I won’t bore you by talking about how or why Everton are struggling in the Premier League, because if you’re unfortunate enough to be an Evertonian right now you’ll have already heard more than enough about the plight of the Toffeemen.
Instead of dwelling on the negatives, let’s have a look at the last 10 league games to see where the Toffees can pick up points, regain some confidence, or simply get their act together.
1. Newcastle (H)
The Blues will return to Premier League action on the back of a testing Europa League tie against Dynamo Kiev at Goodison Park. Everton do seem to suffer from Europa League hangovers, as they have only won 2 of the league fixtures that have immediately followed their European ties.
This needs to change against John Carver’s Newcastle, who haven’t had the smoothest couple of months since Alan Pardew left the club at the turn of the year. The Geordies beat the Merseysiders 3-2 at St James’ Park in December and with the likes of Mo Sissoko, Ayoze Perez and Daryl Janmaat in the side they have attacking threats all over the pitch.
Prediction – It won’t be pretty, and after Thursday’s clash with Kiev, another infuriating draw could be on the cards.
2. Queens Park Rangers (A)
Sad how this fixture has become a relegation scrap, isn’t it?
Queens Park Rangers currently languish in the relegation places with 7 defeats in their last 8 Premier League games, but a win against Crystal Palace in their next fixture could leave them just 3 points behind Everton, depending on the result of the Newcastle game.
With the lethal Charlie Austin, the physical Bobby Zamora and some pacy widemen, the Hoops have enough weapons in their arsenal to trouble the Everton rearguard, but it’s the defensive side of their game that is a real cause of concern. This has the potential to be a real six-pointer for both teams, and it’s a clash Martinez’s men daren’t lose.
Prediction – A nervy, scrappy affair, but I have a feeling that Everton will come out on top.
3. Southampton (H)
Before the start of the season, many expected Everton to be in Southampton’s position as the Saints battled the drop. How times change.
Ronald Koeman has got his team of impressive imports playing as a cohesive, regimented unit and with the astute, exciting signings made by the Dutchman, the St. Mary’s may be hosting Champions League football in a matter of months. Mane, Tadic and Pelle all offer different varieties of attacking threat, Schneiderlin and Wanyama offer steel and technical nous in the middle of the park, while Clyne, Alderweireld, Fonte and Bertrand combine solidity with ability.
Everton embarrassed themselves when they played the Hampshire outfit in December with pointless possession and impotent ‘attacks’, and the hosts, who were missing a number of key players, ran out comfortable 3-0 winners.
Prediction: I think we’ll really struggle for a point, against Southampton, at home. How sad is that? 1-2, or maybe even 1-3.
4. Swansea City (A)
Ah, the Liberty Stadium, where it all started to unravel..
Everton were embarrassed (again) by Swansea in the Capital One Cup in September, as goals from Nathan Dyer, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Marvin Emnes condemned Everton to a pathetic 3-0 loss.
That fateful night in Wales was also rumoured to be where Martinez started to lose the dressing room. There was an alleged argument between Martinez and Sylvain Distin, who is supposedly a key and very popular figure among the players, and it’s effect has been felt ever since.
Garry Monk’s men have been moving along smoothly this season, and there is a visible improvement to the side that battled relegation for the majority of the last campaign, as they benefit from shrewd acquisitions and subtle tweaks to their play.
They have however lost the Ivorian powerhouse Wilfried Bony, whose presence at the spearhead of the attack is proving tough to replace or emulate.
Prediction – It looks like a fruitless venture to where it all began for Martinez, I think Swansea will edge this one.
5. Burnley (H)
We’ll steamroller these won’t we lads? LADS? Sigh.
Sean Dyche’s Burnley aren’t exactly packed with star names or quality, and it’s a surprise to some that they are still breathing in the race for survival, but with 10 games to go they are only 6 points behind Everton, with a togetherness and spirit that we could only dream of.
Their main man for goals is Danny Ings, who’s tally of 9 Premier League goals betters our £28million man Romelu Lukaku (7). That’s not a dig at our big Belgian, it’s just yet another abysmal statistic that sums up our season to a T.
With 1 win in 10 the Clarets are desperate for points and will be coming to Goodison Park looking for a win.
Prediction: Burnley’s predicament for points could work in our favour. 3 points for the Toffeemen!
6. Man United (H)
A very different situation from last years clash with The Red Devils, but one thing remains the same; 3 points is an absolute necessity.
Although Manchester United occupy one of the Champions League places, there has been no real improvement to the quality on show at Old Trafford. For the millions upon millions spent on the likes of Di Maria et al you would expect a bit more imagination to their play, but instead it’s a lot of pedestrian possession with some long balls searching for the castigated Fellaini.
Louis Van Gaal’s side were unconvincing victors over the Blues at Old Trafford in October, David De Gea pulled off one of his many match-winning performances for Everton to infuriate but admire.
For all of Man United’s tepid play this season, they are hard to beat and have goal threats in all areas of the pitch, and their recent exit from the F.A Cup makes Champions League qualification all the more important for Van Gaal and co.
Prediction – Sadly there won’t be any adventurous attacking and resolute defending that cost David Moyes his job last season, but Everton should have enough about them to earn themselves a point against a Manchester United side weirdly containing solidity and vulnerability simultaneously.
7. Aston Villa (A)
Tim Sherwood will be desperate to boost his win ratio when Everton visit Villa Park in May.
The Villains were comfortably dispatched 3-0 at Goodison, with goals from Phil Jagielka, Romelu Lukaku and Seamus Coleman giving the Blues all 3 points. Wow, 3 points from 1 game, I wonder what that feels like.
Aston Villa have been showing signs of improvement under Sherwood, with his enthusiasm and passion making up for his tactical naivety (for now).
While Villa’s goalscoring troubles have been much publicised they still have quality, albeit inconsistent players in the final third. Gabriel Agbonlahor has seering pace, Christian Benteke is an aerial force, while Carles Gil and Andreas Weimann are creative outlets for the struggling Midlanders, who are only 3 points behind the Blues at the time of print.
Everton can forget about playing a high line against Agbonlahor, who always seems to score against us, but if we could exploit their questionable full-backs then we could get the result we need. Just a shame we don’t play with wingers, isn’t it.
Prediction – 2-1 to Everton. I know, put THAT on your betting slip.
8.Sunderland (H)
Everton’s penultimate home fixture pits them against another relegation candidate, as Sunderland will almost certainly be fighting for their top flight tenure.
The Black Cats took all 3 points when they visited the Old Lady last, thanks to a Leon Osman mistake and a virtuoso display of goalkeeping from Vito Mannone.
Everton can’t let that happen again, and they also can’t afford to be held to a mundane 1-1 draw like they were at the Stadium of Light in November.
Goals seem to be hard to come by for the Wearsiders, with Adam Johnson (5) suspended over allegations of him scoring with a girl whose age is only 3 times the number of his goal tally.
Prediction – Sunderland will look to frustrate but Everton should eventually prevail. Home win.
9.West Ham United (A)
The Hammers are almost out of sight for Everton now, as they lie in 10th, 11 points ahead of the ‘mighty’ Blues. 11. ELEVEN.
Anyway, West Ham’s impressive campaign has gradually petered out, they’re not going down, but they aren’t getting Europe. It’s sad to say this, but I hope this game is a bit of a dead rubber.
The Blues performed valiantly at the Boleyn Ground in the F.A Cup in the embryonic stages of 2015, as soon as Aiden Mcgeady was sent off, Everton vastly improved. Coincidence? No.
Prediction – Hopefully Everton’s Premier League status will be secured by this point, so let’s go with 2-0 Everton, and a Lukaku hat-trick. In all seriousness, I think another draw could be on the cards. 1-1.
10. Tottenham (H)
The season started to unravel at the Liberty Stadium, but it was against Spurs in late November when it REALLY started to go to sh*t.
Everton’s disappointing display at White Hart Lane started a dismal run of 2 wins in 16 league games, which is showing no signs of coming to an end.
Tottenham have gradually improved under Mauricio Pochettino and find themselves just 3 points away from 4th place, with a Capital One Cup Final also under their belts. Got knocked of the Europa League though, so who are the real winners here?
With promising youth players and the stupendous Eriksen, Tottenham seem to have a bit of structure to their future, so long as the trigger-happy Levy keeps his cool with Pochettino when the inevitable rough patch comes.
Prediction – We won’t keep up with their intensity, or the Hurrikane (It’s even cringy to type). Away win.
There you have it. With the bluest of blue-tinted spectacles I predict 4 wins (I know, my head’s west) 3 draws and 3 defeats. These will almost definitely all be wrong but fear not, this isn’t 1951, we just don’t do relegation. Anymore.
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