Today, Blues midfielder-turned-evertontv pundit Graham Stuart begins an exclusive new column for evertonfc.com. Each week throughout the campaign, the 1995 FA Cup winner will bring you his thoughts on the latest Toffees news, reflect on games gone by and look ahead to clashes with upcoming opponents both on English shores and abroad...
Firstly, welcome to my new column. I've had a great summer going around the world with evertontv doing the commentary alongside Darren Griffiths and I'm looking forward to doing more of the same as the 2014/15 campaign progresses. The thought of going away into Europe this season is particularly exciting - though perhaps not as much as welcoming continental football back to Goodison Park!
Looking back over the last few weeks, it was obviously disappointing not to see the lads pick up a win in pre-season. I'm honestly not worried in the slightest though, and think it would be false to read too much - if anything - into the results against the likes of Celta Vigo and SC Paderborn. What happens against Leicester City this weekend is what's important and I know every Evertonian is going to be relishing the thought of the modern-day School of Science re-opening for the new term.
It was vitally important that we improved the squad over the summer as best as we possibly could and Gareth Barry and Romelu Lukaku coming back as official Everton signings was a major boost.
The signing of Rom is the big one that everybody had been talking about and the one everyone was hoping would happen. It has to be said, the Club and the board have done fantastically well to be able to spend £28million on him and we hope he's going to be worth every penny of that. After all, if your stellar signing comes in, hits the ground running and gets up towards 20 goals for the season, then that will probably mean having a really successful year.
For me, though, Gareth was the one who was top of my wish list. I think he was magnificent last season. He helped James McCarthy to develop and I think it's so important for the way Roberto Martinez likes to play that we've got players like those two who allow our more attacking players to flourish.
Of course, we've now got the option of Mo Besic in that position as well, and he's come in and looked really comfortable, really confident, and I think in the handful of appearances he's made in pre-season, he's already got the fans optimistic about the talent he has. The boy's already had the experience of playing in the World Cup, where he looked very impressive, particularly when he was up against Argentina and Lionel Messi, and, like McCarthy, he's another who will benefit from playing with, training with and being around an experienced winner like Gareth Barry.
Besic certainly looks as though he's got a little bit of fire in his belly as well - and that should certainly earn him a place in the hearts of Evertonians!
As for this weekend's game, I believe managing the first 20 minutes is going to be key.
Those opening 20 minutes of any Premier League game are the ones you always look at, but particularly in games like this where you've got a team who have just come up, who are out to make an impression and when you know it's going to be a carnival atmosphere in the stadium.
The Leicester fans are going to be ecstatic about being back in the top flight for the first time in 10 years and up against a top side like ourselves on the opening day. But if we can deal with those opening exchanges and let the game settle down then I would expect our extra quality and our greater experience at this level to take over. As long as we go about our job in the right way, I'm convinced we've got too much for them.
Looking at the overall Premier League picture, I'm expecting another gripping season. I think it's clear to everyone who's going to be challenging; it's going to be Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal. Then, for me, there's one of those top-four spots available, and that's for ourselves, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and the lads across the park to fight for.
A title tip? Arsenal have really impressed me in pre-season. I've watched them a couple of times and I think they're back to where Arsenal fans expect them to be and I'm backing them to last the distance and go close.
Naturally, our fans will have high expectations after what the team achieved last season and that's an added pressure to deal with. The demands Europa League will bring also have to be factored in. But, if we get off to a good start - we've got those mammoth games against Arsenal and Chelsea to look forward to before the end of the month - then I'm confident we can have a big say again.
It's a time to be excited and full of belief. Here's hoping for a 2014/15 to remember!
