Instil an identity into a drifting squad, dovetail with the director of football, stay put after four short-term appointments, and show he appreciates the opportunity he has been givenContrary to what Sam Allardyce’s friends at TalkSport/Sky may suggest, Everton fans did not expect the former England manager to transport the team from 13th into European contention during his six months in charge. Nor did they expect a seriously flawed squad to become the great entertainers. They did hope, however, for some sort of style, identity or a modicum of entertainment to develop. Instead they had to endure football that yielded the fewest shots, the fewest shots on target and the fewest chances created during Allardyce’s brief tenure. Silva inherits a...
Seven years after ending a modest playing career the Portuguese is about to embark on a sixth managerial jobIt is easy to see why Everton identified Marco Silva as their ideal head coach last October but less easy to understand why they persisted in doing so after his time at Watford unravelled in off-pitch acrimony and on-pitch chaos. The manner in which his performance in Hertfordshire went from immaculate to inadequate must at the very least have made what might once have been a straightforward decision significantly more complicated.Everton will believe they have the status to keep Silva’s ego satisfied for a bit longer than the two months and nine matches that separated his first game with the Hornets from...
Somehow, with no title race since 2014 and Manchester City all but wrapping up this one in October, it has still been enthrallingAnd now the end is near. And so we face the final curtain or at best a rather demob-happy, oddly tension-free final flutter of a curtain that fell some time ago for most of English football’s top tier.Sunday’s final fixtures of the Premier League season will be played out in the usual conjoined fashion, simultaneous kick-offs designed to offer last-day drama and a level playing field to the final jostle for air and space. Related: Farewell then Yaya Touré, Manchester City’s clanking midfield giant | Barney Ronay Related: Arsène Wenger quiz: 22 questions on his 22-year reign at...
A wake is in store in Swansea, Klopp faced with a juggling act and a swansong for Conte and Benítez?Sign up now to The Fiver, our daily football emailThis feature, you will note, is called ‘10 Things to Look Out For’ rather than ‘10 Things to Look Forward To’. Thank goodness for that, because there might not be much to look forward to at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday. The match between Swansea and Stoke is likely to be a wake, with both clubs wondering how the hell they got into this mess. A number of players will be making their last appearance for both sides, seeing no contradiction in the belief that they are far too good to play...
Aubameyang can revive Arsenal, Butland lays bare Stoke’s shameful truth and West Ham would be foolish to ditch MoyesPierre-Emerick Aubameyang might not be a classic Arsène Wenger signing because he cost a lot of money and is already close to his peak but at 28 he is certainly a man who can lead the next incarnation of Arsenal. Alongside Alexandre Lacazette the duo showed how exciting Arsenal can still be even if Burnley looked like a team packed for their summer holidays as they made up the numbers, offering less energy than the post-match speeches, in what was effectively a testimonial at the Emirates. Wenger might rue the fact he missed bringing the Gabonese international Aubameyang to England earlier –...