2012/2013: 6th
Transfer(s) In: Antolin Alcaraz (Wigan Athletic, Free), Joel Robles (Atletico Madrid, Undisc), Arouna Kone (Wigan Athletic, Undisc), Gerard Deulofeu (Barcelona, Loan), Roberto Martinez (Wigan Athletic, Undisc), Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea, Loan), Gareth Barry (Manchester City, Loan), James McCarthy (Wigan Athletic, £12 Million)
Transfer(s) Out: Thomas Hitzlsperger, Jan Mucha (Both Released), Phil Neville (Retired), David Moyes (Manchester United, Undisc), Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United, £27.5 Million)
Transfers Review:
Undoubtedly, the most important transfers that have occurred at Everton this season involve the managerial position rather than any on-field place. After over a decade of loyal support, David Moyes decided that the Manchester United job was too good to refuse. After his repeated heroics with Wigan, firstly keeping them up season after season, and culminating in their FA Cup triumph in May. These credentials attracted the attention of Bill Kenwright, who managed to settle a fee with Dave Whelan to bring the talented Spaniard to Goodison.
Most of the signings that Roberto Martinez has made have, at one time or another, represented Wigan during his time in charge. Alcaraz will add to the already strong defence, with Distin and Heitinga highly competant defenders. Joel Robles, who played that FA Cup final a couple of months ago, having been on loan from Atletico, will also provide adequate cover for Tim Howard. Arouna Kone is a proven goalscorer in the Premier League, having made double figures in a relegated team last season, and will provide many valuable goals in attack. James McCarthy, though an expensive signing, will provide further steel and creativity in the centre of midfield. Both Barry and Lukaku are good loan signings, and will provide short-term gains, but I feel that longer term solutions will be required. Deulofeu is a promising youngster from Barcelona, and I feel will be used sparingly throughout the season to give him the experience. However, whilst these signings are good, the majority of them have come from a side that have were relegated last season, so one must wonder just how much they will add to a top half team. In comparison to my prediction from my Everton season review post, Callum McManaman is about the only member of that Wigan side that looks promising not to be snapped up by the ex-Wigan manager. And typically, he is the one I predicted would go!
What the Toffees have managed to do is keep their hands on the majority of their star names. Though Marouane Fellaini did make the journey over to join his old manager, Leighton Baines remaining at Everton is a major boost to their success. With old manager Moyes and Manchester United seemingly desperate to secure their signatures, throughout the window it was a real battle to keep hold of Baines until September 3rd. The call from their old manager seemed to be too much to resist for the big Belgian, though Martinez will be pleased to have got £27.5 Million, a full 4 more than the old release clause.
Pre-Season:
Everton began their pre-season preparations on home soil, with games against lower-league opposition. A good opportunity to try and find some new youth prospects, and a chance to bed some of the new signings into the squad earlier. Two wins, against Accrington and Blackburn followed, before we moved into August, where the competition got considerably more impressive. In the International Champions Cup, Everton faced Juventus in San Francisco in their opening game. After 90 minutes, a Kwadjo Asamoah strike levelled Kevin Mirallas's effort on the hour mark, and the game went into penalties. After 13 successful spot kicks, the game was settled in Everton's favour after Peluso's kick was saved by Howard. This left the Liverpudlian side with a tie against Real Madrid in LA. After Ronaldo scored the opener, he created a second for Mesut Ozil before the break. Nikica Jelavic grabbed a consolation for the Toffees, but Madrid hung on to eliminate Everton. Considering the opposition, Everton will be heartened by their performance.
Their final two games took place back on home soil, with the visit of two Spanish sides. Firstly, they entertained Valencia, where they suffered a chastening 1-0 reverse. This readied them for their final game of the pre-season warm up against Real Betis, where they performed much better, securing a promising 2-1 win. These games suggest that they have the personnel, and the ability, to secure a positive performance in the Premier League, however, there are aspects to Everton's form that may cause them trouble during the campaign.
Key Players:
I think that this will prove to be a massive season for Kevin Mirallas. The winger had a good initial season at Goodison Park, scoring a couple of memorable goals, and I think that he may have to take a more central role this time around. With Steven Naismith and Nikica Jelavic both out of form, this is when the Belgian will have to stand up and be counted.
Seamus Coleman could also be forced into a key player role this year. The young Irishman seems in that Baines-esque mould, and will often be seen bombing down either side. More commonly known as a right-back, he may have to transfer to the opposite side, and take the role of instigator of many attacks.
Key Fixture Dates:
03/11/2013: Everton vs Tottenham
23/11/2013: Everton vs Liverpool
03/12/2013: Manchester United vs Everton
07/12/2013: Arsenal vs Everton
28/01/2014: Liverpool vs Everton
08/02/2014: Tottenham vs Everton
05/04/2014: Everton vs Arsenal
19/04/2014: Everton vs Manchester United
Top Goalscorer:
If Kevin Mirallas takes to his more central role quickly, I feel he may well have a claim for this position. However, with the ability and pace that Arouna Kone has, coupled with the clinical finishing which led him to the top goalscorer for Wigan last time around, I feel that he may well pip the Belgian to the post. Since Roberto Martinez can get the best out of the Ivorian, it would be silly to assume that that partnership would stop working at Goodison Park.
Prediction:
I think that Roberto Martinez will do well at Everton, but he, like every other new manager in the field, will take time to adjust to his new role. His teams' mentalities of not playing until the clocks go forward will not do at a side like Everton. He can ill-afford the kind of start that Wigan were so accustomed to, as he has not only the European places to consider, but their standing within their own city. As things stand, unfortunately for the Toffees, the re-adjustment period will be too long to secure either of their objectives, and they will finish away from the European places and behind Liverpool. But they will be building for the future, especially if Martinez is given the amount of time that Moyes was.
Everton 2013/2014: 7th
Analysis of sporting events, talking points and controversies.
Showing posts with label Will. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Will. Show all posts
Tuesday, 13 August 2013
Monday, 1 July 2013
2013 British Grand Prix: When Will The Tyres Get Sorted?
The 2013 Formula 1 season is in full flow, as the roadshow moves onto British soil. The home grand prix of 4 drivers in the field, and home to the owner of the entire franchise. After years of turbulence between the governing body and Silverstone, racing fans will be pleased to see the grand old track claim its rightful place on the Grand Prix calendar. In contrast, a name we will soon see disappearing from Formula 1 is, sadly, Red Bull driver Mark Webber, who announced his retirement from the end of the season before one of his favourite races. The feisty but likeable Aussie will be sorely missed from the paddock, but conspiracy theories have begun emerging that this was a case of 'jump before he was pushed', as his relationship with the World Champion Sebastian Vettel has deteriorated in recent months. With Red Bull inevitably plumping for their three-time World Champion, Webber has arguably been cast out into the cold by Christian Horner after 7 years of loyal service.
With this news initially detracting from the build-up to the British Grand Prix, thoughts were transferred back onto the job in hand for qualifying. With the early favourites in practice being the traditional one-lap specialist Mercedes cars, it was Ferrari who found themselves lacking in pace in the early stages, with Felipe Massa nearly failing to make it out of Q1. As it finished, it was the usual suspects who ended the first session at the bottom, with home debutant Max Chilton finishing at the back, a full 1.7 seconds behind his teammate. Q2 saw further woe for the usually big teams, as Felipe Massa could only manage 12th. McLaren also struggled, with neither of their cars able to make the top 10 shootout. This time, Britain's Jenson Button outqualified his Mexican counterpart, with 11th the best he could manage. Q3 was all about the battle between the Red Bulls and the Mercedes, with the resurgent Austrian team fighting back against the Silver Arrows' dominance in Q2. However, the Germans were not to be denied, completing a lock-out of the front row. To the home support's delight, it was Stevenage-born Lewis Hamilton who took pole, with a scintillating lap. The question now, though, was could Mercedes translate their qualifying pace into race pace?
Even before the start of the race, there was further controversy and heartbreak, with Britain's Paul di Resta being disqualified from his all-time highest qualifying position of 5th, for performing in an underweight car. This meant that he cascaded to the back of the grid. A silly mistake from the Force India team, and one that threatened the Scot's chances of a good points haul on the Sunday. The race itself began equally eventfully. A first corner incident between Webber and Lotus driver Romain Grosjean forced the Red Bull driver off track and way down the field. Back up front, Lewis Hamilton and Vettel began trading fastest laps, with the Mercedes man eventually breaking free of the vital DRS activation point of 1 second. With Hamilton's lap times comparable with Vettel's, the question began to be asked whether the Mercedes had developed a race winning car. Unfortunately for the British driver, disaster then struck. He suffered a left rear tyre failure mid way through lap 8, forcing him to limp back to the pits, costing him bags of time, and any chance of winning the race.
With Hamilton's demise, Force India's disappointment the previous day was beginning to be recified by the achievements of Adrian Sutil, who moved into the final podium position. The racing was brought to a shuddering halt just two laps after Hamilton's incident, as Felipe Massa also exited the track courtesy of a left rear tyre failure. Just 5 laps later, in almost exactly the same part of the track, John-Eric Vergne suffered a left rear tyre failure. With three such similar incidents in quick succession, concerns were once again raised over the condition of the Pirelli tyres. With the recent controversy over the Italian manufacturers, they can ill-afford this type of debacle. Whilst spokesmen for the tyre supplier claimed it was more to do with the kerbs at Silverstone than the tyres, these claims fell on deaf ears, with a full inquiry to be held in the future days. After these incidents, the safety car was deployed as sweepers were used in an attempt to clear the track of any debris. When racing eventually resumed on lap 21, Vettel scampered away at the front, eventually taking a lead of 3.2 seconds before his second, and final, pit stop of the afternoon.
Further down the field, the action was coming thick and fast. Brits Lewis Hamilton and Paul di Resta found themselves locked in an enthralling battle for the 7th place, with the Mercedes driver beginning to make his way back through the field. With both Alonso, and Raikkonen, coming through after their second pit-stops, Hamilton attacked the Force India, only to fall back behind the chasing pair in successive corners. Back up front, Nico Rosberg made his second pit stop before Vettel, in an attempt to undercut his rival. Advantage Mercedes? The Red Bull mechanics instantly recalculated, bringing their man in the following lap to cover off the Rosberg threat. Vettel rejoined 3 seconds ahead of the Mercedes, with the race now his to lose.
Then lap 42 threw the race, and arguably the championship, back into the balance. After a few laps of Rosberg gaining on the triple World Champion, Vettel's Red Bull coasted to a halt, with a gearbox problem ending the leader's Grand Prix, and opening the door for his title contenders. The fact that this was the first time the championship leader had failed to finish anything lower than 4th this year, and the fact that this was the German's first retirement since Italy of the previous year says a lot for the consistency of the Red Bull, clearly illustrating the bedrock upon which Vettel's success has been built. With the safety car once again being deployed, race leader Rosberg used his 13 second advantage to make a precautionary pit-stop, leaving him on fresher tyres to complete the final few laps. Once Vettel's stricken car was removed from the racing line, the contest could begin again. However, after nearly 50 laps without tyre controversy, Sergio Perez's left rear also let go on lap 46, causing further worries of another safety car period. Fortunately, the carcass was cleared quickly, and racing could continue.
Immediately after the restart, it was clear that Mark Webber had not given up on his chances of, at least, a podium finish. He began cutting through the field, dispatching Ricciardo and Sutil, before a stunning pass on Kimi Raikkonen secured the Aussie 2nd place. Could he now catch Rosberg for the most unlikely of wins? Similar movements were going on behind, with Alonso and Hamilton also making late dashes through the field. From 8th and 9th places at the race restart, the pair finished in a remarkable 3rd and 4th place respectively, overtaking 5 cars each in 6 laps. Just up the road, Webber was closing in on Rosberg, getting the gap down as low as 0.7 of a second. This was going to come down to a final corner finish. Unfortunately for the Aussie, he had perhaps one lap too few, running out of time, and having to settle for 2nd place. Whilst the fairytale send-off from Silverstone will not happen, he can nevertheless be extremely proud of a tremendous drive, on a day where, for once, he got the better of Sebastian Vettel.
The events of yesterday has heaped further doubt onto the reliability of the Pirelli tyres, with many in the FIA undoubtedly questioning whether it they are more trouble than they are worth. I would not at all be surprised if we saw a switch back to the Bridgestones or Michelins of yesteryear in the very near future, as Pirelli have demonstrated they cannot be trusted. As for the title race, whether yesterday was a blip or the beginnings of a collapse or reliability issue cannot be decided in one race. The next few races will certainly be interesting, as it now gives those around Red Bull hope that they can push their cars into failure.
With this news initially detracting from the build-up to the British Grand Prix, thoughts were transferred back onto the job in hand for qualifying. With the early favourites in practice being the traditional one-lap specialist Mercedes cars, it was Ferrari who found themselves lacking in pace in the early stages, with Felipe Massa nearly failing to make it out of Q1. As it finished, it was the usual suspects who ended the first session at the bottom, with home debutant Max Chilton finishing at the back, a full 1.7 seconds behind his teammate. Q2 saw further woe for the usually big teams, as Felipe Massa could only manage 12th. McLaren also struggled, with neither of their cars able to make the top 10 shootout. This time, Britain's Jenson Button outqualified his Mexican counterpart, with 11th the best he could manage. Q3 was all about the battle between the Red Bulls and the Mercedes, with the resurgent Austrian team fighting back against the Silver Arrows' dominance in Q2. However, the Germans were not to be denied, completing a lock-out of the front row. To the home support's delight, it was Stevenage-born Lewis Hamilton who took pole, with a scintillating lap. The question now, though, was could Mercedes translate their qualifying pace into race pace?
Even before the start of the race, there was further controversy and heartbreak, with Britain's Paul di Resta being disqualified from his all-time highest qualifying position of 5th, for performing in an underweight car. This meant that he cascaded to the back of the grid. A silly mistake from the Force India team, and one that threatened the Scot's chances of a good points haul on the Sunday. The race itself began equally eventfully. A first corner incident between Webber and Lotus driver Romain Grosjean forced the Red Bull driver off track and way down the field. Back up front, Lewis Hamilton and Vettel began trading fastest laps, with the Mercedes man eventually breaking free of the vital DRS activation point of 1 second. With Hamilton's lap times comparable with Vettel's, the question began to be asked whether the Mercedes had developed a race winning car. Unfortunately for the British driver, disaster then struck. He suffered a left rear tyre failure mid way through lap 8, forcing him to limp back to the pits, costing him bags of time, and any chance of winning the race.
With Hamilton's demise, Force India's disappointment the previous day was beginning to be recified by the achievements of Adrian Sutil, who moved into the final podium position. The racing was brought to a shuddering halt just two laps after Hamilton's incident, as Felipe Massa also exited the track courtesy of a left rear tyre failure. Just 5 laps later, in almost exactly the same part of the track, John-Eric Vergne suffered a left rear tyre failure. With three such similar incidents in quick succession, concerns were once again raised over the condition of the Pirelli tyres. With the recent controversy over the Italian manufacturers, they can ill-afford this type of debacle. Whilst spokesmen for the tyre supplier claimed it was more to do with the kerbs at Silverstone than the tyres, these claims fell on deaf ears, with a full inquiry to be held in the future days. After these incidents, the safety car was deployed as sweepers were used in an attempt to clear the track of any debris. When racing eventually resumed on lap 21, Vettel scampered away at the front, eventually taking a lead of 3.2 seconds before his second, and final, pit stop of the afternoon.
Further down the field, the action was coming thick and fast. Brits Lewis Hamilton and Paul di Resta found themselves locked in an enthralling battle for the 7th place, with the Mercedes driver beginning to make his way back through the field. With both Alonso, and Raikkonen, coming through after their second pit-stops, Hamilton attacked the Force India, only to fall back behind the chasing pair in successive corners. Back up front, Nico Rosberg made his second pit stop before Vettel, in an attempt to undercut his rival. Advantage Mercedes? The Red Bull mechanics instantly recalculated, bringing their man in the following lap to cover off the Rosberg threat. Vettel rejoined 3 seconds ahead of the Mercedes, with the race now his to lose.
Then lap 42 threw the race, and arguably the championship, back into the balance. After a few laps of Rosberg gaining on the triple World Champion, Vettel's Red Bull coasted to a halt, with a gearbox problem ending the leader's Grand Prix, and opening the door for his title contenders. The fact that this was the first time the championship leader had failed to finish anything lower than 4th this year, and the fact that this was the German's first retirement since Italy of the previous year says a lot for the consistency of the Red Bull, clearly illustrating the bedrock upon which Vettel's success has been built. With the safety car once again being deployed, race leader Rosberg used his 13 second advantage to make a precautionary pit-stop, leaving him on fresher tyres to complete the final few laps. Once Vettel's stricken car was removed from the racing line, the contest could begin again. However, after nearly 50 laps without tyre controversy, Sergio Perez's left rear also let go on lap 46, causing further worries of another safety car period. Fortunately, the carcass was cleared quickly, and racing could continue.
Immediately after the restart, it was clear that Mark Webber had not given up on his chances of, at least, a podium finish. He began cutting through the field, dispatching Ricciardo and Sutil, before a stunning pass on Kimi Raikkonen secured the Aussie 2nd place. Could he now catch Rosberg for the most unlikely of wins? Similar movements were going on behind, with Alonso and Hamilton also making late dashes through the field. From 8th and 9th places at the race restart, the pair finished in a remarkable 3rd and 4th place respectively, overtaking 5 cars each in 6 laps. Just up the road, Webber was closing in on Rosberg, getting the gap down as low as 0.7 of a second. This was going to come down to a final corner finish. Unfortunately for the Aussie, he had perhaps one lap too few, running out of time, and having to settle for 2nd place. Whilst the fairytale send-off from Silverstone will not happen, he can nevertheless be extremely proud of a tremendous drive, on a day where, for once, he got the better of Sebastian Vettel.
The events of yesterday has heaped further doubt onto the reliability of the Pirelli tyres, with many in the FIA undoubtedly questioning whether it they are more trouble than they are worth. I would not at all be surprised if we saw a switch back to the Bridgestones or Michelins of yesteryear in the very near future, as Pirelli have demonstrated they cannot be trusted. As for the title race, whether yesterday was a blip or the beginnings of a collapse or reliability issue cannot be decided in one race. The next few races will certainly be interesting, as it now gives those around Red Bull hope that they can push their cars into failure.
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