Positons Everton Must Improve During the Summer

With the season drawing to a close and Everton still in contention for a European place, it is tough to look into the future, when the season has ended and the dust has settled, to see where more could have been done.

Thus far, Everton have had a stellar season. Gone are the days of the relegation fight and the quest for 40 points. The side have cemented their place as a perennial European contender (even if they haven't made a trip on the continent since 2009).

Where could Everton improve to make them a favourite, not an outsider for European qualification next season?

With the present back stage set-up (read: Everton don't spend money) it is difficult to say, with any degree of reality, where they can spend their money.

The speculation (h/t Chris Bascombe, The Telegraph) of the exit of Marouane Fellaini means Everton could be in a position to add to their already-talented squad.

Of course, a team that could still finish in the top four of one of Europe's best leagues has little cause for concern, and the majority of these improvements involve depth rather than need.

Goalkeeper

Tim Howard has had a mixed season; one week he looks unbeatable and then the next he shows vulnerabilities rarely seen during his time at Goodison Park.

After early season woes, Howard has improved dramatically, but at 34 years old, Everton need to start looking to the future without the American.

Howard could still be the starter for the next season or two, but a contingency plan has to be in place.

Grabbing a young goalkeeper or developing a player already in the Everton system seems to be the logical, cut-price answer to Everton's lack of goalkeeper depth.

Second-string Jan Mucha played surprisingly well in his role as Howard's replacement after the American sustained a back injury last month, but anyone that thinks Mucha has Premier League quality is deluded.

My colleague, Matt Cheetham wonderfully analysed Tim Howard's contribution to Everton this season and came to the same conclusion: Everton need an injection of youth in their goalkeeping ranks.

Centre-Back

A weak position that has been exposed by injury this season is at the heart of the Everton defense.

Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin offer a fantastic partnership when both are fit, but with the former's injury worries and the age of the latter, Everton need a young option that they can call upon.

Dutch international Johnny Heitinga has played way below the standards of a World Cup finalist; he has been a liability whenever called upon, which considering his fine form last season is strange?

Is the real Heitinga the man that walked away with the Everton Player of the Season Award in May 2012, or the man that makes Evertonians wince when his name is read out before matches?

The Dutchman probably falls somewhere in between, but Everton need a more consistent backup plan.

Disitn is 35 years old, and the man once marked as a future star of the Everton back line, Shane Duffy, hasn't been given an opportunity by manager David Moyes even with Heitinga's struggles.

One former Toffee, Graham Stuart, has joined the chorus suggesting a return to Everton of Joleon Lescott, and Bleacher Report columnists once again agree.

The Manchester City man would make an upgrade on Everton's current patch-work across from Phil Jagielka, and the connection that Lescott and Jagielka made before the Manchester City move in 2009 could pay dividends.

Right-Back

Perhaps a defender that can also play on the right side is also needed, because when Seamus Coleman is missing, Everton are short of ideas at right-back.

The purchase of John Stones in the January transfer window does give Everton added depth at the position, but Moyes is yet to use the youngster this term, which suggests he is still a prospect that needs time.

Tony Hibbert is the only natural right-back in the squad when Coleman is unavailable, but the Everton legend has struggled with injury himself this term leaving Everton thread-bare on the right side of defense.

Moving Phil Jagielka to right back leaves a weakness in the heart of the Everton defense, and Phil Neville offers little to proceedings wherever he is used.

Stones could be ready next season; he is 18 and highly regarded in English football, but he needs some experience at a higher level and may be sent out on loan next year to gain some experience.

If Stones isn't ready next season, then Everton may need to look into investing in a squad player, and if he can play on the right as well as in the middle, then they'd patch two holes.

Centre Midfield

Here is the big one.

As Marouane Fellaini is still an Everton player and still has a long-term contract with the Toffees, let's assume he stays through the summer and into next season.

Even if this does happen, which continues to look like a slim possibility, Everton need something in the middle of the park.

Fellaini was been unplayable at times this season but has gone off the boil of late, and his advanced role isn't that of a traditional centre midfielder.

Darron Gibson has been a fantastic player for the Blues since he arrived from Manchester United in January 2012, and recently capped Leon Osman is one of the Premier League's unsung heroes.

And that is the total of Everton's central midfield.

If Fellaini does depart, then Everton will be after an attacking threat from midfield too as manager David Moyes has consistently backed his striker with an advanced midfielder.

Moyes' dabble with the 3-4-3 formation would see Kevin Mirallas and Steven Pienaar in support of the striker as opposed to the aerial threat first offered by Tim Cahill and now supplied by Fellaini, a tactic that would surely benefit striker Nikica Jelavic.

Yet again, depth is needed.

Talented youngster Ross Barkley has been given a smattering of opportunities this term but has been pushed too far wide by Moyes. Barkley looks like a natural centre midfielder thanks to his vision and desire to get on the ball.

Next season, Barkley should be able to offer more, but Everton have been dramatically affected when Gibson is unavailable and this needs to change.

Striker

Jelavic is not the man he once was.

A season of playing second fiddle to Fellaini has affected the Croatian who has only scored one Premier League goal since the turn of the year.

Victor Anichebe has had his best season in an Everton shirt (which wasn't too difficult), he has matched his highest league goal total and has finally looked like a viable Premier League option.

If Fellaini does depart, then Jelavic may be able to re-discover the form that made him an Everton hero when he arrived in January 2012, but if Moyes continues to employ tactics in the midfield to utilise Fellaini, then Jelavic will continue to struggle.

Whatever the case, Everton need another option.

Apostolos Vellios, Everton's young Greek striker, has been given a little bit of a chance by Moyes, but he only comes off the bench to finish out games. Like Anichebe before him, he needs to convert his potential into performance.

With potentially no Fellaini, if Jelavic were to get injured next year then Everton would be near toothless.

Hopefully, Mirallas will be injury free for an extended run in the squad and can build on his at times brilliant performances this season, but Everton need a safety net.

...Manager?

Perhaps the biggest hole to fill during the summer will be on the Everton bench,

With David Moyes' continued refusal to sign a new contract at the Blues, it seems increasingly likely that the tenured Scotsman will be leaving Goodison Park.

The Moyes saga has been one of the more annoying storylines of the tail end of Everton's season, as the Scot doesn't want to sign but doesn't want to shut up about not signing.

Simple "no comment" responses to media enquiries about Moyes' contract would suffice, but he continues to fuel the fire. First, the deal was to be discussed after January; now it has been pushed back to the summer and is dependent on results and a transfer purse.

Whether this is Moyes' fault or the blame lies with chairman Bill Kenwright is another debate, but some Evertonians are growing tired of the posturing Scot.

Surely Moyes knows better than anyone the financial constraints placed on Everton? Or is he using his future as a motivational tool for his players and their European dream?

Moyes would be a massive loss, but the club would move on regardless.

I'm just praying we don't see Martin O'Neill in an Everton tracksuit any time soon.