Ronald Koeman discussion

[brieverton]

I don't think they have, Mike.....outside of Chelsea and Spurs.

The RS had an absolutely disastrous January when they barely picked up a point....they have blown hot and cold ever since.

City have stuttered badly and United have bored the pants of everyone with a succession of draws and the odd scrappy win.

And Arsenal have fallen from grace quite spectacularly since we beat them.

Up until a couple weeks ago we really had closed the gap on those four teams quite considerably.

In fact, wins at Anfield and OT when we played that double header would have hoisted us into 4th spot.

That we are not in the thick of the CL hunt is due to two things IMO and which have nowt to do with the form of the four teams immediately above us.

Our strong run since Christmas was built on the back of a succession of good, sometimes spectacular, home wins......but we let ourselves down on the road.

The hugely dissapointing performances in gaining draws at Hammers, Stoke and Boro plus the craven performance at Spurs spring to mind.

But the real damage was done in the autumn when we had that three month spell when we could hardly buy a win.

If we had gone on even a "bad" run then instead of the disastrous run that it was, we would be at least six or seven points better off right now and would have really capitalised on the stuttering progress of the RS, the Mancs and the Arsenal implosion,

As it was, every time we had the chance to cement ourselves in 5th or 6th place, such as at Hammers last week, we blew it.

I agree with you that Koeman had done a "decent" job.

But no better than a decent job in my eyes.

Steadied the ship, has us looking up again instead of down, harder to beat, never looking in much danger of surrendering comfortable leads etc.

All those cliches are very applicable to EFC right now and very welcome.

On the down side, we have lost both derbies, we are still not taking a big away scalp, gone out of both cups at the first hurdle, at home, and been becalmed in a Saragosso Sea regarding league position after our competitive season effectively ended on the the first weekend of January.

We have moved four places up the table from last season and that is good but we are above no team we as Evertonians think we should be above so in reality we are no better than we ought to be.

We are in Europe and I am hugely excited about that as I came to love my Thursday night football and the night in town afterwards a few years ago but as @ilikecheese has pointed out, us qualifying for Europe, if we indeed finish 7th rarher than 6th, is largely an illusion of success as 7th Place rarely gets a team into the EL.

The stars aligned and the big guns won both cups to make 7th a European clincher.

In many ways it is the reverse image of the first Martinez season when the 72 points of @davek blessed memory would have got us CL football in most seasons.


Sorry if this post had turned into an end of season report so I suppose I should add another thought or two.

On the playing side, we have moved up the league a bit but by and large it is not a season which will live long in the memory.

Notable mainly for the emergence of Tom Davies and Lukaku, hopefully, winning the Golden Boot.

But off the field I feel we have made huge strides.

The Finch Farm naming rights was an unexpected shot in the arm, a spectacular coup we never even dreamed off.

And of course the Bramley Moore project is the best news we have had in my lifetime of following the Blues.

Despite the last few disappointing results and the tapering out of our late season revival, I am optimistic enough that with a super summer transfer window we will make a good fist at the higher end of the table next season.

The domestic cups are obviously in the lap of the Gods but I am hoping for a long run in the EL, certainly make it out of the group and win at least one knock out tie.

And I am expecting, rather than hoping, to hear of some wonderful sponsorship deals from the commercial department.

With both Kitbag and Chang kicked to the kerb

Sorry for boring you, Mike

Have a great summer, pal

I enjoyed reading that, could not really disagree with any of it.

I hope our mutual expectations of us commercially are fit to pass muster.

Should be a big few weeks and months ahead on and off the pitch.

 

[BlueToff]

We're miles better now than we were this time last season.

We've improved.

Also, this shows that we're about where we should be...



The task now is to get us into the top six next season, or at the very least maintain our top 7 position while being a force in the cups (inc Europa). That'll require money to be spent (net or no net - as long as any funds from sales are redirected back into the squad), and better players to come in.

 

[Titus Bramble]

Tough one on Sunday, I actually thought we went toe-to-toe with Chelsea up until the 1st goal. At that point we'd dropped too deep, yes it was one hell of a goal but if we were holding a line a yard or 2 further forward he may not have been in that position. From there onwards the difference in quality showed and they overpowered us.

He's done a lot right this season, but there's still plenty of improvements to make. 2 or 3 more away wins and a few silly home draws converted to wins and we'd be right in the mix.

 

[Khalekan]

Tough one on Sunday, I actually thought we went toe-to-toe with Chelsea up until the 1st goal. At that point we'd dropped too deep, yes it was one hell of a goal but if we were holding a line a yard or 2 further forward he may not have been in that position. From there onwards the difference in quality showed and they overpowered us.

He's done a lot right this season, but there's still plenty of improvements to make. 2 or 3 more away wins and a few silly home draws converted to wins and we'd be right in the mix.

Yes, particularly in the first fifteen minutes, I thought we were easily the better team.

 

[jceverton]

We're miles better now than we were this time last season.

We've improved.

Also, this shows that we're about where we should be...



The task now is to get us into the top six next season, or at the very least maintain our top 7 position while being a force in the cups (inc Europa). That'll require money to be spent (net or no net - as long as any funds from sales are redirected back into the squad), and better players to come in.

Miles better than last season - I should hope so as we were being managed by one of the worse managers i've had the misfortune to see at Everton! Koeman has done a decent job but he's only got us to where I would have expected with a decent manager. The jury is still out on him for me.

 

[blue to the bone]

Transfer window and next season will tell am awful lot. We have improved and home form has been very good. Most impressive thing for me is shipping out most of the dead wood. A few left to go

 

[The Rhino]

Miles better than last season - I should hope so as we were being managed by one of the worse managers i've had the misfortune to see at Everton! Koeman has done a decent job but he's only got us to where I would have expected with a decent manager. The jury is still out on him for me.

I'll be honest after 2 seasons of Roberto I'm very thankful for 7th place right now! Next season my expectation of Koeman is essentially secure 7th again and really make a push for one of the 3 cup competitions we are in (hopefully Europa). The top 6 are simply too far away without massive investment over a number of seasons in which I doubt Moshiri can or would provide us, losing one or both of Lukaku and Barkley will also set us back somewhat and would require us to get things bang on in the transfer window.

 

[BlueToff]

Miles better than last season - I should hope so as we were being managed by one of the worse managers i've had the misfortune to see at Everton! Koeman has done a decent job but he's only got us to where I would have expected with a decent manager. The jury is still out on him for me.

He's got us back to where we should be, which was the target for this year. So he's achieved those targets.

Next step is to get us competing against the top six sides more than we have done, and a good run in the cups. If we can do that while maintaining or bettering our league position next season will be a success.

 

[BlueToff]

I'll be honest after 2 seasons of Roberto I'm very thankful for 7th place right now! Next season my expectation of Koeman is essentially secure 7th again and really make a push for one of the 3 cup competitions we are in (hopefully Europa). The top 6 are simply too far away without massive investment over a number of seasons in which I doubt Moshiri can or would provide us, losing one or both of Lukaku and Barkley will also set us back somewhat and would require us to get things bang on in the transfer window.

Agree with the first part.

Second part, no they're not. We aren't miles away from them, but what is needed is smart investment in the right areas of the squad.

It's a big summer but not because we need an X net spend, but as you point out mainly because of the potential of losing two important players.

That being said, there hasn't been a manager in the league in recent years who has had to cope with that more than Koeman has, and in every situation like that he's maintained high standards.

 

[bignev23]

After one season it seems he's got us punching at our weight again, pretty much like we've been since the turn of the millennium bar the odd few seasons, which is quite nice, question is can he or someone else if he can't, take us to the next level. my opinion is until we've been splashing the cash at the levels the clubs above us do consistently for at least 5 or 6 seasons or more on the trot I just can't envisage it myself. Grim but the reality I'm expecting is we won't be competing anytime soon for the Title no matter who's at the helm, finishing top four is not likely but could happen if we're on top form but would also have to coincide with a few other teams that usually finish above us now having bad seasons a Cup is a possibility and would be a pleasant surprise but the domestic ones are no more than a few decent days out for the supporters and bring no prestige what so ever these days, the Europa would be the one I'd want to win and would of course provide the Holy grail of Champions League football so we can keep hold of our want away players and attract better ones as well. So the future's bright and cheery!

 

[ToffeeTim]

He needs to hound every penny out of the board. I'm glad he's not going to do a moyes and wallow in self pity and defeatism.

 

[chippy1722]

At the beginning of the season not many people said we'd be top 6, a lot said top 10 would be an improvement on last season and they would be happy. I'm not Koeman's biggest fan but he has exceeded a lot of people's expectations, especially when you see the gap between between teams below. He's got rid of the dead wood too. This summer we will see what players he thinks will help us step up and more importantly if we have the right people at the club to actually sign the right players.

 

[The Rhino]

An interesting thought that if Koeman only stays his 3 years and goes I wonder will the club be keeping tabs on upcoming managers in the next season or 2? That Marcos Silva at Hull has been impressive and the papers reckon he'll be going to a Watford type club in the summer. If he has an impressive season next year/the one after I wouldn't mind us looking at someone like him for Koemans eventual successor. Reminds me of Pochettino and how Spurs kept tabs on him whilst at saints.

 

[jceverton]

He's got us back to where we should be, which was the target for this year. So he's achieved those targets.

Next step is to get us competing against the top six sides more than we have done, and a good run in the cups. If we can do that while maintaining or bettering our league position next season will be a success.

To early to judge what will be a success next season. A lot depends on what happens in the summer with transfers. Personally I'd like to see us have a real go at winning the Europa.

 

[Cork Evertonian]

Koeman learned his trade under Cruyff at Ajax and Barcelona.If he is worthy of Johan Cruyff's respect then he is worthy of my respect.Some people think that he won't take us where we want to go in the long run.Fair enough we shall see.But he inherited an Everton team that was a rabble.He didn't get the players he wanted to bring in before the August transfer window remember.We have had 2 mediocre keepers manning our goal.Our defence as a whole requires an overhaul.We have had 2 ageing centre backs and kamikaze Mori in our central defensive positions this season.Yet despite these disadvantages we have one of the best defensive records in the league.We have had only four defeats at Goodison.Two in the cups and two in the league.Last season we had to endure our worst season at home in our modern history.We can still finish the season with 67 points if we win our remaining games.5 short of the 72 point barrier but a hell of a lot better than Martinez's 44 points at the time of his sacking last year.More often than not it takes a good team to beat us.Under Martinez at our worst even Tranmere Rovers would fancy their chances against us.We have improved a lot and if Koeman is properly backed by the board this summer.Then we will make a serious push at qualifying for a Champions League place next season.In Koeman We Trust.