Chances of top four for Everton?

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Republic Of Leodensia

Player Valuation: £1.5m
From a neutral perspective Everton have been one of the most exciting teams to watch in English football this season. Martinez has done everything that Moyes has not, moved to a club with higher expectation than his previous club, and completely improved the team. But do you believe top four is yours?

I think the top three will be Arsenal, Man City and Chelsea, probably in that order as well, so I'll have a look at the other teams in the run-in:

Liverpool - To be fair to Rodgers people laughed at him last season and compared him to David Brent, but this season it all seems to be coming into place for him. I detest the guy with a passion not seen since Roy Keane would go round kicking players off the park, but Suarez is having the season of his life. Right now I think they're the most likely (dunno how well that will go down on here!) but of course the bubble could burst.

Man United - People are thinking "they're Man United, how could they not get top four?!" But they are looking very suspect at the moment. Take Van Persie, Rooney, Carrick, Vidic and De Gea out of their team and they are deservedly mid-table. They have Hernandez, Januzaj and Kagawa who are all talented players but rarely ever start for them. Their season will hinge on what Moyes does in January but right now it looks like Europa League for them next season.

Tottenham - They seem to have regressed since selling Bale and have been relying on Soldado penalties to bail them out a fair few times. Like Man United, take their best players out and they're nothing special. Villas Boas seems to be on the brink of losing his job and it doesn't seem like happy times at White Hart Lane. Also, AVB seems to rotate the squad way too much, which must unsettle players. And watching them a few times under him, including our game against them in the cup last season, he plays too high of a defensive line for a team who don't quite have the nous upfront like other teams do. Again, I can't see them in the top four.

Southampton - Started the season brightly with young talent such as Osvaldo, Lallana, Rodriguez and Lambert. Pochettino has done wonders at that club considering how they were in League One playing catchup with Brighton just three years ago, and staving off relegation just one year ago. I don't think they will be in the Champions League next season but they have every chance of making a push.

Newcastle - Outside chance like Southampton, but Pardew seems to be doing a decent job at the moment. Remember that they were pushing for top four two seasons ago, and could have ended up there if it weren't for them losing on the final day. Which team beat them that day? Everton, would you believe! Players like Cabaye and Sissoko are clearly talented, and whilst I wouldn't put them as the likeliest, I can see them giving it a good push maybe.

As for Everton. Players like Lukaku, Barkley and this Delofeu seem to have made you lot the team to beat. Some great attacking football played, and Martinez seems to have employed a philosophy that you didn't seem to have under Moyes (apart from rigid, defensive football for 90 minutes). The club is obviously going in the right direction.

This is all from the perspective of someone who doesn't support any of these teams, so I was wondering what you all thought?
 

They are all decent observations mate, I just think it's hard to predict this league so much so to the extent that there could be as many as 9 teams in a league on their own battling it out for places 4, 5 and hopefully 6 to get into Europe.

Form, injuries, managers... They are all components of the game that can have a huge impact for an undetermined amount of time.

Forgive me, I'm not trying to be condescending, I just think that what you are actually asking is, if things carry on like they are now will we get to 4th. And if that happens then yes, absolutely, we've got a good chance.

All it takes is a lower club to get a scrappy win, or come up with a game plan which gazumps us, to derail our form and even season.

I just hope we quietly continue to chip away at the league.

After all, this is Roberto's first season, and therefore imagine how things will be in 12 months at this rate of progression.

Good post mate :)
 

It's all a bit early at the moment, however I don't subscribe to the view that anyone is guaranteed a top 4 place. This year is going to be real cutthroat and anything can happen. Should make for a great season.
 
I'm starting to quite fancy us as we're picking up points against those around us. Wins against united newcastle and Chelsea, draws against Liverpool spurs and arsenal.

For that reason I think we will finish above Liverpool again, they've faced Southampton and arsenal and lost, drawn at Newcastle and raised their game at home against united. With Gerrard out I can't see them winning any of their next three away games.

I think arsenal and city will pull away, so it's two specs between Everton Chelsea and spurs for me.
 
If we concentrate on Fulham and win that, then concentrate on Swansea and beat them, then concentrate on Sunderland and beat them then...etc etc....THEN we will do pretty damn well
 

Republic Of Leodensia said:
This is all from the perspective of someone who doesn't support any of these teams, so I was wondering what you all thought?
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Good question. No doubt that City, Chelsea, and Arsenal look the top talent right now. But these three and all the other teams have questions to be answered. Can Everton keep up this pace and win the games necessary? Liverpool can score, but can they defend or control midfield and win away? Can United transition and still win games? Can Tottenham get 70 points if they score fewer than 40 goals? Can Southampton win against the better teams? How long until Newcastle implodes?

So long as the league race is this close, there's no reason to expect that Everton can't reach fourth. But it's a long battle and nothing is given yet. Glad you're enjoying watching Everton fixtures, we are too.
 
Toffee mints said:
I'm starting to quite fancy us as we're picking up points against those around us. Wins against united newcastle and Chelsea, draws against Liverpool spurs and arsenal.

For that reason I think we will finish above Liverpool again, they've faced Southampton and arsenal and lost, drawn at Newcastle and raised their game at home against united. With Gerrard out I can't see them winning any of their next three away games.

I think arsenal and city will pull away, so it's two specs between Everton Chelsea and spurs for me.
Click to expand...

Liverpool score a ton of goals (even without Suarez) and while yes they'll have 4-5 more losses than us they'll pick up 3 more often than not. I think some people on this board underestimate them. Unless they get a world class striker in Jan Chelsea is the most vunerable member of the top 4, or so methinks.
 
Good post that like, but for the chance id say

4% with goat cheese +a strawberry granita pretzel crust, made to look like a tiny cheesecake
along with Baked cheesy eggplant rolls

but u never know we have the sxc Spaniard and that's all that matters right now lidz
 

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