The year 1995 was a significant one for Everton and Roberto Martinez. The Spaniard began a 20-year affair with British football when, along with two of his compatriots, he was signed by Wigan, then an obscure fourth-tier club. They were promptly, and predictably, branded the “Three Amigos”. Two months earlier, and to rather more fanfare, Everton won the FA Cup.
It remains their last trophy. A 20-season drought represents the longest in their storied history. It also reflects the changing nature of the English game and the concentration of power at the top.
Since Joe Royle’s team triumphed at Wembley in 1995, 49 of the 60 major domestic honours have been won by five clubs: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United. Tottenham, who sporadically threaten to join them in an elite group, have claimed two more.
Everton have consistently ranked among the best of the rest, recording 11 top-eight finishes and reaching nine Cup quarter-finals without ending their wait. They have been outperformed by the financial superpowers, while the surprises have been sprung by their traditional inferiors. Middlesbrough, Tuesday night’s opponents, were League Cup winners in 2004. Wigan, then managed by Martinez, were FA Cup winners in 2013.
It helped the Spaniard secure the job on Merseyside. It also explains why there is a strain of pessimism in the Evertonian psyche. Wigan visited Goodison Park in the last eight as underdogs. The draw seemed to be opening up for Everton. Instead, they conceded three goals in four first-half minutes. David Moyes’s last chance of silverware disappeared.
Now United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham have already been eliminated and Everton have a tie against Championship opponents. Once again, the opportunity seems there. Once again, the more negative may feel, Everton could contrive to find a way not to triumph.
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Indeed, their entire League Cup run has been a series of flirtations with the exit. They have trailed in every round, going 2-0 down to League One Barnsley and behind to both Reading and Norwich. Theirs has been an eventful journey to the last eight.
Middlesbrough, who have conceded only two goals in 390 minutes as they have progressed, have made smoother progress, despite being drawn away at Old Trafford in the fourth round. Aitor Karanka’s team ground their way to a stalemate and prospered in the penalty shootout.
Their priority is promotion. Everton devoted too much attention to the Europa League last season, a decision that damaged them in both the Premier League and the League Cup. Now there is the chance to record another tangible achievement for a manager who won Wigan’s first major trophy in their history and secured Everton’s highest Premier League points tally, 72, in 2013/14.
They may only be four points from fourth place now but such is the competition, and such was Everton’s carelessness in conceding a 98th-minute equaliser at Bournemouth on Saturday, that it would be a surprise if they claimed a Uefa Champions League spot. So this may be Everton’s best opportunity, certainly while they still have each of their four premier young talents.
They repelled Chelsea’s bids for John Stones in the summer, but further interest should be expected. Barcelona possess a buyback clause to reclaim Gerard Deulofeu. Romelu Lukaku is the subject of reported interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus. Ross Barkley is converting potential into performances. Much as Everton tend to resist offers, and nine-time champions of England do their utmost to avoid being seen as a selling club, this team is unlikely to be together next year.
Martinez has tended to rotate his squad during the early rounds, just as he did when Wigan went on to win the FA Cup. Then his major players were parachuted in for the quarter-final. They should be again, but two decades of experience of near misses ought to ensure their supporters are not lured into premature optimism.
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