Everton finished seventh in the Premier League in 2016-17, but what grade do they get for their overall performance?
Everton’s season fluctuated drastically from month to month. They began by winning four of their first five matches and drawing the other. Then they nosedived into obscurity by winning only one of their next 10. After a loss to rivals Liverpool in the middle of December, the Toffees went on a nine-match unbeaten run, climaxing with a 4-0 thrashing of Manchester City at Goodison Park. While they never really challenged for a Champions League spot, Everton rebounded nicely from two straight bottom half finishes, and can feel optimistic about their future prospects.
The manager
Ronald Koeman arrived at Goodison Park from Southampton last summer expected to build on the work of David Moyes and, to a lesser extent, Roberto Martinez to turn the Toffees into a top four contender. He took his new club from 11th to seventh, but the jump into the top six could prove very difficult.
The players he brought in were largely a success. After making the decision to sell John Stones to Manchester City, Koeman promptly made a shrewd move for experienced defender Ashley Williams, who appeared 36 times for Everton and was the leader of the defense. Idrissa Gueye was a revelation in defensive midfield, and only cost the club just over £7 million. Morgan Schneiderlin was brought in from Manchester United in January, and seems like he will be Gueye’s partner going forward.
Not everything went right for the manager, however. Koeman couldn’t figure out his keeper situation, which ended up costing Everton valuable points. After long-time keeper Tim Howard left for the Colorado Rapids, neither Joel Robles or new transfer Maarten Stekelenburg cemented a place as first choice.
Koeman will also be concerned at Everton’s away form. None of the top six picked up fewer than 30 points away from home, while the Toffees’ 18 points away from Goodison ranked 10th in the league.
The players
Romelu Lukaku was far and away Everton’s most important player this season. He was the team’s leading scorer for the fourth season in a row, the 25 league goals he scored five times as many as the Toffees’ next highest scorer, Ross Barkley. The Belgian finished second in the Premier League scoring charts behind Harry Kane, and has said he won’t sign a new contract with the club. That’s very bad news, though he will at least command a massive transfer fee.
The most pleasant surprise of the season was Gueye. The 27-year-old joined Everton after his former club, Aston Villa, were relegated from the Premier League, and led the league in tackles won, besting even PFA Player of the Year N’Golo Kante. His partnership with Schneiderlin will likely be the bedrock of the Everton midfield for the next several seasons.
Williams was also a key buy for Koeman. The former Swansea captain filled in seamlessly for departed John Stones. He finished the season in the top five in both clearances and headed clearances. However, both he and frequent partner Phil Jagielka are getting old, and will likely have to be replaced soon.
The good news is Koeman has an exciting crop of talented youngsters to choose from. Mason Holgate and Matthew Pennington were both given reps in the back four, with Holgate particularly impressive, while 18-year-old Tom Davies became a key player in midfield, scoring one of the goals of the season against Manchester City.
The biggest disappointment of the season was a question of bad luck rather than bad judgment, as Yannick Bolasie, signed for £25 million from Crystal Palace, suffered a season-ending injury after just 13 appearances with his new club. He provided a goal and four assists during that spell, and will surely be a big part of Everton’s attack next year, especially if Lukaku departs.
Ross Barkley also had a somewhat disappointing year. The Englishman did tally five goals and eight assists, but was often found wanting in big matches. The Englishman has been heavily linked with a move away from his boyhood club for some time now, and Koeman’s response doesn’t suggest he would be too sad to see him go.
Koeman did a good job in his first season, but with several key players either aging or on their way out, he faces a difficult task to next season.