Premier League 2016-17 preview, predictions: No. 11, Everton
With the 2016-17 Premier League season kicking off this weekend, FC Yahoo is rolling out previews for all 20 teams. We’ll be working our way up from the bottom of our predicted table, all the way to the champions.
Last season: A porous defense and blown leads turned what could have been an exciting Everton season into a frustrating one. The Toffees conceded 55 goals — more than teams like Watford and Palace — and slumped to another 11th-place finish. A 3-0 defeat at Sunderland in May was the coup de grace for manager Roberto Martinez, who was axed with one match remaining.
What’s changed: Everton paid Southampton £5 million to poach Dutch boss Ronald Koeman and name him Martinez’s successor. It took Koeman a while to dip his toes into the steaming hot waters of the transfer market, but once he did, he plunged in.
The first domino to fall was John Stones, sold to Manchester City for £47.5 million. Within 24 hours, Everton put that money to good use. Koeman forked over £12 million for Swansea center back Ashley Williams, is reportedly on the brink of paying £30 million for Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie, and various reports say he could be close to capturing Man City striker Wilfried Bony and Sunderland center back Lamine Kone as well. Bony’s arrival could in turn pave the way for Romelu Lukaku’s exit.
Before all this madness, Koeman’s first influential signing was Idrissa Gueye from Aston Villa. He also brought in goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg to replace Tim Howard, who left for the Colorado Rapids after being a mainstay on Merseyside for a decade.
FC YAHOO TAKE
Alex Baker: Everton looked to have run out of steam under Martinez. The talkative Spaniard’s inability to organize a defense has become legendary. Under Koeman, the Toffees have themselves a tactically astute manager whose Southampton team had a sum that was greater than its parts. It will be interesting to see what the Dutchman can do with the superior talent pool he’ll have at Goodison Park. Flush with cash from the sale of Stones, there’s still time for Everton to make moves on the transfer market.
Shahan Ahmed: For the Toffees, Koeman is a better fit than Martinez. However, Everton’s defensive struggles went beyond the manager, as the personnel needs to be reexamined and possibly replaced at key positions. Add in that Lukaku has been heavily linked to a move back to Stamford Bridge, and Everton could begin September without its most potent attacking weapon. The Merseysiders should easily finish outside the relegation fight, but the teams that finished ahead of the Toffees still appear to be strong enough to keep them out of the top half of the table.
Bookmakers say: Point total over/under: 54.5 | Title odds: 100/1 | Relegation odds: 25/1
FC YAHOO PREDICTIONS
Shahan Ahmed: 13 | Ryan Bailey: 15 | Alex Baker: 8 | Henry Bushnell: 10 | Joey Gulino: 12 | Joe Lago: 10 | Leander Schaerlaeckens: 9 | Average: 11 (11th)
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