Chelsea and Everton are about to kick off at Goodison Park in the first game of the new Premier League season for them.
Both teams will be hoping to get off to a good start after finishing at opposite ends of the table last season.
For a bit of pre-match reading, we sat down with Trent Nelson of Royal Blue Mersey to chat about the expectations for the next 90 minutes and next 9 months ahead.
Be sure to check out the reverse version of this Q&A, where we talk about all the drama of Chelsea Football Club.
WAGNH: Can you please take Ross Barkley home?
RBM: Haha no thank you. -Sincerely, all of the Blue on Merseyside.
WAGNH: What can we expect from Everton this weekend, given the various injuries also affecting the team? Any predictions for this game?
EBM: I think that Everton will have a difficult time matching the talent level that Chelsea can field. I’ll say 2-1 as the final score.
WAGNH: Lampard’s constantly linked with swooping for one of many fringe players at Chelsea. But do Everton actually have a need for someone like Michy Batshuayi or Billy Gilmour?
RBM: As you’ve alluded to yourself, the team lost Richarlison this summer and needs creative and imaginative reinforcements and depth now. Everton haven’t had sufficient depth at the centre-forward position for years and without Richy it’s even worse.
WAGNH: Last season ended on a most incredible high, despite a most incredibly low league position, but from the outside, it looks like Everton haven’t really been able to build on those feelings and the squad looks weaker, if anything. So what has gone on this summer and what’s the thinking among the club hierarchy?
RBM: It has been difficult but also not unexpected. The team is still trying to overcome FFP rules and limits that, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, have become difficult to manage.
Selling Richarlison helped, despite that it hurt us Toffee supporters, and especially to Tottenham.
With that said, signing Dwight McNeil was major, as was the free transfer for James Tarkowski. Other moves like those rumored for former Blue Idrissa Geuye,
Lille midfielder Amadou Onana, or for some Chelsea strikers or midfielders are necessary but in the meanwhile, resilience and hard work is the name of the game.