11 days to Premier League season: Everton in the good hands of Ronald Koeman

The National's sports team is counting down the days until the start of the 2016/17 Premier League season by looking at one team a day. Today, Everton.

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• More: 2016/17 Premier League fixtures in UAE time

The National's sports team is counting down the days until defending champions Leicester City take on newly promoted Hull City in the opening fixture of the 2016/17 English Premier League season by looking at one team a day. Today, Everton.

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It went one big leap forward, two major falls backward for Roberto Martinez, and thus it spelled his end.

Everton's fifth-place showing in 2013/14 appeared to harbinger big things ahead for the Spaniard. Instead they slumped to back-to-back 11th-place seasons even as they have boasted some of the Premier League's most promising young talent, from Romelu Lukaku to John Stones to Ross Barkley. And so Martinez spent his summer on ESPN's Euro 2016 broadcast.

There is good news, however. The lack of progress led to the hiring of Ronald Koeman, who showed a masterful touch in actually improving Southampton the past two seasons after most observers figured they had hit their high point by finishing eighth under Mauricio Pochettino in 2013/14.

In particular, he showed a great ability to soften the loss of stars and incorporate new players into a side. Everton do not as of yet have any real signings of note for him to work with, but it figures that at some point the club will let Koeman make an addition or two. (Maarten Stekelenburg is their most significant of the window, and he only to back up new No 1 Joel Robles after Tim Howard’s departure.)

In the meantime Everton fans can take heart from the fact that, by goal difference at least, they are not as far off from fighting for the Europa League positions as points totals would suggest.

And while Stones looks as though he may be on the way out, as long as they have Lukaku and Barkley (watch out for Gerard Deulofeu, too) they maintain great attacking promise.

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Previously

• Hull City: Promoted club had unstable summer

• Middlesbrough: Hopes lie largely in Spaniards

• Burnley: Third time the charm?

• Sunderland: Moyes the make or break factor in survival hopes

• Bournemouth: Well placed to avoid 'second season syndrome'

• Crystal Palace: Time to deliver on all that talent

• West Bromwich Albion: Another season of mid-table mediocrity

• Watford: Early fixtures will set the tone – for better or worse

• Swansea City: Swans need a striker, and stability

Still to come

• Tomorrow: Chelsea

• Thursday, Aug 4: Stoke City

• Friday, Aug 5: Liverpool

• Saturday, Aug 6: West Ham United

• Sunday, Aug 7: Southampton

• Monday, Aug 8: Manchester United

• Tuesday, Aug 9: Manchester City

• Wednesday, Aug 10: Tottenham

• Thursday, Aug 11: Arsenal

• Friday, Aug 12: Leicester City

• Saturday, Aug 13: Premier League season begins

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