What does a successful season look like for Everton?

The wait for Everton to begin a new Premier League campaign is almost over, but there remains enough time to establish what would constitute a successful season.

It will not be long until the Hill Dickinson Stadium hosts a Premier League fixture for the first time, but Everton must first travel to Leeds as David Moyes’ men look to end the opening weekend in style.

Last season had its challenges, with Sean Dyche shown the exit door in January. An instant upturn after the return of Moyes ensured relegation never looked like a genuine possibility from January onwards. Such was the improvement that the campaign ended with their best league finish since 2020/21.

However, ending the campaign in 13th place offered little cause for celebration. Indeed, 17 points separated Everton from a coveted spot in the top seven and European football.

For one of the biggest clubs in England, there is a growing hunger for success. Years have passed by, but the prospect of silverware or a spot in a European competition feels like a distant dream.

Moyes, however, will have his sights set on restoring his team to its former glory. If anyone is capable of doing so, it is the Scotsman himself, who guided Everton to regular European football during his first spell at the club.

Everton are in a stronger position this season

The summer transfer window offers the opportunity to measure a club’s intent. Is there a clear objective to improve and compete for titles, or have the owners accepted mediocrity? At Everton, the direction the club is looking to move in is clear for all to see.

Firstly, there have been no qualms in moving on players who no longer have anything to offer. The likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Abdoulaye Doucouré have been important players to Everton over the years, but the fact that it was time for them to move on was accepted.

The message is clear - Everton are looking to move forward and rise above their current ceiling, even if it means getting rid of the tried and tested.

This becomes even clearer when considering the players David Moyes has added to his first-team squad. Up front, there is a clear plan to improve. Beto showed glimpses last season, but Thierno Barry has been signed, a player who is five years his junior and who scored 11 goals in La Liga last season.

The evidence of a long-term project continues, with 19-year-old Adam Aznou joining from Bayern Munich, while the signing of Carlos Alcaraz was made permanent. Yet while young players with time to develop can be a valuable asset, possessing proven players is a necessity.

On that note, welcome to Everton, Jack Grealish! Costing Manchester City £100m just four years ago, securing Grealish on loan is a clear indication that the Toffees mean business.

The Englishman has not experienced a great deal of joy on a personal level over the past couple of years. In fact, his penalty against Salford City at the beginning of the year was the first goal he scored for Manchester City in more than a year. However, Grealish is still a quality player and he brings with him a winning mentality.

He will play alongside Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, another immensely talented player who has struggled more recently. The 26-year-old suffered the fate of joining a Chelsea team that signed more players than were necessary, but at Leicester City, he was quite the player.

This is not to say Dewsbury-Hall had a poor season with Chelsea. He actually appeared in every match of their UEFA Conference League winning campaign, as well as playing at the Club World Cup, another competition where Chelsea triumphed. Once again, Everton have sealed a player who knows what it takes to win.

What does this mean for Everton’s upcoming season?

Where then, should Everton be aiming to finish? With Moyes able to oversee a full campaign and fresh faces added to his squad, it is reasonable for their supporters to demand a higher finish than last season.

However, expecting Moyes to deliver European football after just one full season in charge is a big ask. As good as Everton have been in the summer transfer window, their squad on paper lacks the firepower and depth of Premier League rivals.

Every side to finish above Everton last season will be looking to improve, and it is worth noting that both Manchester United and Tottenham finished below them last season. Spurs almost defeated the champions of Europe in the UEFA Super Cup and are under new management, while United have gone all out in the transfer market, securing the likes of Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha.

With such competition, a mid-table finish would be a respectable result for Everton. Last season was the start of an upward process, and Moyes ought to have the ability to keep this going. However, there is a limit to what he can do in a year and a half at the club.

If he is able to guide his team to a top 10 finish, that could be the stepping stone required to turn the focus to qualifying for European football the season after.

Of course, there are also cup competitions, and Everton should take belief and inspiration from last season. Newcastle United defeated Liverpool to wrap up the Carabao Cup, Crystal Palace stunned Manchester City to lift the FA Cup, and Tottenham conquered Manchester United in the Europa League to end a 17-year trophy drought.

It was the season of underdogs, and if Everton prioritise either the League Cup or FA Cup, it is not unreasonable to believe they could end a 30-year wait for silverware. Finishing in a good league position will always be a target, but perhaps Moyes should be looking to accomplish something that will live longer in the memory.

Finish in the top half of the league table, and most supporters ought to be able to appreciate the progress that has been made. But to end the campaign with a trophy would render the league almost insignificant.

With new signings who know how to win and an impressive new stadium, perhaps this could be the year that Everton achieve something more memorable.

Reader Comments (6)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer ()

How to get rid of these ads and support TW