Everton FC : Three hopes, one fear

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – MARCH 12: Romelu Lukaku of Everton celebrates during The Emirates FA Cup Sixth Round match between Everton and Chelsea at Goodison Park on March 12, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)

The Roberto Martinez era is over at Everton. Now the real work begins.

Over the past two years there is perhaps no manager more loathed by their own supporters than Roberto Martinez was at Goodison. Perhaps it was because he took over for David Moyes, who oversaw one of the club’s more recent successful periods of time. But it always seemed as if Martinez was a square peg in a round hole at Everton. While The Toffees finished their 2015-2016 Premier League run comfortably in the middle of the table (11-14-13, 47 points) to say that their form was lacking would be charitable.

So now that Martinez has set sail for Belgium what is next for Everton? The answer is no one really knows.

The 2016-2017 Everton looks very different from the one that left the pitch in May. Gone are regulars Tim Howard, Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman, Tony Hibbert, and John Stones. In their place the club has brought in Maarten Stekelenberg, Ashley Williams, and Yannick Bolassie under new manager Ronald Koeman.

Whether all of these moves work and whether or not new majority owner Farhad Moshiri is willing to spend are very much unknown. The hope is that each of these moves pans out and that Everton can finally make the transition from Premier League regular to consistent contender for a top five or six position. The fear though is that this club is very much still stuck in neutral and that there is no real way that the club will win silverware in the future.

Whatever the case may be Everton is certainly one of the more interesting stories in the Premier League this year. So let’s take a look at the three hopes and one fear of Everton Football Club.