Everton 2016 vs Everton 2026: 10 Years On

Welcome to another article by yours truly. I am going to be trying something different today. Ten years on, how are Everton shaping up to the 11 (squad) of 2016?

For safety reasons, I have picked my ‘11’ from the start of the 2016/17 season and will compare them to Everton’s 11 as of now. Let’s get to it:

This is one of the easiest points ever. Jordan Pickford has been Everton’s best keeper for years, has kept us in many games and has kept us in the Premier League more than he should have. Stekelenburg saved two penalties in one game, that’s it. He went down in instalments and was pretty poor, to be replaced by Joel Robles later on in the year.

This seems unfair, but as it stands Jake O’Brien is Everton’s starting right-back. O’Brien did a job when the Blues needed him to, but the last season has shown that the experiment is over. Seamus, on the other hand, was as good a right-back as you will ever want, a true Everton icon. Seamus wins by some distance here.

Leighton Baines is the complete left-back Mykolenko is, frustratingly, the very opposite. Baines was second only to Ashley Cole for many years in the left-back stakes. Win for Baines, and it’s not even close.

I was never really a massive Ashley Williams fan, he did a job for what he was, which was a limited centre-half. Branthwaite, when fit, Is one of the best in the league. Jarrad makes it 2-2. The importance of Branthwaite has been highlighted even more when the lad is injured. Let’s hope that is the end of that now.

Very similar players for me. Tarkowski’s levels have somewhat dropped in the past season and that is something that I cannot say happened to Phil Jagielka. A great leader and a great captain was Jagielka. Tarkowski has it in his locker to be that. He does seem to get drawn into the petty squabbling as opposed to getting on with the game. Jagielka takes this for me.

10 years on, Idrissa Gana Gueye is still one of our best midfielders, which shows how bad our recruitment is. But also, how good the man is. They both get a point and we move on!

This is actually my first tough one. James Garner is a great player with a great work ethic and can play in multiple positions. His preferred position is at the heart of the midfield. Gareth Barry was as good as any on his day, even in his twilight years. He could break up the play, move the ball forward and quickly. Sorry Jimmy, but Gazza Bazza gets my vote here.

I think this contest will cause arguments between Everton fans. I actually like both players and see an argument for both. If I am going to go off stats and talent, Ross Barkley wins this for me. His first season under Roberto Martinez was so good, and if he would have made that leap, he could have been an England legend. Take nothing away from Dewsbury-Hall, he is great and a future Everton captain.

This is another tricky one. Kevin Mirallas was good but very frustrating. Illman Ndiaye is good but also, very frustrating. In terms of excitement, I think N’Diaye has the rawer talent, so I am going to lean towards him. Mirallas left under a cloud too, which made it all more frustrating.

Enner Valencia played more than Gerard Deulofeu and Yannick Bolasie this year so he gets the nod. I am going to shock you. I liked Enner Valencia; I thought he complemented the players we had and had a way of making the team tick. Jack Grealish is the obvious winner her, though. As previously stated, when on the money, Grealish is one of the best in the league.

Romelu Lukaku is Everton’s best-ever striker in the Premier League, that is fact. His power, pace and finishing at Everton were probably the best it has ever been. I don’t mind Beto, he does a job and can score. He is awkward enough to make defenders be aware of him, but he will never be in the same league as prime Lukaku.

The result is as follows:

EVERTON 2016 7- 5 EVERTON 2026

I think as a team, the 2016 would batter the current team, but man-for-man I do not think we are that far away. This transfer window needs to be right and concise; otherwise, we could start to feel even further away than the squad from 10 years ago.