Hello Sky 4 – Everton have entered the building
Supporting Everton intensely means when there is good news, there are few better feelings in life. Optimism has well and truly replaced frustration as a hugely anticipated season looms large on the horizon.
Rom Arrival Adds Belief To A Mouthwatering Future – By @Markthablue
I can’t believe I had to work nights on the day we announced Romelu Lukaku as our record signing. Such excitement but being in work I had to keep it in check. I couldn’t wait to get home and write my thoughts on what was a sensational day, in a sensational week for Evertonians so far.
Wednesday’s show of ambition has had me floating around like a helium balloon.
I woke up this morning with a smile on my face as wide as the Mersey tunnel – it was pure Jack Nicholson’s joker in Batman – this is not just about Lukaku, this is about Everton and the board seizing the moment, and they did just that with the announcement Lukaku had signed on permanently.
All that frustration that had been festering all summer on social media with the majority of Evertonians was blown away in a tsunami of excitement. Nobody buzzes like Evertonians, its fantastic to see and with good reason. This team under Roberto is in line for a memorable season.
The signing of Lukaku for 25m rising to 28m was a club record, almost double that paid to Standard Liege for the services of Marouane Fellaini back in September 2008. Not since Kanchelskis have we signed a player from a potential rival long before his best days are behind him. This is hugely significant for us.
The signing will add belief to an already confident squad that we can achieve things this season. Put simply, Christmas came early this week.
Many people have written about the Lukaku signing so I wont state the obvious – suffice it to say everyone at the club deserves great credit for making the dream of many Evertonians since the season ended into a reality 2 weeks before the season starts.
I am of course happy to be fickle and even two-faced to praise Bill Kenwright for this.
I am a huge critic of our chairman, admittedly it doesn’t take much for me to go on a rant about the way our club is run but I’m not so blinded to play down his role in this. Full credit to Bill, the boys pen done good!
The cynic in me still thinks we should have more money to spend but as long as Roberto is happy come September 2nd, then it is good enough for me.
A delicious sideline of securing Lukaku has been the apparent ‘upset’ of the majority of journalists who thought we would simply fade away after our loans went back last season. They have underestimated Everton and Martinez severely.
Martin Lipton of the Daily Mirror takes the award for the best childlike supermarket tantrum; turning the back of the mirror into a reflection of his pain by highlighting Mourinho’s concerns about Lukaku’s attitude rather than the Everton deal itself.
No praise given to a side looking to break the snooze-fest that the Sky 4 currently is. More a tale of woe that the beloved top 4 are at huge risk form an emerging, fearless Everton side ahead of the 2014-15 season.
Personally I Love this. Everton under Martinez are starting to irritate people and having been patronised for far too long under Moyes’ plucky this..punching above that.. Journalists know this Everton team is only going to get better and long may the dummy spitting from the nationals continue.
It is so much more fun to be disliked in football. The media hacks thought Everton were a fluke based on loans, they are mortified we’ve come back for more because they know we will get stronger.
The true celebration comes in the squad options we have available. Still shy of a striker and a winger which I’m confident will be addressed by the close of the window (Everton are currently closing in on a loan deal for Christian Atsu if reports are to be believed) the genuine promise comes from our younger players.
I doubt there is a team in the Premier league with as much quality coming in through the ranks as Everton. Make no mistake, Roberto, 1 year on, is already building a dynasty at Goodison Park. It’s not just next season that has mouth-watering promise, it’s the next ten.
John Stones and Seamus Coleman provide not just excellent defensive cover but in Coleman’s case, probing direct attacking play and from Stones, grace and poise on the ball and the ability to bring the ball into midfield, make for fluidity as Everton build attacks form the back. I truly think it wont be too long before we see Stones captaining Everton. A fantastic natural talent who hasn’t scratched the surface of his ability in my opinion.
Midfield brings us onto Besic, Barkley and James McCarthy. Class, style and stamina all under one roof. Barkley, I have said a million times before, is heaven-sent in terms of ability. A player who can be the holy trinity all by himself such is his limitless talent.
Ross will start to own games next season and he has every chance with Besic and McCarthy providing the never-ending stamina to a talented engine room and, while Barkley makes hay in what looks like an absolute worldie of a midfield, ensuring the back door is locked.
Concentrating on the younger players I haven’t mentioned the others; Mirallas, McGeady, Pienaar, Gibson, Barry to name but a few can make this one of the best Everton midfields I have ever seen. Having seen the likes of Claus Thomsen, Stephen Hughes and Danny Williamson I can say, just as Roberto opened with yesterday: “Good things come to those who wait.”
We know what were getting with Jimmy Mc, an outstanding player who commands his midfield area like a man possessed. Capable of rising through the levels I’m confident McCarthy can add goals to his game should the positional opportunity arise. For me he has it all, a smattering of Reid and a hint of Bracewell. If he turns out half as good as those two we will have some player on our hands.
Admittedly I have not seen much of Mo Besic except for two World Cup appearances for Bosnia In Brazil – and a debatable you tube video that tends to bring the best out of any player – that aside, Besic looked more than useful against Nigeria and Argentina. Capable of linking and breaking up play, Besic has boundless energy and his harassing style of play is sure to create opportunities for our attackers.
Midfield options are so vast I almost forgot the hugely promising talent of Ryan Ledson, a player Martinez stated was destined to be a part of the School of Science. Not looking bad is it?
This is where the thrill of signing Lukaku truly comes in. We have signed one of Europe’s most exciting strikers. We’ve all seen the goal stats for a player of his age but this guy has it all. Pace, power, presence, and a happy goalscoring knack. If he gets his first touch right there is nothing to stop him being whatever he wants to be. And in the process, leading Everton to where we want to be.
I have never entered a season with such excitement. This feels like something huge is about to happen. We’ve watched enough dross over the years to know when we are onto something good – embrace these days blues, Everton Football Club is heading back to where it belongs – and it never felt so good.
The angst and frustration on twitter was something I received criticism for, fair enough, but it was all about wanting moments like this!
Our club is on the rise big time.
Rom’ s signing shows everyone last season was no fluke. We have secured two out of the three loans and with more signings possible, it’s clear to me the Sky 4’s number one irritation – Everton – are not going away.
“It is true this moment in Rom’s career is very significant because he is very ambitious, he wants to be successful and win things and wants to develop to the top of his potential. That is what we want to be as a team, so it is a perfect fit.” Roberto Martinez
One size fits all Bobby.
Number 10 is firmly on the menu.
Sin Miedo
Mark Ellis