Toffees to the Four!

At the onset let me make it very clear, this post has nothing to do with me distributing confectionery to four people. You might consider that an unnecessary clarification but given that Ravi has already interpreted it that way once, I felt it was best to digress briefly.

So, coming to the point now, this post is meant simply to be an acknowledgment of the fantastic season that Everton(nicknamed the Toffees) are having till date. Everton are currently sitting pretty in the league in fourth place(Now you get it, don't you?); are virtually in the Round of 16 in the UEFA Cup; and have had a very laudable Carling Cup which ended in the semi-finals. True, we would have ideally liked to have done better in the FA Cup, but you can't win them all.

Our good form this season is due largely to a settled team. The crux of the squad has been together for a couple of seasons now and they are starting to gel. The spine of the team is strong and consistent. Man Utd reject Tim Howard has blossomed under Moyes and is now one of the most reliable keepers in the division. Joseph Yobo and Jolean Lescott have been rocks in defence. Mikel Arteta's passing and movement have made him Everton's prized asset and the pint sized dynamo, Tim Cahill has been phenomenal in a Blue shirt. Leon Osman too seems to be recognizing his potential and is beginning to fulfill the promise he showed in his younger days. The versatile Phil Neville(another Man U reject) has enjoyed a renaissance since his transfer and proudly sports the captain's armband these days. Andy Johnson's been bagging goals and terrifying defenses with his pace for a long time now. Big money summer recruit Yakubu has settled in very quickly and is repaying the huge faith and money invested in him with rich dividends. Young defenders Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka, also drafted in over the summer, too have made good starts to their Everton career. The versatile Jags has already played as a holding midfileder, a full back and as a center back. His ability to play as a central defender has afforded Everton the luxury of deploying Lescott as a left wing back and the former Wolves man has been a part of countless meaningful attacks. Borussia Dortmund's Steven Pienaar, who struggled to cope with the Bundesliga, has really taken to life in the Premier League and the attack-minded midfielder is expected to make his loan move permanent in the summer. Probably, Moyes's masterstroke in the transfer market has been signing Manuel Fernandes from Valencia on loan with a view to a permanent deal. Moyes could well have pulled off a major bargain for a man the Che paid more than $17 Million for.

The team is primarily composed of young players who have their best days ahead of them. The strike force looks especially potent with highly rated youngsters Vaughan and Anichebe waiting in the wings. What is a perfect coincidence is that Vaughan is a lot like Johnson and Anichebe is the striking image of Yakubu. Needless to say the young proteges could not have had better mentors. Even though a huge Everton favourite James Mcfadden has been sold to Birmingham to reclaim some of the money invested in the summer, the Toffees continue to look very sharp in attack.

Moyes has Everton playing very simple and effective football. Unlike the labyrinthine tactics of some of the other sides, Everton focus on getting the basics right and building from the back. Moyes's formations often involve two attacking midfielders starting ahead of two deeper midfielders and just behind Cahill playing off the striker. The attacking style is possession oriented and is particularly effective on quick breaks. All in all Everton set out to win 1-0 but often play some great football. Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho and Andy Gray are just a few of the experts who have acknowledged that.

After many years the Everton squad looks to have the depth needed to excel in a variety of competitions. Most punters are starting to eye up Everton as genuine contenders for the UEFA Cup and serious challengers for the fourth place. No matter, what happens from now till the end of the season, David Moyes and the team can give themselves a pat on the back for winning six on the trot(a streak likely to be extended) in Europe-a Toffee record; and challenging Liverpool, who have spent more than 40 Million pounds this season to buy players, for a Champion League spot.