Farhad Moshiri and his Everton board backed Ronald Koeman to bring in an arsenal of summer signings that saw the club spend a net amount of £142.38m. Despite spending so heavily, they have failed to score regularly and the side was once threatened by relegation.
Tipped by many to challenge the ‘top six’, the Toffees were expected to fight for a European spot this time. Currently, Everton are fighting a battle of rejuvenation after having been to hell and back in the early few months of the season. The club has in no way been of any challenge to the top six in the first round of the Premier League. Their Thursday night outings in the Europa League were in sync with their disappointing domestic form with the Toffees claiming one win in six matches and ending their group stage second from bottom.
As their form slumped down through a never-ending spiral, it saw the hammer fall on their ex-boss Ronald Koeman. Koeman’s sacking did little to change the club’s fortunes as they became the league’s bashing boys.
However, as the fans and pundits stood to wait for Everton to disappear into the lower leagues, the board appointed Sam Allardyce as the new manager. Big Sam has a history of turning around fortunes for a club in crisis. He has lifted the blue team of Merseyside from a relegation threat to a respectable mid-table position.
Everton have now become a resilient team with a good defensive organization. Despite their mini-collapse in January, they are still way better off than they were a few months back.
Goodison Park has changed from a depressing arena of uncertainty to a place of tentative hope. A month back, Everton were the bogey side teams were craving to face. In the space of a few months, the scenario at Merseyside looks to be lifting. Everton are now preparing for a fresh assault next season and seem keen on preparing for reinforcements from now on itself.
It is in coordination with such circumstances that Everton are reportedly ready to bolster their side by considering a move for Joe Bryan of Bristol City. Bryan has been highly impressive for the Championship side and has been scouted by many suitors including big boys from the English League like Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United.
Joe Bryan has been one of the key figures in Bristol City’s impressive campaign to push for the promotion to Premier League. He has provided a lot of threat offensively while staying motivated on the defensive end. His entire career has been played out with the Robins with over 220 appearances so far, making him one of the biggest academy success stories. He has a versatile presence on the left flank and is capable of providing the side with the depth they need to control the tempo of the game. He has played 40 games scoring 5 goals in the process.
His beautiful strike gave the Championship side the 51st minute lead against Manchester United in the Quarter Final stage of the EFL League Cup, a testament to his impressive technical abilities. Bryan is also a remarkable defensive presence with an average of 3 tackles per game in the league. If Allardyce is looking into future talents that he can develop to replace the ageing Leighton Baines, Bryan is the just the end product who will deliver at the premium level.
