A perfect and somewhat overused analogy to sum up Everton’s sophomore season under Roberto Martinez is ‘the difficult second album.’ How can you top what was accomplished the first time round when the opposition know what to expect? Fans who may have been expecting a season similar to Nirvana’s fantastic ‘Nevermind’ were instead given Coldplay’s more tepid ‘A Rush of Blood to the Head.’
You don’t have to be Gary Neville to analyze the change in fortunes between the last two Everton campaigns. From the lofty heights of fifth place at the end of the 13/14 season, the last venture has resulted in a disheartening 11th. A devastating -24 swing in terms of goal difference and winning an astonishing nine fewer games.