The Winds of Change are Blowing Through Goodison Park
Everton’s latest late escape, (let’s not call it a great escape, there’s nothing to be proud of) was a traumatic experience for everyone. This is no time for recriminations though and focus moves onto stopping this from ever happening again. Sean Dyche was typically honest in his appraisal after yesterday’s victory over Bournemouth sealed Everton’s place in the Premier League.
“You’ve seen a group giving everything to win a game… but there is so much to be done.”
Sean Dyche
Frankly, this is an understatement. Everton have so much to do over the summer. The club has been run on the fumes of an oily rag over the last few years. Wounds must be healed and the health of the club needs to be built up step by step if we are ever to compete again. Most of the focus at Everton has been going towards Bramley Moore Stadium. FFP, the Premier League’s attempt to protect the interests of the richest clubs clubs from getting into financial difficulties, has left Everton unable to invest in the playing squad to rectify the mistakes of the past. Gone are the days of spending over £100 million on players in a summer. Everton have to be sustainable in the Premier League, despite the ever increasing amounts of money spent in transfer windows.
With this in mind, what tasks do Sean Dyche and Kevin Thelwell face ahead of them this summer to build Everton’s profile in the Premier League? Here are several things that the two will be talking about in the coming weeks.
The tragedy of Dominic Calvert Lewin’s situation was very nearly Everton’s downfall from the Premier League. We all saw the efforts of Neil Maupay this season. He gave lots of effort but had little output. Blues of a certain age will be reminded of John Spencer. Spencer was signed for only a tenth of what Maupay came for but they both had a similar impact. He scored one less than Maupay in his time at Everton before being sold to Motherwell. Maupay’s effect has been similar and the transfer hasn’t worked out. Maupay is likely to make a loss when he is sold. Brighton’s premier league success this season has been based on wise investment. The £15 million that they stole off Thelwell has to amount to their best piece of business of all.
In addition to Maupay, the time has likely also come for Ellis Simms to move on. Dyche does not trust him to start up front, just like Lampard, Benitez and Ancelotti before him. He has proven that he can score goals at the championship level but isn’t capable of holding the ball up in the Premier League. Everton desperately need firepower. Only Wolves scored fewer than the Toffees this season. Everton’s 34 goals shows what pressure the defence has been under. David Moyes used to talk about taking a knife into a gun fight. This season we took a potato peeler. We need two strikers minimum to feel confident of competing next season.
Sean Dyche is no mug. He has shown which players he trusts and which he doesn’t. This summer is an opportunity to clear out more players who have not performed. It is also an opportunity to lower the wage bill and get younger.
It’s a shame that it didn’t work out for Yerry Mina at Goodison. He arrived with pedigree and on his day, he was Everton’s best defender. He could be a commanding presence at the heart of the defence and was brilliant at winding players up. Just ask ‘Pep.’ (He’s not your mate.) Unfortunately, he was so frequently injured, to the point where every game was a gamble. The sight of him sitting on the floor holding his calf was so familiar and predictable. It was great to see him make 3 appearances at the end of the season.His ‘last dance’ at Goodison was Yerry at his best. He beasted both Dominic ‘How much? Solanke and Kiefer Moore. It is unfortunate that many of his other dances for Everton were more like ‘oops upside your head.‘ Importantly, this will save somewhere in the region of £5 million a year in wages.
Tom Davies also looks like leaving his boyhood club this summer. It is criminal that Everton wont get anything for him. Davies suffered greatly with the managerial merry go round at the beginning of his career. He also became a target for the Goodison boo boys, just like Ross Barkley before him. It is hard for a young player to come through at Everton. There seems to be a race amongst some fans to call a player s*%$e. The next youngsters coming through must be treated better.
In addition to Davies and Mina, Andros Townsend, Seamus Coleman, Andy Lonergan and Asmir Begovic will also be out of contract. Of these, only Coleman and perhaps Begovic look like remaining in the blue shirt. Other players who may be sold are Michael Keane, Mason Holgate and Ben Godfrey.
Alex Iwobi has still not signed a contract extension and may look to leave Everton this summer. Demarai Gray and Abodoulaye Doucore also have 1 year left. It is hard to imagine that the club wont try to extend Gray’s contract. Doucore’s heroics may also lead to the club trying to extend him further. He is one of the highest earners of the club so may find himself sold this summer if the numbers don’t add up. In some sense, it would be a shame if the club sold him but now may be the time to get younger.
In addition to all of these issues, Kevin Thelwell also has to sort out the returning loanees. Deli Alli is a massive headache for the club. Big wages, poor reputation and the potential to be a huge distraction. He has one year left on his contract. Does he still have any interest in playing football?
Andre Gomes is also a big wage earner but Everton will be hopeful of receiving a fee for him. A nominal return to get his wages off the books could be acceptable to Thelwell. Gomes does not suit Everton’s high energy midfield. He will be sold or loaned out again this summer. The same situation exists for Jean Phillipe Gbamin, the ghost of transfer windows past, another player on big wages but with little sale value. He has made only 24 appearances for Trabzonspor this season and has been linked with a move to Russia this summer. Shockingly, he only made 8 appearances for Everton due to his poor injury luck. The Merseyside bandage and glue industry will mourn his departure.
Jarrad Branthwaite, Tom Cannon and possibly Neils Nkounku will return and are likely to be a part of next years squad. Everton missed both Branthwaite and Nkounku in the run in due to their lack of options at full back. Dwight McNeil had to play left wing back, just after establishing a fine run of form further forward. Branthwaite could step in straight away as a partner for James Tarkowski and his versatility would be a boon. Nkounku performed well in France and will hopefully return to challenge for the left back slot. Cannon impressed at Preston and may be in Sean Dyche’s thoughts as a striking option next season. Lewis Dobbin scored only 3 goals for Derby County in 43 games and may go to a championship club on loan to continue his development.
The 2023 to 2024 season marks Everton’s last full season at Goodison Park. Home. Thankfully, it will be in the Premier League as it should be. Everton’s home for the last 130 years has seen so many great players and events in it’s time. Dean, Lawton, Ball, Southall, Pele, Eusebio and Cristiano Ronaldo have all graced the pitch. League championships have been won, a world cup semi final and even a World cruiserweight championship have sat in her embrace.
A ground where William Ralph Dean set an unbeatable record for most goals in a top flight season, without Champions League and international football inflating the figures. Shove your Premier League. Football started well before the 90s and Goodison Park has seen everything. Everton must make every remaining game a celebration of her with past legends playing a big part. The first past legend who should be embraced by all fans is Graeme Sharp.
The very worst part of this season is the situation where Everton’s 2nd highest goalscorer OF ALL TIME is not welcome at Goodison Park. I don’t care about what you think about Bill Kenwright, this situation is unacceptable. Graeme Sharp must be a part of Goodison’s celebrations this year and deserves an apology. He did not create the mess that Everton are in and was a non-executive director. This means he had no voting power and was there to offer his experience. Enough is enough.
A season of celebration of Goodison Park will go a long way towards lifting the atmosphere and public perception of the club. It must be matched on the pitch by performances of passion by the players. Everton must not find themselves in a battle for Premier League survival at any stadium they ever play for.
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