Get your passports out Blues, the boarding pass to a golden era has arrived

Hull 0 v 2 Everton: Fitting End To A Fantastic Season

By @Markthablue

I’m so pleased to be writing about another three points. After a season were we had smashed our record points tally, it would have been disappointing to end the campaign without a win in three.

Small worries but with momentum slowing down in the past few weeks, it was great to see us end with three points and two goals that highlighted perfectly the improvement we have made under Roberto Martinez this season.

Everton, with European Football secured last weekend, rested John Stones and Ross Barkley and the ease of victory highlighted there is more depth to our squad than people think. We didn’t miss them against a preoccupied Hull City yesterday.

The two outrageously talented youngsters will be a critical part of the spine of an emerging Everton team for years to come; the School of Science simply personified in Stones and Barkley.

Everton started the game well with Lukaku and Naismith looking sharp early on and it wasn’t long before our confident start was rewarded with the most deserved goal of this Premier League season.

James McCarthy, latching onto Naismith’s incisive through ball and putting the gloss on a truly fantastic debut season with a 9th minute strike that returning goalkeeper Alan McGregor failed to grasp. The ball looping joyously into the bottom right hand corner to round off a flowing move.

Hull 0 v 1 Everton

Hull threatened mildly through Aluko striking over from outside the box with Howard untested. Gareth Barry on his final loan appearance for the Blues found space in the box, feeding Naismith only for the Scot’s instinctive shot to miss the target achingly, as Everton pressed for a second.

To be honest Hull were at Wembley in mind and soul and after a season were they have achieved their goal and qualified for Europa with a cup final on the horizon, this was perfectly understandable. The game had a pre-season feel about it, particularly in the second half.

Lets hope it is us preparing for Wembley this time next season. A trophy would truly light the blue-touch paper for our promising team under the incredible Roberto Martinez.

Tim Howard was finally tested as Figueroa’s low drive was deflected goal-bound off Naismith and McCarthy. The American demonstrated his concentration wasn’t affected by lack of activity, getting up off his deckchair to make the save look easy.

With half time approaching and Everton in second gear with Hull having not even started the car, it was the the Toffees who looked more likely to add to the opening goal. It almost came to fruition with Lukaku getting a flick to McCarthy’s cross after a lung busting run down the right from the Irish international. McGregor smothered comfortably at his near post and Everton headed into half time one goal to the good.

McCarthy reminds me of Bracewell and Reid in his play, fantastic energy and drive, he is the engine of Martinez’s smooth running side. I think we’ve only scratched the surface of McCarthy’s ability this season. He is a truly special player who will only get better under Martinez.

Everton’s search for the second goal that would tuck Hull safely in bed did not last long. 48 seconds into the second half and the Blues doubled their lead through Lukaku. The Belgian striker scoring his 16th goal of the season after getting on the end of Osmans perfectly weighted through ball.

Hull 0 v 2 Everton

That only told half the story of a 16-pass move that started with Howard. Everton confidently playing out from the back before springing in midfield, creating space and allowing Osman to feed Lukaku who showed excellent composure in the box to slot past the exposed McGregor. Game Over.

If ever a goal summed up Martinez philosophy and Everton’s improvement this season, this was it. Patience, bravery, quality, clinical. We haven’t always got what we have deserved this season, and having finished a mere 12 points off Champions Man City, the anticipation for next season could not be greater.

With Hull reduced to long range efforts the game was effectively over as a contest. Everton had noticeably dropped in levels but it didn’t matter. Hull threatened to make it interesting and really should have halved the deficit when Curtis Davies finding himself in oceans of space in the six yard box, somehow heading wide from Huddlestone’s corner.

Everton eased to victory soon after and racked up our 21st win of the season, reaching 72 points, our highest total since we won the title in 1987. A points haul that would have been enough for champions league in four out of five seasons.

To add to the plaudits Everton racked up their 15th clean sheet of the season.

All this in ‘transition’. The dream has arrived blues.

At the start of the season we were told by the gutter press that along with predicting a 16th place finish, Martinez teams also can’t defend. That myth has been well and truly smashed with Everton finishing the season with the third best defence in the Premier League.

A Fantastic achievement given we’ve had so many changes to the centre back positions this season and great credit must go to the whole squad.

Everton are back in Europe and a fantastic experience now awaits our emerging team. The best away fans in the world will have some new memories next season. I have said it a million times but this is merely the springboard to a fantastic future for us.

Martinez, by his approach alone, is all ready leaving a legacy at Goodison Park. It is time to get our great club noticed around Europe, get people talking about us once more; Everton Football Club has awoken from its seventh placed induced coma.

And like any good stuck record I will re-iterate for the millionth time this season that the chairman and his board have 2 back Roberto now. They gave him the minimum last summer & we’ve hit 72 points! 12 off the leaders. Not 25 or 30 points like previous seasons. Conceivably we could have won the league this season if we’d had more squad options.

I’m sure it’s not lost on them that if they give Roberto what he needs in the summer, added to the fantastic youngsters we have coming through and ready to make an impact, the potential for this team is frightening.

The board have to match Roberto’s ambitions and the good times will flow. It’s that simple. The sun is shining and the Hay making material has arrived. Over to you Bill. Does the ‘greatest Evertonian’ wish to see us return to the top of  English football? This summer more than ever, will tell us.

We are blessed to have such a talented manager leading us. A forward thinking, pro-active manager who is moving us forward based on our clubs School of Science principles. It doesn’t get much better than this. The team, manager and the fans all deserve ambition to be screaming out of the boardroom this summer. The time is now.

I am as proud to be an Evertonian as I have ever been this season. Roberto has given us our club back in every possible way.

Our history will be the platform for our future.

“It’s been a remarkable season. The Europa League is the step we need to see how far we can go as a football club.” Roberto Martinez 

Everton are at the foot of the staircase to a memorable era.

The School of Science is on its way back!

Sin Miedo