The most significant moment of the season – good or bad – was…
Everton’s season feels like a mixed bag in all honesty and I was tempted to go with the 3-0 home win over Chelsea, as it was an emphatic performance and a real moment that Hill Dickinson Stadium felt like it was encapsulating the Goodison atmosphere.
However, I will pick the game against Crystal Palace at home. Trailing 1-0 at the break, James Garner was then booked quickly followed by a yellow for David Moyes. It started a feisty reaction much like those at Goodison Park when fans felt a sense of injustice. What followed was a fightback that got the stadium rocking and saw Jack Grealish poke the ball over the line in the 93rd minute.
I am told residents over the River Mersey in Wallasey heard the roar of celebration!
The season has been a success/failure because…
Chief executive Angus Kinnear has now infamously described the feeling around the season as one of being “happily dissatisfied” and it didn’t land well. A European finish was there for the taking but the defeat to Sunderland on the final home game of the season left the majority feeling deflated.
While the ambition was always to finish clear of any trouble after four relegation battles in a row, aspirations were raised so much that it felt like a failure to miss out on the Conference League. Everton ended the campaign winless in the last seven games and that feels like a failure to capitalise on what could have been a grand finish.
The unsung hero of the season is…
James Garner. I am not sure if he is unsung on Merseyside but he possibly doesn’t get the headlines others get nationally. His stats for Everton have seen him consistently performing at a high level and he tops the list in the Premier League for successful tackles and interceptions, plus is second for assists. He also got an England call-up in March and won player of the match on his debut in the friendly with Uruguay.
Signing a new deal with the Toffees that runs until 2030 was a key piece of business by the club and I think the 25-year-old has been really unlucky to not be called up to the England squad for this summer’s World Cup, especially as he has not only been successful in midfield for Everton, but at right-back and left-back.
If there’s a player or staff member with more to do in future it is…
The manager, simply because ultimately the buck stops with him. Moyes admitted to me that last summer was hard going with recruitment as players didn’t want to join Everton because of previous issues. While some fear he has taken the club as far as he can, it is worth remembering the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Grealish joined because of him.
The pressure is now on though for Moyes to have a summer of decent recruitment and start the season well in August or the noise around the job he is doing will get even louder, very quickly.
The major club issue or talking point lurking is…
The lack of a trophy. It is fair to say the Friedkin Group bought a mess of a club in December 2024 and it took some time to unpick the financial chaos left behind. Now though, the Toffees are secure and the fans will expect success.
The Friedkin Group also own Roma and have already won the Conference League with the Italian side. It is 31 years since Everton lifted a trophy and the need for silverware is massive. The exits in both the FA Cup and League Cup in the third round hurt the supporters and they would give anything for a cup run this coming season.
The reason for hope going forward is…
The spine of the team is there. Jordan Pickford is again England’s number one going to the World Cup and is loved by the supporters for his world-class ability. Jarrad Branthwaite’s hamstring issues restricted his appearances all season and that had a detrimental effect – keep the defender fit and it’ll make a huge difference next season.
Garner and Iliman Ndiaye are players others would love in their sides, plus Dewsbury-Hall is finding his form in an Everton shirt. Add in some quality signings and there is a reason to be hopeful next season; especially if the feeling of disappointment on missing out on Europe can be used as the incentive.
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