Reading the above is depressing, success for Everton Football Club is not getting relegated, but it is realistic. I love the optimism of some on here, it makes me smile when they talk about the doom merchants. I read a post admonishing someone for being negative about the new season based on a few preseason games, the last two seasons no longer seem to count. I am a glass half full type of person but I am not stupid, in order to be optimistic I need something to be optimistic about. I don’t see any basis for optimism at Everton at the moment.
Young is a plus but not because he is going to come in and drive us forward but purely because he is better than what we have, a 38 year old released by a club who a while back we didn’t consider to be our equal. Danjuma couldn’t get a game at Spurs, that isn’t as bad as it may seem given the forwards they have. I am hopeful for him provided he plays in his best position and not shoehorned into a central role because we couldn’t buy an out and out centre forward. I hope DCL plays 35 games and scores 20 goals but that is hope not expectation. I heard Stuart Pearce talking about the time he was relegated with Forest, he said the players knew they were going down before it happened, he said they knew they hadn’t the players in their squad to stay up. It sent a chill through because I know we haven’t got the players in our squad to stay up this year. We need something more in this window, not a loan player not a free transfer but someone of significance. The problem is we are on a downward trajectory, all of football knows it and doesn’t want to be part of it, but the most damaging thing is that no one at the club seems to be able to arrest that fall.
I am a man of some years, my first Everton memory is Jeff Astle‘s cup final goal, I have never felt this disheartened going into a new season. However I am the consummate Blue, as the Fulham game gets going the hope will overtake the rational thinking and for a while I will believe the Gods of Football will look kindly on Everton Football Club.