In his debut season in charge of Everton, Roberto Martinez guided the side to a fifth-placed finish in the Premier League, and challenged Arsenal all the way for a fourth and final Champions League place.
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The Blues did all this playing a brand new, and not to mention pleasing on the eye, brand of football that had all Evertonians excited about what the 2014-15 campaign had to offer.
As it turns out, last season saw the Toffees in a bottom of the table battle for the most part, before a late, and long overdue, upturn in form eventually saw them finish in 11th – a final position that papered over some very large cracks to say the least.
So, what do Martinez and his men need to do over the next year to recapture the glory days of 2013-14?
Here are five essential factors that need to be taken into consideration at Goodison Park over the summer.
A New Goalkeeper
When making changes, it is only natural to start at the top, so let us begin with the problems Everton currently have in between the sticks.
Tim Howard has been a steady and reliable servant over the years since joining from Manchester United under David Moyes, but if last season is anything to go by, his days at this level should be numbered.
The American seems to have somehow convinced Martinez that he is one of the better goalkeepers the Premier League has to offer, which is another managerial blindspot many football fans will fail to understand.
The 36-year-old cost the Blues a lot of points in the last campaign, with a succession of individual errors, a failure to command his area with any degree of authority and a lack of confidence in him from his defence all contributing to a decidedly shaky season to say the least.
The saying goes that age waits for no man, and as he ticks into his late 30’s, the evidence is starting to mount that Tim Howard can no longer operate at the top level of competitive football.
With Joel Robles hardly seen as an ideal number one in any scenario, despite some signs of progression in 2014-15, it is clear that a new goalkeeper is needed sooner rather than later.
Regular Centre-Back Partnership
Under David Moyes, Everton’s back four was more often than not watertight, and this was largely down to its stability – week in, week out, you could guess who was lining up in defence.
However, last season saw the likes of Sylvain Distin, Antolin Alcaraz and John Stones have different spells in the team alongside Phil Jagielka, with Martinez taking longer than he should have to realise that the former two were not up to scratch.
Granted, there were mitigating circumstances in the Spaniard’s favour here, as Stones was injured for a prolonged spell, but even when he was fit, there were still times when he was confusingly kept out of the side to accommodate one of Distin or Alcaraz – cup exits at the hands of Swansea and Dynamo Kiev respectively come to mind here.
Tyias Browning and Luke Garbutt also deputised at full-back for periods as well, but the wide positions of defence are easier for a manager to chop and change. Centre-back is a position where a partnership built on understanding needs to be established, and constantly changing the personnel cannot be productive in this mission.
Phil Jagielka and John Stones started to form a good connection towards the back end of 2014-15 – it needs to stay that way for the foreseeable future.
Stability Behind Romelu Lukaku
The argument about defensive partnerships can also be attributed to the more attack minded positions.
Last season saw the three in behind Romelu Lukaku in the 4-2-3-1 formation change almost on a weekly basis.
Ross Barkley, Leon Osman, Steve Naismith, Samuel Eto’o and Arouna Kone had different periods of time being deployed in the number ten position behind the Belgian, with the latter two clearly out of their depth operating in that area of the field.
Meanwhile, the wide men changed regularly as well, with no one quite sure who was going to deputise on the flanks from game to game. Aiden McGeady, Steven Pienaar, Kevin Mirallas and Aaron Lennon were all rotated with unnecessary and unproductive regularity, while Naismith, Barkley and Osman also filled in there, despite all three evidently feeling uncomfortable in a wide berth.
The Premier League champions almost always fielded the same three players behind Diego Costa, and it worked a treat for Chelsea as they gradually became more and more comfortable with each other’s on and off ball movements. Fitness permitting, Eden Hazard, Willian and Oscar were almost always picked.
It should really be that simple – if they’re available pick your best players – more often than not it will get you results. There comes a point when resting players in order to let them recuperate becomes counterproductive.
Back Up For Lukaku
Despite not having the best campaign he’ll ever have by any means, Romelu Lukaku scored 20 goals in 2014-15. However, top teams need more than just one quality striker.
The presence of Arouna Kone, and only Arouna Kone, as back-up in the forward position means Everton cannot be considered to be in that bracket.
The Ivorian has been dogged with a cruel long-term injury during his time on Merseyside, but even so, no one can really argue he has done anything to impress when wearing a blue shirt.
He has just the one goal to his name, and at the age of 31, with a horrific injury only just behind him, it seems that the former Wigan front man is not going to get any better.
Lukaku was criticised for playing with a lack of aggression last season, which could stem from the fact that he has no competition for his place. Kone will never displace him in the first eleven, so maybe the 22-year-old feels he can stroll through games, making sure he doesn’t pick up any injuries in the process, as he will suffer no consequences for any performances that have been anything but full-blooded.
It is increasingly apparent that Kone will never pull up any trees at Goodison, while competition for a starting berth can only be good news for Lukaku as far as his progression is concerned.
A new striker is needed – the problem is getting one in an increasingly competitive market.
Increased Intensity
In 2013-14, Everton pressed high, moved the ball quickly and never gave their opponents a moments rest throughout the 90 minutes. For 2014-15, read exactly the opposite.
The World Cup in Brazil, that saw key players return late from international duty, seemed to plant some elements of doubt into the mind of Martinez, who was very eager to wrap these players up in cotton wool following a demanding summer schedule.
This is understandable – injuries to your best players is hardly a recipe for success going into a new season, but the lack of intensity that was discernibly apparent in the Blues’ pre-season carried on into the actual thing, and the pattern never changed.
Throughout the last year, there has been a noticeable drop-off in the pressing high up the pitch, the possession play has slowed down and the overall energy of the side has dropped significantly, with the players’ fitness called into question on a number of occasions – an issue that has never been raised in previous years.
This lack of intensity made Everton easy to play against, easy to score against and easy to defend against last season. There are no excuses this time around, as everyone should be back for the 2015-16 campaign fully rested – the intensity of two years ago has to make a reappearance.