Everton player ratings for the 2023-24 Premier League season - part 1
Jordan Pickford - 8/10
Once more the England international was outstandingly consistent between the sticks. He rarely made a mistake (apart from in that horror show at Chelsea) and continued pulling off more of his now commonplace and almost to be expected, gravity-defying reaction saves at critical times in the season.
Pickford for me remains the single most important player in this Everton side and the one individual who is almost certainly irreplaceable if he was to leave.
Fortunately, he seems very content on Merseyside and so in spite of occasional transfer rumours to the contrary, should - after hopefully a successful Euros with England - be back in the Blues goal when the new campaign kicks off.
James Tarkowski 7/10.
The veteran centre-back was his usual solid and generally dependable and consistent self at the heart of the Toffees defence.
His teak-like toughness in particular is a great boon for Sean Dyche, especially given the lack of depth and viable alternative options at centre-half - as indeed is the case in most positions.
In addition, Tarkwoski's nous and experience was surely instrumental in helping his new young partner in the centre of defence to settle in very quickly.
Jarrad Branthwaite 8/10.
That player was Branthwaite, who once he got his chance alongside Tarkowski a few weeks into the season - replacing Micheal Keane following the four nil thrashing at Aston Villa - never looked back.
The 21-year-old's physical gifts were abundantly clear but his cool, calm and collected mentality was even more impressive for such a young, and in Premier League terms, so inexperienced a player.
Inevitably, with his obvious talent and hugely impressive debut campaign the young England international (who might join Pickford at the Euros) is attracting plenty of interest from other clubs at home and abroad.
I sincerely hope Everton can keep him at least for another year, but with the club's future so uncertain and finances still very tight, a really big offer will be hard to turn down.
Seamus Coleman 4/10.
Club captain Coleman rarely played this campaign after a year ravaged by injury and although he has been offered another one-year deal it is hard to say whether he will feature much next season either, assuming he accepts it.
The 35-year-old Irishman has been a stalwart for the Blues for so long and has tremendous love and loyalty for the club, so it would be good - if perhaps a little on the sentimental side - if he were able to enjoy a swansong season in the final campaign to be played at Goodison Park.
Nathan Patterson 5/10.
Like his captain, Patterson has been hit by successive injury problems which have derailed his attempts to try and establish himself as the natural successor to Coleman.
In addition, the former Rangers star has found it difficult to get game time even when he has been fit and it does appear as though Dyche is not a big fan of the young Scot.
Patterson has talent and a modern full-back's attacking instincts and I would be loathe to see him leave without getting a proper stint in the team to show what he might be able to offer.
But, his physical frailty is a worry and it is possible he could leave in the summer if a decent offer comes in for him.
Ashley Young 5/10.
Young was signed last summer to bring his huge experience to the Everton side. He performed inconsistently at times - and once more revealed his habit of getting himself sent off - but did at least fill in decently overall at both left and right-back during the season.
He, like Coleman, has been offered a new deal. Personally, that seems a strange decision and I'm not sure what he will really bring to the side next season (he will be 39) as he lacks pace and attacking qualities, plus I think the Blues have plenty of experience in defence.
Vitalii Mykolenko 7/10.
Ukraine international Mykolenko is I think Everton's most improved player this season, once he got his place back from Young.
He had been very inconsistent at times over the previous campaign, but this time round his defending was strong and reliable and he rarely made unforced errors that proved costly, doing his bit in a back four that was the fourth best in the Premier League.
The one area where ideally you want to see more from him is getting forward and providing an attacking outlet on the left flank. Perhaps next season if the Blues do manage to attack a bit more he might contribute to that.
Ben Godfrey 6/10.
Late in the season Godfrey came back into the team as Dyche needed a reliable defender to cover injuries to his full-backs.
Cursed with versatility, which has probably impeded his career and development, Godfrey's pace and solid tackling enabled him to perform well enough at both left and then mainly right-back without him doing anything spectacular.
His long-term future remains uncertain but if he is to have a consistent place in the side it must surely be at centre-back.