Hey, this is my story about Everton FC. This is my first attempt at a story so hopefully it goes well. So let’s just get straight into it.


There is a bad injury crisis at the club starting out. Baines, Gibson, Cleverly, Pienaar, Besic and a few others all have long term injuries. Here is a quick review of the squad

Keepers:
Joel Robles and Timothy Howard are the two keepers in the squad, we will need investment here. Robles is raw and big Timbo is old and fading quickly. He probably still could do a job but a new keeper is on the agenda.

Full backs:
On the right we have the ‘Donegal Cafu’ Seamie Coleman and Felipe Mattioni. Seamie is a beast and we will look to use him going forward a lot. Mattioni looks like decent enough cover for the first season at least.

On the left we have Leighton Baines, the mod father himself. Bryan Oviedo and Brendan Galloway are the cover on the left. We might need investment here as Baines is out for 6 months. I don’t really know if Galloway is a full back or a centre back yet. He’s got potential though, Oviedo provides solid cover all down the left flank.

Centre Backs:
We have John Stones, Phil Jagielka and Ramiro Funes Mori. We all know about Stones, Jags is pushing on a bit but can still do a job plus he’s a great leader. Funes Mori has good stats, He could be hit or miss. We need investment here too.

Defensive Midfielders:
James McCarthy, Gareth Barry, Darren Gibson
McCarthy looks like a great player, he will be an ideal defensive mid for my team. Gareth Barry has a season left in him I think. Gibson is out inured for a few months but will be shown the door when he’s back fit.

Midfielders:
Leon Osman, Ross Barkely, Muhmaned Besic, Tom Cleverely
Leon Osman will be a decent squad man, Barkley will be used in a more forward role in the CAM position. Bosnian Besic looks like a good player and Cleverely is out with a long term injury, doesn’t look up to much.

Wingers:
Kevin Mirallas, Aaron Lennon, Gerard Deulofeu, Steven Pienarr
I plan to sell 3 of these, hopefully get a bit of cash for Kevin. As for Lennon and Pienaar, I just want them off the wage bill. Pienaar might get a chance at AMC when he’s back fit. Deulofeu will be trained up for CAM, doubt it will work. Will more than likely be sold next year.

Strikers:
Arouna Kone, Romelu Lukaku, Oumar Niasse, Leandro Rodríguez
Big Lukaku, the manchild himself will start up front. Not bad cover in Kone, Rodriguez and Niasse.

On Loan
Aidan McGeady….. He can stay on loan

I will be on the market for a Keeper, Center Half, Left Back and Center Mid. There should be some developments on this front for the next update as well as formation ideas and preseason results.

Transfers
We will start with those who left the club. A sad day but big Timothy Howard has moved on to Ukrainian outfit Dnipro Kiev for 500k. Tyler Browning joins Mk Dons on a season long loan. Kevin Mirallas seals his move to the French Riviera joining As Monaco for 11 million pounds. Snatching that penalty off regular penalty taker Leighton Baines sealed his faith.

Emanuel Mammana, the young centre half joins from River for 5.75. Timo Horn replaces Howard in nets joining from Bundasliga’s Koln. Marcelo Meli adds reinforcements to a weakened midfield joining from Boca Juniors for 3.6. Charlie Daniels joins as cover for LB for 1.5 from Bournemouth.


Last but not least, Ronaldinho joins Everton on a free transfer. Hopefully there is a bit of magic left in the old dog yet. It’s been thought, the Liverpool night life played a role is persuading Ronny to join the Toffees.



Pre-Season Friendly’s

Hangzhou
2:1 to Everton
Niasse and Funes Mori
Osman

Shanggang
2:1 to Shanggang
Lukaku

Brynford
5:0 to Everton
Barry (2), Lukaku, Funes Mori, McCarthy
Barry

Southport
3:0 to Everton
Mammana, Barry, Lukaku
Coleman
Barkey 6 weeks

Braga
2:0 to Everton
Lukaku, Funes Mori
Meli

Shenhua
2:0 to Everton
Lukaku, Funes Mori
Meli (Not a typo!!! Same result, scorers and MOM as Braga)

I’ve decided to go with 5 at the back with inverted wing backs. I believe Everton were at their strongest when they had Baines n Coleman bombing down the wings under Moyes a few years back. Baines is out injured for a few months and Oveido picked up an injury in Pre Season so Charlie ‘Wildcard’ Daniels and Galloway will fight it out for this position. Jags, Funes Mores and Stones for the back 3 with Galloway and Mammana as cover.
Matthew Pennington has been called up from the under 21s as cover.

Mc Carthy as DMF with Barry and Besic as cover.

Meli, Besic, Osman, Barkey and Barry for the 2 central midfield spots.

Ronny, Barkley and Deulofeu for AMC.

Lukaku, Niasse and Kone for up front.

As for starting fixtures we have the following,
Man City H
West Ham ` H
Spurs A

Next update we will have the results of those game and some season expectations.

Not the kindest first three fixtures but good luck with them. Shame you lost Barkley

First game of the season,

Home to Man City
4:2 W



Jags (2), Lukaku, Otamendi OG
Coleman

Pellegrini under pressure after that result

West Ham Home
0 :0 D



Winston Reid

A boring nil nil. Lukaku picks up a facial injury after 50 odd minutes. We were probably a bit too defensive in this game, but Reid has a monstrous game for the Hammers at the back. Meli impresses in midfield.



Spurs Away
4 2 L



Lukaku, Mammana

Son Heung-Min

Terrible result, Spurs battered us. Kane started off the scoring with a header at the front post, Chadli adds a second. Stones at fault for both but Coleman went awol as well. Coleman redeems himself with a great ball in for Lukaku’s goal. Son scores the third for Spurs with the defence all over the shop at a set piece and a 4th from the peno spot. Stones hauled off a H/T, Ronny makes his debut and assists Mammana for our 2nd. Bad day at the office, Dembele was huge for them, he bossed Barry in the middle of the park.

Son

So, that was a mixed bag of results. I’m hoping for a top 6 finish for the season with a bit of a cup run too. Up next we have

Brighton Home (Home, Cup)
Sunderland (Home)
WBA (Away)

Up and down month, well done against City though!

League Cup 2nd Round
Home to Brighton
1:0 W


Niasse
Coleman

Niasse slots home from a Coleman cross after one minute. An eventful day for our Seamus, Booked, Assists, gets injured and then is sent off after picking up a 2nd Yellow! He picks up Man of the match too but will be out for 4 weeks. Nottingham Forest in the 4th round at home.



Sunderland Home
1:0 W



The best performance of the season so far, we were good but the mackems were dreadful. Ronny starts and Ronny does what Ronny does. He threads a ball for Lukaku in the 25th minute and the manchild makes no mistake from 6 yards out. A good win and clean sheet thanks to big Phil’s MOM performance at the back

Lukaku
Jagielka


West Brom Away
3:3 D



Besic gets his first goal after a great deep cross to the back post from Charlie Daniels. 2 goals conceded from set pieces, one from Yacob and another from Rondon. Berahino gives them a 3 1 lead with 50 mintues on the clock. We get one back straight away with Ronny putting a free kick right on Lukaku’s head. We complete the comeback when Daniels whips in a cross and the big man adds his second. Good comeback, 2 goals from set pieces is worrying but then again this was Tony Pulis.

Lukaku 2, Besic
Lukaku

Manchild

In other news, we have some disharmony in the camp after the commoners from Chelsea have started sniffing around a few of our lads. 3 sneaky cheap bids for 3 separate players causing them all to land at my office bitching for a move. You can guess the first two, Stones and Barkley. Stones is fine now, but Barkley is still unhappy. The last bid was for our up and coming captain, the forever young Phil Jagielka. A measly 2.3 million bid was immediately rebuffed.

So that’s the update, 2 good wins and we salvaged a draw v West Brom. Up next we have

Stoke Home
Forest Home (Cup)
Leicester city Away

We will review the league table and see who’s been performing well.

Surprise that the FA allows you to take Lukaku out of school when you need him

Stoke Home
2:0 W


A good home win, Meli opens the scoring on the stroke of half time after slotting home from a Mattioni cross. Besic breaks down at half time and has to come off. Barkley comes back from injury to win a penalty off Geoff Cameron and Lukaku makes no mistake from the penalty spot. James McCarthy impresses in his defensive midfield role as does Meli.

Meli, Lukaku
McCarthy


League Cup 3rd Round
Nottingham Forest Home
0:0 (4:2 Penalties)


A non-event, we rang in the changes for the 3rd round of the league cup. Lukaku, Stones, Osman and Kone scored the penalties to take us through. Big shout out to Timo Horn in nets who saved a couple of penalties.

Jack Hobbs

Leicester City Away
1:0 L


This was a tight match, Vardy eventually got the winner thanks to a John Stones clanger. Stones has had a poor start to the season, that Chelsea bid seems to have affected him. On the plus side, Barkley comes in for his first competitive start of the season and did well. McCarthy picks up another yellow, that’s his 5th of the season in only 7 games. He will be a huge loss when Chelsea visit Goodison next week.

Vardy
Mahrez


So we are lying 7th in the league, It’s been a good enough start. Our home form has been excellent winning 5 and drawing 1. Our away form has been poor, losing 2 and drawing 1. We will see how the away form pans out, we may need to change the formation.


Big Lukaku has been excellent, 6 goals in 7 games for the manchild. Other notable mentions include Phil Jagielka, Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy and Marcelo Meli. Stones and Barry have been poor, Barry can’t move. We are in bother with Besic injured, we may need to add a central midfielder in January.


So that’s the update…. Up next we have

Chelsea (Home)
Bournemouth (Away
Man Utd (Home)

Chelsea Home
0:0 D

Boring game, no chances at all really. Defence starting to look solid. Jags, Funes Mores and Meli did well for us.


Zouma


Bournemouth Away
0:0 D

Another boring one, Lukaku let us down today. He had several chances to win it for us. Meli picks up man of the match, Mammana has impressed since coming in for Stones. Barkley yet to find top form.


Meli

Man Utd Home
1:0 W

Big win for the lads. Oviedo bursts down the left and puts one on Lukaku's head. Big man glances home, the midfield 4 of McCarthy, Besic, Meli and Barkley were brilliant.


Lukaku
Jones


4th round League Cup Middlesbrough fc
1:0 L

We played the reserves and conceded in the 83rd minute. Stones again the culprit, He is having a terrible season.


Meli

Liverpool Away
1:1 D

The first Merseyside derby of the season and it ends up a draw. Lukaku and Coleman combine again for the opener. Big Benteke scores a cracker to see it finish up in a draw.


Lukaku
Benteke

Another mixed bag of results, The defence is looking good but we aren’t really scoring enough. Lukaku is the main man, no goals coming from midfield though. We need Barkley to start scoring a few, here’s who’s up next

Arsenal Home
Newcastle Away
Villa Home
Palace Away

Good draw away at Liverpool pal well done

Arsenal Home
1:0 W


Such a win!!!! The first defeat for Arsenal in the league this season, they had been flying up until today. Nice goal from Lukaku who volleys home after a nice knock down from Ross Barkley. We had to hold on a bit late on, Mammana and Funes Mori flinging themselves at shots was a thing of beauty. Good to Barkley contributing for the first time this season.

Lukaku
Oxlade-Chamberlain (Joke)


Newcastle Away
1:1 D


How did we not end up with 3 points. Lukaku opens the scoring from a Coleman cross, nothing new there. We seemed to be in control until the 88th minute when Sissoko lobbed in a cross and Doumbia gets the equaliser. Sickened.

Lukaku
Sissoko

Aston Villa Home
3:0 W


Easy win today, Baines back in the side after a long term injury. McCarthy opens the scoring from Coleman knock down. Lukaku makes it two from a Coleman cross and Niasse slots home from 2 yards after McCarthy hits the post. Good to see Baines back, Coleman was inspirational yet again. Lukaku tears knee ligaments, he will miss 3 months.

McCarthy, Lukaku, Niasse
Coleman

Crystal Palace away
1:1 D


No Lukaku or Coleman today. We score within 15 minutes with Mattioni crosses and Niasse heads us in front. Zaha and Bolasie caused us problems all day and the two combine to snatch a draw in the 67th minute. 4th away draw in a row, least we are not losing but we have taken the lead in 3 of them which is annoying. Unbeaten in 8 though!

Niasse, Bolasie
Zaha

Swansea Home
2:2


Paloschi puts them in front in the 56th minute, We change to 4-2-3-1 formation with Pienaar and Deulofeu coming on. Baines scores and then sets up Pienaar on 65th minute. Correa scores from a cross in the 80th minute.

Baines, Pienaar
Neil Taylor

Southampton Away
1:1 D


Baines scores a peno in the first minute after Niasse was taken down. Pelle heads home from a corner after 15th minutes. We are struggling up top with Lukaku still out and Kone injured as well. Ward Prowse was awesome, He would be perfect our midfield.

Baines
Ward-Prowse

The Modfather is back

Norwich Home
0:0 D


Not much to mention here. Dirty enough game, again we didn’t create much. Timo Horn dislocates his shoulder in the 84th minute, with no keeper on the bench Mattioni comes in. We hold on for the draw. 2 months out for Timo, another huge loss. The man has been brilliant for us.


Bassong

Watford Home
1:1 D


We take the lead after 8 minutes when Barkley slots home from a Niasse cross. He’s in the trequartista role today for the first time. Ighalo scores in 45th minute, turns Jags inside out. 2nd time in 3 games Jags has been at fault.

Barkley
McCarthy

We can’t stop drawing games. Losing Lukaku has been huge. The goals have dried up, on a positive note we are unbeaten in 12 in the league but there is only 3 wins in there. We had an easy enough run too. I think we need to buy a striker in January; Shane Long is going cheap and would be a good option. There is a lack of creativity in midfield too, Barkley isn’t doing much. Besic and Meli together is too defensive for home games. 8th in the league at the half way point, won 6, drew 11 and lost 2.

1 point of 6th, 7 off 4th and 9 behind the leaders Arsenal. Lukaku is top scorer with 11 and Meli top performer with 7.55 average rating. Seamus not far behind with 7.33 and 6 assists.


Up next
Norwich away
Man City away
Chesterfield Home (Fa Cup
West Ham away
Spurs home

Tough run!!

Norwich away
2:1 L


Boxing day game, poor show from the lads. Mbokani and Redmond score for them, Mammana and Robles at fault. Kone gets one back late on, Mulumbu and Bambford run the show.

Kone
Patrick Bamford

Man City Away
4:1 L


Aguero gives them the lead early on out jumping Jags from a cross, Niasse equalises after a Coleman cross. Nasri goes on to score a perfect hat rick in the 2nd half. The 3rd was a beauty, outside of the boot from the edge of the area.

Niasse
Nasri

Chesterfield Home (FA Cup 3rd Round)
2:0 W


We needed that! We played a strong side as we need a good cup run. Coleman from a corner and Deulofeu scores a lovely individual goal. Ki Sung Yueng comes in for his first start after arriving on loan from Chelsea and will add a bit of creativity to midfield.

Deulofeu, Coleman
Coleman


West Ham away
2:1 W


Huge win for the lads, Coleman crosses for Niasse to open the scoring. Baines scores an absolute cracker to make it 2 0. This could be goal of the season, a half volley going away from goal into the top corner. Mammana with an OG at the end. Ki Sung Yueng (KSY) was brilliant in midfield. Coleman gets his 11th assist and 4th Man of the Match award.

Niasse, Baines
Coleman

Spurs Home
2:1 L


2nd time Spurs have hammered us this season, Barkley opens the scoring. Rolan equalises and Eriksen scores a free kick in the 77th minute to win it.

Barkley
Diego Rolan

Huddersfield Home (FA Cup 4th Round)
1:0 W


Good win in the cup, Coleman sets up Deulofeu in the 30th minute and that’s enough for us to get through to the 5th round v Cardiff or Mk Dons.

Deulofeu
Cleverley


Sunderland Away
0:0 D


Cattermole was sent off after 46 minutes and we still couldn’t score. We are on a bad run and there is some moaning in the camp.

Kaboul

That was a bad few games, we are struggling without Horn and Lukaku. There has been some activity in the transfer market.

Out

Gibson to Derby 3 Million
Lennon to Fiorentina 4 Million
Oviedo to Brighton 1.8 million


In

Ki Sung Sueng from Chelsea (Loan)
Bony from City (Loan)
Douglas from Barca (Loan)

Up next we have
West Brom Home
Stoke Away
Cardiff Or Mk Dons
Leicester Home
Chelsea Away
Bournemouth Home

West Brom Home
4:1 W


Bony opens the scoring from a Baines cross, Barkley gets the 2nd after a lovely 1 2 with Bony. Brunt pulls one back for West Brom in the 75th minute. Lukaku scores the 3rd after his long lay off and Besic adds the 4th. Good win for the boys.

Bony, Barkley, Lukaku, Besic
Meli


Stoke Away
1:0 W


This was a tight match but the big man Lukaku does the business late on with the 88th minute winner.

Lukaku
Coleman


Cardiff (FA Cup 5th Round) Away
1:0 W


Baines with the corner and Lukaku volleys home to see us through to the 6th round v Leeds,

Lukaku
McCarthy
 
Leicester Home
4:1 L


Not good enough lads. This was a tight game up until the 60th minute. Dyer had put them in the lead but Bony got one back. We were pushing for the 2nd but they caught us on the counter. Dyer got two, Mahrez got two and he was exceptional.

Bony
Nathan Dyer

Chelsea Away
4:1 L


We take the lead when Baines crosses to Lukaku. A free kick, A deflected 35 yard shot and penalty from William and Luan with the goals for them. Two goals from them were in the last 5 minutes. We deserved something from the game.

Lukaku
Will I Am

Bournemouth Home
2:1 W


They take the lead with a goal from Iturbe, Great response from the lads straight after half time with Baines crossing for Lukaku. Lukaku is a horse of a man. Jags gets the winner in the 88th minute from a corner, Captain Fantastic!

Lukaku, Jagielka
Baines

Leeds Away (FA Cup 6th Round)
2:0 W


Two crosses from Baines and two volleys from the big man. Simple as that, we are through to the semis against Utd or Chelsea.

Lukaku (2)
Baines


Liverpool Home
1:0 W


Common the Everton…. Big win over the scousers. Baines assisting Lukaku again in the 22nd minute and we just about hang on for the win.

Lukaku
Coutinho

That was a good enough run for us, I think we got a bit unlucky in the two defeats but in saying that we scored a few late winners. Lukaku is some man, 8 goals in 8 games since his injury. Baines has been sensational too. Stones is unhappy again as is Jagielka about bids rejected for them.

Manchild

We are lying 8th in the table, 5 point behind 4th placed Liverpool who have a game in hand. 8 games left for us and a fa cup semi final.

League Table

Here’s who’s up next
Arsenal Away
Newcastle Home
Aston Villa Away
Palace Home
Man Utd Away

Arsenal Away
5:1 L


Cazorla gives them the lead but lukaku equalises to make it 1 1 a half time. Cazorla goes on to score a hatrick, Koscienly and Giroud get the other two.

Lukaku
Santi Cazorla

Newcastle Home
3:0 W


Lukaku gets the first but comes off at half time with a small knock. Bony gets the 2nd and Coleman adds a 3rd from a corner. Good win for the lads, Coleman with a goal and assist

Lukaku, Bony, Coleman
Coleman

Aston Villa Away
3:1 W


Lukaku again opens the scoring, Coleman then heads home from a Baines corner. Jordan Ayew gets one back for villa but Brendan Galloway heads home from another Baines corner.

Lukaku, Galloway, Coleman
Baines


Man Utd Away (FA Cup Semi Final)
3:0 W


We are through to the FA Cup Final!!! We blew away a poor utd side who recently sacked LVG and replaced him with Jose. Barkley opens the scoring before Lukaku added two more before half time! Leighton Baines with 3 assists and Swansea await us in the final.

Barkley, Lukaku (2)
Baines

Crystal Palace Home
1:0 L


Conor Wickham with the late sucker punch in the 82nd minute. This was a bad result as we were really pushing up the league up until this.
Berezlutskly

We are sitting 7th in the league; We are playing 6th position in our next match. Chelsea are catchable in 5th place but we have a tough run with 3 away games in the league. I’m hoping we can get 6th position and hopefully take home the FA cup. Baines, Coleman and Lukaku have been awesome the last few games.


Here’s who’s up next
Swansea Away
Southampton Home
Man Utd Away
Watford Away
Swansea FA Cup Final

Swansea Away
1:0 W


This was a tight game but the breakthrough finally came in the 66th minute. Besic who came on at half time swings in a corner, Fabianski drops it and Barkley pokes home. Big win as it moves us up to 6th place.

Barkley
Ashley Williams

Southampton Home
4:0 W


This win moves us up to 5th position as Chelsea have slipped up. Barkley opens the scoring after a Daniels cross, Mammana makes it 2 from a corner. Lukaku makes it 3 nil just before half time and Barkley gets his 2nd late in the second half.

Lukaku, Barkley(2), Mammana
Barkley

Man Utd Away
2:2 D


They twice take the lead through Ziyech but Lukaku claws us back into it both times. This result keeps us in 5th place and a win in the last game will seal European football.

Lukaku(2)
Hakim Ziyech

Watford Away
3:1 W


Lukaku opens the scoring from a Timo Horn kick out!! Barkley makes it two on the counter attack from a Watford corner. Coleman scores from a knock down from Ki in the 2nd half, Behrami scores a late header as a consolation for them. We finish in 5th position in the league and that’s enough for us to qualify for the Europa League.

Lukaku, Barkley, Coleman

Hakim Ziyech




Swansea Wembely (FA Cup Final)
3:0 W


We go into the game without James McCarthy who is serving a 3 match ban for picking up 15 yellows. Also Seamus Coleman is a big loss after picking up an injury during the week, Besic and Douglas come in.
We blow them away, 3 goals from Lukaku enough to see Everton win their first trophy since 1995.


Lukaku (3)
Lukaku

Well that’s the season ladies and gentlemen. We ended up finishing 5th in the Premership and winning the FA Cup. I think that can be considered a successful season. We faded a bit over the winter months with the loss of Timo Horn and Lukaku but were more than a match for the top teams with everyone fit. We will break the top 4 next season.
Lukaku goes on to win top goal scorer in the premership, one ahead of Harry Kane.
Here’s an end of season review of our players

Keepers

Horn: Was brilliant all season, picked up a bad injury half away through it. No surprise our bad run coincided with that.

Robles: Did not impress me when he filled in for Horn.

Right Back

Coleman: Such a player. 35 games, 4 goals, 13 assists, 7 Man Of The Match performances and 7.55 Avg rating.

Mationi: Did ok until he picked up cruciate injury

Douglas: Came in on loan from Barca as cover for Seamus. Played the cup final and picked up an assist. Wont be kept though.

Left Back

Baines: Another beast. He was injured for the first half of the season but he came back with bang. 26 games, 15 assists, 3 goals, 3 Man Of The Match performances and a 7.54 Avg rating

Daniels: Did ok, he was ok cover for a season.

Galloway: Did not play much, but he impressed when he did. He will be used as a center back from now on, maybe a loan on the cards.

Center Backs

Stones: He was out of the team due to bad form for the first half of the season, but he turned it around and was impressive in the 2nd half of the season.

Funes Mori: He did well for the first half but lost his place eventually to stones. I still feel like he’s got a role to play at the club. He impressed me a lot in the early parts of the season and is only young at 24.

Mammana: He had a good season.

Jagielka: The captain, the mainstay of the team. Played all 38 games in the league and was excellent.

DMF

McCarthy: He was very good all season, 35 games, 7.28 Avg rating. He picked up 15 yellows though!!

Barry: Barry is finished and will be moved on in the summer

Midfielders:

Meli: He was a revelation. Player of the season I think. 41 games, 7.57 Avg rating.

Besic: He did very well too, Lost his place to KSY but played 27 games with 7.17 Avg rating

Cleverley: Did ok, didn’t play much. He will be moved on.

Ki Sung Yeung: He came in on loan in January and was excellent. 21 games and 7.42 Avg rating. He had the best pass success rate in the team and slotted in lovely as the 3rd centre midfielder.

Pienaar: Didn’t play and will be released.

Barkely: He really kicked in the 2nd half of the season, 34 games, 8 goals and 7.30 Avg rating. Him and Meli looking for massive contracts. Barkley looking for 120K a week!!! Got him down to 80 though.

Forwards

Lukaku: The manchild. He was top scorer in the league. 30 games, 31 goals and 7.43 Avg rating

Niasse: Did ok for the first half of season, 4 goals in 8 starts in the league.

Bony: He didn’t play much, 4 starts, 3 goals and 3 assists.