Monday 25 May 2015 10:05, UK
We reflect on Everton's 2014/15 Premier League season, with the help of stats and pundit views...
Everton
Finishing position: 11th (-6 on last season)
Total points: 47 (-25 on last season)
Europa League: Knocked out in round of 16 by Dynamo Kiev
FA Cup: Knocked out in third round by West Ham
Capital One Cup: Knocked out in third round by Swansea
Season review
It was a season that promised plenty for Everton but ultimately delivered little.
After finishing fifth in 2013/14 and splashing out on Romelu Lukaku, hopes were high that Everton could push on and again challenge for a Champions League place. But one win from their opening seven games set the tone for things to come and by January – after suffering early exits in the FA Cup and Capital One Cup - all their eggs appeared to be in the Europa League basket.
Certainly Martinez’s men seemed to save their best early-season displays for Europe, beating Bundesliga high-flyers Wolfsburg home and away and Lille at Goodison to finish top of their group. Even as they struggled domestically over the festive period - winning just two league matches in December and January - they continued to impress on their return to the continent, sweeping aside Young Boys 7-2 on aggregate in the last 32 as Lukaku became only the fourth Everton player to score a hat-trick in Europe.
A 2-1 home win over Dynamo Kiev gave Everton hope they could progress even further, but a 5-2 defeat in the return leg brought an end to the adventure at the last-16 stage.
That only left the Premier League, where four wins from five matches, including a 3-0 victory over Manchester United, quickly dispelled any relegation worries and helped them climb up to mid-table by the end of the season.
Phil Thompson’s star player: James McCarthy
“I would say the most consistent player, and who they missed most when he was out, has been James McCarthy, so he’d be my Everton player of the season.”
Quotes of the season
"European football is something we want at Everton…One competition should not get in the way of the other.” - Roberto Martinez.
“It was brilliant to play at Chelsea and I had a good reception. They know I'm a good player but that I want to develop so I can eventually get back to playing for a club like Chelsea…I just want to grow as a player and eventually arrive at a top club again.” – Romelu Lukaku causes a stir in January.
“A couple of times we made some defensive mistakes but there was also some incredible finishing from the opposition. Some of the goals, it would be difficult to see them again in the same game.” - Roberto Martinez after Everton’s 5-2 loss to Dynamo Kiev in the second leg of their last-16 Europa League tie.
"It's going to take good planning this summer but I think we have shown in specific moments this season we have got some strong individuals in a team that can compete for the top four.” – Roberto Martinez on next season’s ambitions.
Stats of the season
- Everton missed three penalties this season – more than any other Premier League side
- Everton’s defenders scored 22% of their Premier League goals this season, the highest share in the division
- Everton dropped a league-high 19 points from leading positions in 2014/15
Phil Thompson's view
“This season has been an underachievement for Everton. I speak to a lot of Evertonians, believe it or not, and they’ve been every bit as disappointed in their season as us Liverpool fans have been. Their flirtation with relegation earlier in the season didn’t go down well with the masses, so it’s been a difficult season for them, but I’m sure they’ll be stronger next season.”
