\n<\/p>\n
Guardian writers\u2019 predicted position:<\/strong> 13th (NB: this is not necessarily Andy Hunter\u2019s prediction but the average of our writers\u2019 tips)<\/p>\n Last season\u2019s position:<\/strong> 13th<\/p>\n Everton kits<\/p>\n Building a new stadium befitting Everton\u2019s ambitions proved a fraught and costly process. The same is true of David Moyes\u2019s attempts to build a new team to realise those ambitions. Everton must hope that, like Hill Dickinson Stadium, their exhaustive efforts eventually pay off.<\/p>\n The feel around Everton is at odds with the reality of Moyes\u2019s summer at present. The move to a modern new home \u2013 which, despite Unesco\u2019s objections, is the finest development along the River Mersey in decades \u2013 has generated a positivity unfamiliar to Evertonians after too long in the doldrums. But it is not the only source. A blessed end to the Farhad Moshiri era, stability and common sense under The Friedkin Group, the team\u2019s uplift under Moyes in the second half of last season, Moyes himself, with his ability to rebuild a side and connection to the fanbase, all point to a club turning their troubles around and moving forward. But the squad? Not so much.<\/p>\n Everton took 31 points from 19 league games under Moyes last season, a dramatic improvement on the 17 from 19 collected in the fag end of Sean Dyche\u2019s reign. Extrapolated across the campaign, Everton\u2019s form under the returning Scot would have been good enough to finish eighth. That, in Moyes\u2019s view, is where Everton should be aiming next and the bare minimum for a club of this stature. He want European qualification and an end to the club\u2019s 30-year trophy drought, not a modest step to mid-table.<\/p>\n But nine members of last season\u2019s first team squad departed this summer \u2013 many with considerable Premier League experience \u2013 and attempts to replace and upgrade them have been largely frustrated. Moyes, now part of a football leadership team that shapes recruitment, has missed out on numerous targets with first-choice options deterred by the lack of European football and too many recent scrapes with relegation. It doesn\u2019t promise to be a hectic end to the transfer window; it has to be one.<\/p>\n Past five seasons<\/p>\n The Friedkin Group\u2019s first big call as Everton owner could not have worked out better. Everton were one point above the relegation zone and in dismal form when Dyche was sacked in January. Moyes was quickly invited back after a 12-year absence and swiftly improved the team in all departments to banish relegation fears with ease. Age and the demands of the modern dressing room may have mellowed the 62-year-old, who received an OBE in June for his services to football, but he is as ambitious as ever and the perfect foreman for the reconstruction that Everton require.<\/p>\n Last season was dominated by an emotional farewell to Goodison Park, home to Everton\u2019s men\u2019s team for 133 years and now the new home for Everton\u2019s women, and a stadium will take centre stage again as the club relocate to a magnificent new residence on the banks of the River Mersey. Hill Dickinson Stadium heralds a much-needed fresh start and will help improve Everton\u2019s finances with greater commercial opportunities at the 52,888-capacity venue. Access to and from the stadium will take some getting used to, and Moyes will be keen not to lose the intimidating advantages that Goodison offered.<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/p>\n Sign up to Football Daily<\/span><\/p>\n Kick off your evenings with the Guardian’s take on the world of football<\/p>\n Privacy Notice: <\/strong>Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.<\/span><\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n Last season<\/p>\n At the time of writing there is not a great pool to choose from but Everton\u2019s standout signing is undoubtedly the France Under-21 forward Thierno Barry from Villarreal. Barry, as he prefers to be called, is 6ft 5in and had an impressive impact after joining the Spanish side from Basel last summer. He scored 11 goals in La Liga as Villarreal secured a return to the Champions League with a fifth-placed finish. An emerging prospect who cost \u00a327m and is 23 in October, the striker fits the profile of signing that Everton want as they develop a team under Moyes.<\/p>\n <\/span>Everton\u2019s Thierno Barry on the ball in a friendly against Manchester United.<\/span> Photograph: Todd Kirkland\/Premier League\/Getty Images<\/p>\n The 18-year-old Harrison Armstrong is on the right pathway, although Everton\u2019s fortunes in the transfer market may determine his next step. The Liverpool-born midfielder made his Premier League debut last season, impressed on his first FA Cup start and signed a long-term contract in February before joining Derby on loan. There was also an international debut for England Under-18s, who he captained against France in March. Armstrong benefited from 15 appearances for Derby and has looked sharp in pre-season. Another loan move has been mooted but there could be opportunity at Everton given their shortage of midfielders. A late decision beckons.<\/p>\n Everton\u2019s captain, S\u00e9amus Coleman, has nothing to prove and could bow out a celebrated figure without making another appearance. But that is not how he will approach his 17th and possibly final season as an Everton player. A series of injuries limited the defender to four starts last season but his presence behind the scenes, continually upholding standards and reinforcing what it means to play for Everton, made it important for Moyes that he received another 12-month contract. Coleman led out Everton in their final game at Goodison and could do the same in their first at Hill Dickinson Stadium, but he will be desperate to contribute more on the pitch.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Guardian writers\u2019 predicted position: 13th (NB: this is not necessarily Andy Hunter\u2019s prediction but the average of our writers\u2019 tips) Last season\u2019s position: 13th Everton kits Prospects Building a new stadium befitting Everton\u2019s ambitions proved a fraught and costly process. The same is true of David Moyes\u2019s attempts to build a new team to realise<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14613,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[6006,3504,1706,3025],"class_list":{"0":"post-14612","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-everton","9":"tag-league","10":"tag-premier","11":"tag-preview"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14612","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14612"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14612\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14613"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14612"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14612"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14612"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Prospects<\/h2>\n
The manager<\/h2>\n
Off-field picture<\/h2>\n
Star signing<\/h2>\n
Stepping up<\/h2>\n
A big season for \u2026<\/h2>\n