Just how far behind the top four are we?

[Lob]

Miles behind them. We are moving in the right direction (now) but it could take a few years to get anywhere near that level and consistency. We had hit proper gutter level which fittingly resulted in the hiring of Allardyce. Cannot get much lower than that. Definitely out of the gutter and moving forward again now though. Going to be a while but will be a much more enjoyable ride hopefully.

 

[SerenityNigh]

RS and Spurs are locks
4th is up for grabs

I agree, although Spurs are 1-2 injuries from 5th-6th, but they should be there. More to the point, the "top four" is filled with some costly garbage in various stages of stink. United are only days away from implosion, although the later the better because Zidane could make them well again. Sarri, but Chelsea won't be good this season, not in that system with these players. And same for Arsenal, although if/when they stabilize I could see them pushing for 4th.

But the relevant question is instead, "how far are Everton from 6th?," because there isn't any longer a "Top Four," and there hasn't been for some time.

 

[Market trader]

Personally I think that getting to be considered as 'one of the top 4' is going to take a lot more than finishing in the top 4 for a single season.

To be considered one of the top teams we need to finish in the top 4 for at least 2 or 3 consecutive season which will mean consistently being better than 2 of the current top 6. At the moment Everton have the capability to potentially get in the top 6 but it's a huge leap to have a consistent team to get top 4 on a regular basis.

I think the best we can hope for over the next 3 or 4 years is to have the 'Top 6' getting to referred to as the 'Top 7' then push on from there.

While I agree with nearly everything you write, we need to be consistently better than three of the current top six teams rather than two to get in the top four. Not easy.

 

[Saint Domingo]

The promising thing is that our upward trajectory seems to be at a quick rate. From the nadir of some of the Koeman Allrdyce stuff to turn it round to where we are now in one window is impressive. We drew our first three league games under Martinez as we adapted yet we should arguably have 6 points now. If we can keep getting results as the new players bed in and everyone gets used to what Silva wants them we might not be as far off the top 4 as we all thought we would be.

 

[Richarlinson]

we need to be consistently better than three of the current top six teams rather than two to get in the top four. Not easy.

That right there is a very good point that I have overlooked. Damn you and your solid logic.

 

[Tipp blue]

If Bernard plays like we know he can, if Mina and Zouma sort out our dodgy defence, we need one of our players to bag at least 20 goals, also we need our fans not bo be idiots who start booing the team on the back of 1 or 2 bad results.

 

[rochdaleblue]

It’s a pity lukaku is at united. If we still had him and with Mina, Digne, Gomes and Bernard to come in our starting 11 would be a match for theirs. Unfortunately it’s a squad game and we don’t have the strength in depth they possess.

 

[Prevenger17]

We're a fair bit off imo, and I really don't think people understand how difficult it is. We need an achievable, sustainable vision (hopefully we have that with Brands and Silva) and the patience to see it through. At best, we might get 6th this season, and we should consider that good going if so.

 

[Prevenger17]

It’s a pity lukaku is at united. If we still had him and with Mina, Digne, Gomes and Bernard to come in our starting 11 would be a match for theirs. Unfortunately it’s a squad game and we don’t have the strength in depth they possess.

Lukaku isn't the type of striker Silva would be particularly arsed with I reckon, wouldn't suit the system

 

[Moomin]

Never mind top four, we should be winning the league.

If you don't agree with me you are a bad kopite.

NSNO

 

[Osamabindiesel]

3 of the top 6 are teams in transition right now. If there was a time that we could get a bit lucky, this is the year. Unfortunately for us, we are also a team in transition

 

[Toffeelover]

Strange as it may seem, the clubs in the top bit think more about getting in to Europe than winning the PL, surely that is where the money is and that is most important these days.

 

[AmericasToffee]

Two seasons behind. 2-3 transfer windows.

 

[APN_EFC]

I think we are 5 players, Confidence and 3 years away from the Top 4:

I mean that we need upgrades or replacements in 5 different players, the type of standard you'd find in the current top 4. Centre back, centre midfield, and up front and 2 'squad players' who would be upgrades on Niasse, etc. To clarify, I mean that Baines, Keane, Gana, Schneiderlin, Tosun for instance, would be reserves in the top 4 teams, not first choice. Our current crop of young English players could become those upgrades in 2 years, if they fulfil potential, and so could Bernard, Richarlison, Holgate and Pickford of course.

Confidence: A cup win, a 5th place finish or a runners up finish in a cup every year for three years, will give us confidence that we can do it. Need one of this things every year.

3 years - consistent top 5 / SF or F cup runs for 3 years in ar ow

If all of these things happened over three years, we could say that we are closer to the top 4!

 

[Saint Domingo]

We did it under Moyes, Leicester went the whole way. Nothing is impossible when you get on a good run and keep winning. Are we better quality wise than the 13 other teams in this league? I’d like to think so. Are we capable of beating the top 6 at home? We have done regularly in the past. What is to stop us then from being very consistent against the bottom 13, picking up some wins against the top 6 and coming out with a competitive points total that might ruffle some of the teams at that bottom group of 6? Nothing in my view.