1) Koeman pressure

Now embarking on the second year of his three year plan, Ronald Koeman has had most of the presents he was promised when abandoning Southampton for the ‘Everton project’, recently declaring “everyone now understands why I chose Everton”. Despite still not landing the coveted target-man striker, Koeman can have little complaints towards the board this summer. Which means the pressure is all on him this season to get his players playing, and get them playing very good. If the Blues hit a bumpy patch in the road and some of the more anxious fans with itchy fingers who dreamt of Jose Mourinho as manager become disgruntled, it will be all too easy for them to point at the Dutchman. The pressure will be far greater than fucking up the colour of the tinsel on your Christmas tree. But if ever their was a head on a set of shoulders made for soaking up pressure, it would be the celestial-shaped dome of Ronald Koeman’s. You just wouldn’t want to be a journo at the front row of one of his press conferences during that period. The big Dutch crank.

2) Rooney revived

Wayne Rooney was dead to Evertonians. Or so we thought. A cameo appearance at a Duncan Ferguson testimonial panged the hearts of some of the bitterest Blues, and from that day on it was quietly hoped the prodigal son would return whilst his flame still burnt brighter than most. We all know the story since, Rooney is back, and ‘proving the doubters wrong’ is the journos go to theme of his first few months back on Merseyside. But it’s been spooky how similar some of his iconic moments have been so far, straight re-enactments of goals and celebrations from thirteen years ago. If Rooney was dead to Evertonians, the national press, and the national side, we really could witness an epic revival this season. Like a huge lion bellowing out one last soul shaking roar before it passes off into the night. Rooney undoubtedly has two goals in his mind – end the Everton trophy drought, and score a winning derby goal. It would be a great way to end the story.

3) Bramley Moore Dock vision

The new stadium at the Bramley Moore Dock site will be placing Everton, and football, at the geographical and architectural heart of the city’s waterfront. It represents Everton Football Club coming in from the wilderness, the end to a forlorn search for a new home which would have always felt third rate behind Goodison Park and the failed Kings Dock dream. The fact we are now going back to the waterfront, claiming the centre of Liverpool as our own in such an iconic location is the most unbelievable development since Farhad Moshiri got Everton all jacked up on money and ambition. What we now look forward to seeing is the architectural designs of Dan Meiss’ vision for the 57k seater stadium. This will be our new home, and our kids’ kids’ new home.

4) The return of Bolasie

“When I come back I know I’m the full package rather than still needing to do some little things. The hunger is to be back. I want to be back to prove to the fans at Everton what I’m really about.” After suffering a devastating ACL and meniscus injury early in to his Everton career, it remains to be seen how Bolasie will perform on his return, but he has been making all the right noises during his recovery. We saw flashes of his brilliance last season, although the best aspect of that was the link up with his mate, Lukaku (he jibbed you for Pogba, Yannick *spit*), he was always looking to influence the game, even if things didn’t always come off for him. With Everton crying out for options out wide, just how good the winger is on his return could play a massive part in the second half of the season. Yannick Bolasie 2.0 will be eagerly awaited.





5) The return of Coleman

If we are eagerly awaiting the return of Bolasie, then we are absolutely pining for Seamus Coleman. A class act both on and off the pitch, the whole football club is proud of its flying Irish fullback and was left devastated by his horrific leg break on international duty. Almost five months after that double leg fracture Seamus Coleman is back in training and running again. With early reports suggesting he would be out of action until 2018, it is now hoped he could be back before the end of the year, which would represent an incredible feat of rehabilitation. It will take time after returning to first team action but Coleman’s game is vital to Koeman’s approach. The narrowness of Everton’s play would be remedied by Coleman bombing on down the right, offering assists and goals, as well as solid defensive play and leadership. Manchester City spent £50m for the same reasons this summer. Hopefully all we have to do is wait.

6) Barkley’s fortunes

Ross Barkley now has no future at Everton, that much is clear. The real reasons behind the midfielder’s decision to reject a huge contract offer to look for ‘a new challenge’ are probably multiple, but it seems as though he is pinning them on Koeman’s public criticisms last season. Criticisms which seemed to induce a reaction from the player who undoubtedly put in some of his best and most consistent performances in an Everton shirt through the second half of the season. Barkley, forever lamented due to poor decision making has revealed that it is immaturity that he is most guilty of. Still only 23, that is a natural problem to have. They say your prefrontal cortex - the part of the brain responsible for decision-making - isn’t fully developed until the age of 24. Wayne Rooney has returned to Everton for all the reasons that Ross Barkley is now turning his back on, but the last person who could lecture Barkely on staying at Everton is England and Manchester United’s all-time record goalscorer. So here we possibly have a little bit of history repeating itself, except Everton do not need to sell their star player’s out of necessity anymore and Barkley’s fortunes away from Everton could look a lot more like those of Franny Jeffers than Wayne Rooney’s. Only time will tell, but it is one to look out for because if it all clicks for Barkley like we hoped it would, at another club, it would be a painful loss for Everton… especially if he ends up leaving for free.

7) The next academy breakthrough

Everton can spend £45m on Gylfi Sigurdsson but it would take something for the big money signing to match the impact on fans that the Tom Davies goal against Man City last season had. Evertonians love nothing more than seeing one of their own perform on the big stage. The academy is bubbling with talent, and the Ketwig Kaiser is the first in line of a queue of players of a golden generation that it is believed have what it takes to make the step up. As I wrote about a few months ago, Davies was part of a trio of players who earned the nickname the ‘Holy Trinity’ at Finch Farm. The other two being Liam Walsh and Kieran Dowell. By all accounts of his early performances whilst out on loan at Nottingham Forest, it looks like it will be Dowell. However, Jonjoe Kenny is waiting in the wings for the right back slot, should an opportunity arise this season. Blending top quality new signings with top quality academy graduates is the way forward for Everton.

8) Which of the new signings will make it?

Everton’s summer transfer business currently stands at 13 new recruits, with seven expected to be involved with the first team this season. Wayne Rooney, Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane, Gylfi Sigurdsson, and Cuco Martina all come with Premier League experience. Davy Klaassen and Sandro Ramirez arrive with experience of the Eredivise and La Liga so will be expected to find life at their new club a little harder than the rest as they adjust to the pace of the Premier League. To offset the loss Lukaku and Barkely, the side’s two most productive players in 2016/17, will prove the greatest challenge this season. Pickford and Keane have already improved the side, without a doubt. Cuco Martina has looked precisely the player we was expecting – temporary cover for Coleman. That leaves the pressure on Sigurdsson, Rooney, Klaassen, and Sandro to provide the goals. With Sandro and Klaassen lacking Premier League experience these two will be under most scrutiny. They should both be allowed the time needed to bed in, and patience from fans will be needed.

9) Winning at Anfield

Since Everton last won at Anfield, Blackpool have risen from the fourth tier to the Premier League, won at Anfield, and fallen back to the fourth tier again. Yeah, we all seen that tweet doing the rounds at the end of the season. The simple law of averages says we are a due a win there, and flukey win with an offside goal would be celebrated hard into the next day but what would be much preferred would be a statement win. Of the starting line up at Anfield last season you wouldn’t expect the following to be on the team sheet the next time around this December: Robles (Pickford), Pennington (Keane), Holgate (Martina), Davies (Schniederlin), Barkley (Sigurdsson), Lukaku (Rooney), Calvert-Lewin (Sandro). It will be a different side to the one that lost 3-1 last time, one that will offer different goal threats and a shored up defence with a massive improvement inbetween the sticks. What would a win at Anfield do for momentum going into Christmas? It would put a huge marker down in the development of this new Everton.

10) Winning some silverware

Any will do. That stubby cup they give out when we’re all still wearing our winter coats would be sound. A victorious night in Lyon would be even better; that’s a tin pot and Champions League qualification in one go. The dream ticket right there. The last time Everton won something the kids were playing Subbuteo, not FIFA. A whole generation of Blues know nothing but heartache when it comes to actually winning stuff. Above all else this season, if Ronald Koeman could lead Everton to some honours, it would be the clearest sign of the direction the club is going in. It would send shockwaves through the football establishment, who are already noticing that things have changed on the blue half of Merseyside: Moshiri, money, and mentality. Winning is contagious, and all Everton needs now is that spark.