Everton: The Toffees have been drained dry by a £120,000-per-week flop.
The Toffees’ “unlucky” dud sucked them dry.
Everton’s financial troubles are well-documented, with wild spending, a managerial merry-go-round, and a new stadium all serving as drains to dig them further and deeper.
As a result of poor recruitment, the playing group has diminished in recent years, with Farhad Moshiri’s lack of faith in one head coach resulting in a squad constructed by numerous figures all pulling in different ways.
Alex Iwobi’s departure on Deadline Day last week marked the departure of yet another of Marco Silva’s signings, while one remains in the form of Andre Gomes.
The Portuguese manager left Goodison Park in 2019, was hired by Fulham, gained promotion, and has now reunited with the Nigeria international in west London as the Cottagers look to close the gap on the Toffees.
While many may point to Ronald Koeman as the manager who probably did the most damage to the club, with his 2017 summer proving disastrous in the long run, Silva also made several high-profile and lucrative mistakes that have surely contributed to the club’s current problems.
Regardless, it must be stated that some of these failed buys were simply unfortunate.
Who stood out for Everton last season?
Last season was the Toffees’ second straight year of nearly avoiding relegation, coming even closer than the year before thanks to a last-day home victory over AFC Bournemouth.
With Abdoulaye Doucoure scored the game’s sole goal, he was one of many players revitalized by Sean Dyche’s new management. His performances in the second half of that period were crucial, as were those of Dwight McNeil, Jordan Pickford, and James Tarkowski.
However, Yerry Mina, largely regarded as the club’s best defender, was a player who often went unnoticed for his abilities. The only problem was that he wasn’t always accessible for choosing.
During his four years on Merseyside, the Colombia international made 99 appearances, missing at least 54 games due to various injuries. Silva even called the 6’4 titan “unlucky” in 2019.
Despite this, the 28-year-old did manage to make seven of those appearances in the previous Premier League season, with his brief stint proving crucial. According to Sofascore, his 7.20 average rating during that time period was the highest among those who started five or more games, and it was reinforced by his two goals, 88% pass accuracy, 2.1 tackles, and four clearances per game.
