additions and keeping Zouma to be on the up.

And I've come to a decision.

I'm backing Silva for at least the next two seasons.

I've seen enough progress this season for him to warrant our support and our patience.

And that's saying a lot, because despite my glass half full presently, things could go south a bit next season.

Gana gone. Gomes gone. Zouma gone. And if that happens, guess what? Silva will need yet more time.

We started ok this season. We hit a terrible dip after the Pickford derby. And then, after some consistency, Silva altering his system a bit and adjusting to his player's strengths, and player familiarity with one another, we got pretty damn good.

In short, I saw enough this season to think Silva has what it takes.

And next season, if we lose three very important players this summer, and we start off poorly, I will afford Marco the entire season to turn it around, and the one thereafter to grow.

Because he can do this.

Our timeline might "blip" next year for success. If it does, and you can note this, I'm backing him through thick and thin in 2019-2020, and 2020-2021.

It's time to buy in for the long haul. I don't want to be a Club continually chopping and changing managers. We have a good one. He'll still piss me off from time to time, but I think he plays good football, has a plan, and is a talented young manager who simply needs patience and time to get us up there with the "big boys".

Again, and I can't stress this enough, we might be in for a bumpy start to 2019-2020. But I see us developing a core that is going to be good for many years after we've flushed the system as it were. And Marco, for me, has earned the right to guide the ship.

He really did well in the end, especially rebounding from a terrible spell, one in which I was losing faith. Not this time. He's earned my faith.

I'll go for half-full, just because we had some joy in beating top 6 clubs in the last quarter of the season. I would still like to see better pressing, better passing and better finishing next season and if we can get that right, I look forward to finishing 6th or 7th with a cup to our name as well.

We need at least 1 striker and a bit more quality out wide to kick on and try to get into the top 6.

A striker is a must. Calvert-Lewin has improved, but doesn't look like a finisher.

There were times during that awful run when it felt more like glass down to day-old dregs. Spurs & Wolves at home and Brighton away were really awful games and tough to take. After some of those games I really couldn't see where we would get our next point.

Calmer souls on here were stating we were safe and everyone take a deep breath, Jay Woods springs to mind. I had very little faith in Marco at that time but did not agree with changing manager again and could not see Marco turning things around.

So it's fair to say my opinion of Silva is similar to our team performances, changeable, inconsistent and depends how I am on the day.

Anyway here's hoping for a good transfer window and if we can start like we finished we will be in the mix. I have a feeling that Spurs will lose Poch, Chelski will be in bother and The Arse will continue their gradual decline, The red lot down the East Lancs Road have made a big error in OGS and need massive changes.

So a bit of continuity here would not be a bad thing, as they say 'it's the hope that kills you'

In the last few months, Silva's ideas have clicked into place and the team have played at a much better level. Brands has been exceptional in the transfer market proving that he has a great eye for a player. For me, things are looking better than they have for many years.

The interesting question will be that of expectations next year? I'd be happy enough with more points a better GD and higher up the league even if it was 7th. We have a young team and Brands will buy young-ish again this summer. Gradual but steady progress is the way. The top 4 will prove a very hard nut to crack but I believe we have and excellent DOF and a very promising manager; the players clearly like and believe in him and that is gold dust.

If I have one worry, it is still having Bill Kenwright as an Executive Officer when he possibly is an emotional rather than professional attachment. Liverpool have come good because they have been run professionally, and very well and from the top down, as it has to be.

My thoughts are that our home form after the derby draw (which effectively cost them the league and seemed payback for Klopp running on the pitch at their place) was outstanding. We need to work on our away form - I never fancy us away from home and to lose to Fulham away was massively disappointing. We also threw leads away in the early games against Bournemouth and Wolves whilst playing with 10 men and then blew a 2 goal lead at Newcastle. We generally faired better against the Sky 6, especially at home - Spurs at home being an exception.

Positives have been the improvement in Keane, Gueye, DCL and Schneiderlin and some of the new signings performed well. I think Davies, Walcott and Tosun have gone backwards.

I still think we need more creativity in midfield and a top-class goalscorer. DCL has done well but I don't see him getting the goals that we need. We need to trim the squad size and I hope we don't get too sentimental in offering contracts to players who are past it unless they can offer us something.

For a player going backwards, Tom Davies has done well signing a new 4-year contract!

Silva and Brands obviously don't think he's going backwards.

Massive season, and we can't be making up the numbers, this time next year.

Fortunately, Marco got things right and I was wrong. I am sorry Marco. (Just let's both promise not to do it again, can we?).

From Martins article "Brands brought in Lucas Digne, Yerry Mina, Bernard, Richarlison and Joao Virginia on permanent deals, while Andre Gomes and Kurt Zouma".

Digne 9/10
So far in all respect he really looks the best signing in a decade if not more. (Some time ago, I cited Seamus as the benchmark standard for future signings. Tall order, I know. However, enter Lucas Digne in that category).

Mina 7/10
Taking the injury situation in mitigation and expecting better next season. Far from a disappointment.

Bernard 8/10
Once he got up to speed this "wizard of the dribble" has been a pleasure to watch in terms of style, work-rate and creativity. More assists and preferably goals and he's heading into the Coleman Class.

Richarlison 8/10
Expensive by the SC Classification System, however, good goals return and always a threat in possession. Opposition visibly shit themselves when he runs at them. Even learning to track back and roll his sleeves up. The downside? Drop the amateur dramatics, grow the fuck up, spend more time on the ball and less wiggling around needlessly.

Joao Virginia 7/10
Limited evidence (on My part), however, this guy looks like a keeper. Scoring based rightfully upon where he fits in at present in overall picture. Expect a few appearances on the bench next season.

Andre Gomes 7.5/10
We surely must sign this guy. He is he glue that binds so much else together in the side. AG is precisely the kind of player which our midfield simply hasn't had in donkey's years. Would certainly score a full point higher but for 4 factors a) the slow start b) the insipid performances when the side were playing shite c) more goals/assists d) the red mist moments. And I believe that he can deliver improvement in respect of the negative factors and that he will.

Kurt Zouma 9/10
Factors beyond Marcel Brands control may be the critical step but he is a nail on otherwise.

So by reflecting upon all of the above:

Marcel Brands 8/10 (55.5/70)
IF just "return" from the players he's overseen arriving was the sole issue. It isn't. He just exudes something else, this quiet undemonstrative air of confidence. When he speaks, it's rational. As intriguing as it might be to have greater insight into his thinking, his plans, his intel gathering and scouting, I'm glad that there is an air of mystery that shields his workings. That, is very much old school Everton.

So, therefore:
Marcel Brands 9/10
And,
Marco Silva 7.5/10
Basically, the "missing third", blotted an otherwise creditable first term at the helm. If his rating was solely upon team results and performances then this would be a clinical 6.5, it's not. The manner in which it was achieved was most palatable.

There's far more as Everton manager. There is so much that I like about this guy (like Brands that unruffled style).

Expectations here forward? Marcel Brands will ship out those not required on the future voyage. He's proved that. Marcel Brands will add to his so far impressive dealings. If we can't retain Zouma, Gomes & Gueye (who has shone since his "dream deal" was declined), then he already has suitable alternatives in his portfolio. I fully believe that Marcel Brands will bring in improvements to the squad both as acquisitions and on loan.

I fully believe that Marco Silva will build upon this season's positives. For instance, our dismal record against the "Sky Babies" feels like it's changing much for the better. In order not to tempt the fates, I'll refrain from stating what and where that record will be terminated next season. However. I fully believe that it will.

This time a year ago, whilst My glass contained 50% of its capacity and just I could not stomach another drop of its foul taste, I never ordered the stomach-churning gut rot and it was way overpriced. It was, thankfully poured away and the other unopened cans removed.

Today, My glass is half-full and there's more in the carafe. Providing others don't help themselves first. Hopefully, there are more of this quality already in store.

As others point out, if we lose 3 key players then their replacements will need time to bed in.

It's going to be another difficult season so let's hope that Brands & Silva have Plans A, B & C.

He's managed to turn it around. I still think the biggest challenge for him next season will be how he turns around a slump as he won't be afforded a run of three wins from fourteen. Scrutiny will also be on how he tactically changes a game by his substitutions, particularly if we are to come from behind to win.

I'm not so sure the club will trim down a bloated squad this summer. That will be done in phases over the next two to three windows. You cannot just get rid of players, clubs need to be interested in them and pay the wages that they are likely to command. I can see a few players leaving but not as many which we would all like, again this will be an almighty challenge for the club to move on, perhaps similar to last season players going out on loan.

An improvement on this season would be an increased points total around 60/65 points and going further forward in the cup competitions. The talk of challenging top six will be a tough ask. Clubs above us will all improve their squads next season. Chelsea will be an interesting one and wouldn't surprise me if they get their ban overturned.

It's our only way back folks... try to aim for pots we have NEVER won and build from there.