Big difference between qualifying for Europe and to playing the most direct, defensive and boring football of any team in the top 5 leagues in Europe.
Football develops in trends. In recent years football have become much more offensive minded, a lot more goals are scored and the entire world of football moves away from the current Everton team.
If you play offensive football and develop player types that are attractive for other clubs, you will massively increase the value of your squad and it will be a lot easier to attract talent to your club. You will get more tv matches and more tv money. Higher exposure will make you more attractive for sponsors. Who knows, you might even get pre-season friendlies against other opposition than Salford and Coventry. Pre-season prints money for other clubs.
You can be mid-table with 50 points and 40 goals scored and you can have same points tally with 65 goals scored. Financially the latter will make a lot more money and be able to attract much better players.