The final season at Goodison Park will be an emotional one. We all know that. But I am desperate for it to be an enjoyable one too .
Everton really struggled at home at the start of last season. The campaign began with those tough defeats to Fulham and Wolves and there was even the loss to Luton Town before the first victory at home against Bournemouth. There cannot be a repeat of that.
Not in this last season. I want to be leaving Goodison with a smile on my face. I want it to be a place that our players feel inspired by and in which they feel confident enough to inspire us in the stands because we all know how powerful the home crowd can be .
We have seen that so emphatically for the wrong reasons over recent years with supporters coming together to pull the side clear of trouble. Now is the time for the fanbase to enjoy that walk to and from the ground as we make our final memories at our famous home. I was wrong about Kevin Thelwell's plans for Everton - one signing could be the difference Everton cannot ignore Abdoulaye Doucoure truth as new transfer sparks huge selection dilemma That needs to start against Brighton on Saturday.
I know Roma had a talented side and their visit was a friendly but I still thought they were able to settle too quickly at the weekend, Everton were a little sluggish at the start and allowed Roma’s players to settle and to find their rhythm. We cannot allow teams the luxury of an easy start at home this year. Everton under Sean Dyche have been good at starting on the front foot away from home but they now need to bring that intensity to the opening minutes at Goodison too.
We need to start fast and turn Goodison into the weapon it can be. Everton do now appear to have players who are capable of doing that. We saw the buzz around the stadium in the final half an hour against Roma, when Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s goal sparked the team into life and the players, urged on by the supporters, seized the initiative.
The likes of Iliman Ndiaye and Jesper Lindstrom provide Dyche with options he has not previously had at Everton. They will help lift spirits in the stands but their impact in the dressing room should not be underestimated. Everton’s strength under Dyche has been the defence but the lack of goals has created so much pressure on that back line to be perfect.
When a team is struggling for goals then clean sheets are more valuable but as a defender you can feel like you need to do more outside your normal responsibilities. You think ‘can I do more?’ As a left back I would be trying to work out whether I needed to do more to support my winger - but that then creates risk at the other end. That pressure reduces when you have players who can produce some magic going forward .
When those options are there you do what you can to get the ball to their feet. That allows players to concentrate on their own jobs and provides an injection of confidence. Everton have not had those opportunities in recent years, but now it looks like they might.
It is now up to them to showcase their talent . Those new players have won the lottery. They now have the opportunity to put that Royal Blue shirt on.
Can they repay the faith shown in them - by the scouts and all of the hard work into bringing them to the club? If so then maybe we can leave Goodison with a smile on our face more often this season..
