Everton 2011 Review: Best Player, Worst Player, Things We Learned

With today's instantly forgettable 1-1 draw secured at Sunderland, Everton concluded their fixture commitments for 2011. With 19 league ties played from the 2010/11 season, and 17 games now fought out from the 2011/12 season, 2011 has seen two games shy of a full campaign covered over the calender year. Added to that tally there have also been three League Cup fixtures and four ties from the FA Cup.

This time last year, the Toffees were placed similarly to where they are now, treading water in mid-table obscurity after another fairly tepid start. They had amassed 22 points from 19 games as 2011 dawned and, as they are now, were keen to begin the New Year with a surge of form.

Thankfully, they achieved this. Everton wrestled 32 points from their 19 games, continuing their recent trend of being strong finishers, and eventually ended the season seventh, after nine wins, five draws and five losses.

Unfortunately, for the first time in a few years, seventh was not quite enough to seal European qualification as David Moyes' side fell four points short of their rivals Liverpool, who gained the final league place in sixth. 

This season has seen a similarly-stunted start at Goodison Park. Struggling for goals—with only three teams having scored less than the Toffees in the Premier League—David Moyes has seen his side dominate several games without having the firepower to cash in when opponents have been on the ropes.

Overall, Everton finish 2011 with 53 points from 36 games, a decent effort considering the precarious financial terrain the Toffees are currently trying to navigate. Now all is concluded, here is a look back at some of the best and worst of 2011:

Best Win of 2011

With only six wins this season, and none coming against anyone currently situated higher than 13th in the table, clearly Everton's best results from 2011 took place earlier in the year, as the 2010/11 season neared completion. Wins over Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City, stand out in the league, as well as a dramatic penalty shootout victory against Chelsea in the FA Cup.

The win over Manchester City was especially satisfying, especially given the recent frosty relations shared between the two clubs ever since Joleon Lescott’s acrimonious transfer away from Everton. At the time, victory stretched a winning streak to four in a row against the big spending Manchester outfit, and also maintained the Toffees' slim hopes of overhauling Liverpool in sixth place.

However, for sheer exultation at a result, the way Everton dumped Chelsea out of the FA Cup was especially satisfying for fans. Having evenly dueled for two sets of 90 minutes, Chelsea took the lead early on during extra time at Stamford Bridge, leaving Evertonians fearing a predictable conclusion after a valiant team effort.

All looked lost as time all but expired, before a last minute free-kick was awarded in a potentially precarious position for the hosts. Leighton Baines hesitated over the ball, initially appearing tentative, before he finally stepped up and exquisitely beat both the wall and Petr Cech to level the scores and force a penalty shoot-out.

Unable to stem this sudden gush of momentum flowing the Toffees' way, Chelsea missed their vital penalties and went down 4-3. Isolated, the victory buoyed everyone in and around the club and, now in the last 16 of the competition, gave all supporters that glimmer of hope that the team may even be Wembley-bound.

Worst Loss of 2011

With eight defeats already amassed this campaign, and with such fine latter season form shown earlier in the year, one would suspect the worst loss would naturally have come towards the end of 2011. However, as painstaking as several particularly anemic showings have been as of late, none match the collective deflated feelings suffered by all Evertonians after a particular loss early on in 2011. 

That specific downer was felt by those who watched Reading travel up to Everton, and send the Toffees out of the last 16 of the FA Cup without so much as a whimper. Not only was the performance completely dire, but the result meant the stunning victory just recorded over Chelsea in the previously round effectively became irrelevant, and very marred in the Everton annuals.

With Stoke and Bolton eventually contesting one of the semi-finals and, having already disposed of Chelsea, who had beaten Everton in the 2009 final, supporters rightly felt their side had wasted a strong chance of making a decent cup run in 2011.

Best Player of 2011

Leighton Baines has undoubtedly been Everton’s primary performer for a couple of years now. Whilst remaining admirably consistent in defence, ably suppressing most right-sided Premier League threats, in attack he has been a constant menace for opponents. 

Deservedly awarded Player of the Year last season, his current form sees him well in contention to be awarded the prestigious prize for a second year in succession. He created far more chances than any other player last season, and led the side in assists.

This season, he has already created more than double the amount of chances any other Everton player has made, as his production has remained persistent throughout 2011.

Aside from being a hub of creativity, Baines has now also discovered a handy knack of scoring vital goals for the Toffees. Five of the seven goals he registered last season came after the turn of the year, and he has already notched three this season.

Remarkably, he actually finishes the year just one goal short of being Everton's top goal scorer of 2011.

Having avoided being too heavily courted by transfer heavyweights in the summer, Everton will once again hope he does not catch the attention of any bigger fish in the January transfer window.

Worst Player of 2011

Frustratingly, there seem to be far more candidates for this category than the more positive version. Sieving through the team, Phil Neville now has far more supporters questioning his credentials to lead the team than he did a year ago. As he approaches 35, he has ended 2011 out of the team at right-back, only occasionally filling in around central midfield.

Louis Saha has scored more goals than anyone else, but his form has been agonisingly patchy, and he is unlikely to win a new contract with his current deal set to expire in the summer.

Elsewhere, the frightfully inconsistent Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, heckled by sections of his own supporters at times in 2011, may soon have played his last game for Everton too.

However, it is hard to ignore the astonishingly barren year endured by Tim Cahill in 2011. Normally rapacious in front of goal and so reliable for the Toffees, he has astonishingly failed to hit the back of the net at all in 2011. Having registered 16 goals in 2010, one of his most potent seasons ever, his form has utterly deserted him, leaving many fervently arguing his legs have gone.

The Australian currently resembles a player totally shorn of confidence, although saying his career is over seems rather too hasty, even after this awful year. He has rarely relied on pace in his game, and is more involved linking up play, hassling opponents and holding the ball up, so surely it is just a case of ending his drought?

Admittedly these, and most other facets of his game, have suffered as his form has waned, but considering the amount of times he has bailed Everton out in previous seasons, surely he deserves more faith when he needs it most?

Talking Points and Lessons Learned During 2011

With many points arising throughout 2011, here are some that will linger on into 2012.

David Moyes continues to work wonders keeping his slim squad focused and fresh, considering the non-existent budget he draws from.

Tim Cahill has had a year from hell, hopefully 2012 is radically different for the Aussie.

Mikel Arteta and Steven Pienaar's creativity has been, and still is, badly missed. Royston Drenthe has been filling one void, and needs signing up.

The Blue Union's formation intensified pressure on Everton's board to sell the club.

Nobody has filled Everton's dire need for a main striker in 2011. The search continues.

On form, Leighton Baines is arguably the best attacking left-back in the Premier League. 

Ross Barkley's reputation should rise, as he hopefully sees far more game time in 2012.

As attached as Evertonians are to Goodison Park, a new stadium in still badly needed, though 2012 is unlikely to bring any further developments, just as 2011 did not.

Despite masses of income brought in during the summer (almost £18 million), Everton were still unable to buy and, in fact, debt still rose at the club. Investment is still the club's greatest need as 2012 looms.

Jack Rodwell, Ross Barkley, Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines are likely to be the most heavily monitored Everton players through pending transfer windows. Keeping all four is essential for now.

If the Toffees do need to sell again, hopefully players more on the periphery of proceedings, such as Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, Johnny Heitinga and Jan Mucha can be the ones used, instead of those central to David Moyes' plans.

Hopes for 2012

With the current financial environment surrounding Everton, each year the club faces a more onerous challenge to remain competitive. As Premier League adversaries continue to strengthen, challenging around the upper echelons of the table only becomes a tougher ordeal.

If Everton still harbour realistic hopes of once again finishing in the top eight of the league this year—as they have for the last five seasons—again, they will need to find momentum during the early part of 2012.

One way to increase those chances would be to purchase some fresh products in January, namely a few strikers.

With the top six looking increasingly cliquey and difficult to disrupt, fans will be keen for David Moyes to focus on cup competitions. Any run made in 2012 would certainly help appease those supporters particularly frustrated at the perceived stagnation at the club.

European qualification, either via a cup run, or by finishing seventh in the league, would equally calm a portion of the more agitated supporters.Playing those extra games in Europe could be fundamentally important to Everton's foundations.

Having a squad that constantly needs topping up with inexperienced youth, ventures into Europe would not only help the bank balance a little, but it would also help nurture those younger assets and give them a platform to improve. 

Most fans would certainly garner strong hopes that the club could be free to spend again in 2012, without having to fear for the club's stability and future. Sadly, this still seems unlikely, but with Everton continually up for sale, surely a buyer will come in one day?

2011 will be looked back on as another year where Everton maintained their grip above many wealthier contemporaries, fortunate enough to be permitted deeper squads and able to attract more audacious transfer targets. To prolong their status in the top eight of the Premier League, once again the Toffees must be quick out of the blocks in 2012.

What do you hope for at Everton in 2012?

Where do you realistically see the club a year from now?

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