City or Spurs to break into the Top 4? – They’ll have to break into the Top 5 first

As ever, as the early season speculation continues as to who may ‘break in’ to the ‘Top 4’, the name of Everton is completely ignored.

As it was last season (when they finished 5th) and the season before (when they finished 5th) and so on…right back to 2005 when they actually did – they finished 4th.

Everton finished 5th last season with arguably, hell no, not arguably, but actually, their 3 most important players (and the spine of the Team) all crocked for a large part of the season – Yakubu, Arteta, Jagielka (and add in Anichebe for good measure in case he’s reading this). Best Striker, Best Midfielder, Best Defender.

This season they haven’t started very well. But they HAVE started better than last season – when (just to emphasise the point) they finished 5th and in the FA Cup Final. And guess what? They also have a better team and a much better squad, with Arteta, Jagielka and Yakubu still to return (albeit that the Yak is almost there).

Why a better squad? Well, £24m in for Lescott, £6m out for Distin; allow a bit for a percentage payment to Wolves for Lescott, and that left at least enough for Heitinga, Neill, Billy, and full season loan for Jo (and one or two youngsters to add to what continues to be a centre of youth excellence). Was our second best central defender worth £18m more than Distin? Clearly, if we disregard the age gap then he isn’t worth a penny more than Distin – and in Distin we have someone we have sadly lacked at the back – a talker, with experience, who can tell the others what to do (and he does). Moyes’s transfer dealings are legendary, but the swap of Lescott for Distin plus £18m is up there with the purchases of Cahill and Arteta for next to nothing. How he managed to look glum on TV was true thespian genius.

Even Evertonian’s were gobsmacked at the sudden realization last weekend that the subs bench was probably just about the strongest they have ever had. And now that Moyes and his staff have got past their regular early season bout of feeling sorry for themselves for not having the resources of the so called ‘Big Boys’, the spirit is surging again, aided by a run of 4 clean sheets and 12 goals scored. Oh, and the truly majestic Majesty of the re-emergence of King Louis Saha. How much did he cost again? 

Over recent years Everton outgrew the likes of Beattie, McFadden, Carsley and Johnson and are now reaching a point where better players who have brought us this far are facing a struggle to retain their place – not because they have deteriorated, players do not deteriorate under Moyes, but because the Squad continues to improve. And the Individuals within the Squad continue to improve. And Jack Rodwell (Oops, hope Fergie and co didn’t see me sneak him in).

That improvement has been virtually year-on-year. And year-on-year most neutral observers have been surprised. That is because they too have been brainwashed that only money brings success. Even allegedly knowledgeable journalists and bookmakers. Their disregard borders on disrespect.

They of little faith. They are in for another surprise this season. The biggest surprise will be that it will be a surprise to them!

By Jim Gavin