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The new season is nearly upon us and the often mis-placed optimism that comes with not seeing your team play a competitive game for three months is in full swing.
For Everton, this year is a step into the relative unknown, with a new man in charge for the first time since 2002. The pre-season games may have given us a glimpse of what to expect in the next nine months (John Stones taking more penalties being one) but they can only act as a rough guide as to what may happen between now and May. Will the School of Science be resurrected under Roberto? Allowing us to sweep the opposition away in a royal blue tidal wave of total football? Or will Martinez's philosophy see yawning gaps appear in our defence, leaving us vulnerable to three, four or even five nil hammerings?
Here at RBM we have decided to stick our collective neck out once more and give our predictions as to what may happen this campaign. As you can see from out previous predictions for 2011/12 and 2012/13 we can hardly claim to be the oracle of such things, but hey, a broken clock is right twice a day so we may get something right...
Adam
Everton's final position: 6th
Top 4: Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham. Moyes' United get off to a rough start, and City's new signings put them over the top. Arsenal's silence during the transfer window costs them a CL spot.
Relegated: Hull City, Crystal Palace, and Stoke City.
League Cup winner: Manchester City
Everton's League Cup finish: Lose in semifinals
FA Cup winner: Manchester United. True to David Moyes form, United catch fire in the second half of the season, and win Moyes his first piece of silverware.
Everton's FA Cup finish: Lose in quarterfinals
Premier League leading scorer: Robin Van Persie
Most surprising Everton player: Victor Anichebe. The big Nigerian will follow up his best season to date with an even better one, scoring 10+ goals in the league.
Most disappointing Everton player: Leon Osman. Martinez's tinkering with the formation means one center midfielder in the lineup every day. Gibson and Felliani will hopefully own those roles, and if Ross Barkley can continue to push his way toward the first team, it could be a long season for Ossie.
Michael L
Everton's final position: 4th (!!!)
Top 4: Man City, Chelsea, Man Utd, Everton
Relegated: Newcastle, Palace, Hull City
League Cup winner: Norwich
Everton's League Cup finish: Quarterfinal
FA Cup winner: Manchester United
Everton's FA Cup finish: Runner-up
Premier League leading scorer: Sergio Aguero
Most surprising Everton player: Tim Howard -- expecting a bounce back year from the American with Joel Robles breathing down his neck.
Most disappointing Everton player: Steven Naismith - gets lost in the shuffle with Jelavic, Kone, and Pienaar carrying the offensive burden.
Michael G
Everton's final position: 6th
Top 4: City, Chelsea, United, Spurs (only because Bale may go, if Bale stays I'd pick Spurs 3rd I think)
Relegated: Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Norwich
League Cup winner: Man United
Everton's League Cup finish: Quarter Finals
FA Cup winner: Chelsea
Everton's FA Cup finish: Quarter Finals
Premier League leading scorer: Robin van Persie
Most surprising Everton player: John Stones
Most disappointing Everton player: Steven Pienaar
Ross
Everton's final position: 7th
Top 4: Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal
Relegated: Hull City, Crystal Palace, Stoke City
League Cup winner: Manchester United
Everton's League Cup finish: Semi-FInals
FA Cup winner: Manchester City
Everton's FA Cup finish: Quarter Finals
Premier League leading scorer: Roberto Soldado
Most surprising Everton player: Seamus Coleman
Most disappointing Everton player: Arouna Kone
Calvin
Everton's final position: 6th
Top 4: Chelsea, United, City, Spurs
Relegated: Hull, West Ham, Palace
League Cup winner: Everton
Everton's League Cup finish: Winners
FA Cup winner: Chelsea
Everton's FA Cup finish: Quarter-finals
Premier League leading scorer: Robin Van Persie
Most surprising Everton player: Nikica Jelavic
Most disappointing Everton player: Leon Osman
Zach
Everton's final position: 6th
Top 4: Chelsea, City, Spurs, United
Relegated: Palace, Hull, Stoke
League Cup winner: Everton
Everton's League Cup finish: Winner
FA Cup winner: Chelsea
Everton's FA Cup finish: Fifth Round
Premier League leading scorer:Robin Van Persie
Most surprising Everton player: Nikica Jelavic
Most disappointing Everton player: Tim Howard
Max
Everton's final position: 5th
Top 4: Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham
Relegated: Crystal Palace, Hull, Fulham (or maybe Sunderland)
League Cup winner: Arsenal
Everton's League Cup finish: 3rd Round
FA Cup winner: Chelsea
Everton's FA Cup finish: Semi Finals
Premier League leading scorer: Robin Van Persie
Most surprising Everton player: Arouna Kone
Most disappointing Everton player: Marouane Fellaini
Brian
Everton's final position: 4th, I'm feeling lucky
Top 4: Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal
Relegated: Southampton, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace
League Cup winner: Manchester United
Everton's League Cup finish: Quarterfinals
FA Cup winner: Chelsea
Everton's FA Cup finish: Semifinals
Premier League leading scorer: Robin Van Persie
Most surprising Everton player: Steven Naismith
Most disappointing Everton player: Marouane Fellaini
Darren
Everton's final position - 5th
Top 4: Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Relegated: Newcastle United (hopefully), Cardiff City, Crystal Palace
League Cup winner: Everton
Everton's League Cup finish: Winners
FA Cup winner: Chelsea
Everton's FA Cup finish: Semi Final
Premier League leading scorer: Robin van Persie
Most surprising Everton player: Nikica Jelavic
Most disappointing Everton player: Arouna Koné
Sibi
Everton's final position: 4th
Top 4: Chelsea, Man U, Man City, everton
Relegated: Hull City, Cardiff, Southampton
League Cup winner: Chelsea
Everton's League Cup finish: Runner up
FA Cup winner: Everton
Everton's FA Cup finish: winner
Premier League leading scorer: Romelu Lukaku
Most surprising Everton player: Arouna Kone
Most disappointing Everton player: Marouane Fellaini
Sean Ferguson
Everton’s final position: 6th with a good start we can be the ‘best of the rest’ yet again.
Top 4: Chelsea, Man. United, Man. City and Tottenham (If Arsenal do not get Suarez, if they do Arsenal for Tottenham).
Relegated: Stoke City, Cardiff City and Crystal Palace
League Cup Winner: Norwich City
Everton’s League Cup finish: Quarter Final
FA Cup winner: Man. United
Everton’s FA Cup finish: Runners-up
Premier League leading scorer: Alvaro Negredo
Most surprising Everton player: Steven Naismith (If played in his actual position behind the striker), if not then new signings Gerard Deulofeu and Arouna Kone..
Most disappointing Everton player: Antolin Alcaraz; whether Alcaraz plays or not I imagine even despite him being a free transfer his performances will overshadow the Paraguayan’s pricetag in a negative way.
Tom
Everton's final position: Seventh
Top 4: Man City, Chelsea, Man United, Spurs
Relegated: Crystal Palace, Hull, Cardiff
League Cup winner: Chelsea
Everton's League Cup finish: semi-final
FA Cup winner: Man City
Everton's FA Cup finish: Quarter-finals
Premier League leading scorer: Sergio Aguero
Most surprising Everton player: Bryan Oviedo – I think he may get more game time under Martinez this year.
Most disappointing Everton player: Antolin Alcaraz – I fear he may be an injury-prone flop!
Sean Swinney
Everton's final position: 5th. Call me an optimist, but considering the volatile summer Spurs have experienced, I think we should just be favored to nick it.
Top 4: Chelsea (1), Manchester City (2), Manchester United (3), Arsenal (4). A triumphant return to England for The Special One is in the cards.
Relegated: Stoke City, Crystal Palace, Hull City. There's little doubt that Cardiff appears to be the strongest of the promoted sides, but Stoke will be unable to overcome the Mark Hughes Effect.
League Cup winner: Southampton. It seems like an unlikely team has tended to win this recently, so I'll go with the Saints.
Everton's League Cup finish: Fifth round
FA Cup winner: Manchester United. David Moyes (somewhat) salvages his first season in charge of the Red Devils with his first trophy.
Everton's FA Cup finish: Semi-finals
Premier League leading scorer: Robin van Persie
Most surprising Everton player: Bryan Oviedo. I like Oviedo's game and I think he fits perfectly into the Roberto Martinez system. The only question is if he will get an opportunity.
Most disappointing Everton player: Gerard Deulofeu. I think he's a promising prospect, but I also think that people are getting their expectations too high for a nineteen-year-old who has played two matches in top-flight football.
