Everton set for struggle

Everton boss Walter Smith must deliver improvement

BBC Sport Online fears cash-strapped Everton face another season of Premiership toil.

Everton's Premiership lifestyle has become little more than a constant struggle for survival - and it is difficult to see the new campaign offering anything different.

Boss Walter Smith still has to cope with some of the tightest purse-strings in the top flight and a squad in a constant state of flux.

Everton spared their fans another last day date with destiny last term, but have since been forced to cash in on their prize assets as they battle an overdraft understood to be in excess of £20m.

Smith's hopes of a measure of stability have been dashed by another summer of transfer departures and speculation.

Francis Jeffers rejected a new deal worth around £28,000 a week - leaving Everton no option but to put the brilliant young England under-21 striker up for sale or risk losing him for a small compensation fee when his contract expired next summer.

Radzinski - high hopes

Arsenal sealed a £10m deal - but the move established Everton's reputation as one of the Premiership's selling clubs.

Michael Ball - another lifelong Evertonian - followed suit when offered a new contract and is in the process of completing a £6.5m move to Rangers.

Everton signed Alan Stubbs on a free transfer from Celtic and splashed out for £4.5m of the Jeffers cash on Anderlecht's Tomasz Radzinkski.

But the squad still looks threadbare in midfield, with Paul Gascoigne seemingly a spent force.

Everton look potentially threatening in attack, but Radzinski has already picked up an injury and Duncan Ferguson's track record inspires no confidence.

  Summer transfers

IN

Tomasz Radzinski (Anderlecht)

Alan Stubbs (Celtic)

OUT

Francis Jeffers (Arsenal)

Phil Jevons (Grimsby Town)

Sean Doherty (Fulham)

Stephen Hughes (Watford)

Smith knows the pressure is on at the start of his fourth season in charge. with criticism mounting from fans unhappy with his tactics and relationship with the club's young players.

Everton desperately need a good first few weeks to banish anxiety from fans already fearing the worst in the Premiership race.

The influence of the experienced David Weir and Stubbs will be vital, with Smith likely to pair them alongside Alessandro Pistone in a three-man central defence.

Everton will hope impressive young Scotland defender Gary Naysmith steers clear of injury to provide a wing-back partnership with Steve Watson.

The one bright spot of the summer has been Everton moving closer to building their new 55,000-seater stadium at King's Dock.

But it is almost impossible to see Everton breaking into the upper reaches of the league - and the extent of their ambitions may well be a cup run and relative respectability in the league.