With the announcement of Everton’s fixture list for the Premier League season of 2018/19 being released yesterday, once you cut through the chaff of some banter with Wolverhampton Wanderers, the Goodison faithful were largely in agreement with the start we’d been given to the campaign.
It’s a hell of a lot better than what the fixture computer turned out for 2017/18 and we all know where that led the club with the departure of Ronald Koeman and the appointment of Sam Allardyce.
A New Manager, A New Season & Renewed Hope – Everton Open 2018/19 With Newly Promoted Wolves
The opening ten fixtures of the new season see us face Wolves, Southampton, Bournemouth, Huddersfield, West Ham, Arsenal, Fulham, Leicester, Crystal Palace and Manchester United.
Last season saw us begin with four of the previous top six within the opening five matches.
Even former coach Jan Kluitenberg noticed the difference and fans were quick to applaud him for the classy touch he showed.
Well in Jan. You gave your best for the club. Always welcome and part of the blue family
— Singing the blues ???? (@eternalblue1878) June 14, 2018
Class. ??. Thanks Jan ????
— Toffeenosed (@GeneHunt_uk) June 14, 2018
Yes Jan ???? #OnceABlue
— Baz (@THT1878) June 14, 2018
Not a bad start ??????
— Jan Kluitenberg (@jankluit) June 14, 2018
Much better than last season mate when I've never seen a ridiculous start like that before.
— Kev (@KevBlank9) June 14, 2018
Better than the hand old Ronnie got last season!
— Paul Clews (@PaulClews2) June 14, 2018
Anyway, I digress.
Given the run of fixtures we face and the presupposed bigger boys being better spread out at the opening of the campaign, fans are hoping that’s just the boost Marco Silva needs given it will take time for him to get his message and ethos over to the side before we’re firing exactly how he’d want us to be.
Then it’s about capitalising on that and making the most of it.
Wolves away very tricky opener – good side and first time back in the Prem for years. Will be well up for it!! Cannot wait for the new era. COYB!!!
— Lee Pazzini10 (@LeePazzini) June 14, 2018
Could well be mate you never know how a season will turn out. Glad to finally have Silva In but its going to take time for his tactics to set in, so its a tough opener for us. Good luck in the season as long as you finish below us 😉
— EvertonViking (@EvertonViking) June 14, 2018
You're more ambitious than me for this season! Consolidation in 7th-10th would do for me, with an improvement in style and hopefully better results against top six
— Trevor McKinlay (@TrevorMcKinlay) June 14, 2018
Nicely spread out fixtures them! No back to back big teams! #coyb
— Adam T (@TurpoEFC) June 14, 2018
World Cup starts, and our fixtures are in happy days COE, COYB "this is our year" ????????????????????
— Graymc (@Graymc23) June 14, 2018
And away both Xmas games again aswell
— captain flip-flop (@parkendpie) June 14, 2018
Well, that's a less challenging set of opening games than we had last season …
— David Vick (@DavidVick5) June 14, 2018
Here's hoping for a better start than last year.
— Paul Valentine (@paulvalentine7) June 14, 2018
15 pts from first 5 games then! #COYB #EFC
— Richard Clein (@richardclein) June 14, 2018
Better start than last year! #COYB #EFC
— CynicPessiOptimistic (@SchneiderErnie) June 14, 2018
Happy with that. Reasons to be optimistic for a decent start for the first time in ages! #COYB
— Dave Billingsley (@dab051176) June 14, 2018
Over to Silva and the players to turn that optimism into positive results and showings.