A WHOLE LOTT TO CHEER

With a ‘world-class’ boss in charge, the only way is up for Blues says Coleman

EVERTON have been here before – and doesn’t club captain Seamus Coleman know it.

Optimism, hope, expectation. Over the years, they’ve dealt in such currency only for it all to slip through their hands. But this time, according to Coleman, it feels so different.

Back-to-back wins for Carlo Ancelotti and a five-match unbeaten run sparked by Duncan Ferguson’s call to arms – suddenly the feelgood factor is back at Goodison.

Coleman thinks that, with Ancelotti (right) in charge, there’s an air of sustainability about the upturn.

“I was so excited when it was confirmed that the manager was coming in,” said Coleman, who was a victim of the Italian’s reshuffle, only coming off the bench on 70 minutes. “To have someone like that in charge is a massive opportunity to win some silverware.”

Everton were not radically different against Newcastle and there were times when Ancelotti’s bold decision to play such an attacking formation away from home could have backfired. But the will to win instilled by Ferguson remains and, in those periods when Everton were second-best, a steely discipline saw them through.

With Dominic Calvert-lewin scoring the winning goal for a second successive game and in the best form of his career, the platform is in place.

And Coleman (above) believes Ancelotti is just the man to build on it.

“If you can’t learn from someone like him, then you never will,” he said.

“Now we have a great opportunity to move forward, learning from the best, someone who has done it all.”

Coleman has been at Everton for too long to get carried away by false dawns but is confident all the ingredients are now in place for lift-off. “This club has the financial backing which it didn’t have for so long. We just haven’t got it right so far,” he said.

“I don’t want to get sucked into making big predictions but now we have a world-class manager, someone who will attract top players here. The club has an idea, a vision and some plans so, fingers crossed, we can now start moving forward.”

Newcastle’s second defeat in three days will add credence to those who claim their recent surge up the table concealed a multitude of sins. With Leicester next up, there’s talk of them being sucked into the relegation mire again.

But this result was a setback rather than evidence of a slump. Referee Lee Mason gave Steve Bruce’s side very little – they had two decent penalty shouts turned down – and while there’s evidence to suggest an improved attacking display has come at the expense of a previously solid backline, Toon’s problems appear fixable rather than terminal.

While it was once again a defender who found the net, Fabian Schar cancelling out the first of Calvert-lewin’s two goals, striker Andy Carroll is becoming a greater threat by the week while the misfiring Joelinton appears to be gradually finding his feet in English football.

Everton are upwardly mobile again but Newcastle aren’t stuck in reverse.